MY FIRST PRESENTATION

3.  TAJ was built in 17th century by SHAH JAHAN for
her beloved 2nd wife MUMTAJ MAHAL
 It has taken 20 years n 20000 workers to built it
 English poet Sir Edwin Arnold describes it as "Not
a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but
the proud passion of an emperor's love wrought in
living stones.“
 THE NINTY NINE NAMES OF GOD are found as
calligraphic inscriptions on the sides of the tomb of
MUMTAJ MAHAL in the crypt including, “O Noble,
O Magnificent, O Majestic, O Unique, O Eternal, O
Glorious…

4.  TAJ MAHAL is located in Agra, a city in
the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, India. The
TAJ MAHAL is located on the right bank of
the Yamuna River in a vast MUGAL garden
(CHAR BAGH).
 TAJ MAHAL required a lot of people for its
manufacture. The specialists of each profession
were called to work on a site that brings
together the peak of its activities up to 20,000
people. It was started in 1631. 17 years later, in
1648, the mausoleum hand was completed.

7.  Taj Mahal Site Plan: The Taj Mahal complex can be
conveniently divided into 5 sections:
1. The 'moonlight garden' to the north of the river
Yamuna.
2. The riverfront terrace, containing the Mausoleum,
Mosque and Jawab.
3. The Charbagh garden containing pavilions.
4. The jilaukhana containing accommodation for the
tomb attendants and two subsidiary tombs.
5. The Taj Ganji, originally a bazaar and
caravanserai only traces of which are still
preserved. The great gate lies between the
jilaukhana and the garden.
Levels gradually descend in steps from the Taj
Ganji towards the river. Contemporary descriptions
of the complex list the elements in order from the
river terrace towards the Taj Ganji.

8.  TAJ MAHAL is built on a foundation which is
supported by gigantic wooden slabs built over
deep wells. Now a curious and sensible mind
will quickly raise a question that how is it
possible when it is in very basic nature of wood
to 'swell' under excessive moisture content?
 Yeah, that is quite true but not the complete
fact! Some Observations and Key Points with
respect to TAJ MAHAL and its Wood
Foundation-

10.  According to experts wood fibers are dimensionally stable when the
moisture content is above fiber saturation points i.e. above 30%. But it
experiences disrupts in dimensions or swells if moisture content tends to
show an increase or decrease phenomenon.
 According to Surveys and Studies carried out by ASI, it is believed that
'ebony's wood' was used in the construction of foundation and the
reference to the same can be found in many books on historical
monument.
 One more precise but extremely technical detail that was put to use in
wooden foundation is that -"it is only the combined action of water and
air present in environment that's deteriorate the wood. Neither of them
alone have the capacity enough to deteriorate wood by virtue of their
action.
 Wooden part of foundation lies well below the river Yamuna and it is the
secret that wood used therein is still have the necessary strength or
bearing capacity to carry on the weight of TAJ MAHAL
 If we talk with regards to Hindu Science of Elements- Ebony is the only
wood known to have Elemental Association with all the five elements-air,
water, earth, fire and sky. Also, since Ebony has a very high density it’s
easily sink in water
.

11.  The TAJ MAHAL incorporates and expands on
design traditions of Persian and earlier Mughal
architecture. Specific inspiration came from
successful Timurid and MUGHAL buildings
including the Gur-e-Amir (the tomb of TIMUR,
progenitor of the MUGHAL dynasty,
in Samarkand),[11] Humayun's Tomb, Itmad-Ud-
Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Baby TAJ),
and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi. While
earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed
of red sandstone, SHAH JAHAN promoted the use
of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones.
Buildings under his patronage reached new levels
of refinement.

19.  Abdul Hamid Lahauri in his book Badshahnama refers to
Taj Mahal as rauza-i munawwara, meaning the illumined or
illustrious tomb
 Soon after the Taj Mahal's completion, Shah Jahan was
deposed by his son Aurangzeb and put under house arrest
at nearby Agra Fort. Upon Shah Jahan's death, Aurangzeb
buried him in the mausoleum next to his wife.[41] In the
18th century, the Jat rulers of Bharatpur invaded Agra and
attacked the Taj Mahal, the two chandeliers, one of agate
and another of silver, which were hung over the main
cenotaph, were taken away by them, along with the gold
and silver screen. Kanbo, a Mughal historian, said the gold
shield which covered the 4.6-metre-high (15 ft) finial at the
top of the main dome was also removed during the Jat
despoliation.[42]

20.  By the late 19th century, parts of the buildings
had fallen into disrepair. During the time of
the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Taj Mahal was
defaced by British soldiers and government
officials, who chiselled out precious stones
and lapis lazuli from its walls. At the end of the
19th century, British viceroy Lord
Curzon ordered a sweeping restoration project,
which was completed in 1908.[43][44] He also
commissioned the large lamp in the interior
chamber, modelled after one in
a Cairo mosque. During this time the garden
was remodelled with British-style lawns that are
still in place today