One of the wonder's of the world situated in agra under its conceptuality interpenetration with its history studied by the students of PVP COA ,Pune .

1. Taj Mahal
COMPILED BY :
51 Raghav Maheshwari
64 Prasannakumar Patil
69 Pranoti Raut
72 Raj Shah
TAJ MAHAL 01H.A.H.S.

2. TAJ MAHAL 02H.A.H.S.
Ÿ ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
Ÿ INTRODUCTION
Ÿ TAJ MAHAL- LOVE STORY
BEHIND ITS ARCHITECTURE
Ÿ CONCEPTS, SYMBOLISM &
INTERPRETATION
Ÿ PLAN OF THE COMPLEX
Ÿ TAJ MAHAL COMPLEX EXTERIOR
Ÿ TAJ MAHAL EXTERIOR
Ÿ INTERIOR, ORNAMENTATION &
CALLIGRAPHY
Ÿ FOUNDATION MATERIAL &
CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
Ÿ REFERENCE
3
4
5
6
7
8, 9
10
11
12
13
C O N T E N T S

3. TAJ MAHAL 03H.A.H.S.
ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
HISTORY-
MUSLIM CHRONOLOGY DATES FROM A.D. 622.
THE YEAR OF HEGIRA(HIJRAH),WHEN MOHAMMAD MOVED
FROM MECCA TO MADINA. IN THE SUCCEEDING TEN YEARS
OF HIS LIFE MOHAMMAD ESTABLISHED THE FRAME WORK OF
THE RELIGION AND THE BEGINNINGS OF THE MILITARY
ORGANIZATION CHARGE WITH SPREADING THE FAITH
IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIS DEATH IN 632.THE CONCERNED
EFFORTS OF THE ARABIAN TUBES CARRIED THEN AS
CONQUR0RS INTO CENTRAL ASIA WESTWARDS TOWARDS
THE ATLANTIC .
ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE ENCOMPOSES A WIDE
RANGE OF BOTH SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS STYLES FROM
THE FOUNDATION OF ISLAM TO THE PRESENT DAY,
INFLUENCING THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF
BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES IN ISLAMIC CULTURE .THE
PRINCIPAL ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURAL TYPES ARE
THE MOSQUE
THE TOMB
THE PALACE
THE FORT.
FROM THIS FOUR TYPES ,THE VOCABULARY OF ISLAMIC
ARCHITECTURE IS DERIVED AND USED FOR BUILDINGS OF
LESS IMPORTANTS SUCH AS PUBLIC BATHS ,FOUNTAIN AND
DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE.
SOCIAL-
THE ARAB GROUPS WHICH WERE THE
SPREADHEAD OF THE ADVANCE OF THE ISLAM, WERE
ESSENTIALLY PRIBAL, AND IN CONSEQUENCES THE
BEHAVIOUR PATTERN AND CULTURAL ATTRIBUTES OF
EMERGANT ISLAMIC SOCIETIES WERE BASED ON THE
TRADITIONS OF THE DESERT.
RELIGIOUS -
DATE FOUNDED -A.D. 622
PLACE FOUNDED-MECCA (SAUDI ARABIA)
FOUNDER-MOHAMMAD (BORN C,570)
ADHERENTS-1.3BILLION
SIZE RANK-SECOND LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
MAIN LOCATION-MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA.
SACRED-QU’R”AN (KORAN)
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE-ARABIC

4. TAJ MAHAL 04H.A.H.S.
INTRODUCTION
Ÿ THE TAJ MAHAL REPRESENTS THE FINEST AND MOST
SOPHISTICATED EXAMPLE OF MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE.
Ÿ THE DISTRAUGHT MUGHAL EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN
COMMISSIONED THE MAUSOLEUM UPON THE DEATH OF HIS
FAVORITE WIFE MUMTAZ BEGUM.
Ÿ TODAY IT IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS AND
RECOGNIZABLE BUILDING IN THE WORLD AND THE WHITE
DOMED MARBLE MAUSOLEUM IS THE MOST FAMILIAR PART
OF THE MONUMENT.
Ÿ TAJ MAHAL IS AN EXTENSIVE COMPLEX OF BUILDINGS AND
GARDENS THAT EXTENDS OVER 22.44 HECTARES AND
INCLUDES SUBSIDIARY TOMBS, WATER WORKS INFRA-
STRUCTURE ,THE SMALL TOWN OF TAJ GANJI AND A ‘MOON
LIGHT GARDEN’ TO THE NORTH OF THE RIVER.
Ÿ CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 1632 A.D. ON THE SOUTH BANK
OF THE RIVER YAMUNA IN AGRA ,AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY
COMPLETE BY 1648 A.D.
Ÿ THE ARCHITECTS USTAD AHMED LAHAURI AND MIR ABDUL
KARIM.

5. TAJ MAHAL 05H.A.H.S.
THE TAJ MAHAL IMMORTALIZES THE LOVE BETWEEN THE
MUGHAL EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN AND HIS FAVORITE WIFE,
MUMTAZ MAHAL. BUILTAT THE PEAK OF SHAH JAHAN'S REIGN
IN INDIA, THE TAJ MAHAL EMBODIES THE QUINTESSENTIAL
MUGHAL ARCHITECTURE STYLE THAT HAS OBVIOUS
PERSIAN, ISLAMIC, OTTOMAN, TURKISH AND INDIAN
INFLUENCES. THE PROSPERITY BROUGHT ON BY THE
CONJOINING OF BOTH HINDU AND ISLAMIC CULTURES. TO
ROMANTICS, THIS BUILDING SYMBOLIZES THE IMMENSE
LOVE THAT SHAH JAHAN HAD FOR HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE,
MUMTAZ MAHAL.
Ÿ BUILT IN AGRA, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA FROM 1632 AD -1653
AD, THE MAUSOLEUM IS MADE OF PRISTINE WHITE MARBLE
ON 17 HECTARES OF LUSH GREEN LAND AND GARDEN
ADJACENT TO THE YAMUNA RIVER. STONE-CUTTERS,
CARVERS, INLAYERS, CARVERS, CALLIGRAPHERS, DOME
BUILDERS, PAINTERS, MASONS AND OTHER ARTISTS AND
STONE WORKERS FROM NOT ONLY THE MUGHAL EMPIRE,
BUT ALSO FROM CENTRAL ASIA AND IRAN, WERE
SUMMONED TO WORK ON THE BUILDING SHORTLY AFTER
MUMTAZ MAHAL'S DEMISE.
TAJ MAHAL- LOVE STORY BEHIND ITS ARCHITECTURE
THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TAJ
MAHAL CREATED MANY VISUAL TRICKS THAT ENHANCE THE
BUILDING'S ALLURE. THE FIRST VIEW OF THE TAJ MAHAL FROM
THE INTRICATELY CARVED MAIN GATE MAKES THE TAJ MAHAL
APPEAR VERY LARGE- BUT THE CLOSER ONE MOVES TO THE
TAJ MAHAL, THE FURTHER IT APPEARS, AN ARCHITECTURAL
PHENOMENON.
THE WHITE MAKRANA MARBLE OF THE TAJ MAHAL ACTUALLY
APPEARS TO CHANGE COLOR THROUGHOUT THE DAY, FROM A
PURE WHITE, TO A DUSTY PINK. THE ACTUAL TOMB OF MUMTAZ
MAHAL, THOUGH KEPT AWAY FROM PUBLIC VIEW, IS LAVISHLY
APPOINTED AND DECORATED WITH MARBLE, INLAYED WITH
PRECIOUS GEMS AND STONES, MUCH LIKE THE REST OF THE
TAJ MAHAL.

6. TAJ MAHAL 06H.A.H.S.
CONCEPTS, SYMBOLISM & INTERPRETATION
Ø THIS THEME COMMON IN MOST MUGHAL FUNERARY
ARCHITECTURE, PERMITS ENTIRE COMPLEX AND
INFORMS DETAILED DESIGN OF ALL THE ELEMENTS.
Ø A DELIBERATE PLAY IS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE
BUILDING'S ELEMENTS, IT'S SURFACE DECORATION,
MATERIALS, IT'S ACOUSTICS AND GEOMETRIC PLANNING.
Ø IN DIMENSIONAL ORGANIZATION – THE TAJ COMPLEX IS
ORDERED BY GRID PATTERN.
Ø SYMMETRY AND GEOMETRIC PLANNING PLAYED AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN ORDERING THE COMPLEX.
Ø THE USE OF RED SANDSTONE AND WHITE MARBLE
CONTRIBUTES GREAT SYMBOLIC SIGNIFICANCE.
Ø RED SANDSTONE ALSO HAD SIGNIFICANCE IN THE
PERSIAN ORIGINS OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE. IN THE TAJ
MAHAL THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF EACH BUILDING IN
THE COMPLEX IS DENOTED BY THE AMOUNT OF WHITE
MARBLE THAT IS USED.
ØIN THE TAJ MAHAL, HIERARCHICAL USE OF RED SAND
STONE AND WHITE MARBLE MANIFOLD SYMBOLIC
SIGNIFICANCE.
FOUR OCTAGONAL
ROOMS ON TOP
FLOOR
FOUR SQUARE
ROOMS ON
GROUND FLOOR
CENTRAL CHAMBER
Ø THE TAJ MAHAL IS SITUATED ON A RAISED PLATFORM
WHICH IS OVER 6 METERS HIGH
Ø THE ACTUAL TOMB OF SHAH JAHAN IS ACTUALLY IN THE
BASEMENT BELOW THE PLATFORM
Ø SURMOUNTED BY A CURVING DOME WHICH IS OVER 60 M
LONG ON EACH SIDE
Ø PLATFORM COVERS 94 SQ M.
Ÿ STANDING ON THE SQUARE PLINTH THE TOMB IS MAIN FOCUS.
Ÿ IT CONSIST OF SYMMETRICAL BUILDINGS WITH AN IWAN
TOPPED BY A LARGE DOME AND FINIAL.
Ÿ ITS BASIC ELEMENT ARE PERSIAN IN ORIGIN.

7. TAJ MAHAL 07H.A.H.S.
A
C
B
D
E
F
I
G
H
A- MOSQUE.
B- TOMB.
C- GUEST HOUSE.
D- ORNAMENTAL POOL.
E- CHAR BAUGH.
F- SERVENT QUARTERS.
G- MAIN GATEWAY.
H- ROYAL TOMBS.
I - FOUR COURT.
THE TAJ MAHAL COMPLEX CAN BE CONVENIENTLY DIVIDED
INTO 5 SECTIONS:
Ø THE MOONLIGHT GARDEN TO THE NORTH OF THE
RIVER YAMUNA.
Ø THE RIVER FRONT TERRACE, CONSISTING OF MOSQUE
,MOUSOLIUM AND JAWAB
Ø THE CHARBAGH GARDEN CONTAINING PAVILIONS.
Ø THE JILAUKHANA FOR THE TOMB ATTENDANTS AND
TWO SUBSIDIARY TOMBS.
Ø THE TAJ GANJ ,ORIGINALLY A BAZAAR AND
CARAVANSERAI ONLY TRACES OF WHICH ARE STILL
PRESERVED. THE GREAT GATE LIES BETWEEN THE
JILAUKHAN AND THE GARDEN.
PLAN OF THE COMPLEX

8. TAJ MAHAL 08H.A.H.S.
TAJ MAHAL COMPLEX EXTERIOR
YAMUNA RIVER
FORECOURT
TAJ GANJ
TAJ GANJ-
Ø THE AREA DIRECTLY OUTSIDE THE FORECOURT
IS KNOWN TODAY AS TAJ GANJ.
Ø IT WAS ONCE A LARGE TIMING BAZZAR WITH
STALLS CONTAINING GEMS AND OTHER
LUXURIES.
FORECOURT-
Ø THE TAJ MAHAL IS SPLIT IN THREE SECTIONS
AND THE FORECOURT IS SECOND IN THE
IMPORTANCE.
Ø THE IMPOSING SANDSTONE IS THE MAIN
ENTRANCE TO THE MAUSOLEUM.
Ø THE FORE COURT IS ENVELOPED BT RED
SANDSTONE WALL THAT WAS CONSISTED OF
128 SHOPS.
Ø ALSO CALLED AS JILOKHANA OR CHOWK-I-
JILAUKHANA.
THE TAJ GATEWAY
Ø SPREAD OVER THE WIDTH OF 150 FEET AND
STANDING TALL AT 100 FEET ,THE TAJ GATEWAY IS
THE ENTRANCE TO THE MONUMENT.
Ø MADE OF RED SANDSTONE, THIS THREE STORIED
BUILDING IS TOPPED BY CUPOLAS OR CHATTRIS.
RECORDS STATE THAT IT WAS COMPLETED IN 1648
Ø CALLIGRAPHY WAS USED TO INSCRIBE THE HOLY
VERSES OF QURAN ON THE WALLS OF GATEWAY.
Ø CROWNING THE GATEWAY ARE TWENTY TWO
CHATTRIS LINING IN TWO LINES OF ELEVEN ABOVE
THE MAIN PORTAL.
Ø AS GRAND AS IT IS, WAS NEVER USED BY SHAH
JAHAN AND THE ROYAL PARTY AS THEY ALWAYS
ARRIVED FROM THE AGRA FORT BY BOAT.
Ø THE ORIGINAL DOOR OF THE GATEWAY WAS MADE
OUT OF THE SOLID SILVER.

9. TAJ MAHAL 09H.A.H.S.
TAJ MAHAL GARDENS
Ø THE GARDENS IN THE MUGHAL ERA WERE HEAVILY
INFLUENCED BUT PERSIAN STYLE.
Ø THE HOLY QURAN DESCRIBES PARADISE AS A GARDEN, SO
WE SEE MOST MUGHAL MONUMENTS ACCOMPANY A
GARDEN IN THEM, AS A REPRESENTATION OF HEAVEN..
THE AL-KAWTHAR-THE CELESTIAL POOL
OF ABUDANCE
Ø THESE MAIN FOUR PARTS ARE DIVIDED BY WATER
CHANNEL, EACH CHANNEL CONNECTING TO THE CENTRE.
Ø AT THE CENTRE, HALFWAY BETWEEN THE GATEWAY AND
THE TOMB, WHERE ALL FOUR WATER CHANNEL MEET IS A
RAISED LOTUS MARBLE TANK WITH A CUSPED BORDER
CALLED THE 'AL-KHAWTAR' THAT SIGNIFIES 'THE
CELESTIAL POOL OF ABUNDANCE'.
Ø THE TANK WAS SO PERFECTLY POSITIONED THAT ONE
CAN SEE THE REFLECTION OF TAJ IN IT'S WATERS.
Ø THE FOUR MAIN GARDEN BEDS ARE FURTHER DIVIDED BY
PAVED STONE WALKWAYS INTO FOUR BEDS EACH, MAKING A
TOTAL OF 16 FLOWER BEDS
Ø THE PLANNER OF THE TAJ PREFERRED TO ADD TO THE
GORGEOUS VIEW OF THE MONUMENT FROM THE FRONT BY
PROVIDING THIS DELICATE BUD-SHAPED FOUNTAINS IN THE
CENTER..
Ø THIS IS THE POINT WHERE TWO WATER CHANNELS
INTERSECT DIVIDING THE GARDEN INTO FOUR SECTIONS.
-CENTRAL TANK
WATER CHANNEL-

10. TAJ MAHAL 10H.A.H.S.
TAJ MAHAL EXTERIOR
LOTUS DECORATION-
LOTUS IS THE PROMINANT
HINDU SYMBOL USED.
CHATTRI-
THE DOME AND COLUMNED
KIOSK
MINARETS-
40 M TALL CYLINDRICAL
COLUMNS WITH BEVELED
ANGLES.
ARCH-
ALSO CALLED PISTAQ
CALLIGRAPHY-
ON LARGE PISTAQ
FINIAL-
ORNAMENTAL TERMINATING
PART
ONION DOME-
60 M TALL
DRUM-
CYLINDRICAL BASE OF THE
ONION DOME
GUIDASTA-
TALL DECORATIVE SPIRE
SPANDREL-
SPACE BETWEEN AN ARCH
AND RECTANGULAR
ENCLOSURE
DOME-
-CHATTRI
MINARETS
-FINIAL
GULDASTAS-

11. TAJ MAHAL 11H.A.H.S.
INTERIOR, ORNAMENTATION & CALLIGRAPHY
Ø SURROUNDED BY A MARBLE
SCREEN, THE CENOTAPHS OF
THE KING AND HIS WIFE LIE IN
THE CENTRE OF THE ROOM.
Ø MUMTAZ MAHAL'S BODY WAS
BURIED IN THE TAJ MAHAL AFTER
HER DEATH IN 1631;
Ø SHAH JAHAN LAID TO REST
BESIDE HIS WIFE IN 1666 AFTER
HIS DEATH.
Ø ORIGINALLY NOT PLANNED
FOR EMPEROR'S CENOTAPH,
ADDED AFTER HIS DEATH.
Ø A PROTECTIVE OCTAGONAL
SCREEN MADE OF
PERFORATED MARBLE
PANELS, OR JAILS, WITH
BORDER OF INLAID MARBLE
SURROUNDS THE TWO
CENOTAPHS IN THE
CENTRAL CHAMBER.
Ø EACH OF THE JAILS
INCLUDING THE LARGE
DOORWAYS, WERE CARVED
FROM SINGLE SLABS OF
MARBLE.
Ø THE TAJ MAHAL
DEPICTS ELABORATE
CARVINGS WITH THE USE
OF FORTY THREE
DIFFERENT KINDS OF
GEMS.
Ø THE TECHNIQUE OF CARVING USED IN THE TAJ MAHAL
CALLED 'MANABBAT KARI', WHICH ESSENTIALLY A CARVING
STANDS OUT FROM FLAT SURFACES.
Ø THIS INCLUDE DRAWING THE FLOWER PATTERNS
DIRECTLY ON THE MARBLE WITH HENNA.
FLORAL MOULDING-
JALI WORK-

12. TAJ MAHAL 12H.A.H.S.
FOUNDATION MATERIAL & CONSTRUCTION
FOUNDATION : TAJ MAHAL HAS WHAT IS FAMOUSLY KNOWN
AS THE WELL FOUNDATION. BUILDING THE FOUNDATIONS IN
THIS WAY WAS PROBABLY THE MOST CRUCIAL STEP
TECHNOLOGICALLY, AS THE RIVERBANK SAND HAD TO BE
STABILISED. A SERIES OF CONDUITS, AND DRAINAGE PIPES
ENCASED IN STONE AND MORTAR WERE BUILT INTO THE
FOUNDATION TO DIVERT THE RIVER WATER. WELLS WERE
THEN SUNK AND CASED WITH EBONY OR MAHOGANY WOOD
AND WERE FILLED WITH RUBBLE AND MASONRY.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY:AFTER THE FOUNDATION
WAS COMPLETE THE RIVER TERRACE OR THE FIRST PLINTH
WAS CONSTRUCTED. UNSKILLED LABOURERS BUILT THE
PLINTH WITH STONE AND MASONRY WHICH WAS FACED
WITH RED SANDSTONE BY THE SKILLED LABOURERS. THE
SECOND PLINTH WAS SIMILARLY CONSTRUCTED AND FACED
WITH WHITE MARBLE ATTACHED WITH THE HELP OF IRON
CLAMPS AND DOWELS. THE BRICKS WERE FIRED LOCALLY
AT THE SITE. THE SCAFFOLDING FOR THE IWANS, DOMES
ETC. IS ALSO SAID TO HAVE BEEN MADE OF BRICK, INSTEAD
OF BAMBOO, WHICH WAS PREVALENT THAT TIME. THERE IS
AN INTERESTING LORE RELATED TO THIS BRICK SCAFFOLD.
IT IS SAID THAT THE ARCHITECTS TOLD SHAHJAHAN THAT
SUCH LARGE SCAFFOLDING MADE OF BRICKS WOULD TAKE
YEARS TO DISMANTLE. SHAHJAHAN THEN PURPORTEDLY
ORDERED THAT ANYONE CAN COME AND DISMANTLE AND
ALSO TAKE AWAY THE BRICKS WITH THEM. IT IS SAID THAT
THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE VANISHED OVERNIGHT.
Ø CONSTRUCTED FROM MATERIALS ALL OVER INDIA AND
ASIA. THE BUILDINGS ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH WALLS OF
BRICK AND RUBBLE INNER CORE FACED WITH EITHER
MARBLE OR SANDSTONE LOCKED TOGETHER WITH IRON
DOWELS AND CLAMPS.
Ø MUCH OF THE CALLIGRAPHY IS COMPOSED OF FLORID
THULUTH SCRIPT, MADE OF JASPER OR BLACK MARBLE,
INLAID IN WHITE MARBLE PANELS.
Ø HIGHER PANELS ARE WRITTEN IN SLIGHTLY LARGER
SCRIPT TO REDUCE THE SKEWING EFFECT WHEN VIEWED
FROM BELOW.
TECHNOLOGY

13. TAJ MAHAL 13H.A.H.S.
R E F E R E N C E
Ÿ http://scientifichistory.blogspot.in/2011/01/taj-mahal-its-wood-foundation.html
Ÿ http://scientifichistory.blogspot.in/2011/01/taj-mahal-its-wood-foundation.html
Ÿ https://www.slideshare.net/avneetdhillon/provincial-architecture
Ÿ http://www.goodlifetravels.com/the-taj-mahal-the-love-story-behind-its-architecture/
Ÿ http://islamic-india.blogspot.in/2013/05/timeline-of-india-islamic-architecture.html
Ÿ http://www.kamit.jp/25_dictionary/dictio_eng.htm
Ÿ http://www.taj-mahal.net/newtaj/textMM/GardensParadise.html