The legend of the taj mahal is an eternal love story. Taj Mahal: a story of great love

In the city of Agra (India) there is an amazing palace, which is a real work of art, historical heritage and pride of the country. This is the Taj Mahal - a miracle of architecture, erected as a symbol of selfless love and the power of royalty.

Taj Mahal: the history of creation. Love, separation and despair

The Taj Mahal Palace has an amazing history that will not leave anyone indifferent. In the 17th century, Shah Jahan, the padish of the Mughal Empire, ruled here. According to legend, while still 20 years old heir to the throne, in 1613, he met the beautiful Arjumanad Banu Begam in the market.

Shah Jahan was struck by the beauty of the girl and soon married her. Her bewitching look and manners so pleased the father of the groom that during the wedding ceremony he called his daughter-in-law Mumtaz Mahal, which means "Pearl of the Palace."

The marriage union turned out to be happy for both parties. The couple lived in complete mutual understanding and were inseparable, not counting the periods of wars. Shah Jahan had a harem of six wives and several concubines, but he gave all his love and tenderness to Mumtaz, and all employees in the palace admired the beauty, harmony and good nature of the beloved wife of the padishah.

Family happiness lasted 18 years. And so, when Mumtaz Mahal carried their 14th child under her heart, grief happened. Beloved Shah Jahan died in a tent during the birth of her last child.

For a whole year, the padishah did not find peace. Distraught with grief, he even tried to commit suicide, but the desire to honor his beloved gave him a new meaning of existence.

Shah Jahan began the construction of a palace of unprecedented beauty, which became the burial place for his beloved wife and muse of his life. In this architectural work, he described all his feelings, the joy of love experiences and the bitterness of loss.

The Taj Mahal Palace is a symbol of boundless love and unbearable grief, immortalized in marble.

What does the Taj Mahal look like inside? Architectural features

The architecture of the Taj Mahal is a combination of Indian, Islamic and Persian styles. More than 20 thousand workers daily worked on the construction of the palace in the period from 1631 to 1647. A plot of 1.2 hectares before the start of construction was processed and raised above the level of the nearest river Jamna by 50 meters.

The palace is made of white marble with cut corners typical of Indian architecture. The total height of the building is 75 meters.

For the construction of the walls, transparent marble was used. The uniqueness of this material is that it changes its shades during the day. In the morning - pink, in the afternoon - white, and in the moonlight - silver.

Jasper, turquoise, jade, azure, malachite, carnelian, corals, pearls, chrysolites were used as decoration. In total, about 28 kinds of precious and semi-precious stones were used to decorate the palace.

The five-domed tomb is surrounded by minarets and protected by fortress walls. Inside the palace are two tombs of the inseparable spouses Shah Jahal and Mumtaz Mahal. Although in fact their remains rest underground. The tomb of the padishah is on the sidelines, as it was built after his death.

On the walls of the mausoleum, verses from the Koran are carved, artistic compositions are depicted in the form of geometric shapes, plants, animals and fairy-tale characters. Painting is presented in the form of engraving, mosaic and openwork carving. Wonderful bas-reliefs adorn the walls of the tomb, and stone flowers seem to come to life in the illumination of the sun's rays.

The creation of the Taj Mahal became the meaning of the life of the padishah, so he tried to describe all his unspoken words and unspent feelings here, within the walls of the tomb of his beloved wife.

End of love story

According to legend, Shah Jahan was so carried away by the architecture of the tomb that he could not stop. After the creation of the Taj Mahal, he wanted to build another palace on the other side of the Jamna River. The son of the padishah believed that his father was ruining the Empire, so he put him in prison, where he spent the rest of his days.

Taj Mahal. A story of love and creation.

For the first time, I saw the Taj Mahal in a painting by V. Vereshchagin, without yet having any idea what it was, and even then briefly, meanwhile, this artist is known for scenes of war, all its ridiculous cruelties, up to a pile of skulls ... And this is a vision of light and slender, with its reflection in the water, with buildings along the edges of red color ... Something incredible to the point of miraculous, miraculously preserved in the centuries of endless wars.

Now the Taj Mahal flashes on the Internet in all forms as one of the wonders of the world, with the love story of an Indian prince, sometimes called the Muslim king, then the emperor, with a story that everyone, with rare exceptions, sounds the same, with the addition of legends that only blur the picture . They say that the prince met on the street a poor girl with wooden beads, but of such amazing beauty that he immediately fell in love ... The tale of Cinderella and from the local population - you can understand where this legend came from.

They also retell that before her death, the wife asked her husband to build a mausoleum for her and not to marry, and he swore. This is completely unlikely, especially the padishah, who is still far from old, not to marry. These conjectures disappear by themselves, it is worth thinking about the real love story of Shah Jahan and Arjumand Begum.

They had known each other since childhood as cousins. He is the son of the padishah, she is the daughter of the first minister. As children, they could communicate later as close relatives. They will be forbidden to see each other after the engagement, there is evidence for as much as five years, which is unlikely. Yes, and Arjumand married, although very late, most likely at the age of 19, and not at 25, in order to give birth to 14 children before the age of 36.

Be that as it may, Prince Khurram, as Shah Jahan was called from childhood, and his last nickname is actually the title "Ruler of the World", which he was awarded for participating in one of the battles from the father of the padishah Jahangir.

The prince did not have a relationship with his father, perhaps because of Arjumand.

The padishah married his son to a Persian princess, obviously, for state reasons, that in this case the daughter of his first minister. She is good and smart, the padishah noted her, giving her a new name: Mumtaz Mahal (“High Chosen of the Palace”, or “Palace Decoration”). There were many applicants for her hand. She refused everyone.

When Shah Jahan finally decided to insist on his own - to marry Mumtaz Mahal, astrologers were called in, who announced the unfavorable arrangement of the stars, which would last for five whole years.

Shah Jahan, because of the intrigues around him, even had to march with an army against his father. Then the padishah forgave his son. But the struggle for power continued until 1628, when Shah Jahan ascended the throne. The first thing he did was to kill all the brothers and nephews, possible contenders for his power.

Could Mumtaz Mahal oppose such villainy as is supposed? Of course no. During this time, Mumtaz Mahal, being always with her husband, one of the wives, and during military campaigns and constant construction work, bore him 13 children. Shah Jahan appreciated her mind so much that she took part in the reception of foreign ambassadors, she was the official keeper of the state seal. Perhaps Shah Jahan managed to save his life and ascend the throne, thanks to the mind of his wife.

After the birth of the fourteenth child, Mumtaz Mahal did not recover and died. This happened during the next military campaign against one of the feudal princelings in 1629. Mumtaz was 36 years old, Shah Jahan 37.

The death of his wife had an amazing effect on the padishah, as if he had lost her not in the first year of his accession to the throne, but in the first year of his marriage - in all the acuteness of feelings of love and happiness. He would have accepted his death more easily. Shah Jahan, a man in all his strength, turned gray after spending the night by the body of his dead wife. You can believe that he wanted to commit suicide. Six months later, Mumtaz Mahal was reburied - in Agra, where the idea of building a mausoleum naturally arose. This was already the custom of the Muslim rulers of India. A mausoleum was also built for a woman. In one of the mausoleums, it seems, Akbar even had training sessions.

The idea of Shah Jahan crowned not only his love, it was the crown of the Renaissance phenomena in the Muslim countries of the Middle East, Egypt, North Africa to Spain and from Central Asia to India - from the 10th to the 17th centuries, with amazing bursts of poetic inspiration.

In general, the short history of the Mughal empire in North India, with the spread to the whole of India (XVI-XVIII centuries), is very significant. The Fergana Emir Babur established his power as a padishah in Northern India from 1526, Akbar extended the power of the Great Moguls throughout India. He ruled from 1556 to 1605.

Although Akbar was illiterate, he was one of the most enlightened rulers of India. He revered Hinduism along with Islam, as well as education and the arts. The architecture of India at its best is an amazing synthesis of the Indo-Muslim art of the era of Akbar and his grandson Shah Jahan, this phenomenon is undeniably renaissance. The equality of religions was established here for the first time, alas, not for a long time. The ban on the image of living beings and humans in Islam on Indian soil was overcome - in miniature.

After mourning the death of Lala (“The Scarlet Ruby Drop”), as Shah Jahan’s wife was called, he began to tinker with the idea of a mausoleum, designing himself as an architect, which he was, and he built a lot, unlike his predecessors, who used red sandstone preferring white marble. Red sandstone was everywhere here, white marble had to be transported 350 km away.

Usually they write that, they say, the Taj Mahal was built for more than 20 years, more than twenty thousand people took part in the work, including the best architects and architects invited from Persia, Turkey, Samarkand, Venice and India itself.

And there was only one architect, Shah Jahan himself, a unique case, the padishah himself. Of the "best architects and architects" from all over the world, only Ustad Isa Khan is known, he came from Turkey, where a lot of construction was going on at that time. He also ordered the construction of the mausoleum. In general, 20 years is a long time for the implementation of a unique project, cities were built faster under Akbar. Probably, the idea changed, and more than once the construction began from the ground. Therefore, a unique, inimitable temple of art, the throne of Allah, if you like, a temple of love and beauty, was created.

The height of the Taj Mahal is 74 meters. In the river valley, on the flat surface of the park, the building seems impressive in size even from a distance. At the corners of the mausoleum, four minarets rising up emphasize the volumes of the temple and the dome. To the left and right are two red sandstone mosques. The park with lakes, canals and fountains, and with cypress trees serves as a protected space of the Taj Mahal, while the river and the distance speak of life in its momentary and eternity.

They say that on the other side of the river, opposite the Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan decided to build the same structure, only from black marble, and connect both mausoleums with a bridge. But the quiet time is over. Famine broke out in India. Taking advantage of his father’s illness, his son seized power (I forgot his name, which sounds ridiculous), he put his father in chains, leaving him the opportunity to see the Taj Mahal through the window in the distance ...

This ruler turned away from Renaissance ideas, Islam was again raised as a banner, and centuries of strife followed, until new rulers came, the English colonizers. It is very remarkable that in India under Akbar in 1585 there was an English traveler who found Agra larger than London and better located. It would be interesting to consider the very similar features of the social and artistic life of London, Agra and Delhi, there would even be more in common than differences. England of the time of Elizabeth and Shakespeare generally appears in my eyes in oriental tones.

The facades of the Taj Mahal are marked with sloping lancet arches, which creates the lightness and airiness of the entire building, with a dome that seems to hang like a cloud.

Everyone speaks with one voice about the magnificence of the Taj Mahal at any time of the day and night, with an amazing play of light, especially at sunrise and in the evening twilight, when white marble is painted in various shades of pink or golden colors. And in the haze of the early morning, the building, as if woven from lace, seems to be floating in the air.

The central place in the interior is occupied by an octagonal room, where, behind an openwork marble fence inlaid with precious stones, there are tombstones of the luminous Arjumand Begum and Shah Jahan. These are cenotaphs (false gravestones). Burials are deeper. Beauty reigns here. Soft light pours through the lattice windows and openwork marble partitions, playing forever in patterns of precious stones.

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Taj Mahal A fabulously beautiful monument of love, sung by many generations of poets, is located near the city of Agra in India. This is the mausoleum of the Taj Mahal, similar to a beautiful mirage, the architect of which is not exactly known. Rumor attributes work on it

Taj Mahal is one of the most grandiose buildings located on the territory of India. Every year the number of visitors to the majestic mausoleum exceeds 5 million people. Tourists are attracted not only by the beauty of the structure, but also by the beautiful history associated with it. The mausoleum was erected by order of the padishah of the Empire, who wished to tell the whole world about his longing for his dead wife Mumtaz Mahal. What is known about the Taj Mahal, declared the pearl of Muslim art, as well as about the love due to which it was created?

Shah Jahan: Biography of the Padishah

"Lord of the World" - this is the meaning of the name that one of the most famous Mughal kings received from his father, who loved him more than other children. Shah Jahan, the famous creator of the Taj Mahal, was born in 1592, he headed the Mughal Empire at the age of 36, seizing the throne after the death of his father Jahangir and getting rid of his rival brothers. The new padishah quickly declared himself as a resolute and ruthless ruler. Thanks to several military campaigns, he managed to increase the territory of his empire. At the beginning of his reign, he was one of the most powerful men of the 17th century.

Shah Jahan was interested not only in military campaigns. For his time, the padishah was well educated, took care of the development of science and architecture, took care of artists, appreciated beauty in all its manifestations.

Fateful meeting

The legend says that the ruler of the Mughal Empire met his future wife Mumtaz Mahal by chance, it happened while walking through the bazaar. From the crowd of people, his gaze snatched a young maiden holding wooden beads in her hands, whose beauty captivated him. The padishah, who was still the heir to the throne at that time, fell in love so much that he decided to take the girl as his wife.

Mumtaz Mahal, an Armenian by nationality, came from the family of the vizier Abdul Hassan Asaf Khan, who was part of the circle of close associates of Padishah Jahangir. The girl, who at birth was named Arjumand Banu Begam, was the niece of Jahangir's beloved wife Nur-Jahan. Consequently, she could boast not only an attractive appearance, but also a noble origin, so there were no obstacles to the wedding. On the contrary, such a marriage strengthened the position of the heir as a contender for the throne, but he still married for love.

marriage

Jahangir gladly allowed his beloved son to marry the girl he liked Mumtaz Mahal, the nationality of the bride was also not perceived as an obstacle, given the noble origin of her father. The betrothal ceremony took place in 1607, when the bride, born in 1593, was no more than 14 years old. For unknown reasons, the wedding was postponed for 5 years.

It was during the wedding that she received her beautiful name Mumtaz Mahal. The biography of the famous wife of the ruler of the Mughal Empire says that his father-in-law Jahangir, who still ruled at that time, invented it. The name is translated into Russian as “pearl of the palace”, which serves as proof of the extraordinary beauty of the girl.

The spouse of the "pearl", as befits the heir to the throne, had a huge harem. However, not a single concubine managed to win his heart, forcing him to forget about the charming Arjumand. Even during her lifetime, Mumtaz Mahal became the favorite muse of the famous poets of that time, who praised not only her beauty, but also her kind heart. The Armenian woman became a reliable support for her husband, accompanied him even in military campaigns.

Misfortune

Unfortunately, it was Arjumand's devotion that cost her her life. She did not consider pregnancy an obstacle in order to be close to her beloved husband during all his travels. In total, she gave birth to 14 children, which was typical up to that time. The last childbirth turned out to be difficult, the empress, exhausted by a long campaign, was unable to recover from them.

Mumtaz Mahal passed away in 1631, just short of her fortieth birthday. The tragic event took place in a military camp located near Burkhanpur. The emperor was with his beloved wife, with whom he lived together for 19 years, in her last moments. Before leaving this world, the Empress took two promises from her husband. She forced him to swear that he would not remarry, and also to build for her a grandiose mausoleum, the beauty of which the world could enjoy.

Mourning

Shah Jahan could not come to terms with the loss of his beloved wife until the end of his life. For 8 whole days he refused to leave his own chambers, rejected food and forbade talking to him. Legend has it that grief even pushed him to attempt suicide, which, however, ended in failure. By order of the ruler of the Mughal Empire, mourning in the state continued for two years. During these years, the population did not celebrate holidays, music and dances were banned.

The famous padishah found some consolation for himself in the fulfillment of Arjumand's dying will. He really refused to marry again, he finally lost interest in his huge harem. By his order, the construction of the mausoleum began, which today is one of the most magnificent buildings in the world.

Location of the Taj Mahal

What city is the Taj Mahal in? The city of Agra, located approximately 250 km from Delhi, was chosen for the construction of the mausoleum. The padishah decided that the tribute to the memory of his beloved wife would be located on the coast of the Jumna River. He was attracted by the beauty of this place. This choice gave the builders certain inconveniences associated with the instability of the soil located next to the water.

A unique technology that has not been used anywhere before helped to solve the problem. An example of its application in modern construction is the use of piles in the construction of skyscrapers in the UAE.

Construction

Six months after the death of Mumtaz Mahal, the inconsolable husband ordered the construction of the mausoleum to begin. The construction of the Taj Mahal took a total of 12 years, construction work began in 1632. Historians are unanimous that no building in the world has required such costs as this one. The fulfillment of the will of the deceased wife, according to the palace chronicles, cost the padishah approximately 32 million rupees, today it is several billion euros.

Shah Jahan made sure that the builders did not save on materials. The cladding of the building was made using the purest marble, which was supplied from the province of Rajasthan. It is interesting that, according to the decree of the ruler of the Mughal Empire, the use of this marble for other purposes was banned.

The cost of building the Taj Mahal was so significant that a famine broke out in the state. Grain that was supposed to be sent to the provinces ended up at the construction site, used to feed the workers. Work ended only in 1643.

Secrets of the Taj Mahal

The majestic Taj Mahal gave immortality to the king and his beautiful beloved Mumtaz Mahal. The story of the ruler's love for his wife is told to all visitors to the mausoleum. Interest in the building cannot be surprising, because it has amazing beauty.

The builders were able to make the Taj Mahal unique thanks to the optical illusions that were used in the design of the mausoleum. You can enter the territory of the complex only after passing the arch of the entrance gate, only then the building opens before the eyes of the guests. To a person who approaches the arch, it may seem that the mausoleum is decreasing, moving away. created when moving away from the arch. Thus, it may seem to every visitor that he is taking the grandiose Taj Mahal with him.

A cunning technique was also used to create the striking minarets of the building, which seem to be located strictly vertically. In reality, these elements are slightly deviated from the building. This decision helps to save the Taj Mahal from destruction as a result of an earthquake. By the way, the height of the minarets is 42 meters, and the height of the mausoleum as a whole is 74 meters.

For the decoration of the walls, as already mentioned, snow-white shining under the influence of sunlight was used. Malachite, pearls, corals, carnelian served as decorative elements; the elegance of the carving makes an indelible impression.

Burial place of Mumtaz Mahal

Many people who are interested in history and architecture know in which city the Taj Mahal is located. However, not everyone knows exactly where the burial place of the Empress is located. Her tomb is not at all under the main dome of the building erected in her honor. In fact, the burial place of the ruler of the Empire of the Great Mongols is a secret marble hall, for which a plot was allocated under the mausoleum.

The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal was located in a secret room for a reason. This decision was made so that visitors do not disturb the peace of the “pearl of the palace”.

End of story

Having lost his beloved wife, Shah Jahan practically lost interest in power, no longer undertook large-scale military campaigns, and had little interest in state affairs. The empire weakened, mired in the abyss of the economic crisis, riots began to break out everywhere. It is not surprising that his son and heir Aurangzeb found loyal supporters who supported him in an attempt to take power away from his father and crack down on his pretender brothers. The old emperor was imprisoned in a fortress, in which he was forced to spend the last years of his life. Shah Jahan left this world as a lonely and sick old man. The son ordered to bury his father next to his beloved wife.

The last wish of the emperor remained unfulfilled. He dreamed of building another mausoleum opposite the Taj Mahal, exactly repeating its shape, but finished with black marble. He planned to turn this building into his own tomb, connecting it with the burial place of his wife was supposed to be a black and white openwork bridge. However, the plans were not destined to come true, the son Aurangzeb, who came to power, ordered the construction work to be stopped. Fortunately, the emperor still managed to fulfill the will of his beloved woman and build the Taj Mahal.

May the beauty of the diamond, pearl, ruby disappear like the magical glow of a rainbow,
-Just let one tear remain - the Taj Mahal - to shine on the cheek of time ...
Rabindranath Tagore

The history of the Taj Mahal is a story of love and separation, suffering and happiness: it is about the fact that everyone is submissive to love - the old man and the young man, the strong and the weak, the rich and the poor. Experiencing a feeling of all-consuming love, we get the opportunity to touch eternity; and some of these stories - love stories - remain in human memory for many hundreds of years.

This wonderful story, similar to an oriental fairy tale, took place a long time ago in an amazing country - India. Sometimes, when I read about the love story of Emperor Jahan and his wife Mumtaz, it seems to me that I become a direct participant in those ancient events. And every time I hope that this story will end somehow differently. Do you know this story? Then sit back, close your eyes and listen.

Early seventeenth century, spring morning; the sun rises from behind the rooftops, illuminating the vibrant marketplace with a steady pink light. Despite the early hour, the bazaar is already humming with might and main, offering fabrics, chickens, hot cakes and various other goods in different voices - a good literary start?

Housewives rush to the square from all the alleys - someone wants to have time to buy fresh herbs and fruits, while others can't wait to discuss the latest news. And, if noisy flocks of women run from counter to counter, chatting animatedly, then the men, on the contrary, are unhurried and solid: they move sedately around the market in twos or threes, and it seems that they are little worried about what is happening. Their faces are mostly familiar: here is the spice merchant, and this is the owner of the bakery; and these two are gunsmiths. And who is this young man with a noble and so sad face? ..

Prince Jahan was by no means interested in the prices of greens: the bazaar was one of the places where the future emperor came to listen to what the people were talking about. And on this day, as always, he walked in noble thoughtfulness, and so he would have reached the city gates, if he had not been stopped by an obstacle that suddenly appeared on the way.
Stumbling over the baskets laid out on the ground, the prince looked up and froze. Next to the seller of braids stood a girl, behind whom the red and hot sun rose, which made her hair shimmer with a soft bronze color. She held simple wooden beads in her hands and seemed to be smiling at something inside her, as if some kind of calm and joyful dialogue was going on in her heart.

The girl raised her eyes to the prince, and then Jahan clearly understood that here she was - his fate.

Her name was Arjumanand Begam; the girl came from a poor family, but, as in good Indian films, she was a distant relative of the prince's mother. At that time, she was already 19 years old, which is considered quite an adult age in India - they get married much earlier. But nothing stopped the prince, and very soon he took her as his wife.

The bride fell in love with Jahan's father, Khan Jangir; Khan generally had a rather formidable, tough character - both the court aristocracy and servants were afraid of him - but he accepted Arjumanand immediately, fascinated by her kindness. By the way, it was he who gave her the nickname Mumtaz Mahal, which meant "Decoration of the Palace."

Shah Jahan, as a high ruler, in accordance with ancient Indian traditions, was supposed to start a harem. But he loved Mumtaz so much that he did not notice other women. Francois Bernier, a French traveler, philosopher and doctor, who lived in India for many years and was accepted to the court of Shah Jahan, wrote about this in his notes.

Mumtaz was always next to her husband: she accompanied him to diplomatic meetings, attended meetings and even shared with him the hardships of military campaigns. They say that she was not only his faithful companion, but also the right hand, a smart adviser who gave the ruler practical recommendations on many political issues.

So seventeen years passed. During the years of marriage, our heroes had 13 children. The birth of the 14th child caught the couple in a military camp. There were no doctors nearby, the nearest town was far away, and there was no one to help Mumtaz...

On that terrible night, the khan lost his beloved wife. For six months he grieved inconsolably; he was brought back to life by the idea of building a mausoleum that would immortalize their love with Mumtaz.

From this moment begins the history of one of the most amazing buildings in the world, which is usually called the "Pearl of India" - the Taj Mahal. The construction of the temple complex lasted twenty years and was completed in 1648. Many people think that the Taj Mahal is just a mausoleum, which is depicted on most tourist brochures; in fact, the temple complex also includes the main gate, a guest house, a mosque and a landscaped park with a lake and an irrigation canal.

The author of the mausoleum complex was Ustad-Isa, who was considered the best architect of Agra. Craftsmen from all over the country were attracted to the "construction of the century". Over the years of construction, more than twenty thousand workers had a hand in the "Pearl of India". There is a version that Shah Jahan used the services of European architects - but in the appearance of the Taj Mahal there are no architectural or artistic motifs popular in Europe, on the contrary, it clearly shows a combination of monumental Indian architecture and elements of medieval Central Asian art.

But the following “legend”, most likely, has a true basis: they say that Shah Jahan was so fascinated by the idea of building a mausoleum for his beloved wife that he himself wanted to have a hand in its construction. I’m not sure that the Shah came to the construction site and personally supervised the work, but the very concept of the Taj Mahal is definitely his merit: Jahan was not only well versed in art, but was also a good artist.

The mausoleum of Mumtaz is somewhat reminiscent of a mosque: minarets, lancet arches, domes, as well as ornaments traditional for this culture - Arabic script and floral patterns confirm the similarity. The area under the mausoleum is square, 186x186 feet; the building has the shape of an irregular octagon with truncated corners.

The main dome of the mausoleum is huge - this "cap" has a diameter of 58 feet and rises to a height of 74 meters. Four minarets surround the dome like sentries, frozen at attention. It is interesting that they are all tilted back, which is noticeable even with the naked eye: and this is not a designer's mistake at all, but a carefully thought-out position that allows protecting the structure from destruction due to tremors. This zone has an index of high seismic activity, and it is solely due to this decision that the earthquake has never caused damage to the Taj Mahal.

For the construction of the temple complex, white marble was used, which was delivered from a deposit remote from Agra. All surfaces of the Taj Mahal are inlaid with jasper, agate, malachite and other semi-precious stones; the inner walls are also decorated with elegant ornaments.

An interesting fact: until now, an ancient Indian remedy, a cosmetic mask, which was made from milk and lime, is still used to restore the white marble surfaces of the Taj Mahal. The composition applied to the walls whitens them and removes stubborn dirt.

Shah Jahan valued symmetry above all else in architecture, which explains the clarity of the layout of the landscape park surrounding the Taj Mahal. There is a legend that on the shore of the lake dividing the park into four parts, the Shah built another mausoleum, but black - for himself: it was supposed to be located exactly opposite the tomb of Mumtaz. This legend is confirmed by fragments of black marble found as a result of excavations; but history has not preserved any evidence that the construction of the black mausoleum was carried out.

In 1666, the tomb of Mumtaz became the last refuge for her husband, Shah Jahan. Thus ended the great love story that gave the world the "pearl of India" - the Taj Mahal. And even if someday the names of loving spouses are forgotten, the beautiful white marble mausoleum will continue to remind us of the power of sincere love.

Some more very interesting stories and architectural journeys.

TAJ MAHAL - THE STORY OF GREAT LOVE

The Taj Mahal is the unspoken symbol of India. It is called a love song frozen in stone. The exquisite and daring mausoleum is the most famous building in India, and one of the most recognizable in the world. It is a symbol of Shah Jahan's eternal love for his wife, who has become a legend.

This ruler was a descendant of Genghis Khan, an outstanding commander, the leader of the Great Moghuls. The Mughals conquered India in the 16th century and moved the capital from Delhi to Agra. Shah Jahan ("Ruler of the World"), as befits a high ruler in India, had a huge harem. But he fell in love with his young wife Mumtaz Mahal (“Pearl of the Palace”) so much that while she was alive, he did not pay attention to the other wives. Mumtaz was the only one who accompanied her husband during military campaigns, enduring all the hardships of distant crossings, Shah Jahan trusted her infinitely and even consulted with her on important issues! In a happy marriage, the couple lived for 17 years, having 13 children. But in 1629, Mumtaz Mahal died during a difficult 14th birth. It happened during the return from a successful military campaign to the Deccan, in a camp set up near Burkhanpur. Shah Jahan was so overcome with grief that he nearly committed suicide.

He finds consolation in architecture, and will devote the rest of his life to a grandiose project that would be worthy of the beauty of his beloved wife, and the greatness of the strength of his feelings. On the banks of the Yamuna River in Agra, where Mumtaz was buried, an architectural masterpiece will be erected that boggles the imagination! The construction site was the size of a city. By modern standards, the project would have cost $200 million, despite the fact that the Taj Mahal was nothing more than a tomb for the emperor's wife, in fact, a tombstone.

The Taj Mahal reflected all the pain of Shah Jahan, who lost his beloved wife. This is a real stone garden in the middle of a hot desert. Construction lasted two decades, about 20,000 people took part in the work, including the best architects of Turkey, Persia, Venice, Samarkand and India itself. Snow-white marble was brought 300 km from the famous Rajputan quarry.

The main problem faced by the builders was the wet and mobile soils in the riverbed. As soon as they began to dig holes for the foundation, the earth immediately crumbled. The engineers imagined how massive the structure they would have to build, so they developed a unique support system for it. Workers dug deep wells to solid layers of soil (about 6 m deep), covered them with stone, rubble and filled with iron solution. As a result, the construction site was raised 50 meters above the river level. Instead of the accepted bamboo scaffolding, huge brick supports had to be built, which greatly facilitated further work. But upon completion of construction, it took years to dismantle these scaffolding - they were so huge. To speed up this process, Shah Jahan allowed the local peasants to use these bricks for their needs.

The most remarkable part of the building is its dome, whose height is about 34 m. The palace became not only a symbol of love, but also evidence of the unbridled ambitions of the monarch. Today the complex covers an area equal to 46 football fields, but during the time of Shah Jahan it was even larger. Indeed, despite the fact that the building is protected in every possible way, many of its original elements have been lost.

Photo Andrey CheGueVara

Graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz

It is customary to photograph the mausoleum from one side, which has become the "face" of the Taj Mahal. And it's actually the opposite. Few people know that the imperial entrance was located in the northern part of the complex, from the side of the river. During the Mughal era, the river was the main thoroughfare that connected all the imperial buildings. Today, the entrance to the Taj Mahal is not located where it was originally intended. The imperial entrance, decorated with magnificent basalt inlay, was flooded with the waters of an overflowing river.

Now the memorial is in a far from ideal condition: the snow-white marble has darkened, voids gape in the masonry. All this is a consequence of the polluted environment and the influx of visitors. Up to 30 thousand people come here every day! Once upon a time, the huge doors that symbolized the entrance to this paradise were completely cast in silver and decorated with the finest pattern of thousands of silver carnations. They were stolen and are now being replaced by copper ones. There is also no golden parapet, a pearl veil at the site of the burning of bodies, the precious stones of the facade and interior decoration have noticeably thinned since the time of the Mughals ...

South gate to the Taj. 22 domes symbolize the number of years spent on its construction.

The authorities finance large funds for the restoration of the complex. It is noteworthy that the craftsmen use the same tools to recreate authentic stone carvings as they did 300 years ago: a hammer and a chisel, rather than modern laser technology. Each element is meticulously handcrafted, even marble is sawn with twine and wet sand! This is a very labor intensive job. The solution is also kneaded according to a 300-year-old recipe.

India has the richest ancient tradition of stone carving, the working process of which has not changed for centuries. The precision of execution is extremely high. One wrong movement of the chisel, and the stone can be thrown away. The secrets of craftsmanship are passed down by masons from generation to generation.

Elements of interior decoration

The main finishing material in the construction of the Taj Mahal was white marble, decorated with exquisite carvings. The gates of the main entrance to the palace are decorated with marble slabs, on which surahs from the Koran are carved. This is a reminder of the dual purpose of the Taj Mahal: on the one hand, it is a tombstone, and on the other, an imitation of the Garden of Eden. In Mughal times, the territory of the palace was decorated with very lush flowering vegetation from the best varieties of roses, daffodils and hundreds of fruit trees, symbolizing life in heaven, in paradise. Today's green lawns are only a pathetic imitation of them. During the time of Shah Jahan, the magnificent garden really seemed like a paradise, especially for the nomadic people, accustomed to sand and dry wind. To create such a luxurious garden on scorched earth, a complex irrigation system was created. Water was scooped in buckets from the river and raised to a height of 12 m with the help of winches pulled by oxen. It accumulated in a special tank, and then entered a larger tank, from which water was distributed through long marble channels dug throughout the entire garden. This irrigation system provided the complex with massive amounts of water every day, maintaining a flourishing oasis in the middle of the desert.

Surahs from the Koran, carved at the entrance to the Taj. In order for the verses to be the same size from any viewing point, they are carved in this way: the higher, the larger the letters.

The memorial is still surrounded by legends, the oldest of which tells about the Black Taj. Shah Jahan intended to erect exactly the same building on the opposite side of the Yamuna River, only from black marble, which would become a mausoleum for himself. India was ravaged by wars and a wasteful project, the second such seemed recklessness, the people began to grumble. As a result, in 1658, one of Jahan's sons, Aurangzeb, overthrew his father and placed him under house arrest. The Shah asked for only one thing, so that his brainchild, the Taj Mahal, could be seen from the place of his imprisonment. So the founder of the Mughal Empire spent the rest of his days in the tower of the Red Fort, admiring the snow-white palace from the window for 9 years. According to the will, he was buried in the same crypt where Mumtaz Mahal had already rested, finally reuniting with his beloved.

But the rumors about the mirror image of the Taj Mahal - the Black Taj, have no material confirmation. Therefore, most archaeologists are inclined to believe that this story is just a beautiful myth. But the fact that Shah Jahan still intended to build some buildings on the other side of the river is reliable information, confirmed by archaeological research. It has recently been found out that this place used to be a garden called Lunar, with a huge 25-jet fountain in the center. This place was intended only for the emperor and the closest persons. The emperor could, at his first request, sail here at any time on a ship from his own flotilla. The garden, with its composition, surprisingly combined with the Taj Mahal complex, as if continuing it.

At one time, from the high minarets of the building, several desperate lovers committed suicide. Therefore, the entrance for visitors is now closed there. The minaret is guarded by the police. Photography inside the palace is prohibited. Tourists are allowed to take pictures only in front of the entrance to the complex.

The majestic buildings erected by Shah Jahan showed the whole world how great his power was. Taj Mahal is called the pearl of Indian architecture. The empire of Shah Jahan has long since disappeared, but the grandeur and beauty of its buildings are timeless. According to the results of the worldwide vote held in 2007, the Taj Mahal was included in the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Nowadays, crowds of tourists come here every day. After all, as they say, it is one thing to see the Taj Mahal in the images, and quite another to be close by.