Top 10 Unknown Facts About Taj Mahal That No one wants you to know

Top 10 Unknown Facts About Taj Mahal That No one wants you to know. Like many of his predecessors, Shah Jahan married several wives over the course of his adult life.

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1. THE TAJ MAHAL WAS BUILT TO HONOR THE FAVORITE WIFE OF AN EMPEROR.

Like many of his predecessors, Shah Jahan married several wives over the course of his adult life. Although Shah Jahan spread his heart around, none of these ladies found quite the same favor as his third wife (but first love), Arjumand Banu Begum, more famously known as Mumtaz Mahal. Their union lasted 19 years and led to the birth of 14 children. Complications during the birth of the final child led to Mahal’s untimely passing at the age of 39. Shah Jahan was so stricken by the loss of his longtime companion that he decided to memorialize Mahal with a spectacular tomb. Construction on the Mahal and its surroundings began in 1632, one year after her death, and continued for just over two decades. 

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2. THE ONLY PART OF THE MAUSOLEUM THAT IS NOT ORNATELY DECORATED IS THE ACTUAL GRAVE.

Per Muslim law, graves cannot be adorned with elaborate decoration, which would be an inappropriate expression of vanity. This rule explains the comparatively drab design of the lower level of the palace where Shah Jahan laid his wife to rest.

3. THE GRAVE SITE IS ALSO THE ONLY PART THAT IS NOT PERFECTLY SYMMETRICAL.

The Taj Mahal is an obsessive’s dream, with meticulous symmetry across its long and wide diameters. The sole exception to this otherwise uniform aesthetic scheme lies, again, in the gravesite. Mumtaz Mahal’s casket is located in the exact center of the palace crypt, but it is Shah Jahan’s grave—introduced to the mausoleum following his death in 1666—that rocks its artistic equilibrium with a west-of-center resting place. 

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4. THE TAJ MAHAL’S CALLIGRAPHER SIGNED HIS WORK WITH A SELF-DEPRECATING TITLE.

Countless beautifully printed lines of Muslim scripture line the walls of the Taj Mahal, each of which was transcribed from the Quran under the supervision of head calligrapher Abd-al Haqq, known professionally as Amanat Khan Shirazi. Abd-al Haqq also received attribution for his calligraphy, an exceptionally rare opportunity for the era. Ever the humble gentleman, Abd-al Haqq inlaid his John Hancock with the humble, “Written by the insignificant being, Amanat Khan Shirazi” at the base of the interior dome.

5. THE PALACE GARDEN TRANSFORMED UNDER BRITISH IMPERIALISM.

Contemporary Muslim culture influenced the Taj Mahal’s remarkably bountiful original garden, which included both rich foliage and more than 60 elaborate flowerbeds. This landscaping held up until India became part of the British Empire and colonial powers imparted their own horticultural ideologies onto the palace lawn. Under English control in the late 19th century, the Taj Mahal’s greenery adopted a subtler character more common to British gardens. 

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6. SHAH JAHAN WAS NOT PERMITTED TO ENTER THE TAJ MAHAL DURING THE FINAL YEARS OF HIS LIFE.

Nine years before Shah Jahan passed away, he fell gravely ill, which led to his sons fighting over succession. When Shah Jahan unexpectedly recovered, it was already too late. Two of his sons with Mumatz Mahal, Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb, had begun fighting. Shah Jahan sided with Dara, but Aurangzeb emerged victorious, killing Dara and imprisoning their father in Agra to undercut any attempts to return to power. Thus, Shah Jahan was barred from visiting the Taj Mahal for the remainder of his life and was only allowed to view his monument from the grounds of his neighboring residence.

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7. The minarets were built tilting outwards to protect the Taj from calamities like earthquakes.

If you observe carefully, you'll find that the four minarets are tilting outwards. This was done so that in the event of a natural disaster, like an earthquake, the minars won't fall on the main ' gumbad ' or Dome, thereby ensuring the safety of the Tomb.

8. The foundation of Taj Mahal would have eroded years ago if Yamuna wasn't there.

Taj's foundation is made of timber which is not supposed to be long-lasting. The wood should weaken overtime and crumble owing to rot and ruin, but that did not happen because the wood is kept strong and moist by the Yamuna river.

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9. The interior of Taj is capable of blinding any goblin with its grand inlay work.

28 kinds of rare, semi-precious and precious stones were used for inlay work in the Taj Mahal. They were sourced from Sri Lanka, Tibet, China and of course several places in India. During the British rule, the monument was violated several times because of these stones and it was only in the late nineteenth century that restoration work was taken over.

10. The fountains have a special feature to ensure uniform water pressure in the fountains.

To ensure uniform and undiminished water pressure in the fountains, the fountain pipes were not connected directly with the copper pipes feeding them. Instead a copper pot was provided under each fountain pipe so that the water first fills the pot and then only rises at the same time in the fountains. The pressure in the pots is maintained and so in the fountains.


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