Taj Mahal
About us
The Maker of The Taj
Emperor SHAH JAHAN !The Romantic
The Fifth Mughal Emperroe: SHAH JAHAN [1592-1666]
| Reign | 1628 – 1658 |
| Full name | Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Shah Jahan, also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan |
| Born | 5 January 1592 |
| Birthplace | Lahore |
| Died | 22 January 1666 (aged 74) |
| Place of death | Agra |
| Buried | Taj Mahal |
| Predecessor | Jahangir |
| Successor | Aurangazeb |
| Wives | Akbarabadi Mahal (d. 1677), Kandahari Mahal (b. 1594, m. 1609) Mumtaz Mahal (b. 1593, m. 1612, d. 1631), Hasina Begum Sahiba (m. 1617), Muti Begum Sahiba, Qudsia Begum Sahiba, Fatehpuri Mahal, Sahiba (d. after 1666), Sarhindi Begum Sahiba (d. after 1650), Shrimati Manbhavathi Baiji Lal,Sahiba (m. 1626) |
| Offspring | Jahanara Begum, Dara Shukoh, Shah Shuja, Roshanara Begum, Aurangzeb, Murad Baksh, Gauhara Begum [Many more died at birth or at an early age] |
| Dynasty | Mughal |
| Father | Jahangir |
| Mother | Princess Manmati |
| Religious beliefs | Islam |
| The Taj! OVERVIEW | Taj Grandstand View |
"A white marble tomb built in 1631 - 48 in Agra, seat of the Mughal Empire, by Shah Jehan for his wife, Arjuman Banu Begum, the monument sums up many of the formal themes that have played through Islamic architecture. Its refined elegance is a conspicuous contrast both to the Hindu architecture of pre-Islamic India, with its thick walls, corbelled arches and heavy lintels, and to the Indo-Islamic styles, in which Hindu elements are combined with an eclecticassortment of motifs from Persian and Turkish sources."______ Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman
The Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."
The Taj! An awe-inspiring
poetry in marble stands high and serene by the banks of the
River Yamuna is an inspiring result of the application of
architectural and scientific research.
The tomb laid out in
rectangular shape can be approached through an immense gateway with
huge arch and alcoves strewn on either side that stands tall and
erect, as though guarding something precious. Three other
smaller gateways follow the red sandstone towers topped with domes
in white marble together make a pretty picture.
The Taj is an experience of its own kind, while on the one hand its magnanimity is so sublime, so on the other the exquisite inlay work and detailed craftsmanship together with the calligraphy is simply amazing. The combination simply leaves one absolutely mesmerized. The sheer splendour of the mausoleum is consummate, and the vastness is simply monumental.
The tomb is at the northern end with an expanse of greenery and fountains between it and the gateways. The ceiling is adorned with floral patterns and the décor of floors with geometric designs. The inner of the main structure is in lakhauri [a kind of earthen brick], which have been carefully covered with marble, whereas the adjoining structures are covered with red sandstone.
There are also luxury trains that stop at Agra such as Palace on Wheels.
Agra has tree railway stations. The main one is Agra Cantt with the station code AGC. The second one is Agra Fort (AF) which is the oldest train station in India and trains to east and central India passes from this station. The third one a small station called Raja Ki Mandi, and Mahakoshal Express, Amritsar Express and Intercity Express.
Detailed train information, schedules and prices can be found at http://www.indianrail.gov.in
The main bus stations in Agra are Idgah and Agra Fort and there are scheduled, air-conditioned and luxury busses from Delhi, Jaipur, Gualior, Jhansi and Lucknow.
Driving to Agra is also easy and comfortable with new modern highways.
From Delhi you can take the NH2 highway (200 km) , from Jaipur you can take number 11 ( 255km), from Gwailor the National highway which is 120 km and from Lucknow NH2 which is 285 km.
The Taj is an experience of its own kind, while on the one hand its magnanimity is so sublime, so on the other the exquisite inlay work and detailed craftsmanship together with the calligraphy is simply amazing. The combination simply leaves one absolutely mesmerized. The sheer splendour of the mausoleum is consummate, and the vastness is simply monumental.
The tomb is at the northern end with an expanse of greenery and fountains between it and the gateways. The ceiling is adorned with floral patterns and the décor of floors with geometric designs. The inner of the main structure is in lakhauri [a kind of earthen brick], which have been carefully covered with marble, whereas the adjoining structures are covered with red sandstone.
How to reach Agra- Taj Mahal India
Air:
Agra airport (AGR) is a military airbase 12.5 km away from the city.Train:
Agra is located in between the main train lines from Delhi to Mumbai and from Delhi to Chennai. It is like a junction and this makes Agra easy to reach by train from almost anywhere. From Delhi, you can reach Agra by train in about 2-3 hours by Bhopal Shatabdi, Bhopal Express, Malwa Express, Gondwana Express, Jabalpur – Jammutawi Express, etc.There are also luxury trains that stop at Agra such as Palace on Wheels.
Agra has tree railway stations. The main one is Agra Cantt with the station code AGC. The second one is Agra Fort (AF) which is the oldest train station in India and trains to east and central India passes from this station. The third one a small station called Raja Ki Mandi, and Mahakoshal Express, Amritsar Express and Intercity Express.
Detailed train information, schedules and prices can be found at http://www.indianrail.gov.in
Road:
Agra is 204 km away from the capital Delhi and is on the crossroads of national highways 2, 3 and 11. Ground transportation from Delhi to Agra takes approximately 3.5 - 4 hours. Taxies and busses are available from Delhi to Agra. Busses are always more economical than train and air transportation.The main bus stations in Agra are Idgah and Agra Fort and there are scheduled, air-conditioned and luxury busses from Delhi, Jaipur, Gualior, Jhansi and Lucknow.
Driving to Agra is also easy and comfortable with new modern highways.
From Delhi you can take the NH2 highway (200 km) , from Jaipur you can take number 11 ( 255km), from Gwailor the National highway which is 120 km and from Lucknow NH2 which is 285 km.
