The jewel of Muslim architecture, the ornament of love, our very own Taj Mahal was built in Agra, Uttar Pradesh between 1631 and 1646. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built this beautiful piece of art in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz. Listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site The Taj Mahal, attracts 7 to 8 million visitors every year. The uniqueness of this monument in terms of its Indo-Islamic architecture is outstanding.
Here are some interesting facts about the iconic symbol of love!
1. Mumtaz was buried thrice at three different places
Yes! That’s true. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had first built the Taj Mahal in the city of Burhanpur, Maharashtra. The queen’s body was first buried in Burhanpur which was later shifted to Taj Mahal complex for 12 years and it was again shifted to the basement of the monument which became the final resting place.
2. Optical illusions spotted!
The Taj Mahal was build by the craftsmen, whose fingers were NOT cut, were extremely innovative with the designs. When you first enter the monument, the Taj Mahal appears huge in size which gets smaller and smaller in size as you walk towards it. This is the outcome of the architectural tricks and twists.
3. It is magical! It is the magician too!
Taj Mahal changes its colour throughout the day. It is observed that the monument is pearl grey and pink during the sunrise, white at noon and orange-bronze when the sun sets. On the day of full moon and eclipse, special tickets are sold to witness the beauty of this monument.
4. ..and to save this magic the Indian government has brought about some rules
This 17th Century monument has undergone a huge amount of “human load” for which necessary steps had to be taken. The Indian government has reveled a plan to limit the visitors to 40,000 per day. Also, the age and pollution has taken a toll over the perfectly white marble of the monument which has turned yellowish. The Taj Mahal gets occasional facial pack of Multani Mitti to keep it bright and shiny.
5. AB De Villiers love towards Taj Mahal
The South African batsman AB De Villiers proposed his wife in front of the Taj Mahal in 2012. As he is fond of the beauty of this monument and it being very close to his heart, it is reported that he might name his third child after the masterpiece, Taj.
Also, read about our previous blog, Bermuda Triangle: A Mystery or Not?
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