Who built Taj Mahal?

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Answer Freak

Raja YashoVarma built Tejo Mahlaya in 11 th century AD...

This monument which had a Temple and palaces around was destroyed heavily by Muslim attackers over years.. finally raja Jai Singh got hold of it.. from whom Shah jehan acquired it and converted it into a mausoleum...and then it was reanmed as Taj Mahal.

Paddy

This historical summary of the Taj-Mahal story must be regarded with scepticism. It is highly probable that it is somewhat inaccurate and possible that it is totally misleading. For example,a certain Professor Oak (in his book "The Taj Mahal: The True Story") puts forward persuasive evidence, observations and interpretation that suggest the monument was originally a Hindu temple, palace of Tejo Mahalaya (Shiva), built long before the Shah Jahan came to power and that it was taken over by Jahan and 'developed' into, approximately, what we see today. Allegedly, Indira Gandhi's government tried to ban this book and some would say the Indian government has been politically motivated in suppressing this theory. Certainly the Taj Mahal is a great tourist money spinner with its present dramatic and romantic aura: the asset value might be greatly diminished if Oak's alternative account is correct. Furthermore, it is argued, publicising this 'true story' might alienate a substantial tranche of the electorate: the Muslims. There are chambers in the monument which, it seems, have remained unopened since Shah Jahan's time and which the professor believes could provide evidence to prove the account one way or another. Allegedly the Indian government will not allow an independent investigation within these chambers, and if that is the case it raises suspicions as to their motives. You must form your own opinion.
We are academic engineers, better at producing summaries and reports than historical research so what is offered here is a light hearted summary based on variants of the traditional story, inspired by our own encounter in 1976. It may be that we are describing a myth but it still makes a beautiful 'tale'.

The Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India must be one of the most magnificent and wondrous monuments created by man. We have been there and regard it as literally breathtaking, being the most beautiful, astonishing and inspiring sights that we have had the privilege of beholding. The focal point of the monument is constructed in white marble extravagantly inlaid with semi-precious stones and with calligraphed verses from the Quran (Koran). Major parts of the surrounding construction are built from sandstone, distinctively coloured red, in keeping with many other notable buildings of the district and period. The architectural style is Persian but possibly surpasses any other of similar style at any time, in any part of the world, displaying an incredible intricacy of form and decoration throughout its huge entirety. It has become quite understandably a major tourist attraction and the area caters for international sight-seeing visitors with travel facilities, accommodation and formal tours. Yet none of this commercialisation detracts from the impressive spectacle. That summarises what the Taj Mahal is, but lets move on to recount why its there and how it became so exceptional.

The Taj' had its origins, so it is said, with one of the most romantic, but tragic, love stories of all times. It is surprising that the largely Hindu population perpetuates the romantic view (our experience indicated quite strongly that they do) since the hero and heroine are Muslims, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal. The Mughals (or Mongols) were historically cruel, ruthless rulers who, amongst many other radical activities, discriminated against and alienated the Hindus [did someone say that about the British too?]. Shah Jahan means King of the world and Mumtaz means the chosen one.

yadu

There is no such thing as the "Taj Mahal".

What we know today as the Taj Mahal is infact an ancient HINDU SHIVA TEMPLE known as the TEJO MAHALAY, which WAS BUILT HUNDREDS OF YEARS EARLIER to Shah Jahan's time, and which was VERY MUCH IN EXISTENCE AT THE TIME OF death of Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan's queen, supposedly in whose memory the Taj Mahal was built. So the story that Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in the memory of his beloved queen, Mumtaz Mahal, is a SHAMELESS LIE by a tyrant Muslim ruler who destroyed Hindu temples to convert them into mausoleums for burial of the dead Muslim royalty, in this case,Mumtaz Mahal.

The majestic SHIVA TEMPLE called TEJO MAHALAY that had then existed, had been partly destroyed on the orders of the tyrant Muslim king, Shah Jahan, who was the ruler of Agra at that time, rebuilt in part, and renamed as the Taj Mahal.

This has been discovered and proved by a reputed Historian and Author, Mr. P.N.OAK, who in his book named "The True Story", says the Taj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz's tomb but an ancient Hindu temple palace of Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Mahalay) .

In the course of his research Oak discovered that the Shiva temple palace was unsurped by Shah Jahan from the then Maharaja (King) of Jaipur, Jai Singh. In his own court chronicle, Badshahnama, Shah Jahan admits that an exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in Agra was taken from Jai SIngh for Mumtaz's burial.

The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur still retains in his secret collection two orders from Shah Jahan for surrendering the Taj building.

Using captured temples and mansions, as a burial place for dead courtiers and royalty was a common practice among Muslim rulers.

For example, Humayun,Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are all buried in such mansions.

Oak's inquiries began with the name of Taj Mahal. He says the term " Mahal " has never been used for a building in any Muslim countries from Afghanisthan to Algeria.

"The unusual explanation that the term Taj Mahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal was illogical in atleast two respects.

Firstly, her name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani," he writes.

Secondly, one cannot omit the first three letters 'Mum' from a woman's name to derive the remainder as the name for the building."Taj Mahal, which he claims, is a corrupt version of Tejo Mahalaya, or Lord Shiva's Palace . Oak also says the love story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale created by court sycophants, blundering historians and sloppy archaeologists Not a single royal chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates the love story.

Furthermore, Oak cites several documents suggesting the Taj Mahal predates Shah Jahan's era, and was a temple dedicated to Shiva, worshipped by Rajputs of Agra city.
For example, Prof. Marvin Miller of New York took a few samples from the riverside doorway of the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed that the door was 300 years older than Shah Jahan.

European traveler Johan Albert Mandelslo,who visited Agra in 1638 (only seven years after Mumtaz's death), describes the life of the city in his memoirs. But he makes no reference to the Taj Mahal being built.

The writings of Peter Mundy, an English visitor to Agra within a year of Mumtaz's death, also suggest the "Taj" was a noteworthy building well before Shah Jahan's time.

Prof. Oak points out a number of design and architectural inconsistencies that support the belief of the Taj Mahal being a typical Hindu temple rather than a mausoleum.

Many rooms in the Taj Mahal have remained sealed since Shah Jahan's time and are still inaccessible to the public .
Oak asserts they contain a headless statue of Lord Shiva and other objects commonly used for worship rituals in Hindu temples.

Fearing political backlash, the late Indian Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi's government tried to have Prof. Oak's book withdrawn from the bookstores, and threatened the Indian publisher of the first edition dire consequences .

There is only one way to prove and validate the facts behind Mr. P.N.Oak's research.

The current government should open the sealed rooms of the Taj Mahal under U.N. supervision, and let international experts investigate.

Let the whole world know the TRUTH behind the lies that is now known as the Taj Mahal.

ATMA

the Taj Mahal, is a shiva temple. do not listen to the islamic propaganda, telling you the taj mahal is an islamic architectural masterpiece. throughout history the muslims invaders have in India destroy more than 7000 temples.

sudhir_says

The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

For details about Taj Mahal please visit, http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/Agra-Overview.html

minootoo

Shah Jahan

Samar

The labours

â™¥Nurse.Cullenâ™¥

Shah Jahaan hired workersd to build it for his wife, Mumtaz. after the building was done, he had all the owrkers hands cut off so that they couldnt build anything as beautiful as the Taj.
bot he and his wife are burind on the grounds

( i think)

.....

shah jahan, a muslim emporer. hired over 30,000 workers to build it. he built it for the grace of his wife and all cuz he LOOOOVEd her SOOOOOO much.he cut off the hand sof his workers so they couldnt build anything like the taj mahal after words.

exclusive

TAJ MAHAL BUILT BY DEDICATED WORKERS,
FINANCE SUPPORTED BY SHAH JAHAN !!!!! lol....

delta

Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan

Sukhbir (chdpac)

The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned it as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal died during the birth of their daughter Gauhara Begum, the fourteenth child. It remain under construction from 1631 to 1651 to complete. wholly. After various arguments in between Historians in the past that who construct the Taj Mahal all the evidence make it clear, that it was Shah Jahan who was behind this, the most beautiful building in the world.

AR.SAM

The Mohal Emperor Shah Jahan,im memory of his wife Mum Taj built this:

Bubbles

Taj mahal was built by Shah jahan..........

vakayil k

The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

For more details about Taj Mahal and its construction, please check the following link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

Mungalla Rama Krishna

Shahjahans love towards his wife made him to produce tajmahal a love structure.

HFC

The Taj Mahal (Devanagari: à¤¤à¤¾à¤œ à¤®à¤¹à¤², Nastaliq: ØªØ§Ø¬ Ù…ØÙ„) is a mausoleum located in Agra, India. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned it as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in approximately 1648. Some dispute surrounds the question of who designed the Taj Mahal; it is clear a team of designers and craftsmen were responsible for the design, with Ustad Ahmad Lahauri considered the most likely candidate as the principal designer.

The Taj Mahal (sometimes called "the Taj") is generally considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar part of the monument, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. In 1983 the Taj 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.

Craftsmen

An Artist's impression of A Bird's View of the Taj Mahal, from the Smithsonian InstituteThe Taj Mahal was not designed by a single person. The project demanded talent from many people.

The names of many of the builders who participated in the construction of the Taj Mahal in different capacities have come down through various sources.

The Persian or Turkish architect, Ustad Isa and Isa Muhammad Effendi, trained by the Ottoman architect Koca Mimar Sinan Agha are frequently credited with a key role in the architectural design of the complex,[16][17] but in fact there is little evidence to support this tradition.
'Puru' from Benarus, Persia (Iran), has been mentioned as a supervising architect in Persian language texts (e.g. see ISBN 964-7483-39-2).
The main dome was designed by Ismail Khan from the Ottoman Empire,[18] considered to be the premier designer of hemispheres and builder of domes of that age.
Qazim Khan, a native of Lahore, cast the solid gold finial that crowned the Turkish master's dome.
Chiranjilal, a lapidary from Delhi, was chosen as the chief sculptor and mosaicist.
Amanat Khan from Persian Shiraz, Iran was the chief calligrapher (this fact is attested on the Taj Mahal gateway itself, where his name has been inscribed at the end of the inscription).
Muhammad Hanif was the supervisor of masons.
Mir Abdul Karim and Mukkarimat Khan of Shiraz, Iran handled finances and the management of daily production.
The creative team included sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria and Persia, inlayers from southern India, stonecutters from Baluchistan, a specialist in building turrets, another who carved only marble flowers â€” thirty-seven men in all formed the creative nucleus. To this core was added a labour force of twenty thousand workers recruited from across northern India.

Particularly during the British Raj, some commentators suggested that the Taj Mahal was the work of European artisans. As early as 1640, a Spanish friar who visited Agra wrote that Geronimo Veroneo, an Italian adventurer in Shah Jahan's court, was primarily responsible for the design. There is no reliable evidence to back up such assertions. E.B. Havell, the principal British scholar of Indian art in the later Raj, dismissed this theory as inconsistent with the methods employed by the designers. His conclusions were further supported by the research of Muhammad Abdullah Chaghtai, who concluded that some of these theories may have been based on the misapprehension that "Ustad Isa", so often credited with the Taj's design, must have been a Christian because he bore the name "Isa" (Jesus). In fact this is a common Muslim name as well. Furthermore there is no source earlier than the 19th century which mentions an "Ustad Isa" in connection with the Taj Mahal . Chaghtai thought it more likely that the chief architect was Ustad Ahmad, the designer of Shahjahanabad, but admitted that this could not be conclusively proved from existing sources.

Materials
The Taj Mahal was constructed using materials from all over India and Asia. Over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials during the construction. The translucent white marble was brought from Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China. The turquoise was from Tibet and the Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, while the sapphire came from Sri Lanka and the carnelian from Arabia. In all, twenty eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the white marble.

Costs
Estimates of the cost of the construction of the Taj Mahal vary due to the difficulties of estimating construction costs across time. The total cost of the Taj Mahal's construction has been estimated to be about 32 million rupees. However, when considering the labor costs and the time period that it took, and the difference in economic eras, it is, to many, considered priceless.

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