Taj Mahal

Thesis Statement

The Taj Mahal is one of the iconic 7 wonders of the world. It is a major tourism spot in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife (out of three), Mumtaz Mahal. It was built in 1631, and took 22 full years to complete this massive structure. The estimated money spent was a whopping 35 million rupees at the time which was a lot then, but which now only equals to about $454.4 aud.

Introduction

Taj Mahal is regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world, and some Western historians have noted that it's architectural beauty has never been surpassed. The Taj Mahal is the most beautiful monument built by the Mughals, the Muslim rulers of India(Begley, p77).

So let's start with the bare facts about the Taj. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his second wife, Mumtaz Hahal, who died during the birth of her fourteenth child in 1631 leaving the emperor heartbroken.

He began construction of the mausoleum complex in the same year, and it took 20,000 of the greatest artisans from India and Central Asia twenty-two years to complete it. As a reward for this arduous and exacting task, a large number of them had their thumbs or hands amputated to ensure that such a perfect structure could never be built again(Chaturvedi, p47).

I couldn't find any records of how many workmen were killed while it was being built, or of how much the population had to suffer in coming up with the extra taxes that must have been levied to pay for its construction; but I can certainly say that the price of love was extremely expensive. 

Discussion and Analysis

Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble. Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond adequate description, particularly at dawn and sunset. The Taj seems to glow in the light of the full moon. On a foggy morning, the visitors experience the Taj Mahal as if suspended when viewed from across the Jamuna River(Arnett, p98).

A Muslim, Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his dear wife and queen built the Taj Mahal at Agra, India. The society at the time was very productive and created a lot of success and hope for the Indians there. When Mumtaz Mahal was still alive, she extracted four promises from the emperor: first, that he build the Taj Mahal; second, that he should marry again; third, that he should be kind to their children; and fourth, that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary. He kept the 1st and 2nd promises. The construction began in 1631. The expert craftsman from Delhi, Qannauj, Lahore, and Multan were employed. They constructed the monument over a period of twenty-two years, with employment of 20,000 workers. The total amount spent on the beautiful and sacred monument was 32 million rupees(Abram, p3).

The problems and issues of the Taj Mahal was very difficult back then. Actually, it was two main issues, ...