The Taj Mahal in India
Origin of the Taj Mahal in India
The Taj Mahal in India was built as a tomb for the Lady Mumtaz Mahal, the third and most favourite wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The emperor instructed the construction of the Taj Mahal in the seventh century specifically in 1632 AD and was completed in 1648 AD to honour his wife who had died in 1631. The name “Taj Mahal” comes from Mumtaz Mahal’s queen title which means “Crown of the Palace”.
The queen Mumtaz Mahal passed away in 1631 when she was giving birth to their last child. The Taj Mahal is built with spiritual conviction; it is designed to be an earthly copy of Mumtaz Mahal’s house in paradise. The Taj Mahal is located on the south bank of the Yamuna River at Agra in India.
Cultural and spiritual Significance of the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal a tomb built in white marble in Agra, Uttar Pradesh State, northern India has cultural and spiritual significance. The Taj Mahal symbolizes love, purity and spirituality, and demonstrates a testament to the Mughal Empire’s legacy.
On Cultural Significance
On the plane of cultural significance, there is an expression of love, architecture and world heritage. On the love plane, the Taj Mahal is a monument to the love between Shah Jahan and his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The intricate carvings and inscriptions on the Taj Mahal demonstrate and honour their bond.
On Architecture
The Taj Mahal is an original product of Mughal which was a Muslim dynasty of Mongol origin and which ruled much of India from the 16th to the 19th century. The Taj Mahal is a culmination of Mughal art and architecture that combined Persian, Islamic and Indian influences. Moreover, the Taj Mahal has international standards as it was granted the UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1983 and it is placed in the list of the seven wonders of the world.
On Spiritual Significance
On the spiritual plane there are two spiritual issues involved; eternal life and the divine verses from the Holy Qur’an. The Taj Mahal’s design symbolizes earthly life and life after death. The garden in front of the tomb is divided into four quadrants by water which represent the eternal Paradise promised in the Qur’an. Moreover, the walls of the Taj Mahal are engraved with verses from the Qur’an which gives the Taj Mahal a spiritual and divine touch.
Touristic Attractions
The Taj Mahal in Agra, India attracts millions of visitors every year because of its beauty, history, cultural and spiritual significance it has. Moreover, The Taj Mahal attracts more visitors because of its fame; it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and also one of the seven wonders of the world. Tourists want to witness the wonders contained in the tomb.
On Beauty
The architecture of the Taj Mahal is a beautiful white marble mausoleum that is regarded as a prime example of Indo-Islamic architecture. The tomb is surrounded by lovely gardens, fountains, and pools. Moreover, the Taj Mahal is engraved in black marble with the inscriptions from the Qur’an. The light and shadow also pulls visitors, the tomb’s colour changes throughout the day from soft grey and yellow to pearly cream and white. The moonlit view is yet another attractive feature; the Taj Mahal has extraordinary beauty at night, when it shines it appears like a pearl in the moonlight.
Services to tourists
The Taj Mahal pulls millions of visitors throughout the year from both near and far places local and internationals. They all need different services which facilitate their visit at the tomb. The services offered at the Taj Mahal include: Transportation, tours, guides, and ticketing.
Transportation and Tours
Tourists need transport to move about and so they can use the local services of “park and walk” scheme, electric buses service and other means to get to the Taj Mahal monument. Moreover, visitors can make arrangement for organized tours that can take them to the Taj Mahal early before sunrise thus avoiding the long que for ticket.
Ticketing and entrance
Tourists can buy tickets on the Taj Mahal’s official website which helps them avoid the line for tickets. The tomb has three entrances: East, West and South Gates. The East Gate is popular with international tourists and close to many hotels around. At sunrise the West Gate is less crowded compared to the East Gate and thus it is ideal to enter the Taj Mahal through that entrance. The South Gate is the least used gate and is next to hotels too and thus this could be the most convenient gate to enter the Taj Mahal with easy.
Economic benefits to the local population
The Taj Mahal is counted among major contributors to the local economy in Agra, India and to the travel and tourism industries in India. The fame and attractiveness of the Taj Mahal contributes to the national Gross Domestic Product of the country and generates revenue, creates job opportunities and strengthens the local craft industries.
Revenue and Job Opportunities
The Taj Mahal generates revenue through different sources including ticket sales and the revenue from the entrance fees at Taj Mahal has increased over time as the UNESCO World Heritage Site continues to attract more visitors. Moreover, the Taj Mahal creates job opportunities in the tourism industry. The Taj Mahal influences local craft industries which employ local people in large number.
Infrastructure and Local Economy
The fame of the Taj Mahal has led to infrastructure development in the Uttar Pradesh state and in Agra. The Taj Mahal due to its fame has a central part of the local economy. The Taj Mahal’s fame has helped the local craft industries, specifically marble engravement work and traditional handicrafts.
Conclusion on the Taj Mahal in India
I hope the article has given you some important insights about the Taj Mahal monument. The monument is a man made site that makes one wonders so much that it is counted among the seven wonders of the world. Moreover, as we have seen, because of its beauty, it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is given that importance so that other individuals may learn from this fascinating site. I hope if you like travelling and exploration of new place you will put the Taj Mahal in your list.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Taj Mahal is a masterpiece of a monument of with a status of UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a man made structure of its own kind. It attracts millions of admirers year round to wonder of what the human brain is capable of. It is also an expression of love as the literature tells us that the emperor constructed it in loving memories of his wife. There are many readers interested on the subject, their queries are represented by the following questions.
- How many Taj mahal in India?
- What is the Taj mahal in India history?
- Where is Taj Mahal located in which state?
- What is Taj Mahal – wikipedia?
- Why was the Taj Mahal built?
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- How does the Inside Taj Mahal look like?