The Taj Mahal and its history is a nice fable of romance and tragedy. It arouses a feeling of love- the eternal and etheral, a sense of pity for the lots of its makers. Simultaneously a number of mysteries shroud it. Many folk tales, Gossips and myths are linked to this super building. As is evident from the historical excerpts that the construction of the Taj Mahal was started after the demise of Shahjahan’s wife Mumtaj Mahal at Berhampur in 1631, So the question asked whether Mumtaj did see it, is naturally satisfied. During your Agra tour you can satisfy your queries regarding the Taj mahal construction, history and the popular myths and Mysteries behind the Taj from your tour guide.
What are the Popular Myths And Mysteries Behind The Taj Mahal
Most of the queries are like- What is inside the Taj Mahal? What happened to the architects etc. Simple answer is that it is a tomb which houses the bodies of the Mumtaj and Shahjahan.
Previously it was designed as a burial place of the lady only and emperor never devised his own burial.
It was only after his demise in the captivity then his Son Aurangzeb planned for the burial of Shahjahan with Mumtaj. Thus presently you see the graves of both husband and wife together inside the main cenotaph.
There are two chambers-The down one houses the real bodies while the upper one is just dummy and on the upper one nice filigree work is added later by Aurangzeb, You will be amazed to know that the original railing around the graves was done in real gold and silver embedded with gem stones.
A lot of questions are raised about the secret chambers but as such there is no secret.
These chambers are empty and nothing behind. Similarly people ask about the future of the architects after the completion of the Taj. As myths used to prevail that the emperor chopped off the hands of the architects. In your Taj Mahal tour you can ask from your knowledgeable tour guide about the architecture of the Taj and the lot of the architects.
So that nobody can imitate it. But in reality nothing like this happened as there was no other power in India similar to the Mughals who could plan such a building incurring huge expenditure.
The rumors might have arisen from the fact that these architects were highly appreciated in terms of money and regard and after the debacle of the empire of Shahjahan they could not find a better patron of art than him. Thus a person who loses his job is supposed to lose his his hands in figurative language.
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Taj Mahal Tour By Gatimaan Express
Other popular myth is about the story of the Black Taj Mahal.
According to the folk lores the emperor Shahjahan was in a mood to replicate the Taj in black marble on the other side of the river where presently Mehtab Bagh lies. The truth is that this is again a myth and has no substantial ground.
The fact is that as Shahjahan was able to complete the Taj he was taken under house arrest and even the coffers did not allow for another construction similar to the Taj. He started living life in desolation. Only a contemporary traveler in his travel memoirs mentioned about the source from somewhere.
Another aspect about the supernatural presence in the Taj Mahal is oft quoted.
People talk about mighty forces. The fact behind is during the construction of the Taj Shahjahan asked the Pious Bukhari Brothers(Sufi Saints) to help out in the hindrance caused by the unknown forces. Thus these saints found place on the four corners of the Taj Mahal.
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People are amazed at the stories of the sacred Shiva temple existing at the place.
Construction of the Tajmahal, there are also stories of the leaking Tajmahal roof and falling of few droplets of water on the graves as well.
The truth is that Tajmahal has been verified to be a Mughal architecture made during the reign of Shahjahan and no known Shiva temple was transformed into the present Tajmahal, The water droplets are nothing more than the condensation of humidity in the grave chamber in the form of water droplets.
