India is a land of rich culture and heritage. There are monuments spread across the different parts of the country. Taj Mahal is one such monument, which is also one of the Seven Wonders of the World. While you must have read about it countless times and would have even visited it, I am sure you must not be aware of some of its hidden facts. I am more than thrilled to share with you the history, the seven wonders title, and hidden facts about the monument.
History
Also known as the Crown of the Palace, the Taj Mahal is an ivory-white mausoleum. Made of marble, it lies on the bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, India. Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who ruled between 1628 and 1658, commissioned the monument in 1632, and its construction got completed in 1648. It got built in the memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is also home to Shah Jahan’s tomb.
One Of The Seven Wonders Of The World
Spread in a 42-acre complex, the Taj Mahal also has a guest house and mosque. It has lush gardens all around, with crenelated walls on three sides. The architecture of the monument is an amalgamation of Persian, Islamic, Turkish, and Indian art. Ahmed Shah Lahauri was the principal architect who employed thousands of laborers to build the monument. It is said that more than 1,000 elephants would carry the construction material that came from different parts of Asia and India.
Many different kinds of marbles got sourced from various countries. These include lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, white marble from Makrana (Rajasthan), sapphire from Sri Lanka and Arabia, and turquoise from Tibet. The Taj Mahal got constructed in a way that the white marble reflects the sky. The monument thus changes its colors during the day. It has a silver look at night, pinkish in the early morning, milky white during the afternoon, and dazzling golden at sunset.
Mysterious Facts About Taj Mahal
Here are some mysterious facts about the Taj Mahal that will leave you amazed.
- The original rooms and foundation
These have always been away from the public view. There is a secret floor made of red stone, which is one of the 22 rooms that overlook the river. There is also a door walled with bricks.
- Secret floor
There are arches towards the east side of the plinth, indicating there are 1089 rooms hidden behind. They remain sealed with several marble slabs. The arches also have staircases that go right up to the top of the marble.
- Locked rooms
The first floor has locked rooms with two stairs that lead to the upper floor. The walls and floors don’t have marble panels anymore.
- Mumtaz’s grave
The backside of the river remains an unexplored area. From this point, a marble structure with four floors remains visible. There are two more floors beneath made of red stone. There are 22 rooms inside besides the four-storey marble structure.
- Hindu paintwork
There is a secret floor beneath the marble platform. There are paint strips that indicate Hindu paintwork. The rooms remain locked and hidden from public view.
- Hindu design on ceilings
The 22 closed rooms have Hindu design on the ceilings in the secret floor. The rooms have elaborate paintings. There is no way visitors can enter the rooms as they remain locked.
- Corridor with Hindu design
There is a 12-feet-wide corridor on the floor with secret red stone. The base of the plinth has arches with Hindu designs. The corridor remains sealed, and visitors cannot access it.
Final words
As one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal is undoubtedly a gem of a place. However, these were some mysterious facts about the monument that can leave you amazed. I hope you enjoyed reading about these facts and would find them useful for your next trip. I am also on IG, FB, Twitter, YT. Subscribe to my blog and social media handles to receive regular updates delivered right on your mobile.