Taj Mahal

Ironically, though Shah Jahan was alive to see the Taj completed, this period saw his mental and physical decline, especially after his overthrow by his own son, Aurangzeb, resulting in the former emperor’s confinement in the Agra fort, from where it is, perhaps rather poetically stated, that spent his last years wisfully gazing at the monument dedicated to his wife.

The Taj is reknowned for it’s perfection, both structurally and aesthetically . The design is said to be based on the Islamic concept of the Garden of Paradise. All materials used in its construction were the very best available at the time, with marble from Rajashtan and precious stones [used in the inlays] being brought in from as far away as Persia and China.

Parts of the main building are inscribed with Islamic verses perfectly proportioned as well as a variety of carved floral inlays.