Taj Mahal Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Taj Mahal - Statistics Project Example Taj Mahal, one of the greatest structures on earth and wonders of this globe, was built by the Mughals, Muslim rulers of India. Meaning "crown palace", Taj Mahal is expressed differently by some as a "dream" others as "elegy in marble". At the lower chamber, Taj Mahal houses the queen’s grave and Shah Jahan was also added after her passing. Traditionally significant ladies of the royal families were given different names at the temple during their marriage or in some significant function (McCarthy, 2011). Constructed over a period of twenty-two years, the temple was completed in 1648 C.E. with a fee of 32 million rupee. Its architect, a renowned individual at his time, is considered to have done a magnificent work. He was also the individual who documented everything, which is used today to study the temple. This was from the twenty thousand workers who worked on the temple to the inventory and the sources of the materials used. Among the employees were expert craftsmen from L ahore, Delhi, Qannauj and Multan and others who worked on specialized tasks (McCarthy, 2011). Soaring to a height of 213 feet, the structure has a diameter of 58 feet and is flanked by four subsidiary dome chambers (UNESCO World Heritage Centre, 1992). The entire structure (both outside and the interior) is designed and decorated with inlaid patterns of flowers and calligraphy using precious gems such as agates and jaspers. The main archways are chiseled with passages from the Holy Quran and bold works of flowering pattern., which give the structure a mesmerizing charm to its beauty. It uses the architectural design of interlocking arabesque concept, which dictates that each element has its own stand and perfectly intergrates with the main structure. Historically, Taj Mahal is presented as a love story that begins in 1612 when Princess Arjumand Bano from Persia married Shah Jahan (the then prince of Khurram) and the Mughal emperor. After marriage, Arjumand Bano’s name was changed to Mumtaz Mahal (the chosen of the palace) and was the second wife to the emperor (Zahoor & Haq, 1997). Being a companion and advisor to the throne, the queen travelled with the emperor on his journeys and military expeditions. Her companionship sparked the emperor’s heart and brought positive effect to the emperor inspiring him to perform acts of charity and benevolence throughout his life. A serious turn took place during a campaign at Burhanpur when Mumtaz Mahal gave birth to their 14th offspring (Zahoor & Haq, 1997). Divested by this act, the emperor and the court went into mourning for over 2 years within a few months after death of the queen. It is said that Shah’s hair and beard turned white, and he was recklessly determined to build a monument in consorts and loving memory of his beloved wife, and that was how a structure never seen before like Taj Mahal came to mind. The queen’s dead body was taken to Agra and buried in a garden on the banks of Yamun River (Simmons, 2002). A group of the finest architects were later called upon to come up wi th a plan for erecting a tomb for her. Usta Isa, a Persian master architect, was called upon to design the structure. Usta Isa commenced his works with his assistant and 20000 laborers,