The Taj Mahal and Its Incarnation (1631-1648 A.D)

This book studies the data related to the construction of the Taj Mahal, e.g. the identity of its builders, standard and quantity of stones used, measurements and costs of its different parts. This data was lying scattered in several unpublished Persian manuscripts as those of Mughal Beg and Syed Hasan, Imperial Firmans and Court histories. It has now been compiled, sifted, collated, analysed and, finally, interpreted, and attempt has been made, here for the first time, to write a history of this world famous monument from constructional point of view. It deals with the origin of its IDEA and FORM and presents the basic history of the TajMahal. It settles scores of popular misnomers and, more than that, it brings to light new facts, some of which are simply startling. Thus, for example, when we find costs of three sets of tomb-stones on the lists, we come to know, fairly authentically, that a third set of tombstones, viz. over the real graves, was made in the basement, just beneath the upper sets. This was not otherwise known to us. The sum shown against the name of a builder does not denote his personal salary, as we had been hitherto believing, but the cumulative salaries of the whole group, or guild, of artisans who worked under him. He was a sort of contractor, head-man or supervisor and he was not necessarily an artisan himself. The figures shown against common stones on these lists do not denote the number of their pieces, but a cubic 'dheri' or 'phari' in each case. And so on. This will, thus, help us to reconstruct the history of the Taj Mahal with greater authenticity. The scheme of the work is simple: Tables and Appendices (14 and 6 respectively) have been used to contain the basic data which has been analysed and interpreted in the text. Illustrations (Plates and Figures) have also been used. A Glossary of Technical terms, used by Lahauri and the compilers of these Persian manuscripts has also been given to make the narrative perfectly intelligible to the readers. Diacritical marks have not been used along with the popular names of persons and places, to avoid confusion. Persian texts of two manuscripts have also been appended for ready reference