Taj Mahal: Exploring Mughal mausoleum architecture

One of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan as a memorial for his deceased wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Every year, a few million tourists come to visit Agra to catch a glimpse of the magnificent Taj Mahal. When we visited the Taj Mahal, we were overwhelmed to see its flawless architecture. We had seen pictures of the Taj Mahal so many times, but after seeing it in real life, we realised why this mausoleum is famous all over the world.

Located on the south bank of the Yamuna River, this ivory white marble mausoleum is surrounded by four minarets of equal height, each measuring 132 ft. The entry to the Taj Mahal is through a monumental gateway made of red sandstone. The ‘onion’ dome adorning the top of the Taj Mahal sits over a cylindrical drum, which is about 23 feet high.

There are two cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal that are placed in the main chamber of the Taj Mahal. However, the actual tombs of  Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal lie in the lower level of the chamber, which is not possible for tourists to see. The cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal is placed on the symmetric mid-point of the tomb chamber, beautifully inlaid with flower motifs. Beside the cenotaph of Mumtaz, the larger cenotaph of Emperor Shah Jahan is placed.

It was wonderful to see the intricate details while observing the architecture of the Taj Mahal. In addition to geometric patterns, there are incrustations of precious or semi-precious stones on the walls and tombstones. This inlay work technique is known as pietra dura.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the Taj Mahal. It was made more engaging as we participated in an EdTerra activity to learn about the importance of observation, coordination, collaboration, team-work, and time management.

Team members: Juri, Laksh, Raghav, Saifi, and Srivansh (Assam Valley School).

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EdTerra Edventures conducts various other domestic programs for the youth. If you go to school and are under 17 years of age, ask your school to contact us to arrange a visit to your school for an introduction to the “Agra: Love Unbound” and other journeys under EdTerra’s India Discovery Program.

For queries call +91-11-48885800 or visit EdTerra Browse Journeys page to know more about the programs we offer to school students. Visit our Facebook page by clicking HERE.