Translate

Showing posts with label black taj mahal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label black taj mahal. Show all posts

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Black Taj Mahal Myth


Black Taj Mahal myth is concerned with another monument that was supposed to be built opposite the magnificent Taj, on the other side of the river. It is believed that another mausoleum, exactly identical to the original one, was to be built, dedicated to Shah Jahan himself. 


This monument is now called as the Black Taj since it was to be constructed out of black marble. The legend of the Black Taj further goes on to suggest that it could not be erected, because, before this could happen, Shah Jahan got toppled by his son, Aurangzeb.



There have been many disputes over the question that "Was there a Black Taj Mahal". Some ruins of a black marble structure are said to have been found across the river. These ruins are believed to be those of the alleged Black Taj Mahal. However, later, it was discovered that the marble that was used had become black from staining and was not originally white. Another contention is that Taj Mahal gardens form a cross, typical of the other garden tombs of Mughals, only when ruins on the other riverbank are included. This indicates that those ruins were indeed meant to be a part of the Taj complex.



Asymmetric Taj Mahal Myth

The asymmetric Taj Mahal myth is related to the placing of Shah Jahan's cenotaph.

The asymmetric Taj Mahal myth is related to the placing of Shah Jahan's cenotaph. The position of his cenotaph is such that it looks offset from the center. The legend of the asymmetric Taj goes on to state that the cenotaph was added to the monument, after the death of Shah Jahan by his son Aurangzeb. 



It is said that he deliberately placed Shah Jahan's cenotaph in the Taj Mahal, instead of constructing a separate mausoleum. This was done to destroy the symmetry of the Taj Mahal design. To know more about "why is Taj Mahal asymmetric", read the following lines…




The holy book of Kuran denounces any type of unnecessary display in the life of a Muslim and especially at the time of death. It is believed that Aurangzeb was a highly religious man and following the holy book, he also disapproved of all kinds of showiness. 







Therefore, he didn't approve of the Taj Mahal, which Shah Jahan had built in remembrance of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. So, he buried his father next to his mother's tomb without bothering much about the symmetry of the great monument. This is why Taj Mahal seems to be asymmetric on the inside.