HOHO Holidays brings to you with the top 10 interesting facts about the Taj Mahal you did not know. The facts so surreal that it will blow your mind away. Source: Agra One
1. Taj Mahal’s architecture inspired by Humayn’s Tomb
Yes! Humayun’s Tomb is known to be the precursor to the world famous Taj Mahal! Another similarity is that, Humayun’s tomb was built by Humayun’s wife Hamida bano begum, and Taj Mahal was built by Shahjahan for his wife Mumtaz mahal
2. Free Entry
Did you know on “World Heritage Day” the entrance to the monument is free of cost. Moreover, on women’s day the entry to all the ASI heritage monument including the Taj Mahal is free for all women. Women’s day is celebrated on 8 Mar & world heritage day on 18 April. So plan your travel for the above dates and save big on your entry ticket fee.
3. 20,000 workers !
You would agree that the construction of Taj Mahal is monumental! And you would not believe that it took more that 20,000 skilled, highly paid workers to built it, including the architects, labourers, designers, stone inlay artists.
3. 22 Years !
Did you know that it took 22 years for the construction of the Taj Mahal! Enough said!
4. Three Crore & Twenty Lakh Rupees !
The cost of construction of the Taj Mahal was three crores and twenty lakhs. It may sound like a small amount today. However, in today time it would be equivalent to whooping Fifty Three billion rupees!
5. Three Promises
Mumtaz Mahal, said to her husband Shahjahan at her dying bed,”you promise me – 1. Never to marry again after my death. 2. To give equal love and respect to all the 13 childrens 3. To create something in her remembrance that can not be replicated ever by anyone. ” this was the foundation to the construction of the Taj Mahal
6. Replica one
Did you know that there is a replica of Taj Mahal but smaller in size in Agra. It is popularly known as the baby Taj Mahal (Itmad-ud-Daula Tomb). Surprised!
7. Replica Two!
If you were not surprised enough to know about the replica one – baby Taj Mahal. You would surely be amazed that there is another replica of the Taj Mahal in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India! Crazy isn’t it !
8. Second only to “Great Wall of China”
We all know that Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders of the modern world. But did you know that it second only to the Great Wall of China which came first as it got the maximum number of votes.
9. 35,000 visitors capping per day
Did you know that Supreme Court of India ordered Archaeological Survey of India to set up a limit on the number of footfalls to Taj Mahal to reduce the stress on the monument caused by the visitor in 2019, thus only 35,000 visitors can visit the Taj Mahal in a day. Don’t believe me. Read this
10. River Yamuna
Ever wondered why Taj Mahal was built at the banks of holy river Yamuna? Those days all the material for construction came from long distance, for instance the white marble used was the highest quality marble found in Makarana Rajasthan, 364 kms from Agra.
In those period river transportation was the fastest mode of transportation to transport heavy construction material
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