Taj Mahal: Difference between revisions

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The '''Taj Mahal''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|t|ɑː|dʒ|_|m|ə|ˈ|h|ɑː|l|,_|ˌ|t|ɑː|ʒ|-}};  {{lit|Crown of the Palace}})<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=[[Dehkhoda]] |first=Ali Akbar |url=https://dehkhoda.ut.ac.ir/fa/dictionary/80783/%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%84 |title=Dehkhoda Dictionary (online version) |publisher=Dehkhoda Lexicon Institute & International Center for Persian Studies ([[University of Tehran]]) |location=[[Tehran]] |language=fa}}</ref>{{sfn|Wells|1990|page=704|}}{{sfn| Ahmed|1998|page=94}} is an [[Islamic architecture|Islamic]] ivory-white [[marble]] [[mausoleum]] on the right bank of the river [[Yamuna]]  in [[Agra]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth [[Mughal Empire|Mughal emperor]], [[Shah Jahan]] ({{reign|1628|1658}}) to house the tomb of his favourite wife, [[Mumtaz Mahal]]; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centrepiece of a {{convert|42|acre|ha|order=flip|adj=on}} complex, which includes a [[mosque]] and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a [[crenellated]] wall.

Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643, but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around [[Indian rupee sign|₹]]32&nbsp;million, which in 2020 would be approximately {{INR}}70&nbsp;billion (about [[US $|US $1&nbsp;billion]]). The construction project employed some 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by [[Ustad Ahmad Lahauri]], the emperor’s court architect. Various types of symbolism have been employed in the Taj to reflect natural beauty and divinity.

The Taj Mahal was designated as a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]] in 1983 for being "the jewel of [[Muslim art]] in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". It is regarded by many as the best example of [[Mughal architecture]] and a symbol of India's rich history. The Taj Mahal attracts more than 6&nbsp;million visitors a year<ref name="Visitors2019"/> and in 2007, it was declared a winner of the [[New 7 Wonders of the World]] (2000–2007) initiative.

[[Abdul Hamid Lahori|Abdul Hamid Lahauri]], in his book from 1636 ''[[Padshahnama]]'', refers to the Taj Mahal as ''[[rauza]]-i munawwara'' ([[Perso-Arabic]]: {{Lang|fa|روضه منواره}}, ''rawdah-i munawwarah''), meaning the illumined or illustrious tomb.{{sfn|Tillotson|2008|page=14}}

The current name for the Taj Mahal is believed to be derived from the [[Persian language|Persian]] {{Lang|fa|تاج محل}} ''tāj mahall'', meaning "crown" (''tāj'') "palace" (''mahall'').<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of Taj Mahal |website=Dictionary.com|url=https://www.dictionary.com/browse/taj-mahal |access-date=2021-03-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Taj Mahal definition and meaning |website=Collins English Dictionary |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/taj-mahal|access-date=2021-03-01}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> The name "Taj" came from the corruption of the second syllable of "Mumtaz".<ref>{{Cite book |title=Islamic Culture|year=1975|volume=49-50|pages=195 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I24uAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Taj+Bibi%22+Mumtaz+corruption}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Calcutta Review|year=1869 |volume=149|pages=146|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TWsoAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22Taj+Bibi%22+Mumtaz+corruption&pg=RA1-PA146}}</ref>

{{See also|Persian language in the Indian subcontinent}}

The base structure is a large multi-chambered cube with [[chamfer]]ed corners forming an unequal eight-sided structure that is approximately {{convert|55|m|ft}} on each of the four long sides. Each side of the iwan is framed with a huge ''[[pishtaq]]'' or vaulted archway with two similarly shaped arched balconies stacked on either side. This motif of stacked ''pishtaqs'' is replicated on the chamfered corner areas, making the design completely symmetrical on all sides of the building. Four [[minarets]] frame the tomb, one at each corner of the plinth facing the chamfered corners. The main chamber houses the false [[sarcophagi]] of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan; the actual graves are at a lower level.<ref>{{cite web |title=World Heritage Sites - Agra - Taj Mahal |website=World Heritage Sites |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_agratajmahal.asp |access-date=4 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215034204/http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_agratajmahal.asp |archive-date=15 February 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

|File:The Taj Mahal main building.jpg|The mausoleum (Rauza-i-munnauwara)

|File:Taj Mahal inside view 02.JPG|Four minarets frame the tomb.

|File:Tombs-in-crypt.jpg |The actual tombs of Mumtaz Mahal (right) and Shah Jahan (left) in the lower level. Notice that Mumtaz's grave does not have a lower slab like that of Shah Jahan

The minarets, which are each more than {{convert|40|m|ft}} tall, display the designer's penchant for symmetry. They were designed as working minarets— a traditional element of mosques, used by the [[muezzin]] to call the Islamic faithful to prayer. Each minaret is effectively divided into three equal parts by two working balconies that ring the tower. At the top of the tower is a final balcony surmounted by a [[chattri]] that mirrors the design of those on the tomb. The chattris all share the same decorative elements of a lotus design topped by a gilded finial. The minarets were constructed slightly outside of the plinth so that in the event of collapse, a typical occurrence with many tall constructions of the period, the material from the towers would tend to fall away from the tomb.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kristianbertel.dk/archive/taj-mahal-a-monument-of-love-in-india.html |title=Taj Mahal – A Monument of Love in India |website=Kristian Bertel Photography |access-date=26 January 2021 }}</ref>

The calligraphy on the Great Gate reads "O Soul, thou art at rest. Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you."{{sfn|Koch|2006| p= 100}} The calligraphy was created in 1609 by a calligrapher named [[Abdul Haq]]. Shah Jahan conferred the title of "Amanat Khan" upon him as a reward for his "dazzling virtuosity".<ref name=Anon>{{cite web |title=The Taj mahal |work=Islamic architecture |publisher=Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization |url=http://www.islamicart.com/library/empires/india/taj_mahal.html |access-date=7 February 2015 |url-status=live |archive-date=17 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417083242/http://islamicart.com/library/empires/india/taj_mahal.html}}</ref> Near the lines from the Qur'an at the base of the interior dome is the inscription, "Written by the insignificant being, Amanat Khan Shirazi."<ref>{{cite web |title=...calligraphy |work=Treasures of the World: Taj Mahal |url=https://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/taj_mahal/tlevel_2/t4visit_3calligraphy.html |access-date=7 February 2015 |publisher=PBS}}</ref> Much of the calligraphy is composed of florid [[thuluth]] script made of [[jasper]] or black marble<ref name=Anon/> inlaid in white marble panels. Higher panels are written in slightly larger script to reduce the skewing effect when viewed from below. The calligraphy found on the marble [[cenotaph]]s in the tomb is particularly detailed and delicate.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}

Abstract forms are used throughout, especially in the plinth, minarets, gateway, mosque, jawab and, to a lesser extent, on the surfaces of the tomb. The domes and vaults of the sandstone buildings are worked with [[tracery]] of [[incised painting]] to create elaborate geometric forms. [[opus spicatum|Herringbone]] inlays define the space between many of the adjoining elements. White inlays are used in sandstone buildings, and dark or black inlays on the white marbles. Mortared areas of the marble buildings have been stained or painted in a contrasting colour which creates a complex {{citation needed|date=October 2022}} array of geometric patterns. Floors and walkways use contrasting [[tile]]s or blocks in [[tessellation]] patterns.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Finest example of Mughal architecture - Review of Taj Mahal, Agra, India|website=Tripadvisor |url=http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g297683-d317329-r227384075-Taj_Mahal-Agra_Agra_District_Uttar_Pradesh.html |access-date=2020-09-03}}</ref>

|File:Taj Mahal Exterior with a minaret.jpg|Taj Mahal Exterior with a minaret.

|File:The Taj with its minaret.JPG|Base, dome and minaret.

|File:Taj Mahal finial-1.jpg|Finial, [[tamga]] of the [[Mughal Empire]].

|File:Taj mahal detail outside wall.jpg|Plant motifs.

|File:Taj Mahal reflective tiles in normal exposure.JPG|Reflective tiles.

|File:Индия45.jpg|Marble [[jali]] lattice.

|File:India-6153 - Flickr - archer10 (Dennis).jpg|[[Arabic calligraphy|Calligraphy]] of [[Arabic]] [[Ayah|Ayaat]].

The interior chamber of the Taj Mahal reaches far beyond traditional decorative elements. The inlay work is not pietra dura, but a [[lapidary]] of precious and semiprecious gemstones.{{sfn|Malaviya|2004}} The inner chamber is an octagon with the design allowing for entry from each face, although only the door facing the garden to the south is used. The interior walls are about {{convert|25|m|ft|}} high and are topped by a "false" interior dome decorated with a sun motif. Eight pishtaq arches define the space at ground level and, as with the exterior, each lower pishtaq is crowned by a second pishtaq about midway up the wall.{{sfn|Khatri|2012|page=128}} The four central upper arches form balconies or viewing areas, and each balcony's exterior window has an intricate screen or ''[[jali]]'' cut from marble. In addition to the light from the balcony screens, light enters through roof openings covered by chattris at the corners. The octagonal marble screen or ''jali'' bordering the cenotaphs is made from eight marble panels carved through with intricate pierce work. The remaining surfaces are inlaid in delicate detail with semi-precious stones forming twining vines, fruits and flowers. Each chamber wall is highly decorated with dado bas-relief, intricate lapidary inlay and refined calligraphy panels which reflect, in little detail, the design elements seen throughout the exterior of the complex.{{sfn|Alī Jāvīd|2008|page=309}}

|File:Flowers in Marble, the Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.jpg|Flowers carved in marble.

|File:TajJaliInlay.jpg|Detail of [[pietra dura]] ''jali'' inlay.

|File:TajJaliPiercwork.jpg|Delicacy of intricate pierce work.

|File:Taj Mahal Mosque Interior Hall.jpg|Archways in the mosque.

|File:TajPaintedGeometry.JPG|Incised painting.

|File:TajFinialTiling.jpg|Finial floor tiling.

|File:Jali-inlay.jpg|Detail of ''jali''.

|File:Flowers_on_a_wall_(Unsplash).jpg|''[[Pietra dura]]'', or ''parchin kari'', flowers.}}

The pen box and writing tablet are traditional Mughal [[funerary]] icons decorating the caskets of men and women respectively. [[Names of God in the Qur'an|The Ninety Nine Names of God]] are calligraphic inscriptions on the sides of the actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Other inscriptions inside the crypt include, ''"O Noble, O Magnificent, O Majestic, O Unique, O Eternal, O Glorious... "''. The tomb of Shah Jahan bears a calligraphic inscription that reads; "He travelled from this world to the banquet-hall of Eternity on the night of the twenty-sixth of the month of [[Rajab]], in the year 1076 [[Islamic calendar|Hijri]]."<ref>{{cite web |title=The Rauza (Tombs) in the Mausoleum |website=.taj-mahal.net |url=http://www.taj-mahal.net/augEng/textN/p76.htm |access-date=5 May 2015 |url-status=deviated |archive-date=28 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428133614/http://www.taj-mahal.net/augEng/textN/p76.htm}}</ref>

According to the legend, Shah Jahan decreed that anyone could keep the bricks taken from the scaffold, and thus it was dismantled by peasants overnight.<ref>{{Cite web |title=...building the Taj Mahal |url=https://www.pbs.org/treasuresoftheworld/a_nav/taj_nav/tajnav_level_1/3building_tajfrm.html |work=Treasures of the World: Taj Mahal |publisher=PBS}}</ref> A 15-kilometre (9.3&nbsp;mi) tamped-earth ramp was built to transport marble and materials to the construction site and teams of 20 or 30 oxen pulled the blocks on specially constructed wagons.{{sfn|Carroll |1973 |p=64 }} An elaborate [[post-and-beam]] pulley system was used to raise the blocks into the desired position. Water was drawn from the river by a series of ''purs'', an animal-powered rope and bucket mechanism, into a large storage tank and raised to a large distribution tank. It was passed into three subsidiary tanks, from which it was piped to the complex.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}}

According to Ebba Koch, art historian and international expert in the understanding and interpretation of Mughal architecture and the Taj Mahal, the planning of the entire compound of the Taj symbolizes earthly life and the afterlife, a subset of the symbolization of the divine. The plan has been split into two—one half is the white marble mausoleum itself and the gardens, and the other half is the red sandstone side meant for worldly markets. Only the mausoleum is white so as to represent the enlightenment, spirituality and faith of Mumtaz Mahal. According to the world-traveler Eleanor Roosevelt, the white symbolized the purity of real love.{{sfn|Begley|1979|p=}} Koch has deciphered that symbolic of Islamic teachings, the plan of the worldly side is a mirror image of the otherworldly side, and the grand gate in the middle represents the transition between the two lives.

Soon after the Taj Mahal's completion, Shah Jahan was deposed by his son [[Aurangzeb]] and put under house arrest at nearby [[Agra Fort]]. Upon Shah Jahan's death, Aurangzeb buried him in the mausoleum next to his wife.{{sfn|Gascoigne|1971| p= 243}} In the 18th century, the [[Jat]] rulers of [[Bharatpur State|Bharatpur]] invaded Agra and attacked the Taj Mahal. They took away the two chandeliers, one of agate and another of silver, which were hung over the main cenotaph; they also took the gold and silver screen. Kanbo, a Mughal historian, said the gold shield which covered the {{convert|15|ft|m|adj=mid|-high|order=flip}} finial at the top of the main dome was also removed during the Jat despoliation.{{sfn|Swamy|2003}}

By the late 19th century, parts of the buildings had fallen into disrepair. At the end of the 19th century, British [[viceroy]] [[George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston|Lord Curzon]] ordered a sweeping restoration project, which was completed in 1908.<ref>{{Cite web|title=History of Taj Mahal |url=https://www.tajmahal.org.uk/history.html|access-date=2021-08-29|website=www.tajmahal.org.uk}}</ref> He also commissioned the large lamp in the interior chamber, modelled after one in a [[Cairo]] mosque. During this time the garden was remodelled with European-style lawns that are still in place today.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2022-09-19 |title=Taj Mahal - The Symbol of Love - Shah Jahan - Mumtaz Mahal |url=https://theindianchronicles.in/taj-mahal-the-symbol-of-love-shah-jahan-mumtaz-mahal/ |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=The Indian Chronicles |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Taj Mahal attracts a large number of tourists. UNESCO documented more than 2 million visitors in 2001,<ref>{{cite web |title=Periodic Reporting Exercise on the Application of the World Heritage Convention |date=December 2002 |url=https://whc.unesco.org/archive/periodicreporting/APA/cycle01/section2/252.pdf |access-date=7 February 2015 |via=UNESCO |url-status=live |archive-date=28 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150228042527/https://whc.unesco.org/archive/periodicreporting/APA/cycle01/section2/252.pdf}}</ref> which had increased to about 7–8&nbsp;million in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |title=Archaeological Survey of India Agra working on compiling visual archives on Taj Mahal |date=29 November 2015 |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-11-29/news/68644851_1_agra-circle-taj-mahal-asi |newspaper=The Economic Times |access-date=16 January 2016 |archive-date=2016-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160423233109/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-11-29/news/68644851_1_agra-circle-taj-mahal-asi |url-status=dead}}</ref> A three-tier pricing system is in place, with a significantly lower entrance fee for Indian citizens and more expensive ones for foreigners. {{As of|2022}}, the fee for Indian citizens was {{INR}}50, for citizens of [[SAARC]] and [[BIMSTEC]] countries {{INR}}540, for foreign tourists {{INR}}1,100.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tajmahal.gov.in/visiting-hours.aspx |access-date=2022-03-01 |title=Timing and Ticket Price to Visit the Taj Mahal in Agra, India |website=Website of Taj Mahal - Department of Tourism, Government of Uttar Pradesh, India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211225200832/http://www.tajmahal.gov.in/visiting-hours.aspx |archive-date=25 December 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> Most tourists visit in the cooler months of October, November and February. Polluting traffic is not allowed near the complex and tourists must either walk from parking areas or catch an electric bus. The Khawasspuras (northern courtyards) are currently being restored for use as a new visitor centre.{{sfn|Koch|2006| p= 120}}{{sfn|Koch|2006| p= 254}} In 2019, in order to address [[overtourism]], the site instituted fines for visitors who stayed longer than three hours.{{sfn|Jaiswal|2019}}

The grounds are open from 06:00 to 19:00 weekdays, except for Friday when the complex is open for prayers at the mosque between 12:00 and 14:00. The complex is open for night viewing on the day of the full moon and two days before and after,<ref>{{cite web |title=Night Viewings of Taj Mahal |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_agratajmahal_night.asp |access-date=7 February 2015 |url-status=deviated |archive-date=7 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150207191606/http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_agratajmahal_night.asp}}</ref> excluding Fridays and the month of [[Ramadan]].

Foreign dignitaries often visit the Taj Mahal on trips to India. Notable figures who have travelled to the site include [[Dwight Eisenhower]], [[Jacqueline Kennedy]], [[Jimmy Carter]], [[George H. W. Bush]], [[George Harrison]], [[Vladimir Putin]], [[Princess Diana]], [[Donald Trump]], [[Justin Trudeau]], [[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]], [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth]] and [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Trump to Diana: The most iconic Taj Mahal photos|date=2020-02-24 |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-51583627 |access-date=2020-02-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Kate |last=Bennett|date=February 21, 2020|website=CNN |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/21/politics/melania-trump-first-ladies-india/index.html |access-date=2020-02-24 |title=Melania Trump next in long line of first ladies to visit India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Trudeau, with family in tow, visits India's famed Taj Mahal |date=Feb 18, 2018 |website=CBC |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-official-visit-1.4541128}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Matt |last=Fidler |date=25 Feb 2020 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2020/feb/25/taj-mahal-posers-through-the-years-trump-in-pictures |title=Taj Mahal posers through the years |website=The Guardian}}</ref>

[[File:Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Jean-Baptiste Tavernier]], one of the first European writers about the Taj Mahal]]

Ever since its construction, the building has been the source of an admiration transcending culture and geography, and so personal and emotional responses have consistently eclipsed scholastic appraisals of the monument.{{sfn|Koch|2006| p= 231}} A longstanding myth holds that Shah Jahan planned a [[mausoleum]] to be built in black marble as a [[Black Taj Mahal]] across the Yamuna river.{{sfn|Asher|1992|p= 210}} The idea originates from fanciful writings of [[Jean-Baptiste Tavernier]], a European traveller who visited Agra in 1665. It was suggested that his son Aurangzeb overthrew Shah Jahan before it could be built. Ruins of blackened marble across the river in the [[Mehtab Bagh]], seemed to support this legend. However, excavations carried out in the 1990s found that they were discoloured white stones that had turned black.{{sfn|Koch|2006| p= 249}} A more credible theory for the origins of the black mausoleum was demonstrated in 2006 by archaeologists who reconstructed part of the pool in the Mehtab Bagh. A dark reflection of the white mausoleum could clearly be seen, befitting Shah Jahan's obsession with symmetry and the positioning of the pool itself. {{cite AV media|title=Warrior Empire: The Mughals of India |year=2006 |publisher=A+E Television Network}}

Several myths, none of which are supported by the archaeological record, have appeared asserting that people other than Shah Jahan and the original architects were responsible for the construction of the Taj Mahal. For instance, in 2000, India's Supreme Court dismissed [[Purushottam Nagesh Oak|P. N. Oak]]'s petition<ref>Writ Petition (Civil) 336 of 2000, ''P.N. OAK vs. U.O.I. & Ors.''</ref> to declare that a Hindu king built the Taj Mahal.{{sfn|Koch|2006|p=239}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Plea to rewrite Taj history dismissed|website=[[The Hindu]]|url=https://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2000/07/14/stories/0214000q.htm |access-date=16 January 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171214072255/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2000/07/14/stories/0214000q.htm |archive-date=14 December 2017}}</ref> In 2005, a similar petition was dismissed by the [[Allahabad High Court]]. This case was brought by Amar Nath Mishra, a social worker and preacher who claimed that the Taj Mahal was built by the Hindu King [[Paramardi|Parmal Dev]] in 1196.{{sfn|Ali|2014}}

As of 2017, several court cases about Taj Mahal being a Hindu temple have been inspired by P. N.  Oak's theory.{{sfn|Qureshi| 2017}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/is-the-taj-mahal-a-mausoleum-or-a-shiva-temple-cic-tells-government-to-clarify/story-bYyd6mFUmFbrIjOJnbP9CI.html|title=Is Taj Mahal a mausoleum or a Shiva temple? CIC asks govt to clarify|website=Hindustan Times|date=10 August 2017|access-date=16 January 2019}}</ref> In August 2017, [[Archaeological Survey of India]] (ASI) stated there was no evidence to suggest the monument ever housed a temple.<ref>{{cite web |author=Ankit TyagiHarmeet Shah Singh |date=October 18, 2017 |title=BJP's Vinay Katiyar now calls Taj Mahal a Hindu temple – a 'bee in bonnet' theory that Supreme Court once rejected |website=India Today |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/vinay-katiyar-taj-mahal-tejo-mahalaya-temple-supreme-court-bee-in-bonnet-theory-asi/1/1071039.html}}</ref> [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]'s [[Vinay Katiyar]] in 2017 claimed that the 17th century monument was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after destroying a Hindu temple called "Tejo Mahalaya" and it housed a [[Lingam|Shiva linga]]. This claim had also been made by another BJP member [[Laxmikant Bajpai]] in 2014. The BJP government's Union Minister of Culture [[Mahesh Sharma]] stated in November 2015 during a session of the parliament, that there was no evidence that it was a temple. The theories about Taj Mahal being a Shiva temple started circulating when Oak released his 1989 book "Taj Mahal: The True Story". He claimed it was built in 1155 AD and not in the 17th century, as stated by the ASI.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 18, 2017|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/what-is/what-is-tejo-mahalaya-controversy-taj-mahal-vinay-katiyar-bjp-4896716/ |title=What is Tejo Mahalaya controversy? |website=The Indian Express}}</ref>

A controversy was created in 2017 when the Uttar Pradesh government did not include it in its official tourism booklet "Uttar Pradesh Tourism - Unlimited Possibilities". The chief minister [[Yogi Adityanath]] had earlier claimed it does not represent Indian culture.{{sfn|Ahluwalia|2017}} Amidst this controversy, BJP MLA [[Sangeet Som]] had claimed that those who built the Taj Mahal were traitors and it was a "blot" on the country's culture. He claimed it was built by a man who jailed his own father and wished to kill Hindus. BJP MP [[Anshul Verma]] supported his comments. [[AIMIM]] MP [[Asaduddin Owaisi]], [[Jammu & Kashmir National Conference]] leader [[Omar Abdullah]]<ref>{{cite web |first=Alok |last=Pandey |date=October 16, 2017 |editor=Deepshikha Ghosh |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/taj-mahal-a-blot-built-by-traitors-says-bjp-lawmaker-sangeet-som-1763459 |title='Taj Built By Traitors,' Says BJP's Sangeet Som, Hate-Speech Giver |website=NDTV}}</ref> and Azam Khan criticised him. CM Adityanath stated Som's comments were personal and the government will focus on the tourism potential of every monument.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/taj-mahall-uttar-pradesh-sangeet-som-yogi-adityanath-asaduddin-owaisi-1066237-2017-10-17 |title=Sangeet Som's Taj Mahal a blot remark fails to get Yogi Adityanath's endorsement |website=India Today |date=October 17, 2017}}</ref>

* {{Cite book|last1=Bloom|first1=Jonathan M.|last2=Blair|first2=Sheila S.|date=2009-01-01|title=The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture|doi=10.1093/acref/9780195309911.001.0001|isbn=9780195309911}}

* {{cite book|last=Gascoigne|first=Bamber|title=The great Moghuls|year=1971|publisher=Cape |isbn=9780224005807 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ryFAAAAIAAJ}}