Taj Mahal Research Paper

This essay will discuss the significance of the Taj Mahal on a global scale in context with the themes studied in lectures and tutorials. This essay will explore the architectural significance, along with the representation of religion, criticisms and will closely examine the themes of death and memory and the significance of the Taj Mahal on a global scale.

Introduction:
Taj Mahal was built in the 17th century by the fifth Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his ‘favourite’ wife Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz Mahal was the mother of his fourteen children; mother all of Shah Jahan’s male heirs, who died a few hours after child birth of their fourteenth child. The Taj Mahal depicts a monumental and architectural symbol of love in popular culture today. Taj Mahal holds significant value in terms of death and memory as well as its architectural significance as well.

Architecture:

The architectural ground of the taj mahal is revolutionary. The Taj Mahal is almost ‘250 feet high and placed within a walled enclosure measuring about 1,000 by 1,860 feet and containing an area of forty-two acres’ (Bagley, 1979 pp. 9). This monumental piece of architecture still stands today. It was built with pure white marble and it embodies lavish adornments which is said to have come across from all over the world, such as, Afghanistan, Egypt, China and even Russia. However the use of Redstone and brick is known to be the major building materials used in the making of the Taj Mahal, but the use of the white marble is more expressive and shows a high standard of sheer elegance which the Taj Mahal embodies in all aspects of its architectural