Who is buried in the Taj Mahal?

The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum complex that houses the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal (“Chosen One of the Palace”) and her husband, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahān (reigned 1628–58).

The Taj Mahal 'Crown of the Palace', is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the southern bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reigned from 1628 to 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 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.

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 7–8 million visitors a year and in 2007, it was declared a winner of the New 7 Wonders of the World (2000–2007) initiative.

More Info: en.m.wikipedia.org

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15 Comments

Johnny Rock

Failed to mention the she died giving birth to her 14th child. It fails to mention almost anything about his beloved wife. Their love for each other was well known, written about and documented. After grieving her death, the Shah Jahan disappeared for a year in his grief, and after urging from his daughter, resurfaced with his hair completed white, his gait bent-over, and his face was stricken with solemn grief. What a love story.

Corey Taylor

Sadly because he passed away before the plans were completed.

Helga U. Williams

One of the person's commenting here, Johnny Rock, should have written the narrative for this question. He did a lot better job than the author!. I wondered about the cause of her death and how young she was, since her husband was only 30 years old when he died. What did he die of ? A broken heart? I definitely knew who the Taj Mahal was built for though. Very much a great love story!

Jas Newman

Shah Jahan planned for his own tomb to be an identical mirror-image mausoleum across the river but in black marble rather than white. It was never built.

Jas Newman

james parrillo, Gandhi was cremated.

Karin Johansson

Johnny Rock, i have read the book about their love. Incredible love story. But the novel is nothing for children!

Bob Fowler

An amazing building, I would like to visit one Day.

james parrillo

Steve Tingle, I remember a wife was buried there, as well, and the other two names or titles seemed more masculine. I do not know what happened to Gandhi's body but did not think it was in that mausoleum. Begum means married woman. I will try to retain that tidbit. Thank you, Christine, James's wife

Steve Tingle

Remembered from my early days in the tax office that begum is a title given to married women in the Indian sub continent, and also knew a wife was buried there.