Taj Mahal Palace

Taj Mahal
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Data
Client	Sultan Shah Jahan , Princely State of Bhopal
Construction year	1871-1884
construction time	13 years
building-costs	₹ 3,000,000
Coordinates	23 ° 14 '59.6 " N , 77 ° 25' 0.1" E Coordinates: 23 ° 14 '59.6 " N , 77 ° 25' 0.1" E

Taj Mahal is a palace built by Sultan Shah Jahan , Begum of Bhopal . It is located next to the Taj-ul-Masjid in Bhopal , India .

history

The Taj Mahal in Bhopal was built as the Begum residence and cost ₹ 3,000,000. Its construction spanned a period of 13 years, from 1871 to 1884, and was one of the largest palaces in the world built at the time.

The building was originally called the Raj Mahal ("royal palace"). The British resident in Bhopal, who was very impressed by the architecture, suggested that the palace be renamed the Taj Mahal, as the Taj Mahal in Agra was built by the namesake of the Begum, Shah Jahan. The Begum accepted the proposal and the palace was renamed the Taj Mahal. The Begum is said to have arranged a three-year celebration called Jashn-e-Taj Mahal after the building was completed.

After the partition of India in 1947, Nawab Hamidullah Khan allowed Sindhi refugees to stay in the palace. They stayed in the Taj Mahal for about 4 years before moving to Bairagarh (now an area of the city of Bhopal). During this time the palace suffered some damage. After India gained independence, some members of the Bhopal royal family stayed in the palace but gradually moved away as they had no money to pay for the repairs. By 2008, large parts of the palace complex had collapsed.

The palace was declared a State Cultural Monument by the Madhya Pradesh government in 2005 , and the State Archeology Department carried out a partial restoration . In 2011, however, it was denotated and the government is now planning to transfer the property to the tourism department so they can develop it as a heritage hotel.

architecture

The architecture of the Taj Mahal has British, French, Mughal, Arabic and Hindu influences. The palace includes 120 rooms, a Hall of Mirrors or Sheesh Mahal and the Savon Bhadon Pavilion, an ornate, fountain-like structure that simulated the effects of rain. The main entrance is a seven-story building. The palace was part of a complex of buildings along the three lakes, which included the Benazir Palace, which was the Begum's summer palace, and the Taj-ul-Masjid Mosque. The palace was built in the Indo-Saracen style and is kept cool by the winds blowing from the lakes.