“Only let this one tear-drop, this Tajmahal, glisten spotlessly bright on the cheek of time, forever and ever.” – Tagore.
It is said there were about 22,000 artisans and 1,000 elephants that worked for about 17 years to make this monument of love. The budget for the Taj Mahal in today’s value was about one billion (US) dollars. By the time Shah Jahan came to power, the Moghul court had assembled the best artisans and architects from Persia, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. They had gained enormous experience in building elaborate structures, perfected the symmetry, and evolved an unique Indo-Islamic style that is now known as Moghul Architecture. This was not good enough for Shah Jahan to build this monument of love for his wife. So it is said that he assembled a team of the 37 best architects and specialty builders from present day Turkey, Persia, India, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. He also assembled the best sculptors, calligraphers, inlayers, stonecutters, and turret specialists. He directly managed this top corps of engineers and architects throughout its construction to ensure their fine workmanship. He also used only the finest materials to build this mausoleum for his wife. They included translucent white marble from Rajasthan, jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from China, turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, sapphire from Sri Lanka, and carnelian from Arabia. In all, twenty eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the white marble. When this monument was complete, he would then ensure that there would be no more such grand architecture ever to be built by cutting off the arms of these builders.
