How Did I End Up Inside Here? Trivia Quiz

Answer: Shah Jahan's tomb

Shah Jahan saw to it that the entire structure including the outlying gardens were built in perfect symmetry. If a line is drawn through the centre of the complex, the two halves will be mirror images. While there is a mosque on the western side of the tomb, an identical structure was built on the eastern side only to maintain symmetry and was called 'Jawab' which means answer or reply. This structure may have been used as a resting house for relatives and other visitors to the tomb though that was not the primary purpose behind its construction.

The only thing that breaks the symmetry of the complex is Shah Jahan's tomb. Shah Jahan never intended for himself to be buried inside the Taj. He is thought to have been considering commissioning an elaborate tomb for himself when he was overthrown and imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb. When Shah Jahan died, he was buried in the Taj beside his beloved wife. Thus, Shah Jahan's grave is the only thing in the entire complex which is slightly out of place.

Answer: Minarets

The four minarets located at the four corners of the base structure were built at a slight angle so that in the event that parts broke off during the construction or any later natural calamities, the debris would fall away from the tomb and not on it.

The minarets were not built solely for decorative purposes. They were built as working minarets which could be used by the muezzins to give the call for prayer.

Answer: Number of years taken to complete the Taj Mahal

It is commonly believed that the Taj Mahal took around 22 years to be completed. Some of the other structures that inspired the design of the Taj are the Mughal Emperor Humayun's tomb and the Jama Masjid - a mosque built by Shah Jahan himself. Both these monuments are located in the city of Delhi, India.

While most of the Mughal structures were built of red sandstone, Shah Jahan was personally fond of white marble. He even had parts of the Agra Fort remodelled in marble.

Answer: Gold

The original gold finial was later replaced by a replica made of bronze. At the top of the finial there is a crescent shaped moon, a common element in Islamic architecture. The sharp edges of the crescent along with the tip of the finial create an impression of a trident which is regarded as a traditional Hindu symbol.

Answer: True

One of the possible explanations behind this is that according to the Islamic faith, graves are supposed to be simple without any elaborate decoration. As a result, the bodies are buried in plain graves beneath the tomb. The cenotaphs are located directly above the actual graves and are encrusted with different precious and semi precious stones.

Answer: No

The Mughal garden, known as charbagh, is derived from Persian gardens and was first introduced in India by the emperor, Babur. Within the garden there is a raised marble water tank located between the main tomb and the entrance. In keeping with Shah Jahan's intention of designing the complex to reflect the gardens of Paradise, the tank is believed to have been built to symbolize the 'Tank of Abundance' promised to the prophet Muhammad.

The gardens were neglected during the decline of the Mughal Empire. Later, when the British took over, they remodelled the gardens to reflect the British lawns. As a result, the gardens seen now are vastly different from the original ones that were created when the tomb was built.

Answer: He paid them the equivalent of their life's earnings in exchange for a promise not to work thereafter.

The Hindi phrase 'haat katna' (cut off the hands) has also in some cases been interpreted to mean that Shah Jahan paid the workers enough to last them their remaining life and made them sign a contract not to create anything similar ever again. Here the cutting of hands is used to symbolize the taking away of their basic trade though he may have compensated them for it.

Either of these two myths surrounding the fate of the workers after the completion of the monument have not been convincingly substantiated.

Answer: Just outside the Taj Mahal complex

The other two wives of Shah Jahan are believed to have been childless which may account in some part for his love for Mumtaz who died during childbirth after giving the Emperor 14 children. Shah Jahan had his other two wives also buried in small mausoleums just outside the Taj Mahal complex. There's a stark contrast between these two tombs and the Taj.

Answer: Black

The myth of the Black Taj probably originated from the ruins of black marble discovered in the Moonlight Garden located opposite the Yamuna and directly across the Taj. It states that Shah Jahan had planned to build a mausoleum similar to Taj for himself but of black rather than white marble. However, he was overthrown and imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb before he could construct it.

Studies of the ruins by archaeologists in the 1990s have explained that the black stones were actually white marble that had become discoloured over the years. A more recent theory regarding these ruins is that Shah Jahan had planned to construct a pool in that area which would reflect the Taj Mahal but was unable to finish it.

Answer: Diamond

Due to his dwindling eyesight, Shah Jahan was unable to see the Taj clearly from the fort where he was imprisoned. Hence, he had a diamond fitted into the wall of his room at a strategic point such that the Taj was reflected in it. This is believed to be further proof of his love for Mumtaz - that he could not bear to not see her tomb even in his last days.