The Taj Mahal

Lore & Background

The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum situated on the right bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, India. Its appearance is defined by a central, eight-sided white marble structure standing on a high square plinth. Each of its four identical sides features a large arch-shaped doorway, topped by a massive dome and a finial. The archways are framed by vaulted arches, with stacked arched balconies on either side, a design motif repeated on the chamfered corners to achieve perfect symmetry. The entire complex is set within formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall, and includes a mosque and a guest house built from red sandstone, contrasting with the mausoleum’s white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones. The complex sits on a platform built with varying patterns of dark and light sandstone. Its defining characteristics stem from Indo-Islamic and Mughal architectural traditions, employing symmetrical constructions and symbolic shapes. The tomb itself houses the remains of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. Construction of the mausoleum was completed in 1648, with the rest of the complex finished by 1653, employing over 20,000 workers and artisans under a board of architects led by Ustad Ahmad Lahori. The site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and attracts over five million visitors annually.

Reader's Guide

The Taj Mahal was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died that year; it later also became the emperor’s own tomb. The mausoleum was completed in 1648, with the surrounding complex finished by 1653. The first ceremony at the site was held in 1643, marking the twelfth anniversary of Mumtaz Mahal’s death. The building complex draws on Indo-Islamic and Mughal architectural traditions, with symmetrical designs and varied shapes and symbols. The central mausoleum is built of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, while other structures in the complex use red sandstone, consistent with contemporary Mughal buildings. The entire complex sits on a platform on the right bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, India. More than 20,000 workers and artisans were employed, overseen by a board of architects led by Ustad Ahmad Lahori. The design and execution involved a multinational team, including an Ottoman dome designer, Persian architects, a chief calligrapher, and several masonry supervisors. The Taj Mahal was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, described as a jewel of Islamic art and a universally admired masterpiece. It is considered a prime example of Mughal architecture and a symbol of Indian history, attracting over five million visitors annually. In 2007, it was named a New 7 Wonder of the World. The site is a Monument of National Importance, administered by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Did You Know?

• The name 'Taj Mahal' is of Urdu origin, believed to be derived from Arabic and Persian, meaning 'crown palace'.
• The main dome is 23 metres high and topped by a 9.6-metre gilded finial, originally made of gold but replaced with gilded bronze in the early 19th century.
• The minarets were constructed slightly oriented outward so that in the event of collapse, material would fall away from the tomb.

The Global Voting Spectacle

The New 7 Wonders of the World initiative launched in 2001 as a worldwide popularity contest, inviting the public to select seven standout monuments from a pool of two hundred existing structures. Canadian-Swiss organizer Bernard Weber spearheaded the effort through the New 7 Wonders Foundation, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Voters could cast their ballots through free online platforms or by telephone, and the final seven were revealed on 7 July 2007 at the Estádio da Luz stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. The selection process began with seventy-seven nominations that a panel narrowed to twenty-one finalists in 2006, from which the ultimate seven emerged. Critics noted the methodology lacked scientific rigor, particularly because individuals were permitted to register multiple votes. Despite this, John Zogby, founder and chief executive of Zogby International, described the exercise as the largest poll ever conducted. The Taj Mahal, India's iconic mausoleum, stood among the monuments vying for a place on this coveted list.

India's Nationwide Mobilization

When the voting window opened, India mounted an energetic push to ensure the Taj Mahal received maximum public support. The campaign to publicize the monument gathered momentum steadily throughout the contest, building toward a dramatic crescendo in July 2007. During that climactic month, television news channels, radio stations, and a wide array of celebrities joined forces to urge citizens to cast their votes for the Taj Mahal. The effort transformed the monument into a rallying point for national pride, with media outlets dedicating airtime to reminders and calls to action. This grassroots-style mobilization mirrored similar campaigns in other nations—Brazil's 'Vote for the Christ' drive, Peru's state-backed push for Machu Picchu, and Jordan's royal endorsement of Petra all followed comparable patterns of mass media engagement. In India's case, the convergence of broadcast media and celebrity advocacy created a sustained wave of public attention that kept the Taj Mahal at the forefront of the global conversation during the final weeks of voting.

Institutional Skepticism and UNESCO's Distance

The campaign attracted a spectrum of official responses from governments and international bodies. While some nations championed their respective finalists and actively lobbied for additional votes, others chose to minimize or openly criticize the contest. UNESCO's relationship with the initiative was particularly fraught. The organization had initially offered guidance on the selection of nominees, but its bylaws required it to treat all World Heritage Sites with equal standing, making a ranked 'top seven' list philosophically incompatible with its mission. UNESCO formally distanced itself in 2001 and reiterated that separation in a June 20, 2007 press release. The statement emphasized that Weber's media-driven campaign bore no resemblance to the scientific and educational work behind UNESCO's heritage inscriptions. The organization further argued that the resulting list would merely reflect the preferences of internet users rather than global consensus, and that the exercise could not meaningfully advance the preservation of the sites it highlighted. Meanwhile, the United Nations itself contracted a separate partnership with the foundation in 2007 to promote its Millennium Development Goals.

The Foundation's Economics and Ongoing Legacy

Behind the spectacle of global voting lay a complex financial structure. The New 7 Wonders Foundation, established in 2001, operated without any public funding, sustaining itself through private donations and the sale of broadcast rights. After the 2007 announcement, the organization disclosed that it had generated no profit from the entire exercise and had barely recouped its initial investment. Although the foundation presents itself as a not-for-profit entity, the commercial company behind it—the New Open World Corporation—collects all licensing and sponsorship revenue. The initiative's influence extended well beyond the original monument vote. The pyramids at Giza in Egypt, home to the Great Pyramid—the sole surviving member of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—were granted honorary recognition, acknowledging their unique historical status outside the competitive framework.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

- Some believe the Taj Mahal was built as a palace, but it is a mausoleum, as confirmed in the record. - The name "Taj Mahal" is sometimes thought to be Persian for "crown of palaces," but it is of Urdu origin, derived from Arabic and Persian, meaning "crown palace." - A common misconception is that the minarets are purely decorative, but they were actually constructed slightly oriented outward so that in the event of collapse, material would fall away from the tomb.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

The Taj Mahal endures not only as a masterpiece of Mughal architecture but as a monument to personal grief rendered in marble and sandstone. Shah Jahan’s documented withdrawal from public life after his wife’s death reminds us that even emperors are moved by love and loss, giving the structure a human resonance that transcends its physical grandeur.

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