Taj Mahal

how to Taj is a symbol of paradise, and she is not saying Shah Jahan embodies Allah

Ebba Khok

bazaar market place, then a place for the residence of tomb attendants, gate

Layout

married for 19 years, had 14 children and died during children birth neice of Nur Jahan (Shah Jahan's step mother)

Mumtaz Mahal

bilateral symmetry mosque facing west toward mecca, make symmetrical had to have jawab - echo

Presence of Mosque and Jawab

Taj Mahal Popular Psyche

Proclamation for Taj mahal consumed by general populace and tourists very romantic notions, that are not accurate that Shah Jahan made it out of love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal - also was more lush with vegetation up to the plith, the British changed the landscape to an english garden

Taj Mahal

in Agra, which was a Mughal Capital 1631 - 1650 architect Ustad Ahmad Lahouri

Taj Mahal never flooded with the infrastructure developed by Shah Jahan, but British destroyed it and now cannot stop it from flooding

Flooding

Separates the tomb from the rest of the planning - calligraphy portion towards the bazar Wayne Begley argument: we have entered the gateway for too long without anyone who knew persian to stop and think - Shah Jahan's attempt to define God on his own terms, represent God or a divine being - allegorical and paradisical based on specific sura's from the Quran - resurection day of judgemnt when Allah comes down to earth on a divine throne and who may enter paradise and who may not. - "enter though my paradise" invitation to enter into shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal's paradise - who is the 'My' he is creating a throne for God to come and perform the last judgement, but also for himself to b immortalized forever. - he is comparing himself to Allah - claim of DIVINITY Taj would have been built if Mumtaz had not died

Great Gate

8 paradise plan

Hasht Bahisht