Taj Mahal: podcast appearances and interviews

The Taj Mahal is an imposing ivory-white marble mausoleum located on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, to serve as a tomb for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and also contains Shah Jahan's own mausoleum. The complex covers 17 hectares and includes a mosque, a guest house, and formal gardens enclosed by crenellated walls. Construction of the mausoleum was completed in 1648, with work on other parts of the complex continuing until 1653. The monument’s cost at the time was estimated at ₹32 million, equivalent to approximately ₹52.8 billion or US$827 million in 2015. The Taj Mahal showcases Indo-Islamic and Mughal architectural styles, characterized by symmetrical designs and the use of shapes and symbols. Its central structure is built from white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, while red sandstone was employed for other buildings within the complex. The project involved over 20,000 workers and artisans guided by a board of architects led by Ustad Ahmad Lahori, the court architect for Shah Jahan. This diverse team of artisans included Ottoman, Persian, and Mughal specialists, among them design experts, calligraphers, casters, and masons. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, the Taj Mahal is acclaimed as a masterpiece of Islamic art and Mughal architecture. It attracts more than five million visitors annually and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. The monument and its grounds are classified as a monument of National Importance and administered by the Archaeological Survey of India.