CENTER FOR ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY

Subject: Fatehpuri Mosque, northwest view of outer western gate: TThere is no inscription to indicate for whom the mosque was built but it is associated with Fatehpuri Begum based on tradition, and plausible, because she built a mosque of similar design at Delhi in 1650. The Taj Mahal complex as a whole was built over a span of two decades, and this mosque displays the characteristics of the last phase of Shahjahani architecture

Subject: Basai Burj at northwest corner of Taj Mausoleum platform

Subject: Basai Burj at northwest corner of Taj mausoleum platform

Subject: Jammatnama (Jawab)?, east of Taj Mausoleum, Central hall, domical ceiling: vault of the pishtaq of the mosque, with qalib kari decoration.

Subject: Jammatnama (Jawab)?, east of Taj Mausoleum, Central hall

Subject: Tomb of Sirhindi Begum, southeast of main gate on south, Interior, marble cenotaph: Sirhindi tomb, is the final resting place of Izz-un-Nissa Begum, the third wife of Shah Jahan. She is popularly known by the title, Akbarabadi Mahal. Akbarbadi Mahal rose in favour as Shah Jahan?s beloved consort in the last years of his reign. She died in 1677.

Subject: Tomb of Sirhindi Begum, southeast of main gate on south, Interior, marble cenotaph: Sirhindi tomb, is the final resting place of Izz-un-Nissa Begum, the third wife of Shah Jahan. She is popularly known by the title, Akbarabadi Mahal. Akbarbadi Mahal rose in favour as Shah Jahan?s beloved consort in the last years of his reign. She died in 1677.

Subject: Tomb of Satiunnisa Khanam, southwest of main gate on south of Taj compound, interior, marble casket of Satiunnisa Khanam: Satiunnisa Khanam was Mumtaz Mahal?s chief lady in waiting. The tomb has also been known as that of Fatehpuri Begam (one of the wives of Shah Jahan). Satiunnisa Khanam was an Iranian, the sister of Taliba Amuli, Jahangir?s poet laureate, and herself well educated in Persian literature and the Quran. After the death of her husband, she entered court service ad became the close attendant of Mumtaz Mahal and the teacher of Princess Jahanara. The emperor held her in high esteem and after her death in Lahore in 1647, he had her body brought to Agra. The design is a variant of the tombs inside the complex, in a more compact form. The inner octagonal body is surrounded by eight pishtaqs.

Subject: Tomb of Satiunnisa Khanam, southwest of main gate on south of Taj compound, interior, marble casket of Satiunnisa Khanam: Satiunnisa Khanam was Mumtaz Mahal?s chief lady in waiting. The tomb has also been known as that of Fatehpuri Begam (one of the wives of Shah Jahan). Satiunnisa Khanam was an Iranian, the sister of Taliba Amuli, Jahangir?s poet laureate, and herself well educated in Persian literature and the Quran. After the death of her husband, she entered court service ad became the close attendant of Mumtaz Mahal and the teacher of Princess Jahanara. The emperor held her in high esteem and after her death in Lahore in 1647, he had her body brought to Agra. The design is a variant of the tombs inside the complex, in a more compact form. The inner octagonal body is surrounded by eight pishtaqs.

Subject: Tomb of Satiunnisa Khanam, southwest of main gate on south of Taj compound, interior, marble casket of Satiunnisa Khanam: Satiunnisa Khanam was Mumtaz Mahal?s chief lady in waiting. The tomb has also been known as that of Fatehpuri Begam (one of the wives of Shah Jahan). Satiunnisa Khanam was an Iranian, the sister of Taliba Amuli, Jahangir?s poet laureate, and herself well educated in Persian literature and the Quran. After the death of her husband, she entered court service ad became the close attendant of Mumtaz Mahal and the teacher of Princess Jahanara. The emperor held her in high esteem and after her death in Lahore in 1647, he had her body brought to Agra. The design is a variant of the tombs inside the complex, in a more compact form. The inner octagonal body is surrounded by eight pishtaqs.

Subject: Tomb of Satiunnisa Khanam, southwest of main gate on south of Taj compound: Satiunnisa Khanam was Mumtaz Mahal?s chief lady in waiting. The tomb has also been known as that of Fatehpuri Begam (one of the wives of Shah Jahan). Satiunnisa Khanam was an Iranian, the sister of Taliba Amuli, Jahangir?s poet laureate, and herself well educated in Persian literature and the Quran. After the death of her husband, she entered court service ad became the close attendant of Mumtaz Mahal and the teacher of Princess Jahanara. The emperor held her in high esteem and after her death in Lahore in 1647, he had her body brought to Agra. The design is a variant of the tombs inside the complex, in a more compact form. The inner octagonal body is surrounded by eight pishtaqs.

Subject: Tomb of Satiunnisa Khanam, southwest of main gate on south of Taj compound: Satiunnisa Khanam was Mumtaz Mahal?s chief lady in waiting. The tomb has also been known as that of Fatehpuri Begam (one of the wives of Shah Jahan). Satiunnisa Khanam was an Iranian, the sister of Taliba Amuli, Jahangir?s poet laureate, and herself well educated in Persian literature and the Quran. After the death of her husband, she entered court service ad became the close attendant of Mumtaz Mahal and the teacher of Princess Jahanara. The emperor held her in high esteem and after her death in Lahore in 1647, he had her body brought to Agra. The design is a variant of the tombs inside the complex, in a more compact form. The inner octagonal body is surrounded by eight pishtaqs.

Subject: Tomb of Satiunnisa Khanam,, southwest of main gate on south of Taj compound: Satiunnisa Khanam was Mumtaz Mahal?s chief lady in waiting. The tomb has also been known as that of Fatehpuri Begam (one of the wives of Shah Jahan). Satiunnisa Khanam was an Iranian, the sister of Taliba Amuli, Jahangir?s poet laureate, and herself well educated in Persian literature and the Quran. After the death of her husband, she entered court service ad became the close attendant of Mumtaz Mahal and the teacher of Princess Jahanara. The emperor held her in high esteem and after her death in Lahore in 1647, he had her body brought to Agra. The design is a variant of the tombs inside the complex, in a more compact form. The inner octagonal body is surrounded by eight pishtaqs.

Subject: Tomb of Satiunnisa Khanam, Fatehpuri mosque and outer western gate, view from the roof of main gate on south: Satiunnisa Khanam was Mumtaz Mahal?s chief lady in waiting. The tomb has also been known as that of Fatehpuri Begam (one of the wives of Shah Jahan). Satiunnisa Khanam was an Iranian, the sister of Taliba Amuli, Jahangir?s poet laureate, and herself well educated in Persian literature and the Quran. After the death of her husband, she entered court service ad became the close attendant of Mumtaz Mahal and the teacher of Princess Jahanara. The emperor held her in high esteem and after her death in Lahore in 1647, he had her body brought to Agra. The design is a variant of the tombs inside the complex, in a more compact form. The inner octagonal body is surrounded by eight pishtaqs.

Subject: Taj Mausoleum, Octagonal mortuary hall, marble screen surrounding the graves. The screen is octagonal and reflects on a smaller scale the octagon of the surrounding hall and intensifies the paradoxical symbolism of the number eight. The frames are filled with jalis and covered with flowers, plants and flowery arabesques. Within the screen are the upper cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. The cenotaph of Mumtaz is exactly in the center of the hall so the larger cenotaph of Shah Jahan was added as an afterthought.

Subject: General view, northeast corner bastion along with wall on north

Subject: Interior view of a sarai cell

Subject: Octagonal corner bastion on northeast along with wall on the right side

Subject: Detailed view of octagonal corner bastion on northeast

Subject: General view, merlon topped wall on the north side of the sarai enclosure

Subject: General view, northeast corner bastion along with wall on north

Subject: Wall on north side of sarai enclosure with central opening