Taj Mahal

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Why it was built

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Labor of love

The grieving Mogul emperor Shah Jahan erected it in the 1600s as the final resting place for his beloved queen. He wanted to perpetuate her memory. It took 22 years and 22,000 people to complete the Taj Mahal.

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Costly project

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100 million US$

The Taj Mahal cost in today’s money about US $100 million. It also cost Shah Jahan dearly. Because it acutely drained the treasury, Jahan was dethroned and imprisoned for the last nine years of his life. From his prison quarters, he could poignantly see the wonder where his love lay and where he himself would eventually be.

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Priceless

This wonder is truly priceless. Even if you had the 100 million US$, no one could today assemble craftsmen in or outside of India with the same skills and talent levels of those who toiled on the monument.

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Craftsmen

They and the materials came from India and beyond, as far away as China and Italy.

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Deterioration

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Corrosion damage

Air pollution from factories, cars and other sources has been slowly but surely corroding the wonder. However, the government of India is now making an effort to alleviate this serious problem.

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