Monday, March 17, 2008

What has happened to the Taj Mahal over time?

The Taj Mahal was a symbol of the riches and glories of the Moghul Empire. This attracted robbers from the Jats (a military power), and the Marathas including their French advisors. They robbed the tomb, the silver gates, marble and sandstone, wall hangings, and other decorations. These robbers rented out the mosque and guesthouse as honeymoon cottages, and British men used the gardens for drinking sessions. For 200 years after the robberies, the Taj Mahal was disregarded. The gardens became overgrown and the plants grew out of control. All this came to an end when the British entered India. They were going to take the Taj Mahal apart and ship the marble from the walls back to Britain. However, something went wrong in the shipping department, and the Taj Mahal remained untouched. When the British decided it was actually worth something, they restored it and opened it back up to the public.

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