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Monument for the Beloved, the Taj Mahal.

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Here in Agra, northern India, stands the Taj Mahal,

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with its towers rising toward heaven.

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Completed in 1654, its beauty was reputed to exceed that of paradise.

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Islamic style is embodied in the Taj Mahal,

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building up stones symmetrically to construct beautiful stone arches

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is an amazing feat of architecture.

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The finest builders and artists worked to build the mausoleum

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to make it the pride of the Mughal Empire.

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The emperor at the height of the empire was Shah Jahan.

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To whom did he dedicate this mausoleum?

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A coffin lies at the stretch of the centre line of the mausoleum,

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a stone coffin of his wife.

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The empress' coffin was decorated with jasper and jade

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and is protected by the finely carved open work of marble fencing.

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The emperor's deep love and affection for the empress is expressed in these works.

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A grand garden stretches before the mausoleum complex

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with lush greenery and abundant water.

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For the Muslim people of the desert, they are symbols of heaven.

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Star patterns adorn the green lawns.

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The patterns can also be found on the flagstone walkways.

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Stars are a symbol of heaven in Islamic culture.

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By scattering star patterns around the complex,

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the emperor tried to guide his beloved wife to heaven.

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Shah Jahan was so despaired at the loss of the empress that his beard turned grey.

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In the later years of his life, he was put under house arrest by his third son

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in the castle across the lake.

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Memories of his wife while gazing at the mausoleum

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was the only consolation he could find.

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His body was buried next to his wife Mumtaz Mahal by the sixth emperor.

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The Mughal Empire disintegrated in the 18th century

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but the monuments dedicated to his beloved wife lives on as world heritage.