The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is one of the most iconic and romanticised buildings on earth. Commissioned by a Mughal ruler to mark the passing of his beloved wife, it is thought that this monumental marble mausoleum was built by some 20,000 stone carvers, masons and artists. Perhaps 1,000 elephants were used in its construction, and materials were brought from as far away as Sri Lanka, Tibet and China.Joining Dan today is Mehreen Chida-Razvi, an art historian at the University of SOAS who specialises in the art and architecture of Mughal South Asia. Mehreen explains how the terrible grief of Shah Jahan led to the creation of a world wonder and discusses what the Taj Mahal means to modern India.Produced by Mariana Des Forges and James Hickmann, and edited by Dougal Patmore.Discover the past with exclusive history documentaries and ad-free podcasts presented by world-renowned historians from History Hit. Watch them on your smart TV or on the go with your mobile device. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code DANSNOW sign up now for your 14-day free trial.We'd love to hear from you! You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.You can take part in our listener survey here.

Om Podcasten

Historian Dan Snow investigates the 'how' and 'why' of history's defining moments.From the Colosseum of Ancient Rome and the battlefields of Waterloo to the tomb of Tutankhamun, Dan journeys across the globe to share the greatest stories from the past that help us understand the present.New episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.You can get in touch with us at ds.hh@historyhit.comA podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts The Ancients, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.