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Home » Taj Mahal Information » Taj Mahal Calligraphy
Taj Mahal Calligraphy
One name closely associated with Taj Mahal and more especially with the superb calligraphy displayed on the white marble - The honorary title Amanat Khan, means “ Lord of trust”.
The beautiful calligraphic work of the Taj Mahal is among the finest to be found in Mughal architecture. The surface of the Taj Mahal stands ornamented with exceptionally beautiful calligraphic work. The verses and Qur’anic quotations appearing on the walls of the mausoleum have been inscribed by inlaying jasper in the marble panels. For Taj Mahal the calligrapher almost exclusively chose Qur’anic verses.
22 Qur’anic quotations, 14 surah or chapters which are unabridged have been recorded in the calligraphic plan of the Taj Mahal more than inscribed in other Mughal mausoleum and mosque build during the reign of Shah Jahan, which makes the Taj Mahal an exceptional funeral monument. These include
The beautiful calligraphic work of the Taj Mahal is among the finest to be found in Mughal architecture. The surface of the Taj Mahal stands ornamented with exceptionally beautiful calligraphic work. The verses and Qur’anic quotations appearing on the walls of the mausoleum have been inscribed by inlaying jasper in the marble panels. For Taj Mahal the calligrapher almost exclusively chose Qur’anic verses.
22 Qur’anic quotations, 14 surah or chapters which are unabridged have been recorded in the calligraphic plan of the Taj Mahal more than inscribed in other Mughal mausoleum and mosque build during the reign of Shah Jahan, which makes the Taj Mahal an exceptional funeral monument. These include
- Surah 91 (The Sun)
- Surah 112 (The Purity of Faith)
- Surah 89 (Daybreak)
- Surah 93 (Morning Light)
- Surah 95 (The Fig)
- Surah 94 (The Solace)
- Surah 36 (Ya Sin)
- Surah 81 (The Folding Up)
- Surah 82 (The Cleaving Asunder)
- Surah 84 (The Rending Asunder)
- Surah 98 (The Evidence)
- Surah 67 (Dominion)
- Surah 48 (Victory)
- Surah 77 (Those Sent Forth)
- Surah 39 (The Crowds)
Amanat Khan used an optical trick to inlay the Quranic verses on the Taj Mahal. The letters which appear to be equally sized are actually not. They gradually get bigger, as the letters move upward to the peak of any arch. It must also be noted that the passage chosen, as well as their location in the mausoleum is not haphazard; rather they correspond to a precise iconographic plan.
Shah Jahan thought so highly of Amanat Khan that the calligrapher was the only person allowed to sign his name inside the calligraphic inscription on the left side of the Taj Mahal gateway. He signed the tomb twice and dated each signature, which bears witness to his status. These dates (1638 or 1639) suggest that the entire calligraphy of the mausoleum at Agra was finished by this time.
Shah Jahan thought so highly of Amanat Khan that the calligrapher was the only person allowed to sign his name inside the calligraphic inscription on the left side of the Taj Mahal gateway. He signed the tomb twice and dated each signature, which bears witness to his status. These dates (1638 or 1639) suggest that the entire calligraphy of the mausoleum at Agra was finished by this time.
