
Who was the first owner of land on which Taj Mahal is built, not Shah Jahan, land was owned by...
Who was the first owner of land on which Taj Mahal is built, not Shah Jahan, land was owned by....
There is no doubt that Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful monuments in the world. The mausoleum has been recognised as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The 17-century Mughal structure was built by emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal attracts lakhs of tourists every year and it is also among the most visited monuments globally. Despite its mesmerising beauty, the Taj Mahal is full of mysteries. Do you know who was the first owner of the land on which the Taj Mahal is built? Let's know. Mirza-Raja Jai Singh's Residence
The land chosen for the Mughal architecture was the residence of Mirza-Raja Jai Singh (Kachwaha Rajputs of Amber). Abdul Hameed Lahori's Padshahnama describes Jai Singh's residence as a magnificent domed building. Donated 'Piece of Land'
As per Qazvini's Padshahnama, Jai Singh donated a 'piece of land' for the Taj Mahal. Earlier, there was a 'house' of Singh's grandfather Raja Man Singh.
As per primary Mughal sources, Kachwahas owned the property on which Shah Jahan planned to build the Taj Mahal. The land first belonged to Man Singh and was then passed on to his grandson Jai Singh. Jai Singh Was Willing To Hand It Over To The Emperor
Historical accounts suggest that Jai Singh's transfer of the property to Shah Jahan was a demonstration of allegiance to the emperor. Shah Jahan Gives Jai Singh Four Villa Accommodations
To compensate Jai Singh for riverfront land, Shah Jahan granted him four villas. These properties were previously owned, reportedly, by Raja Bhagwandas, Madho Singh, Rupsi Bairagi, and Chand Singh (son of Suraj Singh). Property Deal Between Shah Jahan And Jai Singh
Historical records, including official Mughal decrees, Lahori's Padshahnama, Qazwini's writings, and other sources, corroborate the completion of the property transaction between Shah Jahan and Jai Singh.

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Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Who were the Navratnas of Akbar and what made them so memorable in history
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According to the historical records, he is best known for writing the Akbarnama and Ain-i-Akbari, which are detailed accounts of the emperor's reign. He also translated the Bible into Persian and supported Akbar's vision of Din-i Ilahi, or religion of God, that aimed to integrate principles from Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Walgreens Keeps Quiet About This '9 Pills for $7' Generic Cialis Deal Health Alliance by Friday Plans Undo His political theory of Padshahat claimed the emperor ruled by divine right. His intellect and diplomatic skills helped shape the empire's inclusive policies and got him a place as one of the most influential voices of the Mughal era. Raja Todar Mal Raja Todar Mal is famously known as Akbar's Finance Minister, who completely upgraded and changed the empire's taxation system. Known for Todarmal's Bandobast, his reforms were based on a ten-year crop yield survey that introduced standard measurements and fixed rates. He divided the empire into revenue districts and made Persian the official administrative language. His work brought consistency and fairness to land revenue collection, laying the foundation for a stable economy and influencing future Indian administrations for generations. Birbal Birbal was originally named Mahesh Das, and he has been particularly known for his sharp wit and close friendship with Akbar. beyond just history books, their tales have been a part of kids ' books and bedtime stories. A Hindu and the only known follower of Din-i Ilahi from his faith, Birbal served as a trusted advisor and foreign minister. He was also a poet and storyteller whose tales are still shared across India today. He was popular for solving complex problems with cleverness. Faizi Faizi, the elder brother of Abul Fazl, was a brilliant Persian poet and scholar. 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The Hindu
7 days ago
- The Hindu
Luxury stores and their immersive, craft-centric in-house experiences
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Retail as a moodboard The mission of highlighting quality craftsmanship and elevated design through experiential retail first bloomed in high-end, exclusive pockets: New Delhi's Dhan Mill, once a warehouse hub dating back to 1978 and now a symbol of luxury boasting over 65 curated boutiques; Jaipur's trendy C Scheme and Civil Lines; and South Mumbai's Kala Ghoda, which saw entrants such as Tarun Tahliani's Ensemble as early as the 1990s. What once remained confined to these rarefied spaces is fast becoming a mainstream retail strategy, with brands across price points and across the country embracing strategic brand storytelling. Every larger-than-life flagship helmed by designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee in cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, and Hyderabad is a maximalist performance — much like his clothes and jewellery. The store's museum-like wallpapered and tapestry-lined walls are filled to the brim with pichwais, Tanjore paintings, vintage photography and lithographs, Mughal miniatures, and rare antiques. Not all of them are for sale. 'It's these enriching details that make me linger in the store, it makes me want to discover more,' says Reshma Bombaywala-Lezinska, a Mumbai-based jewellery designer and content creator. Sanjay Garg's Raw Mango stores channel the brand's ethos of constant evolution into pared-down design, redefining Indian minimalism. The spaces are generally left bare, raw, with no mannequins in sight, enabling key design elements to shine — such as Garg's take on the Gandhian sofa, the Indian baithak, which has found its way into every outlet, or in Chennai, the building's Art Deco heritage. The dialogue around Mumbai's Nilaya Anthology by Asian Paints, one of India's newest immersive design landmarks, has captured worldwide attention. 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Fashion designer Ritu Beri's Escape in Goa — with a 35-foot Portuguese-style façade in vibrant red and white, a bar, restaurant, and performance area, interspersed with Goan architectural elements such as cut laterite pathways and limestone mosaic floor tiles — is not just a store but a sanctuary of soul and story. She recalls a tiny Parisian boutique she once visited, with Edith Piaf humming in the background. Every lovingly curated item came with a handwritten tag narrating its story. 'That blend of warmth, curation, and personal touch stayed with me,' she reminisces, and is something she brings to Escape. Craft meets commerce The global rise of experiential retail heralds technological integration — from augmented reality (Farfetch's London store linked online data to enhance the offline experience, letting users access their purchase history and favourites in real time), to the power of social media (as early as 2011, IKEA invited 100 Facebook competition winners for a personalised overnight stay at its warehouse), and most recently, AI integration, enabling personalised service, hands-free shopping via voice recognition, intelligent product search, and lead generation. But, in India, it carries unique weight: retail is a site for both consumption and example, renowned jewellery designer Sunita Shekhawat's Museum of Meenakari Heritage (MoMH) in Jaipur orchestrates a fascinating dive into the history of enamelling from Renaissance Europe to its arrival in India. 'At the Shekhawat Haveli, our retail space, we believe that even if someone leaves without a product, they should carry with them a deep appreciation for the centuries-old craft of meenakari and the cultural legacy it represents,' says Shekhawat. The by-appointment-only space features four private pods for client interactions, clad in off-white araish lime stucco and with semi-vaulted ceilings embellished with frescoes created by artists specialising in miniature painting. 'We used the traditional technique, reinterpreted at a scale that is not normally used, to generate narratives around the flora and fauna of Rajasthan, grounding it to its context,' reveals Ambrish Arora, founding principal at Studio Lotus. Arora and his team also developed the imposing, hand-carved red sandstone façade of MoMH, which draws from Jaipur's Indo-Saracenic roots while offering an ode to Shekhawat's Jodhpuri roots. 'At the ground level, you enter a space that feels like a museum, [and is] open to the city,' he explains. 'This transforms the space from one where products are sold to one that disseminates knowledge — a cultural destination. Storytelling has become essential in creating a unique and memorable retail identity.' Small but luxe Today's experiential luxury retail landscape has bifurcated into two distinct approaches: the grand spectacle of massive flagship stores and the concentrated elegance of smaller boutiques in premium enclaves like New Delhi's Khan Market and Dhan Mill, where stores like Collectklove and AMPM prove that square footage does not dictate design impact. MuseLAB's design for sanitaryware dealer Aquant's new Mumbai showroom, for instance, is a veritable sorbet-toned wonderland with curved walls that remind you of gelato swirls. Or the futuristic, Brutalist and layered world of Unconventional, the multi-designer store in Kolkata — where a large, black, floor-to-ceiling sphere becomes the focal point of the design, revealing the store slowly as you walk around it. Singular design elements can also be transformative, like the rich zardozi ceiling at fashion brand Divani's New Delhi store, interwoven with semi-precious stones and nine tonnes of shimmering gold thread. Tarun Tahiliani's Bengaluru store, which opened doors in December 2022, draws footfalls to date for a singular wall that reinvents the trompe-l'œil: a tree-of-life wallpaper brought to life through rich couture techniques such as intricate embroidery, painstakingly crafted by karigars from Lucknow and New Delhi — as an ode to his unwavering commitment to craftsmanship. The new Indian retail is as much about how something is sold as what is sold. The store is not the backdrop, it's the protagonist. An architect-turned-journalist, the writer hopes her passion for storytelling drives an incisive cultural commentary.


India.com
14-06-2025
- India.com
10 Incredible Facts About Indore City That Everyone Should Know!
Located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh Indore serves as its biggest urban center in which traditional customs coexist harmoniously with contemporary urban developments. The city of Indore showcases great cultural heritage with economic success alongside world-famous street cuisine thus becoming one of India's leading urban centers. The following ten facts about Indore/detail make up a list which everyone should become familiar with. 1. The Cleanest City in India The municipal authorities of Indore successfully maintained their position as the cleanest urban area across all of India for seven years running from 2017 until 2023. The city achieves its outstanding results from its modern waste management infrastructure combined with active public engagement and competent government administration. The Indore Municipal Corporation operates door-to-door garbage collection service while promoting segregation at source and composting programs as part of their waste management strategy. 2. A Hub for Street Food Lovers The people of India recognize Indore through its title of 'Street Food Capital of India.' Indore treats its residents to four delectable foods, specifically poha-jalebi alongside bhutte ka kees and sabudana khichdi alongside dal bafla. People seek out Sarafa Bazaar during evenings because the market is known for serving classic chaat dishes starting from dahi puri and ending with ragda patties and kulfi falooda. The food aesthetic characteristics of Indore transform the city into an ideal vacation spot for those interested in gastronomical pleasures. 3. Historical Significance and Architectural Marvels The Maratha Holkar dynasty started ruling Indore from the 16th century. The Holkar kingdom based its operations as the capital within Indore from 1818 until 1818. Rajwada Palace, a stunning blend of Maratha, Mughal, and French architectural styles, stands as a testament to this glorious past. In addition to its historical sites Indore presents to its visitors the Lal Bagh Palace where visitors can explore European architectural elements and view royal artifacts housed within the museum. 4. The Economic Powerhouse of Madhya Pradesh The urban metropolis of Indore functions as Madhya Pradesh's principal business hub since it represents one of India's fastest-moving municipalities at the Tier-II level. The state GDP benefits greatly from multiple sectors which include textiles as well as IT services alongside education and healthcare and manufacturing industries. The geographical position at key national routes together with the port proximity creates Indore a crucial trading center and logistic operations center. 5. Educational Excellence Among all educational institutions in central India Indore shows exceptional quality in its schools. Students arrive at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore and Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya and Shri Vaishnav Vidyapeeth Vishwavidyalaya from various parts of India. The city operates several educational institutions through its private schools and extensive network of coaching facilities which create an educational educational center. 6. Religious Diversity and Spiritual Sites People in Indore represent a wide array of religions that create an environment of acceptance between different groups. The city maintains several holy places with Khajrana Ganesh Temple among them along with Annapurna Temple and Gurudwara Sahib. The Bada Ganpati Temple stands out for its globally prominent status because it keeps one of the world's highest Lord Ganesha idols. The sacred spiritual sites welcome large numbers of visitors each year because of their religious importance. 7. Green Spaces and Urban Development Indore exists as an urbanizing city yet it continues to advance sustainable development projects while preserving multiple natural spaces. The airport vicinity hosts Central Park which boasts walking trails together with jogging tracks and breathtaking gardens for recreational use. The residents of Indore have access to leisure opportunities through both Pipliyapala Lake and Water Park. Eco-friendly practices in the city function as part of the city's prolonged commitment to preserving its high quality of life standards. 8. Cultural Festivals and Celebrations Many cultural festivals in Indore bring forth strong local enthusiasm during their annual celebrations. Navratri Garba nights together with Diwali illuminations and Holi celebrations and Eid festivities unite local residents. Queen Ahilyabai Holkar receives annual tributes during the Ahilya Utsav festival and the city also hosts the prestigious Indore International Film Festival. 9. Connectivity and Infrastructure The city benefits from high-quality road, rail and air connections. Among central Indian airports the Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport ranks as one of the most active facilities because it serves major domestic and international flight routes. Railways connect the city through its main transit point which is Indore Junction. The implementation of metro rail projects creates new developments that improve metropolitan transportation while simultaneously decreasing traffic jams throughout the city. 10. Innovation and Smart City Initiatives The Smart Cities Mission of India features Indore utilizing advanced technology to build better urban quality of life. Smart solutions transform the city by establishing command centers for real-time monitoring operations alongside smart parking management systems and solar-powered streetlights and electronic platforms which deliver civic services. Modern innovations enabled Indore to become an example which other cities seek to duplicate. Conclusion Indore transcends its status as a municipality by offering a mixture of cultural diversity with business growth while adopting modern innovations. Indore retains its position as India's cleanest city and simultaneously develops its excellence in gastronomy while attracting people across the nation. Any visitor will find engagement in Indore regardless of their interests or desire because the city carries attractions to fulfill diverse preferences. This city continues to serve as an excellent model of integrating traditional elements with modern developments which future cities will use as reference points.