The Taj Mahal

Hello friends,

We always want to touch the kind of things we imagine, but some of are very very big or too small or just imaginary. So, this's the time you start making them your own and feel the touch.

So in today's instructable i am gonna show you how to make a very epic and beautiful wonder of world. This is also a great symbol of love, so its a very beautiful gift for Birth day or Valentine's day for your loved one. Make one or buy one and gift as a unique.

The 'Taj Mahal' is the most beautiful and brightest symmetrical structure made by the Ivory white marbles. It's located on the south bank of the Yamuna river in Agra,India. This epic structure was established by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his most lovable wife Mumtaz Mahal, a Persian princess.

The design of the Mahal was taken from the Persian tradition and Mughal architecture. The Taj Mahal attracts millions of visitors a year. Also the shiny marbles of the Mahal gets glowing in the light of Full Moon.

The total area is more than 20 hectors and the Mahal was constructed in a period of over 22 years with a number of around 20 thousand workers. The constructing materials were carried by elephants over miles of distances.

The complex is set up around 300 metre square called as Charbagh or Mughal garden inspired from persian gardening. At the end of the complex there are two buildings that mirror each other. One building is a Mosque and the other one is the Jawab (means answer), also used as guest house.

The architecture of the building consists of sevaral parts like the base, the minarets, a drum, the dome, the chattri or kiosk dome, guldasta, etc.

The "dome" is the most beautiful part, with a Moon shaped Trident at the top which sits on a cylindrical "drum". The top of the dome is decorated with a beautiful lotus design.

(Google pictures showing the each parts of the Taj)

We just need few materials and tools for the project, so gather them and start making.

Materials :

• Thermocol sheet (25 mm) http://amzn.to/2tCb3WW
• Thermocol sheet (10 mm)
• Sunboard sheet (2 mm) http://amzn.to/2tDUsl8
• Fevicol glue
• Some copper wire (1 mm) http://amzn.to/2sEDMGb

Tools :

• Pen knife or cutter http://amzn.to/2tIkODz
• Sketch pen & black marker
• Sand paper http://amzn.to/2tIvwtB
• Ruller

The foundation of Taj Mahal is made of some Ebony wood. Being close to the bed of River Yamuna, the woods were provided with regular supply of water, which strengthened its base and prevented the structure from collapsing for all these centuries. EBONY is found in Africa which also means 'Fruit of God'.

So, for our base part take a 10 mm foam sheet and cut in a square, then give markings of about 150 mm, with corners widening like shown in picture. Now cut all the markings straight and then sand the edges for a smooth base to be ready.

Note : (Color the base and all parts after cutting later on using white paint, i haven't shown the paint but it will be better for you)

The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal is 57 metre square in plan where the tomb is located beneath the surface.

For the chamber or the main building part we will make the inner part with foam and attach some 'walls' around it later on (in step 10). We'll make a octagonal chamber, so take two sheets of foam (10mm & 25mm) and mark the dimensions on both, then cut them in the desired length as shown in the 1st picture. Then glue both the pieces together, and we'll get a octagonal chamber.

After that draw the lines for the doors and window spaces on the chamber in each side which we'll cut, but only to make it little dipper and make it look beautiful when everything will be attached.

The attractive onion dome of the Mahal rests on a large cylindrical drum raising it from the main building and that adds support to the circular top, which is about 7 m high and 25 m in diameter.

For our drum, take a piece of foam(10mm), draw a circle of about 30 mm. Then cut it and sand the edges.

The onion dome is the most attractive piece of all located at the exact centre of the structure, it is about 35 m high. The dome is actually double shelled. The weight of the dome was distributed and was transferred to the plinths and foundation.

For our dome, we'll be making a beautiful one with 25 mm foam pieces. Cut two foam pieces and make two parts.

Make both top and bottom part little bit round by cutting the corners. Using small and smooth grained sand papers, sand all around the edges to give it a round onion shape.

Now glue both the pieces and give a smooth sanding on the joining. Make the bottom part of the onion dome base flat, as same diameter of the drum.

The top of the dome is decorated with a beautiful lotus leaves design and there is a trident placed all above, it serves as a crown of the dome called "Finial". In early centuries it was made of pure gold, but now a days it is of bronze. The finial shows the integration of Persian and Hindu decoration. The finial is topped by a moon (Islamic motif), whose horns point heavenward and the finial point combine to create a trident shape (traditional Hindu symbol).

So, for our trident we'll make a small one with copper wire. Take some 1 mm copper wire (usually found in telephone wires) and bent it in the shape of a moon and a trident. Then take out some foam balls and insert in the bottom line of the trident (for decorative purpose) and glue it at the top of the dome.

The four minarets on the four corners of the actual monument are about 138 feet high and are slightly tilted outwards. This is because, in the case of natural cause, like an earthquake these would fall away from the tombs not inward. The minarets are decorated with delicate inlay work and beautiful carvings.

For our Minarets or the pillars, take about 100 mm of foam sheet and cut in four pieces of rectangle shape (15mmx15mm). Then cut the all four corners and make it in a round shape. After that sand the edges with a sand paper (carefully don't break the part) make a smooth round shape pillar, having the upper part little narrowing.

Next make some Rings, for these take some foam and cut it in a circle shape, then cut another circle inside it, you will get a ring. Now take three rings and glue them using fevicol in each pillar at same interval.

The dome is emphasised by four smaller domes placed at its corners called "Chattri" or "Kiosk". The chattri domes replicate the onion shape of the main dome. Their pillar bases are open through the roof to provide light. The lotus motif is repeated on both the chattris and guldastas. The dome and chattris are also topped by a gilded finial.

For our part, we make a very easy one.

Base part : Take small pieces of foam cut them in rectangle box and mark the four legs. Then cut the legs and make four pieces of them.

Chattri part : For chattri, take four small foam pieces and cut them roughly like onions. Now sand them and make small onion domes.

Finally glue the small domes on the four legged pillars and our chattri is ready.

We talked about the walls in step 4, here we are making walls to fit externally in the chamber so that it looks good and also we can decorate a little bit in there.

For walls take some sun board sheets (2mm) and mark the dimensions for front, left, right and octagonal sides, also the door and window spacing.

Then cut the lines smoothly using a pen knife or cutter, so that the shapes and levels are same and exact. Make the front and side walls to cover whole chamber with same design.

After all cutting is done make small stick pieces of board and glue them in the back of the upper corners of every door design, which will act as "Guldasta" .

Designing is the main focusable part, untill you do some design it will not give you the highlight. As the monument is very white so we will use no color rather than Black. You can make new designs of your own or copy as its there. We will make the designs very simple and small, as the actual design doesn't fit here.

So, let's get started.

The drum : coloring of the drum is very simple, just draw simple half vertical lines all round.

The dome : I have drawn simple bouncing lines at the bottom and make a flower design at the top that looks like a lotus flower.

The Kiosk : color the boundaries of the four legged bases, and give a lotus design in the top part of the small kiosk domes.

The Minarets : for the pillar part, draw a kiosk pattern at the top and design the ring parts at intervals.

The Walls : the walls are very delicate, as the color spread on the sheet. The wall has many designs, but here i have only made few around window, door and top part.

In this last part we'll glue all the parts and frames together and finalize our product. Also give some white paint in open areas as i told before.

So, take all the walls and using fevicol glue them in every corner of the chamber.

We will make a covering for the upper flat terrace part. Cut a piece of sunboard sheet in 50 mm size and glue it in the top of our chamber.

After that, glue the dome part, to the cylindrical drum and paste it to the center of the the chamber. Now glue the kiosk domes around the main dome, leaving some space from every four corner.

Then, take the Minarets and glue them in each corner of the Base, being little tilting outwards.

At the end, take the whole chamber assembly having every part on it and paste it in the middle of the base and have fun.

So, our product is now ready, make one and decorate your desk or gift someone.

If you like the project, please follow.

Thank you.

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Thank You Everyone!

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