Taj Mahal was excavated, filled with dirt to reduce seepage, and levelled at above riverbank. In the tomb area, wells were dug and filled with stone and rubble to form the footings of the tomb. Instead of lashed bamboo, workmen constructed a colossal brick scaffold that mirrored the tomb. The scaffold was so enormous that foremen estimated it would take years to dismantle. The Taj Mahal was constructed using materials from all over India and Asia. It is believed over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. The translucent white marble was brought from Makrana, Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab, jade
Taj Mahal (palace) Agra having been built by the Begum's namesake Shah Jahan. The begum accepted the suggestion and the palace was renamed to Taj Mahal. The Begum is said to have ordered a three-year-long celebration called "Jashn-e-Taj Mahal" after the completion of the building. After the partition of India in 1947, Nawab Hamidullah Khan allowed Sindhi refugees to stay in the palace. They stayed in Taj Mahal for around 4 years, before shifting to Bairagarh. The palace suffered some damage during this period. After India's independence, some members of the royal family of Bhopal stayed at the palace, but gradually moved away,