Taj Mahal and Benazir Palaces

The Taj Mahal was originally named Raj Mahal (Royal Palace) and took thirteen years to build. It is said that the then-English resident was so awed by the splendour of the palace that he suggested the name be changed to Taj Mahal after the Taj Mahal in Agra. On completion, the Begum announced a three year long festival to celebrate it.
Built as her residence, the Taj Mahal, Benazir Palaces and the then-proposed Taj-ul-Masjid were part of one complex. Situated along a lake, the Taj Mahal was a symbol of stateliness and opulence. The Palace had an enclosure which housed an imposing fountain that gave the illusion of rain.