One of the things that make the Taj Mahal so wondrous and special is the marble inlay work you find on it. In fact, you find this beautiful art form on other Mughal monuments too.

Marble inlay is a closely protected traditional art and only a few expert are skilled enough to do justice to it in this day and age. The delicate process involves carefully cutting and engraving marble shapes by hand. Roughly speaking, this is how it works.

To begin with, a predefined pattern, like say, a floral or geometrical design is engraved on the marble slab. After this, small pieces of marble of different shades are cut delicately to precisely fit and slipped into these grooves. Apart from marble, many other materials can also be used to adorn the marble inlay spaces.