The first set of graves is placed in the central chamber, surrounded by an intricately carved marble screen or jali, inside the main mausoleum. The second set of graves is placed in the lower chamber, which is right below the central chamber. Is there a third set of graves too? If we go by the Turkish Mughal tradition of providing a mausoleum with three set of graves, a tradition that has been followed in the tomb of Akbar, tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, and Chini-ka-rauza at Agra, Taj Mahal too should have a third set of graves, with the actual bodies of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan inside them. This is the myth of the "third graves" of Taj Mahal. It is the tradition that has been followed in the above mentioned tombs that gives rise to this myth. In the following paragraph, we'll get to know about why among all the myths, this is one seems to be more of a possibility.It is believed that these real set of graves must be somewhere inside the underground vaults that exist below the red sandstone platform of the Taj Mahal. And on the northern side of this red sandstone platform, lies two staircases that lead straight to the basement chambers which are seventeen in number and have been laid out in a line on the riverside However, the doors on the extreme points on both the sides have been permanently blocked for some calculated purpose. A purpose that many believe is to conceal the presence of real graves of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. According to the Muslim tradition, the real graves are always placed underground so that they remain undisturbed and the dead person could wait till the Day of Judgment and the graves that are visited by people are made in the likeness of the real graves. Despite all these facts, it remains unknown as to where the third set of graves have been placed inside the Taj Mahal and whether or not they exist in reality or not.
