It lies north of the Taj Mahal complex and the Agra Fort on the opposite side of the Yamuna River, in the flood plains.

[6] It is also noted that Emperor Shah Jahan had identified a site from the crescent-shaped, grass-covered floodplain across the Yamuna River as an ideal location for viewing the Taj Mahal.

White plaster walkways, airy pavilions, pools and fountains were also created as part of the garden, with fruit trees and narcissus.

This myth had been further fueled in 1871 by a British archaeologist, A. C. L. Carlleyle, who, while discovering the remnants of an old pond at the site had mistaken it for the foundation of the fabled structure.

[2] Thus, Carlleyle became the first researcher to notice structural remains at the site, albeit blackened by moss and lichen.

By the 1990s, the garden's existence was almost forgotten and it had degraded to little more than an enormous mound of sand, covered with wild vegetation and alluvial silt.

[10] A compound wall surrounded the garden; it was made of brick, lime plaster, and red sandstone cladding.

[12] Other structures which are not in keeping with the original landscape plan include nurseries owned by private individuals, a temple in place of a gazebo, a statue of B. R. Ambedkar holding the Constitution of India in the courtyard, and relics of a water supply network to the park.

[2] Restoration of the Mehtab Bagh began after the ASI survey, setting new standards for Mughal garden research.

This included a surface survey, historical documentation, paleobotanical assessment, archaeological excavation techniques, and requirements coordination with the Ministries of Culture, Tourism, and Planning.

[13] Restoration began in the 1990s, aided by the Americans, during which barbed-wire fencing was added to the Mehtab Bagh site.

[2] This is corroborated by a letter from Aurangzeb addressed to Shah Jahan in which he referred to the condition of the garden after the flood event in 1652 AD.