Taj Mahal

You may have heard many stories about Taj Mahal but when you are standing before it, still it takes your breath away. Poet Rabindranath Tagore described it as “a tear drop on the cheek of eternity”; Rudyard Kipling as “the embodiment of all things pure”; while its creator, Emperor Shah Jahan, said it made” the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes”

Wonder struck by its beauty, the former US President Bill Clinton had said that “There are only two types of people in this world. One, who have seen the Taj Mahal and the others, who have not.” It is considered the most beautiful building in the world.

The beautiful white marble wonder Taj Mahal is listed as world heritage site. It is a shining monument in marble, a tribute to the imagination of a great emperor-Shahjahan who gave a symbol of eternal love to the world. The lovely fountains, the water canals and the symmetry of the Charbagh gardens simply earn admiration of all the visitors.

The Taj Mahal has also been declared the jewel of Islamic art of India. The white dome and tile are covered with marble in shape, not like the buildings made of large layers of commonly seen marble blocks. The mausoleum built in the center shows the combination of beauty in its architectural superiority. The special feature of the Taj Mahal building group is that it is completely symmetric.

The Taj Mahal gives untold opportunities to the visitor to explore the architecture, stone work, inlay work, marble embroidery, woodwork and other examples of man’s artistic ingenuity that has gone into its making.

Its construction was completed in 1653. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his Begum (wife) Mumtaz Mahal. The queen had eight sons and six daughters. In June, 1631, while in labour with her youngest daughter, the 39 year old Mumtaz died. 

The entire white marble was carved; it is not only the best work of India but also of the world. Tons of white marble was brought from Makrana quarries of Rajasthan, 100 miles away; red stone was brought from Fatehpur Sikri. The precious stone inlay work required lapis lazuli from Ceylon, turquoise from Tibet, malachite from Russia, camelian from Baghdad, chrysolite from Egypt, as well as agate, quartz, jade and black marble. Master craftsmen and jewelers flocked to Agra from all over his empire as well as Baghdad, Constantinople, Kandahar and Samarkand. Sculptors from Bukhara Calligraphers from Syria and Persia, inlayers from southern India and stonecutters from Baluchistan worked with 20000 workers for 12 years to complete the plinth and tomb and another 10 years to complete the minarets, the mosque and the gateway.

It took full twenty-two years (1630–1652) to build a fully symmetric memorial and also the untiring efforts of twenty thousand artisans. It is situated along the Mughal-style Char Bagh. It was built on the banks of river Yamuna under the direction of Persian architect Ustad Isa Khan. This can be seen in the form of “Mrigtrishna” (Mirage) from the fort of Agra, from where Shah Jahan used to be seen in the last eight years of his life, imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb. This is an ideal sample of symmetry, which appears to float in the air when viewed from a distance.

Its main gate has carved verses of Quran. It has twenty-two small domes, which indicate the number of years it was built. The Taj is built on a white marble platform, the base of which is on a red sandstone platform. The most admired beauty of the Taj is situated in the great dome, equal to its building. It is 60 feet in diameter, 80 feet high. There is a tomb of Mumtaz under it. There is also a tomb of Shah Jahan by its side. The inner area has the work of gems and precious stones.

The center of the Taj Mahal is the white marble tower built on a square foundation base. It is a symmetrical building, which has an Evan ie huge curved (arched) gate. A large dome is adorned above this building. Like most Mughal tombs, its origins are from Persian origins.

Entry and Information

·         Open from dawn to dusk

·         It is best to see Taj at Sunrise or sunset

·         Full moon night viewing Taj is an altogether different experience

·         The Taj is closed every Friday

·         Tickets Indian/foreigner: Rs 40/1000. 500ml water bottle and shoe covers are complementary with the Ticket.

·         Camera/Video is allowed. Video ticket: Rs 25. No photography inside the mausoleum. Tri-pod is not allowed

·         Tour groups entry: East or West Gate; Independent travelers from South Gate, which is nearest to Taj Ganj. There are separate queues for men and women. Bag storage is available at the west gate.

·         No food is allowed inside the Taj