The
Taj Mahal, only one of its kind across the world is a delicate poetry of
magnificence whose treasures are still unrivalled. The majestic tomb
symbolizes a monumental labor of love, devotion and passion of a great
Emperor for his beloved queen. The Taj Mahal crowned in Agra on the banks of river
Yamuna in northern part of India is known as the 7th wonder of the world.
Architectural Facts of Taj Mahal
The Mughal Emperor Shahjahan constructed the Taj Mahal in memory of his beloved
queen Mumtaz Mahal. After the death of the queen, the Emperor decided to
erect this sumptuous structure to immortalize his love for Mumtaz. Taj Mahal
is regarded as the best specimen of Saracenian architecture with its
unsullied design and exquisite. A 17th century manuscript called the
Diwan-i-Muhandis, recovered in the 1930s, foretells that Ustad Ahmad from
Lahore, a Persian engineer-astrologer was the designer of the glorious Taj Mahal.
The work started in 1631and it took 22 years in completing this masterpiece
engaging about 20,000 people. The architectural design uses the interlocking
brocade concept, in which each element stands on its own and perfectly
integrates with the main structure. It uses the principles of
self-replicating geometry and uniformity of architectural setting.
The Complex
The Taj Mahal is a fabulous combination of tomb, mosque, gardens, gateways
and fountains The mausoleum is raised on a platform, the central inner dome
is 24.5 m high and 17.7 m in diameter, but is surmounted by an outer shell
nearly 61 m in height. There are four corner minarets, each 41 meters high.
While the mausoleum is made of gleaming white marble, the pair of buildings
flanking the tomb to the west and to the east is made of red sandstone.
While the western building is a mosque, the other is the guesthouse cum
museum. The water causeway and fountains join the gateway and the tomb to
complete the symmetry of the scene.
Craftsmanship
The main features in creation of this splendid composition is the Mughal
craftsmanship, that includes excerpt from the Q'uran and geometrical
designs. The marble and precious stone inlays are fit together with such
proficiency as to make it impossible for one to detect a joint. The
chirography of the excerpt from the Q'uran are framed in 'trompe l'oeil'
style to create an aesthetic fantasy, all letters appears to be of same size
from the ground which adds a unique feature to this impressive prodigy of
marble. Specific design credit is uncertain, and is given by different
sources to Istad Usa, Ustad Ahmad Lahori, Isa Muhammad Effendi, or Geronimo
Veroneo.
Taj Mahal at Glance
The marble used for building this monument of love was delved from
Rajasthan. Precious stones like Nephrite jade, amber were brought from
Central Asia and Burma.
To enter the mausoleum, one had to put a cloth around his feet like for any
temple in India. The facility can be availed by paying small fee just before
the stairs leading to the tomb. Inside the complex it is dark, on closer
look one can see all the fine marble carvings decorated with many precious
and semiprecious stones like sapphire, topaz, coral, garnets. The interior
decorations are made of transparent marble. In the middle of the room inside
the Taj Mahal, a cover of designed marble encircle the cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal
and Shah Jahan, also fabricated solely in marble, with calligraphy and other
inlay work.
