The globally
famous Taj Mahal needs no introduction. Its pristine beauty,
enhanced by exquisite inlay work and fine filigree executed on marble,
places it in a class apart. The most beautiful token of love a man can
ever give to a woman, this unique mausoleum has been described as, "a
tender elegy in marble" and "a lustrous pearl". Emperor Shah Jahan
described the last resting place of his queen as, "A place as fresh and
heavenly as a brilliant pearl".
The Love
Story
Mughal kings
used to shop at Meena Bazaar, a royal shopping arcade that opened once a
month. It was at this bazaar that Shah Jahan set eyes on Arjumand Banu for
the first time. The bewitching beauty of this 15-year old spirited girl
immediately cast a spell on the young prince. Later, he sought the
permission of his father, Emperor Jahangir, to marry this girl. Since she
was a virtuous girl; apart from being the niece of Noor Jahan, Jahangir's
wife; the approval was granted. The marriage was solemnized after five
years, in 1612, and the emperor gave the title 'Mumtaz Mahal' (Exalted One
of the Palace) to his daughter-in-law. For 18 years, they young lovers
enjoyed a happy married life. Then misfortune struck. After delivering her
14th child, Mumtaz fell seriously ill, and succumbed to her illness,
leaving behind a shattered Shah Jahan.
This ode to
immortal love (Taj Mahal) was build by Emperor Shah Jahan, in memory of
his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. Twenty thousand workers are said to have
labored for 22 long years to create this architectural wonder. Artisans
were brought in from Baluchistan, Syria, Bokhara, Samarkand and South
India to fashion excellent inlay work with jade and crystals from China,
turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, agates from Yemen,
sapphires from Sri Lanka, amethyst from Persia and coral from Arabia. The
state treasury provided about 500 kilograms of gold. The superb
craftsmanship is evident everywhere, for example, from flowers measuring
just one square inch but made up of 64 different pieces inlaid into
marble!
The
embellishments can be divided into four categories: pietra dura
inlay, hard stone carving, incised paintings and calligraphy. Pietra
dura is an ornamentation technique involving scooping of tiny
excavations from the surface of marble, and then precisely fitting thin
pieces of precious and semi-precious stones into it. Hard stone carving
has existed in India, Iran and Central Asia since ancient times. Mughal
artisans assimilated this art into their architectural masterpieces,
evident in beautifully sculpted flowers on the walls of the Taj Mahal.
To create an
incised painting, a thin layer of color pigment is placed over a plastic
surface. After drawing designs on the colored surface, the pigment is
scrapped off, exposing the white plaster underneath. The Islamic art of
calligraphy is exhibited in the form of verses from the Holy Qu'ran,
inscribed in black marble on the arched gates. The uniqueness of this art
on the Taj Mahal is that all the letters seem to be of the same size,
whether they are nearer or high on the arch. The calligraphers created
this visual illusion by gradually increasing the size of the letters are
the height increased. The size of letters on top of the portal is
approximately 25% larger than those nearer to ground level.
Built on the
banks of the Yamuna River in Agra, Taj Mahal is perhaps the finest example
of symmetry in architecture. Three-storied minarets, each 40-meter high,
stand on four corners of the platform. With a diameter that ranges
from 18-23 meters, the colossal central dome is surrounded by four smaller
domes. Arabic verses from chapter 36 of the Holy Qu'ran, recited at the
deathbed of loved ones, are delicately carved onto its square brackets.
The room, directly under the main dome, houses the exact replicas of tombs
of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. The actual resting place of these eternal
lovers lie one floor below. The Mughal kings kept graves in the basement,
since only members of the royal family and the highest dignitaries were
allowed in. For commoners, replicas were made above them.
Originally,
Shah Jahan had planned to construct a similar mausoleum in black marble
for himself, across the river, connected by a bridge. But his son
Aurangzeb, who ascended the throne after imprisoning his father, opposed
the idea. Shah Jahan was eventually buried besides his beloved wife. His
tomb created an asymmetrical element in the otherwise perfectly
symmetrical lay out. To add further charm to this lustrous pearl, Shah
Jahan created a beautiful garden around the Taj Mahal. The garden is
divided into four quarters by two vertical canals, which cross each other
in the centre. Stone-paved pathways further divide each quarter into
sixteen flowerbeds. Uniform water pressure in each fountain was remarkably
engineered, irrespective of the distance of these fountains from the water
reservoir. This is one of the favorite places of visitors, who sit on the
marble benches and gaze enviously at the Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal
complex also houses two identical buildings on either side of the main
edifice. One, on the west, is a mosque with its face in the direction of
Mecca, the holy pilgrimage destination for Muslims. As many as 539
couplets in praise of Allah are written in black marble on the shining
floor of this mosque. Called Jawab (answer), the other mosque stands on
the east side. There is ambiguity about its purpose and use. It is
presumed that it was made purely to create symmetry. Here, floral designs
executed in white marble on red sandstone replace the holy verses.
Cleverly conceived, painstakingly constructed, and beautifully
embellished, the Taj Mahal continues to be remembered as a monument of
eternal love. Having stood proudly for 350 years, successfully facing
vagaries of nature and surviving several sieges on Agra, the Taj Mahal is
unfortunately, a threatened monument today. Endangered by atmospheric
pollution, this white pearl is losing its luster. Environmentalists are
alarmed that it will lose its brilliance in the coming centuries.
Though the glow
may disappear, the essence of this magnificent monument will continue to
awe and inspire lovers and visitors for aeons to come.
How to
reach Agra
Delhi, the
capital of India, is served by major airlines of the world. Agra is 200
kilometers from Delhi. Trains, buses and taxis ply this route. For the
tourist with little time at his disposal, the Taj Express train offers a
one-day excursion. It leaves Delhi at 7:00am and reaches Agra at 10:00am.
Tourist buses wait at the railway station, and take the passengers on
guided tours, which include a visit to Fatehpur Sikri. Situated 37
kilometers from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of Mughal Emperor
Akhbar for 14 years. In the evening, the buses return well in time for the
journey back on the Taj Express, which leaves Agra at 6:50pm.
