What an architectural wonder it is? A must visit.

Briefing Taj

Whenever a tourist comes to India, his first and foremost in the list is visiting Taj, the crown of India tours.

It is one of the architectural wonders of the world. It is also one of the most expensive and extensive way through which a king had ever tried to preserve his love. No word or no phrase can exactly let you know about the beauty it consists until seen with your own naked eyes. Even no camera can capture the aura of it.

It is in the list of one of the new “8 Wonders of the World” and truly you will wonder to see it. This is not just a place or a monument built with brick and mortar but a beautiful love story which envelopes the whole area. It was built under the grief-stricken king ruler Shah Jahan after the demise of his beloved queen Mumtaj Mahal in her memory to serve as her tomb. Later on the king himself was put in a grave beside his beloved after his demise. So, this is the tomb of both Shah Jahan and his beloved Mumtaj Mahal who remained in union even after death.

The story behnind Taj Mahal-Why it was built?

Prince Khurram (Khurram means “joyous”) who later on become Shah Jahan, a Mughal king. He was born in the same month as of Prophet Mohammed in India in the auspicious time January 15, 1592. It was the 1000 year by the Islamic calendar. He got educated well with luminous teachers and was a religious person. He was a compassionate king with sharp memory, witty, and an urge to go into detail of his likings.

The legend is that Mumtaj Mahal was charmed by this witty prince at the Royal Meena Bazaar during their New Year Festival (Mughal Calendar). It is said that she was as beautiful as a beautiful calm morning against the backdrop of rising sun, but no pictures or paintings of her could be find, as under the law of veil “purdah pratha” women were not allowed to expose their face in public and so no question of getting a picture of royal women. She was the daughter of Asaf Kahan (prime minister of Shah Jahan). Before marrying Mumtaz Mahal, Shah Jahan had two wives.

Those days kings used to marry several times with daughters of neighboring states to strengthen the kingdom. But once married to Mumtaz Mahal, she became his main queen and was only who bore children for him. Shah Jahan even took her along with him even on his various military campaigns.

Mumtaj Mahal died giving birth to their 14th child accompanying her husband in the campaign of Behrampur crushing a rebellion. With her demise, the emperor was so grief-stricken that it is said all his beard and hair became snow white within a few months.

While Mumtaz Mahal was alive, she asked for four promises from the man who loved her the most, the emperor. One of the promises were to build a monument second to none ( which the emperor constructed and named Taj Mahal) and surely it is a masterpiece done only once. So, burying her Behrampur, the emperor sought an alternative site on the banks of river Yamuna, i.e., Agra and later on uprooted the grave and buried her in the Taj Mahal after 22 years.

Taj Mahal – The architectural wonder and facts regarding its construction

Taj Mahal design was executed by an Iranian architect Istad Usa and some 20 thousand people were involved in its construction. It is made high on a red sandstone base surrounded by huge white marble veranda and on which rests the world famous Taj “dome” with its four soaring minarets on its four side. It is this dome where lies the memorial of the queen imbedded with different precious and semiprecious stones. The whole place is an architectural beauty is enveloped by different kinds of precious and semiprecious stones which were later on plundered by the Britishers and most of the original stones are missing and replaced with their replicas.

The emperor was imprisoned by his son on the opposite side of the Taj at the Red Fort (King’s palace) for eight years and was also barred from visiting Taj, but the emperor used to see The Taj in the reflection of a diamond sitting in the balcony. (Agra Jaipur tour)

Architecture of the Taj

From the main entrance when one enters slowly and what reveals is a total masterpiece of a white marble dome with four minarets on its four sides against the backdrop of a river with beautifully manicured lush garden in front of it. So, the Taj is made at the just opposite end of the entrance with a beautiful garden between it and the entrance. The design of the garden is taken from the holy Koran. It is the design of paradise. It covers almost 2/3rd part of the Taj Mahal Complex. As it is called char bagh, it is separated by the waterway from the central with a raised pool.

It is divided into sixteen flower beds, so a total of 64 with 400 plants in each bed. The non-fruit bearing cypress trees signifies death whereas the fruit bearing trees signifies life. These are symmetrically planted to add up to the beauty of this architectural wonder and a masterpiece.

Dazzler Taj

Even in the moonlight, The Taj Mahal glitters like a jewel and do not need any artificial lights to be seen. The riverbed acts like a mirror and reflects the moonlight to The Taj making it dazzle even in the night.

How one can go there from Delhi (capital of India)

One can go there by road (by tourist buses or state owned busses) or railways according to their wishes. The distance is 204 Km from Delhi to Agra (where the monument is) and takes 2.5 to 4 hours.