Our Planet’s Landmarks Series #46
The Taj Mahal Agra India
Love conquers all. Even the list of wonders of the world. Not only was the Taj Mahal an olden-day wonder, but the world also voted it into the new list on 7th July 2007 (7.7.2007).
Taj Mahal translates to the crown of the palaces. Yet, the Taj is not a palace at all. An ivory-white marble masterpiece, the Taj is a mausoleum. By the south bank of the river Yamuna in Agra, the Taj is the symbol of eternal love all across the globe.
Mumtaz Mahal was emperor Shah Jahan’s favourite wife. She had died in Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh. And that is where she remained buried for 6 months. The emperor commissioned the Taj Mahal in 1632 CE to house Mumtaz Mahal’s tomb. Her mortal remains were interred in this iconic resting place later. That the emperor was also buried here is a testament to their everlasting love.
The Construction Project Backstory
The project was completed in phases. Its centrepiece was up by 1643. The surrounding structures, by 1647. And they gave the finishing touches by 1653. It took twenty-two years to build!
In those times, its estimated cost was 32 million rupees, equal to US$827 million at 2015 value. Its construction used over 20,000 artisans. These included masons, stone-cutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome builders, and others. Requisitioned from the whole of the empire and beyond, many came from Central Asia and Iran. Belief is they worked under the guidance of Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, the emperor’s court architect.
The Taj Mahal Complex
The Taj is housed in a rectangular complex divided into three parts. The first, having a bazaar, the forecourt, and entry gates. Through Darwaza-i-rauza (Gate of the Mausoleum) you enter the next section, the gardens, and pavilions. The third part is the three main structures – the mosque, the mausoleum, and the Jawaab.
The Darwaza-i-rauza, a 23-metre high gateway, is a masterpiece in its own right. Fine inlay work of precious stones over white marble adorns this magnificent entrance hall. On top of the gate, you find eleven domes each on two high columns. Twenty-two in all. Depicting the number of years it took to complete the project.
Black marble inlay on to white sees Quranic verses inviting visitors into the figurative paradise – the gardens.
Into the Paradise
A water channel with fountains that opens out into an enormous reflecting pool, leads you from Darwaza-i-rauza to the Taj. This pool does what humans couldn’t – duplicate the beauty of Taj in its reflection.
The Taj Mahal is the centrepiece of this 17-hectare (42-acre) complex. As you stand facing it, to its left is a mosque. Stands to reason as the prayer wall must face the Prophet’s final resting place, Mecca, in the West. To the left of the mausoleum is Jawaab (literal meaning, reply). Jawaab is a balancing monument that gives symmetry to the magnificent complex.
The Centrepiece
The asymmetric octagonal marble burial chamber is on a 7-metre high platform. Longer four sides are almost similar. Central chamber houses the cenotaphs of the emperor and his beloved queen. But these are not the true burial places of their mortal remains. Actual tombs are in a chamber underneath at the ground level. This idea finds its origin in Humayun Tomb in Delhi.
A massive dome sits atop the central chamber. It reaches a height of 73-metre to the tip of the finial. Four smaller domes flank it. And four minarets lie on the corners of the raised platform around this immense glistening-white structure. These 40-metre minarets have a slight outward lean to protect the central monument, in case one of them collapses.
Paint, stucco, stone inlays, and carvings decorate the façade. These embellishments are amongst the finest in Mughal architecture. And these may be grouped into three broad categories – calligraphy, abstract form, and vegetative motifs. Depending on the viewing angle, the exterior decorations have been envisioned and refined proportionally.
Objet d’art
The cenotaph chamber is cavernous. Little wonder since the height of the inner false dome is almost the same as the length and width of the base. Given its dimensions, a single note from flute echoes five times. And, its scale stares you in your face.
Here, the inlay work is not pietra dura, but a lapidary of precious and semiprecious gemstones. Its colossal arched windows are adorned with elaborate jaalis (latticework screens) to allow natural light. Even the cenotaphs have superb ornamentation.
A perfect tribute to the position of Mumtaz Mahal as the ‘exalted one of the palace’. The richness of the monument made UNESCO inscribe it on the World Heritage List in 1983. As you walk about this acknowledged landmark, three words strike you – aesthetic, expansive, unique.
Mandatory Declaration: The post has affiliate links. It doesn’t affect the price you pay for the product/service but may earn me some money. The links have not biased the content.
You have captured amazing snaps of Taj Mahal. Impressive.
Thanks a lot, Kolad River Rafting! Glad you’ve liked them!
Thanks for sharing the details and nice information given.
You are welcome! Glad you liked the post!