|
 Located at the city of Agra in the
State of Uttar Pradesh, the Taj
Mahal is one of the most beautiful
masterpieces of architecture in
the world. Agra, situated about
200 km south of New Delhi, was the
Capital of the Mughals (Moguls),
the Muslim Emperors who ruled
Northern India between the
sixteenth and nineteenth
centuries. The Mughals were the
descendents of two of the most
skilled warriors in history: the
Turks and the Mongols. The Mughal
dynasty reached its highest
strength and fame during the reign
of their early Emperors, Akbar,
Jehangir, and Shah Jehan.
Taj a symbol of eternal love
The Taj Mahal is a world famous monument situated in Agra city of Uttar Pradesh. One among the Seven wonder of the world, the Taj is a major tourist attraction. The monument was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Arjumand Bano Begum, famous as Mumtaz Mahal. The queen died in childbirth, while accompanying her husband to Burhanpur to control a rebellion. Her body was buried temporarily in the Zainabadi Garden in Burhanpur and later brought to Agra. The Taj Mahal was the result of one of the four promises, made by Shah Jahan while Mumtaz Mahal was alive. The Taj Mahal stands as the symbol of eternal love of a man for his wife.
The Construction of Taj Mahal
The construction work of the Taj started in 1631 A.D and completed by 1654 A.D. More than twenty thousand of workers worked continuously to built this magnificent monument. The monument presents a finest example of Mughal architecture, an architectural style that combines elements of Indian and Persian architectures. The construction material to built the mausoleum was brought from many parts of India and central Asia.
It was Shah Jehan who ordered the
building of the Taj, in honor of
his wife, Arjumand Banu who later
became known as Mumtaz Mahal, the
Distinguished of the Palace.
Mumtaz and Shah Jehan were married
in 1612 and, over the next 18
years, had 14 children together.
The Empress used to accompany her
husband in his military campaigns,
and it was in 1630, in Burhanpur,
that she gave birth to her last
child, for she died in childbirth.
So great was the Emperor love to
his wife that he ordered the
building of the most beautiful
mausoleum on Earth for her.
Although it is not known for sure
who planned the Taj, the name of
an Indian architect of Persian
descent, Ustad Ahmad Lahori, has
been cited in many sources. As
soon as construction began in
1630, masons, craftsmen,
sculptors, and calligraphers were
summoned from Persia, the Ottoman
Empire, and Europe to work on the
masterpiece. The site was chosen
near the Capital, Agra on the
southwest bank of the River Yamuna.
The architectural complex is
comprised of five main elements:
the Darwaza or main gateway, the
Bageecha or garden, the Masjid or
mosque, the Naqqar Khana or rest
house, and the Rauza or the Taj
Mahal mausoleum. The actual Tomb
is situated inside the Taj.
The unique mughal style combines
elements of Persian, Central
Asian, and Islamic architecture.
Most impressive are the black and
white chessboard marble floor, the
four tall minarets (40 m high) at
the corners of the structure, and
the majestic dome in the middle.
On closer look, the lettering of
the Quran verses around the
archways appears to be uniform,
regardless of their height. The
lettering spacing and density has
been customized to give this
impression to the beholder. Other
illusionary effects have been
accounted for in the geometry of
the tomb and the tall minarets.
The impressive pietra dura artwork
includes geometric elements,
plants and flowers, mostly common
in Islamic architecture. The level
of sophistication in artwork
becomes obvious when one realizes
that a 3 cm decorative element
contains more than 50 inlaid
gemstones.
The Taj Mahal Tours is an unforgetteble experience for everyone. Taj Mahal is located in Agra city of Uttar Pradesh. In the Taj Mahal Tour the tourist gets the chance to see the magnificent monument of Taj Mahal. Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, Taj Mahal stands as a symbol of eternal love. The Whitel building of Taj is the mausoleum of Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
The Taj Mahal complex is walled in the three sides, while the side facing the Yamuna river is open. Taj Mahal complex houses a mosque, garden, fountains and mausoleum of Shah Jahan's other wives. Taj Mahal Tours includes the nearby attractions of Agra like the Agra Fort, Akbar's Tomb at Sikandra, Itmad-Ud-Daulah tomb and Fatehpur Sikri. So explore the Taj Mahal and its nearby attractions with Taj Mahal Tours.
Attractions around Taj
Apart from Taj Mahal one can discover the marvels of the great Mughal Empire in and around Agra. The Mughals built some of the most enduring monuments, among these popular one are |
