Attractions of Agra
Taj Mahal
TAJ MAHAL - THE FACTS
Built in
1632-53
Built by
Shahjahan
Location
Agra (Uttar Prades)
THE ARCHITECTURAL TREASURE-TAJ MAHAL
The city of Agra is
world famous for the Taj Mahal, built by the Mughal emperor
Shahjahan in memory of his beloved wife. The various buildings
within this sprawling fort complex represent the assimilation of
different cultures, which was the mark of the Mughal period.
THE IMMORTAL
SIGNATURE OF LOVE-TAJ MAHAL
 There
is no other monument in the world, which can match the beauty and
grandeur of the Taj Mahal.The Taj Mahal was built in the 17th
century by Shahjahan- the fifth Mughal emperor, in memory of his
beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Shahjahan loved his wife so much that
after she passed away in 1631, he decided to immortalize their love
in the form of the Taj Mahal.Taj Mahal was built more than 350 years
ago, but it has not lost its romantic aura, which attracts millions
of visitors towards it. It is because of this everlasting charm that
the Taj can boast of being one of the most popular world heritage
monuments on earth.The president of USA, Bill Clinton has been one
of the most prominent dignitaries to visit this monument in the
recent past. “The world is divided between those who have seen the
Taj and those who have not. Very soon, I hope to be on the side that
has seen the Taj”, was how he felt, shortly after landing in India.
THE
CONSTRUCTION OF TAJ MAHAL
Shahjahan purchased a
plot of land from Raja Jai Singh on the banks of Yamuna River for
building the Taj Mahal. Raja Jai Singh was also instructed by
Shahjahan to provide a regular supply of special, hard and
non-porous marble from the quarries of Makrana. A 2˝-mile (4.02 km)
road ramp was built to haul huge pieces of marble to the site of the
construction. Strangely the scaffolding of this magnificent building
was made, not of wood or bamboo, but with bricks. It is probable
that the lack of wood made the architects to make brick
scaffoldings.The Taj Mahal is entirely made of white marble and its
pure white walls are decorated with exquisite pietra dura (stone
inlay) work. It is said that different types of precious and
semi-precious stones were used in the intricate inlay work done on
Taj Mahal.
Though Shahjahan provided the vision behind the entire concept, he
was assisted in his endeavor by a number of
architects. The name of the architect,
 which
is often mentioned during the building of Taj Mahal, is that of
Muhammad Isa Khan, who hailed from Shiraz in Iran. It is also said
that a creative nucleus of 37 people formed the core advisory group
behind this gigantic project. The construction of Taj Mahal
commenced in 1632. Work on the mausoleum started in frenzy with
thousands of artisans and laborers toiling ceaselessly day after
day. It is said that Taj Mahal took 21 years to complete, with the
help of an army of 20,000 laborers, who worked under the guidance of
Shahjahan. It is also said that the royal coffers went dry after
this project was over.
At the end of the first year of construction the mausoleum had taken
shape and the crypt chamber along with its surrounding works were
also completed. The body of Mumtaz Mahal was ceremoniously interred
into the tomb. Six years of extensive labor saw the main building of
the mausoleum complete and crowned with a majestic guava shaped
dome. According to some historians the major construction of Taj
Mahal was completed in about 10 years time.
ISLAMIC (MUGHAL)
STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE
 The
structure of Taj Mahal adheres to the Islamic style (Mughal style)
of architecture, which flourished in India during the medieval
period.This magnificent monument is set around a Charbagh or
‘four garden’ plan, which is split by watercourses - a reflection of
the Persian style. The Taj Mahal itself is not set within the
Charbagh but is located towards the far end of the enclosure
near the bank of river Yamuna.
Taj Mahal is built on a high plinth, which has four tapering
minarets at each corner. At the center of this plinth is an
octagonal structure comprising of a central hall, with four smaller
halls grouped around it. A central bulbous dome stands atop the roof
of the Taj that is surrounded by four chhatris (domed canopy,
supported by pillars, mainly seen in Hindu or local monuments and
sometimes in Islamic buildings). The Taj Mahal is a two-storied
structure, each having arched recesses with a highly decorated
iwan in the middle. The tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shahjahan are
actually located in the basement, while their replicas are placed
directly above in the upper hall.
STORY BEHIND
THE TAJ
Shahjahan was the
fifth Mughal emperor and is known in the annals of Indian history as
a great builder. He had a passion for marble and used it extensively
to make a number of buildings during the period of his reign. Mughal
architecture reached its zenith when Shahjahan build the Taj Mahal.
MUMTAZ MAHAL
The story of Taj
Mahal is inseparable from the life of Mumtaz Mahal who was the chief
queen of Shahjahan. Prince Khurram, as Shahjahan was known before he
became the Mughal emperor, was a handsome twenty-year-old man, when
he was betrothed to Mumtaz. It is said that the imperial capital of
Agra was agog with the description of her beauty at the time of the
betrothal. The maiden name of Mumtaz Mahal was Arjumand Banu Begum.
Prince Khurram had been married twice before he met and married
Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz bore him 13 children and accompanied him
wherever he went.
On June 17, 1631 Mumtaz Mahal breathed her last after delivering her
14th child, at the age of 39. Saddened by her sudden demise,
Shahjahan resolved to immortalize their love. It is said that Mumtaz
Mahal on her deathbed had herself asked her husband to create a
symbol of their love for posterity. Shahjahan is said to have
accepted her proposal and resolved to do so. According to another
school of thought however, no such conversation transpired between
the two and the grief stricken emperor decided to build the Taj
Mahal to immortalize the memory of his beloved queen, on his own.
Either, way the Taj remains as whimsical in conception as it is
majestic in construction. Before the construction of Taj Mahal
began, Mumtaz Mahal was given a temporary burial in the Zainabadi
garden in Burhanpur for a period of six months, before the body was
exhumed and brought to Agra, for the final burial.
MONUMENTS
WITHIN THE TAJ COMPLEX
One can see two
identical buildings on either side of the Taj. These monuments are
entirely made of red sandstone. While both these buildings are
mosques, the one towards the west (left side of the Taj) is
important and used for offering prayers, as it not only sanctifies
the Taj but also faces Mecca. The replica on the other side is known
as the Jawab (answer).
TAJ MAHOTSAV
AT AGRA
Taj Mahal serves as a
backdrop for the annual Taj Mahotsav (Taj festival), which is
usually held in the month of February. The Taj Mahotsav is a
celebration of traditional Indian art forms and crafts. The main
events of this festival include classical dance performances by
leading dance exponents and musical recitals by maestros, apart from
display of various craft products and cultural shows.
HOW TO REACH
AT AGRA
Agra is on the
popular tourist route and is well connected by air, road and
railways with most parts of India. A normal flight reaches Agra from
New Delhi in about 30 minutes. The road from Delhi to Agra is one of
the most well constructed highways of India. A journey by road can
take about 5 hours. As Agra lies on the main railway line between
Delhi and Varanasi a number of trains pass through the city. The
fastest train to/from Delhi is the Shatabdi Express, while you can
also take the Taj Express, from Delhi both of which provide a daily
service from Delhi to Agra and back the same night.
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