Taj Mahal: The Taj Mahal, a peerless
monument in pristine marble, stands serene
and perfect in its garden
of cypresses and reflecting pools on the banks of the river Yamuna.
Its pure white marble shimmers silver in the moonlight, glows softly
pink at dawn, and as the day sets down, it reflects the fiery tints
of the setting sun. The Taj in all its timeless beauty is still an
inspiration to poets and painters, writers and photographers. And
Lovers still meet here in the moonlight in the shadow of the worlds,
PST famous monument of love. This immortal poem in white marble is
the finest expression of love of an emperor for his queen. Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahan built it in memory of his beloved queen Mumtaz
Mahal in 1631 that died giving birth to their 14th child. White
marble and red sandstone, silver and gold, carnelian and jasper,
moonstone and jade, lapiz lazuli and coral were intricately
fashioned by over 20,000 skilled workers to make the emperor’s dream
a reality.
It took 22 years to complete the Taj Mahal where Shahjahan too lies
buried, re-united at last with his beloved Mumtaz. Set at the
northern end of a formal persign garden with water courses, Paved
walkways and rows of dark cypresses, paved walkways and rows of dark
cypresses the Taj rises on a high red sandstone base topped by a
huge white marble terrace, its flawless double domes are flanked by
four tapering minarets.
The ornamental gardens are set out along classical Mughal charbagh
(formal Persian garden) lines-a square quartered by watercourses,
with an ornamental marble plinth at the centre. To the west is a
very small museum open 10 am to 5 pm daily except Monday and Friday
(free entry). Entry to the inner compound is through a vast rest
sandstone gateway on the south side of the forecourt inscribed with
verses from the Quran in Arabic.
Within lies the jewel inlaid cenotaph of the queen, and a little to
one side the only asymmetrical feature in the Taj-the richly
decorated casket of the emperor. An octagonal screen of finely
pierced marble encloses both. So perfect are the proportions of the
Taj so exquisite its workmanship that it has been described as
having been designed by giants and finished by jewellers. It may be
emphasized that the idea of the design of Taj Mahal cannot be
described to any single mastermind.
