For
centuries, the Taj Mahal has inspired
poets, painters and musicians to try
and capture its elusive magic in word,
colour and song. It is one of the most
flawless architectural creations of
the world.Since the 17th century, travellers have crossed continents to
come and see this ultimate memorial to
love, and few have been unmoved by its
incomparable beauty.
Taj
Mahal stands in the city of Agra, in
the northern Indian state of Uttar
Pradesh, on the banks of the Yamuna
River. It was built in the memory of
the beautiful Arjumand Bano Begum, who
won the heart of a Mughal prince. She
was married at 21 to Emperor
Jahangir's third son Prince Khurram
and stayed loyally by his side through
good times and bad; in the luxurious
royal palaces of Agra as well as the
transient tents of war camps.
History Of Taj Mahal
In AD 1628, Khurram became king
after a bloody battle of succession:
he took the name Shahjahan or King of
the World and Showered his beloved
begum with the highest titles. She
became Mumtaz Mahal, the exalted of
the palace and Mumtaz-ul-Zamani, the
exalted of the Age. But Mumtaz Mahal
was not destined to be queen for long.
In 1631, Shahjahan went on an
expedition to the south and, as
always, Mumtaz Mahal accompanied him.
But she died in childbirth at
Burhanpur. Shahjahan had
fourteen children, of whom four sons
and three daughters survived. When
Mumtaz Mahal died, she was just 39
years old. Shahjahan was inconsolable
and contemporary chronicles tell that
there should be a royal court
mourning for two years.There was no music, no
feasting, and no celebration of any
kind.
Building A Wonder
Shahjahan,
who was a passionate builder, now
decided to erect a memorial for his
queen in pristine marble that the
world would never forget. The site
selected for the tomb was a garden by
the Yamuna river, unshadowed by any
other structure. The garden had been
laid by Raja Man Singh of Amber and
now belonged to his grandson, Raja Jai
Singh. By a royal Firman, Shahjahan
gave Jai Singh four Havelis in
exchange for the garden. The site was
also chosen because it was located on
a bend in the river, and so could be
seen from Shahjahan's personal palace
in Agra Fort, further upstream.
Work on the mausoleum began in 1633
and 20,000 workers laboured for 17
years to build it. The most skilled
architects, inlay craftsmen,
calligraphers, stone-carvers and
masons came from all across Indian and
lands as distant as Persia and Turkey.
The master mason was from Baghdad, an
expert in building the double dome
from Persia, and an inlay specialist
from Delhi.
Yemen sent agates, the corals came
from Arabia, the garnets from
Bundelkhand, onyx and amethyst from
Persia. Mumtaz Mahal's final
resting-place was ornamented like a
queen's jewel-box.
A Day at Taj Mahal in
Agra
Taj Mahal in the Morning
The glory of the monument is strangely
undiminished by the crowd of tourists
who visit each day, as small and
insignificant as ants in the face of
this immense and captivating monument.
That said, the Taj is at its most
alluring in the relative quiet of
early morning, shrouded in mists and
bathed with a soft red glow. As its
vast marble surfaces fall into shadow
or reflect the sun, its colour
changes, from soft grey and yellow to
pearly cream and dazzling white; it's
well worth visiting at different
times. This play of light is an
important decorative device,
symbolically implying the presence of
Allah, who is never represented in
anthropomorphic form.
Beauty of Taj Mahal during Day
The
Taj Mahal shows a different aspect of
beauty at different times of the day.
The sight of the Taj awash with the
subtle pinks of dawn is an
unforgettable sight. Sunsets stain the
Taj an exotic shade of orange. But
nothing beats the poignant beauty of
the Taj seen when the cool white
marble is bathed in the soft silver
light of the moon. Even in the bright
light of the day, this wonder of the
world shines with an awe-inspiring
loveliness.
There's no time limit on visits to the
Taj, and some people spend most of the
day here, sitting, reading, dozing or
picnicking in the beautifully kept
gardens. Hawkers and salesmen are not
allowed in, and official guides are
not available on site, but can usually
be provided by hotels, and always
accompany organized tours. The ticket
office, just outside the western gate,
is rarely blocked by long queues,
except between 4:00 to 5:00 pm before the
admission fee increases; bring the
right amount of money as the ticket
booth attendants rarely have change
and tend to pocket the difference.
Many Faces Of Taj
Taj Mahal changes its moods with the
seasons and the different times of the
day. At dawn, the marble has a
delicate bloom in shell pink, by noon
it glitters majestically white,
turning to a soft pearl grey at dusk.
On full-moon nights, the silver light
makes it float away against the
star-spangled sky. Monsoon clouds give
it a moody blue tint and it appears
and disappears like a mirage in the
drifting mists of winter. It can be
solid and earthbound, fragile and
ethereal, white, amber, grey and gold.
The many faces of Taj Mahal display
the seductive power of architecture at
its best.
Taj
Mahotsav - Celebrating The Glory Of
Taj Mahal
With the arrival of Springtime in
February comes the most colourful and
festive time at Agra - the Taj
Mahotsav. A 10-day long celebrations
of Uttar Pardesh's multicultural
heritage that becomes major display
platform of the arts, crafts, culture,
cuisine, folk and classical dance and
music of India.
Taj Mahotsav is a special event
organized by the U.P. Tourism
department, keeping the focus as Taj
Mahal and held as an annual event at
Shilpgram, the neighbouring site of
Taj Mahal. This artistic event is a
dedication to the legendary skills of
master craftsmen and other exponents of
art, music and cuisine. Its an
opportunity for tourists visiting Taj
Mahal to get a glimpse inside the rich
heritage and extraordinary legacies of
Uttar Pradesh's historic past.
Shopping
in Agra
The magnificent city of Agra not only
offers architectural delights but is
also reputed as a shopper's paradise.
The city has a number of markets and
shopping malls that offers the best of
handcrafted item specially the
replicas of Taj Mahal that match in
every detail of the real building.
Agra also offers a variety of leather
items including footwear, purses,
bags, and decorative items. You can
also shop for sandal and rose wood
items, brass and stone decorative,
embroidered rugs, stone inlay work and
floor carvings in the local Handicraft
Emporium.
There are many shopping area across
the city but the major areas include
Taj Mahal complex, Kinari Bazaar, Raja
Mandi, Sadar Bazaar.
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