Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal is regarded as
one of the eight wonders of the world, and some Western historians
have noted that its architectural beauty has never been surpassed. The
Taj is the most beautiful monument built by the Mughals, the Muslim
rulers of India. Taj Mahal is built entirely of white marble. Its
stunning architectural beauty is beyond adequate description,
particularly at dawn and sunset. The Taj seems to glow in the light of
the full moon. On a foggy morning, the visitors experience the Taj as
if suspended when viewed from across the Jamuna river.
Taj Mahal was built by a
Muslim, Emperor Shah Jahan (died 1666 C.E.) in the
memory of his dear wife and queen Mumtaz Mahal at
Agra, India. It is an "elegy in marble" or some say
an expression of a "dream." Taj Mahal (meaning Crown Palace) is a
Mausoleum that houses the grave of queen Mumtaz Mahal at the lower
chamber. The grave of Shah Jahan was added to it later. The queen’s
real name was Arjumand Banu. In the tradition of the
Mughals, important ladies of the royal family were given another name
at their marriage or at some other significant event in their lives,
and that new name was commonly used by the public. Shah Jahan's real
name was Shahab-ud-din, and he was known as Prince Khurram before
ascending to the throne in 1628.
Taj Mahal was
constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty
thousand workers. It was completed in 1648 C.E. at a cost of
32 Million Rupees. The construction documents show that its
master architect was Ustad ‘Isa, the renowned Islamic
architect of his time. The documents contain names of those employed
and the inventory of construction materials and their origin. Expert
craftsmen from Delhi, Qannauj, Lahore, and Multan were employed. In
addition, many renowned Muslim craftsmen from Baghdad, Shiraz and
Bukhara worked on many specialized tasks.
The Taj stands on a
raised, square platform (186 x 186 feet) with its four corners
truncated, forming an unequal octagon. The architectural design uses
the interlocking arabesque concept, in which each
element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main
structure. It uses the principles of self-replicating geometry and a
symmetry of architectural elements.
Its central dome is
fifty-eight feet in diameter and rises to a height of 213 feet. It is
flanked by four subsidiary domed chambers. The four graceful, slender
minarets are 162.5 feet each. The entire mausoleum (inside as well as
outside) is decorated with inlaid design of flowers and calligraphy
using precious gems such as agate and jasper. The main archways,
chiseled with passages from the Holy Qur’an and the bold scroll work
of flowery pattern, give a captivating charm to its beauty. The
central domed chamber and four adjoining chambers include many walls
and panels of Islamic decoration.
The mausoleum is a part
of a vast complex comprising of a main gateway, an elaborate garden, a
mosque (to the left), a guest house (to the right), and several other
palatial buildings. The Taj is at the farthest end of this complex,
with the river Jamuna behind it. The large garden
contains four reflecting pools dividing it at the center. Each of
these four sections is further subdivided into four sections and then
each into yet another four sections. Like the Taj, the garden elements
serve like Arabesque, standing on their own and also constituting the
whole.
Taj Mahal Story
The Origin
of Tajmahal
The origin of the name the "Taj Mahal" is not clear. Court histories
from Shah Jehan's reign only call it the rauza (tomb) of Mumtaz Mahal.
It is generally believed that "Taj Mahal" (usually translated as
either "Crown Palace" or "Crown of the Palace") is an abbreviated
version of her name, Mumtaz Mahal (Exalted One of the Palace).
The Taj Mahal is a deserving resting palace for an Emperor's Empress.
It stands on the banks of the river Yamuna, which otherwise serves as
a wide moat defending the Great Red Fort of Agra, the center of the
Mughal emperors until they moved their capital to Delhi in 1637. It
was built by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of
his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess. She died
while accompanying her husband in Burhanpur in a campaign to crush a
rebellion after giving birth to their 14th child.
Mumtaj Mahal - "Build me a Taj"
As Mumtaz Mahal lay dying, she asked four promises from the emperor:
first, that he build the Taj; second, that he should marry again;
third, that he be kind to their children; and fourth, that he visit
the tomb on her death anniversary. He kept the first and second
promises. Construction began in 1631 and was completed in 22 years.
Twenty thousand people were deployed to work on it. The principal
architect was the Iranian architect Istad Usa; it is possible that the
pietra dura work was coordinated by an Italian artist.
Taj
Mahal - Wonder of the World
To people the world over, the Taj Mahal, mausoleum of Mughal Emperor
shah Jana's chief wife, Mumtaz Mahal, is synonymous with India. Its
curving, gently swelling dome and the square base upon which its rests
so lightly is a familiar image from hundreds of brochures and travel
books. The Taj is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular buildings of
the world. Renowned for its architectural magnificence and aesthetic
beauty, it counts among man's proudest creations and is invariably
included in the list of the world's foremost wonders. As a tomb, it
has no match upon earth, for mortal remains have never been housed in
greater grandeur.
Architecture of the TajMahal
Construction began in 1631, and over 20,000 workmen and master
craftsmen worked laboriously for 22 years to give shape to the
emperor's passionate dream! The material was brought in from all over
India and central Asia and it took a fleet of 1,000 elephants to
transport it to the site. The complex was finally completed in 1653 at
a cost of 32 Million Rupees (approx USD 68000) on the banks of river
Yamuna in Agra, the capital of the Mughal monarchs.
But the beauty of Taj Mahal is also tainted by the gory fact that the
hands of some of the master craftsmen were amputated, to ensure that
the perfection of the Taj could never be repeated ever again!
Taj Mahal Myths
The architect of the Taj Mahal aimed at giving maximum strength and
stability to the tomb and worked out the minutest details with utmost
precision : the weight of the entire structure is uniformly
distributed, extraordinarily massive piers and vaults were constructed
to support this heavy load, the very best quality of bonding material
helped combat the disrupted tensile stress etc.
However, in spite of all these precautions and care, dangerous
cracks and leakages developed in the substructure of Taj Mahal
just after four years of its completion. Aurangzeb in his letter
to Shah Jahan in 1652 mentions these cracks. Some defects were
discovered about the same time in the dome. Though thorough
repairs were undertaken, the nature of the cracks was not
discovered. The cracks were again noticed to have developed to
dangerous proportions in 1810. As a result an Advisory Committee
on the restoration and conservation of the monument was set up
and a survey with reference to the damage was undertaken.
Some very important facts resulted from this survey. It was
discovered that the plinth of the mausoleum on the northern side
(or the riverside) is lower than on the south by 3.5cms. Cracks
were not noticed on the exterior wall, but they were definitely
present on the second storey vaults of the marble structure and,
on a much larger scale, in the underground vaults below the
northern side.
The long series of cracks in the underground vaults may be due
to the crushing of lime on account of the excessive weight, or
as seems more probable, this may be due to the sinking of the
whole structure towards the riverside!! Such a sinking would
shift the load out of balance slowly and gradually and the
unequal settlement would crack the weak points, particularly the
summit s of the vaults and arches, which is actually happening
in the underground chambers.
Taj Mahal structure which stands on the edge of water has a
natural tendency to move towards the more open side, the higher
edge always acting as a strong buttress, thrusting it in the
opposite direction. It is the whole mass, and not a part of it,
that is gradually sinking. This is what can justifiably be
concluded from the available data.
Taj Mahal Timings
Taj Mahal Timings
The Archaeological Survey of India has decided that Taj Mahal
will remain closed on Fridays for the public except for those
who go for afternoon prayers in the mosque next to the 17th
century monument. The monument, which attracts thousands of
visitors every day, previously remained closed on Mondays.
The Taj will remain open from 6 am-7 pm everyday except
Fridays. Entry costs Rs 970 for Foreigners and for indians
during the sunrise and sunset entry costs Rs 110 and during
the daytime Rs 20/-. On Fridays, people will be allowed to go
for the customary prayers between 1200 hrs 1400 hrs at the
mosque in the Taj Mahal complex.
Described by the Indian classical poet Tagore as a "tear on
the face of eternity", the Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the zenith
of Moghul architecture and quite simply one of the world's
most marvellous buildings. Volumes have been written on it s
perfection, and its image adorns countless glossy brochures
and guide books; nonetheless, the reality never fails to
overwhelm all who see it, and few words can do it justice.
A
Day at Taj Mahal in Agra
Taj Mahal in the Morning
The glory of the monument is strangely undiminished by the
crowds 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 and 5 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
Taj Mahal History
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.
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. She had borne Shahjahan 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 of the royal court mourning for two
years. there was no music, no feasting, and no celebration of
any kind.
Epitome Of Love -Taj Mahal
Shahjahan, who was a passionate builder, now decided to erect a
memorial to 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
grndson, 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.
Construction Of The Mausoleum - Taj Mahal
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 Baghdab, 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.
Taj
Mahal Dome
Architecture
of Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is the most brilliant and the most triumphant
achievement among the funeral monuments all around the world. It
marks the culmination in the evolution of the tomb. The Indian
builders achieved the most beautiful expression through this
creation under the Mughals. The Taj Mahal in its entirety is the
result of the grand total of all the efforts put meticulously by
the expert artists of the age. They harmonized all the fine
features in their minutest details and brilliantly put together
to produce the most pleasant impression. The minarets and the
grand elevation play an important part in the aesthetics of the
Taj Mahal. The beautifully laid garden presents the white marble
structure more imposingly.
The main idea behind laying the garden was to give the monument
a more beautiful setting. The sky provides a wonderful backdrop
to the Taj. The Taj overhangs the river grandly and is always
seen in harmony with a blue sky in the background. The Taj Mahal
is always seen as ever-changing and against an ever new backdrop
because of the background changing its color every now and then.
Besides the above mentioned ones there are other substantial
factors which add to the looks and beauty of the Taj.
Various parts combine together in symmetry and pleasing
proportion to make the monument look more astonishing. And all
these structural masses have been beautifully harmonized. The
overall unity which has thus been obtained is simply elegant. If
we intend to appreciate a work of art our approach should be
synthetic; we can't appreciate it in parts, we can do so only as
a whole. The parts therefore should be so assimilated together
that each looses its identity in the total unity. The lover of
architecture must be aware of the synthetic nature of art as any
work of art can not be appreciated in isolation of its parts. It
is the unity of different parts which make the work look great.
A wonderful artistic and visual effect of the Taj is obtained by
its elevation, superstructure, balanced and symmetrical
combination of its parts. Different structural masses have been
balanced most harmoniously. The monument reflects beautiful
admixture of lines, horizontal with vertical on the one hand and
straight with curved on the other. A combination of solids and
voids imparts a three dimensional effect and allows a beautiful
play of light and gives a color independence to the monument.
Not only white marble was selected by the architects for
exterior decoration but they also manipulated the material to
produce the best possible effects of light. This is best
reflected in the colored inlay of the portal-dados, the
spandrels of the arches and the pilasters. The receding plinths,
give the Taj a towering effect and it appears as if it is about
to rise high into the sky. The Taj marks the ultimate moment in
the development of Mughal architecture. It formed the stage of
the art from where it could only decline. The Taj is the perfect
expression of beauty and the illusionary effect of the monument
adds to its aesthetics. This illusion was created by the
architect with the help of such gross materials as lime, brick
and white marble. The architect of the Taj was a great master of
aesthetics and he successfully incorporated it in his
masterpiece. All this go together to prove the fact that the Taj
is more a work of art than of architecture. It is more a work of
beauty than a mere Mughal mausoleum.
Architecture of Taj Mahal Dome
A bulging white
double - dome with a broad padma-kosa (lotus - petals) and
beautiful Kalasa-finial is mounted on the tomb. The bulbous dome
of the Taj Mahal rests on an amazingly high drum and has a total
height of 145' 8" from the base of the drum to the summit of the
finial. Chhatris flank the dome on all the four angles which
appear to be attached to the dome when viewed from all sides.
This feature became possible apparently after the experience
gained by the builders in mishandling Humayun's tomb, where the
kiosks seem to be excessively detached from the dome. At the Taj
the builder calculated the distance between the two features for
the precise relationship they were intended to present together.
The dome doesn't give an impression of isolation but is seen
always in terms of the Chhatris amid a group of pinnacles on all
sides. This plan, which is also known as panch-ratna gives the
Taj Mahal such a remarkable, impressive and unparalleled grace.
Architecture of Taj Mahal Mausoleum
It is on the centre of a rectangular red sandstone platform that
the tomb structure stands along the river Yamuna. Chameli-farsh
as the platform is generally called, measures 970'-7"
(East-West) by 364' 10" (North-South) and is 4' high from the
garden level. There is a beautiful mosque on its west and a
matching structure on the east. These structures are in red
sandstone with a liberal use of white marble for emphasis and
contrast. The tapering minarets are three storeyed and measure
132' in height, each separated by a balcony supported on a
series of brackets which has a rhythmic play of light and shadow
and provide this black and white marble minaret with grace which
matches the arms of a beautiful lady.
The detached minarets at each corner of the plinth of the Taj
trace their evolution probably from the Lodhi Tomb at Agra
itself. The tomb of Sher Shah is another example of detached
kiosks on all the four angles of the main plinth, with the tomb
structure occupying its centre. It is for the first time that
four full fledged minarets appear on its main gateway. Each
minaret is circular and tapers as it rises. These minarets rise
gracefully high into sky seemingly carrying the whole body of
the gateway with them. Fully developed Minarets mark an
important stage in Mughal architecture. The most remarkable
feature of these minarets is their harmony with the tomb.
Though the white marble main tomb is basically a square of 187'
side, it assumes an octagonal form due to the chamfer at the
angles. Some architects believe that the inspiration for this
plan could have originally been derived from that of the Hemkuta
temple. Each fascia of the tomb is composed of a grand iwan
(portal) in its centre, occupying almost the whole height up to
the ramparts which rises well over it to give distinction to the
iwan. It is flanked on both sides by double alcoves one above
the other. Each section of the façade is well demarcated on both
sides of the iwan by very small turrets which rise above the
ramparts and are crowned by beautiful pinnacles with lotus-buds
and finials.
Building Materials Used
In the construction of the Taj Mahal three types of stones have
been used : (1) Semi-precious stones like Aqiq (agate), Yemeni,
Firoza (turquoise), Lajwad (Lapis- lazuli); moonga (coral),
Sulaimani (onyx), Lahsunia (cat's eye), Yasheb (jade) and
Pitunia (blood stone). These were mainly used for inlaying work.
(2) Rare and scarce stones such as Tilai (goldstone),
Zahar-mohra, Ajuba, Abri, Khathu, Nakhod and Maknatis (magnet
stone) were used for bold inlay and mosaic work chiefly on
floors, exterior dados and turrets and (3) Common stones: sang-i-Gwaliari
(grey and yellow sandstone) sang-i-Surkh (red sandstone), sang-i-moosa
(black slate) and sang-i-Rukhan (sang-i-marmar; white marble)
were used in foundations, masonry and for giving finishing touch
to the external surfaces. Red stone was brought from the
neighboring towns like Fatehpur Sikri, Karauli-Hindaun, Tantpur
and Paharpur whereas white marble was brought from Makrana mines
(Rajasthan). Semi precious and rare stones were occasionally
brought from as distant places such as Upper Tibet, Kumaon,
Jaisalmer, Cambay and Ceylon.
Other materials which were used for the construction of Taj
Mahal included different kind of bricks, Gaj-i-Shirin (sweet
limestone), Khaprel or tiles, Qulba or Spouts to lead off water,
San, Gum, Sirish-i-Kahli or reed glue, Gul-i-Surkh or red clay,
Simgil (silver clay) and glass. The center and skeleton of the
main building is made up of extra strong brick masonary in which
massive white marble slabs, have been used on the headers and
stretchers system to give it a white marble outlook. Country
ingredients such as molasses; batashe (sugar-bubbles), belgiri-water,
urd-pulse, curd, jute and Kankar (pieces of fossilized soil)
were mixed with lime mortar to make it an ideal cementing
material.
The Mughals believed that the precious and semiprecious stones
have different effects on the fortunes of different persons and
places; they may be auspicious or inauspicious. This has exactly
been calculated and strictly adhered to in the adornment of the
Taj Mahal. It is primarily because of these reasons that we see
predominance of one or the other stone on a particular feature
of its architecture. A number of marks are engraved on red stone
slabs, on the pathways, stairs, plinths and pavements of the Taj
Mahal. Some of them are- Symbolic motifs Swastika, Cakra, âako¸a
(Hexagon), Paµcako¸a (Pentagon), áa´kh (conch-shell), Animate
motifs - fish, bi rd, Geometrical motifs - triangle, Square,
rectangle, Floral motifs- leaves and petals of the flowers
chiefly lotus.
|
