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Taj Mahal - Agra
Category:- All India
Travel Tourism >
Uttar Pradesh > Historical Places
> Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal stands serene, on a raised marble platform, on the banks of the
river Yamuna, testifying to the timeless beauty of art and love. Shahjahan built
the monument in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, It has been called the
most extravagant monument ever built for the sake of love. The construction of
the Taj commenced in 1631, and was completed in 1653. Workers were gathered from
all over the country and from central Asia. About 20,000 people were recruited
to build this altar of love. The main architect was Isa Khan, who was brought
all the way from Shiraz in Iran.
It took nearly 22 years to build the mausoleum and the finest of skilled artisans
were brought in to inlay the white marble edifice with precious stones and to
conjure filigreed marble screens around the centaphs of the emperor and his
beloved queen . There is a jewel -like quality about Taj Mahal . The beautiful
proportioned octagonal structure topped by a perfect dome is balanced by 4 soaring
minarets that stand at the corners of the plinth . The Taj Mahal is ethereal
at any part of the day - blushing in the rosy glow of down or sunset , appearing
like a pearly mirage in the moonlight or reflected in the pools of the garden
. Perhaps the most moving view of the Taj is from an octogonal tower in the
Agra fort further along the River Yamuna .
It was here that the emperor Shah Jahan was imprisoned and wherehe spent his
last day gazing at the tomb of his beloved wife . When Mumtaz Mahal was still
alive, she extracted 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 material was brought
in from all over India and central Asia and it took a fleet of 1000 elephants
to transport it to the site.
It was designed by the Iranian architect Istad Usa and it is best appreciated
when the architecture and its adornments are linked to the passion that inspired
it. It is a "symbol of eternal love". The Taj rises on a high red sandstone base
topped by a huge white marble terrace on which rests the famous dome flanked by
four tapering minarets. Within the dome lies the jewel-inlaid cenotaph of the
queen. So exquisite is the workmanship that the Taj has been described as "having
been designed by giants and finished by jewellers". The only asymmetrical object
in the Taj is the casket of the emperor which was built beside the queen's as
an afterthought. The emperor was deposed by his son and imprisoned in the Great
Red Fort for eight years but was buried in the Taj. During his imprisonment, he
had a view of the Taj.
Access: It is 200kms from Delhi, motorable within three hours. Indian
Airlines connects daily. Rail Shatabdi Express leaves daily with evening return.
Major Hotels in Agra: Major hotels in Agra are Taj Group, Welcome
Group, ITDC Group, Mansingh Group, Trident Group, Park Plaza, Clarks Group,
Oberoi Group and Jaypee Hotels etc.
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