Taj Mahal, for numerous reasons, has been a muse for
many poets and painters from the many past centuries. It has been a center of attraction not only
for Indian poets but for poets from foreign lands as well. Sir Edwin Arnold, an
English poet describes The Taj in his words, "Not a piece of architecture,
as other buildings are, but the proud passion of an emperor's love wrought in
living stones."
Situated on the banks of river Yamuna in Agra, the
Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, witnesses millions of
tourists, foreign as well as local, every year. Since its erection 400 years
ago, this Magnus Opus has passed all the tests and rumors, which went on around
it. It has shown in full glory and surpassed every negative talk around it. If
a traveler is on an Agra tour, a visit to Taj Mahal, the white-colored
mausoleum is a must. Agra the city which is a proof of medieval Mughal heritage
in India has a number of historical monuments but this is the most famous one. This jewel of Muslim art in the country is
admired all around the world in a form of an architectural marvel.
The construction of this monument was done by a
group of around 20,000 workers who worked day and night for a span of around 22
years. Made from red sandstone as well as white marble, it is encrusted with precious
and semi-precious stones. The architecture is a perfect mix of Indian and
Persian styles of architecture. These
stones on the dome of the Taj offer an amazing view to the onlooker when they
shine brightly on a moonlit night that looks extremely attractive.
The architecture and design strategy of this
historical monument even in those days were far ahead of their times as it has
construction that was done after taking every scientific measure into
consideration. It has been erected in such a manner that it can withstand
natural calamities such as an earthquake.
While on Taj Mahal Tour, you can easily witness the
grandeur of this monument, which is rightly called an epitome of love. In the
year 1983, declared as a UNSECO world heritage site, this historical monument was
commissioned in 1648 A.D. by Shah Jahan, a Muhgal Emperor in the form of a tribute
for his deceased beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.
Before the time of Shah Jahan , most of the Mughal
monuments were built only with red sandstone but it was during the reign of
Shah Jahan that he encouraged the use of white marble encrusted with
semi-precious stones. Along with this, the interior as well as the exterior of
the Taj Mahal consist of othed work of art as well such as jail-work, inlay
work, Herringbone, Plant motifs, Spandrel detail,ncised painting, Reflective
tiles, Calligraphy of Persian poems as well as
Finial Floor Tiling.
