A beautiful white mausoleum located in Agra is a standing epitome of art and architecture. The mausoleum is a standing example of love and has served as the perfect backdrop for several romantic Bollywood as well Hollywood movies for several years. The marble white color of the Taj Mahal might be diminishing to a dirty yellow but that has in no ways reduced the importance and fame of this gigantic monument.
The recent Hollywood block buster Slum dog Millionaire showcased the exploited children of India. In one of the important scenes, you don’t have to guess but mightily stood in the backdrop the evergreen Taj Mahal.
Built in the memory of his third wife Mumtaj Mahal, TajMahal was an architectural achievement for Mughal emperor ShahJahan. A universally admired work of art Taj Mahal is shares a seat with six other wonders of the world placing the name of India on a global map of popularity. TajMahal has been regarded as the jewel of Muslim art and the architectural style combine Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish, and Indian forms. Needless to state this mammoth mausoleum attracts innumerable tourists throughout the year.
The mausoleum took little more than two decades to complete. In 1983 it was declared a world heritage site as declared by UNESCO. Historians state that several men and craftsmen were hired to construct this tomb. There are also stories stating that the hands of the artists and craftsmen were cut off to prevent them from building another mausoleum like the Taj Mahal. How far the story is true is not known but what is believable is to see the beautiful creation of the Mughal period – The Taj Mahal itself standing gloriously on the banks of river Yamuna fighting the test of time and the savagery of modernization day after day.
The tomb is the main attraction of Taj mahal. You will find a white marble structure standing on a square plinth comprising of symmetrical building with an arch shaped doorway. The main chamber comprises of the false sarcophagi of mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan. But in real the actual graves are at a lower level.
The decoration seen on the exteriors are considered amongst the finest in Mughal architecture. Stucco, paint, stone inlays and carvings have been used to embellish the exteriors. Passages from Quran have been used as decorative elements. Abdul Haq was the calligrapher who was responsible for the creation of calligraphy on Taj Mahal.
The Plinth, minarets, gateway, mosque and the surfaces have abstract form used on them throughout. The interior chamber of the TajMahal has traditional decorative elements. Use of jali screen has been made leading to the Cenotaph. Semi-precious and precious stones were used to embellish the inlay.
The tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal at the underground level besides each other leaves your heart with grief but also wondering about a love story that was deep and so true that it lead to the making of a monument for generations to see love lives longer than life itself in the form of art.
