Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
Though separated, each aspect of the Taj Mahal structure still has its individuality intact, yet it is flawlessly united in look, with balance and symmetry that is more than perfect.
The Taj Mahal is a spectacle in white marble, unparalleled in grandeur, depicting an era's sheer opulence. The monument of love that Shahjahan gave to the world is a testimony of his intense love for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. No image of the Taj, neither on canvas nor celluloid, can adequately express its conceptual imagery or convey the legend, poetry, and romance.
Shahjahan, the 5th Mughal emperor, built the Taj Mahal in 1631 in memory of his third but most favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess. When Mumtaz was still alive, she extracted four promises from the emperor: first, that he built 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. However, due to ill health and being under house arrest by his own son and successor to the throne, Aurangzeb barred him from continuing to keep the last promise.
The Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage. A visitor to the monument may very well stand agape at this spectacle. The romanticism and sheer majesty of the structure is unbelievable.
The dome of the Taj Mahal is highlighted, while the other aspects of the structure, though separated, still retain their individuality. Yet they are flawlessly united in look, and the balance and symmetry are perfect.
The Taj is an experience of its own kind. While its magnanimity is sublime, the exquisite inlay work, detailed craftsmanship, and calligraphy are excellent. The combination leaves one mesmerized. The sheer splendor is consummate, and its vastness is monumental.
This is a glimpse of the Taj Mahal as one enters. The shot was taken early in the morning, just after sunrise, with the first rays illuminating the structure. We can see the blue sky and some floating clouds, as it rained the night before.
A minaret consists of the base, the shaft, and the gallery. The base is usually below the surface, the shaft is cantilevered perpendicular to the ground, and the gallery sits on the top of the shaft, which is mainly covered. The Archaeological Survey of India recently submitted a report to the Supreme Court. It said the southeastern minaret had tilted more in the past few decades than its counterparts, but the tilt was within permissible limits.
The Taj's minarets are 137 feet high, but not taller than the tomb itself, which is 240 feet high. They define the canvas on which the Taj is painted and frame the Taj Mahal. Minarets represent the gateway between heaven and earth.
Aurangzeb declared his father, Shahjahan, incompetent to rule and put him under house arrest in Agra Fort. During his eight-year-long ailment and imprisonment, Shahjahan used to intensely view The Taj (the monument of love that Mughal Emperor Shahjahan gave to the world as a testimony of his intense love for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal). The last days of his life were spent helplessly looking at his beloved Taj from his captivity in the Shah Burj of the Agra Fort across the river Yamuna. It is said that Shahjahan kept gazing at the Taj Mahal until his last breath. When you visit the Agra Fort, you can sense the solitude and grief of an old, powerless emperor even centuries later. It reminds us of the grief of a once powerful emperor transformed to penury in his last days and the longing of a lover to be united with his beloved.
