The Taj Mahal is one of the wonders of the World a symbol of love. Taj Mahal
was built during 1631-1653 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan. The entire premises that houses the Taj
Mahal is so large and took over 20 years to build, a substantial amount of this
time was spent to get the marble and jasper stone that was used to construct
this stunning monument. The four minarets that you see in the above image are
tilted a bit, they tilt away from the monument.
In 1631 when Shah Jehan lost his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal after
giving birth to her fourteenth child, a daughter. The final request of his wife
was for him not to marry again and prove their endless love by building a
dreamlike beautiful mausoleum.
The emperor mourned his dearest wife for two years, changing his
wealthy appearance into pure and simple. After that he ordered the building of
a magnificent mausoleum across the Yamuna River from his own royal palace at
Agra. Construction started around 1632 and would continue for the next two
decades. The chief architect was Ustad Ahmad Lahouri, an Indian of Persian
descent who would later be credited with designing the Red Fort at Delhi.
The mausoleum was constructed of white marble inlaid with Precious
and semi-precious stones (including crystal, jade, amethyst, lapis lazuli and
turquoise) forming intricate designs in a technique known as pietra dura. Its
central dome reached a height of 240 feet (73 meters) and was surrounded by
four small domes; four slender towers or minarets, stood at the corners. According
to Islamic tradition, verses from the Quran were inscribed in calligraphy on
the arched entrances to the mausoleum including other sections of the complex.
Inside the mausoleum, an octagonal marble chamber adorned with carvings and
semi-precious stones housed the cenotaph, or false tomb of Mumtaz Mahal.
Visit Taj Mahal - one of the seven wonders of the world with number of other attractive places.....
No comments:
Post a Comment