TajMahal was described as “a weep on the cheek of eternity” by the famed Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, born in 1848. Famous English author Rudyard Kipling has complimented the TajMahal for its beauty, describing it as “the essence of all that is pure.” In addition, the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who built the TajMahal, claimed that it caused “the sun and the moon to pour tears from their eyes.” It’s no surprise that the TajMahal is considered one of the world’s most impressive architectural wonders. Every year, thousands of tourists flock to Agra to take in the splendor of the TajMahal.
A mausoleum built of white marble between 1631 and 1648 under the patronage of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the TajMahal is a superb structure. It is advantageously situated on the banks of the River Yamuna in Agra’s historic district. During that period, it was estimated to have cost approximately 32 crores. His adored wife, MumtazMahal, was commemorated through the construction of the TajMahal.
The TajMahal’s architectural characteristics
The TajMahal is renowned around the world for its magnificent architecture. It is considered the most brilliant piece of Muslim art in India. Pure white marble (obtained from Makrana, Rajasthan) was used to construct the structure with extraordinary brilliance and texture. The monument is spread across 42 acres of land. The memorial is surrounded by lush green gardens, beautiful lakes, and water fountains that add to its beauty.
According to legend, the main gateway, positioned at the end of a long watercourse, was initially built entirely of solid silver.
The TajMahal complex is composed mainly of five structures: the Darwaza (main gateway), Bageecha (gardens), Masjid (mosque), Rauza (primary mausoleum), and NaqqarKhana (additional mausoleum) (rest house).
The TajMahal complex comprises the tomb, which is located in the center (58 feet in diameter and 81 feet high). It’s the main attraction here. It is constructed of white marble on a square pedestal elevated 50 feet above the riverbank to prevent seepage. There are four minarets on either side of the square, each of which is 137 meters high, to draw attention to the magnificence of the dome. Instead of standing straight, these minarets have been titled a little bit outwards. The aim of constructing it in this manner was to prevent damage to the tomb if one of the minarets were to fall due to a natural disaster.
Both Shah Jahan and MumtazMahal are buried in the TajMahal, located inside the monument. Semi-precious stones have been inlaid onto the walls of both graves. The mausoleum of MumtazMahal is adorned with calligraphic inscriptions of Allah’s 99 names in many languages.
Architectural Styles are defined as follows:
The TajMahal is an excellent blend of Indian, Islamic, and Persian influences in terms of architectural styles. It took around 22,000 laborers to complete the construction of this monument. Stonecutters, painters, masons, dome builders, calligraphers, inlayers, carvers, and other artists from all across Asia and Iran were enlisted to work on the project.
It makes those who witness it gape in amazement. It is gorgeous and has been constructed in such a way that it has retained its delicacy and charm even after hundreds of years of use. His name was Ustad Ahmad, and he was a Lahore-born architect who worked in the court of Shah Jahan. He was the principal creator of this magnetic structure. The TajMahal has calligraphy on it.
The writing on the TajMahal is incredibly detailed and gorgeous. The elegance of the black letters against the white marble is a striking element of the structure. The monuments’ walls and pillars are also embellished with calligraphy inscribed in Thuluth script, adding to their overall appearance. The majority of the verses inscribed are from the Quran, which is considered the sacred book of Islam.