The city of Taj was established in 1475 by Badal Singh. Agra finds mention in the Mahabharata as Agraban. This city in those days was considered to be the sister city of Mathura which was more prominent than Agraban. Agra came into its own when the Lodhi Kings chose this place beside the Yamuna to be their capital city. Sikander Lodhi made Agra his capital but Babar defeated the Lodhis to capture not only Agra but also laid the foundation of the Mughal empire.
Taj Mahal
Even as the world is caught in the skirmishes of War & peace, Nuclear and Non-Nuclear; Taj has stood as the epitome of love. This extravagant monument of love is one of the most visited and most photographed places in the world. Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan in the memory of his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal was the culmination point of Indo-Persian architecture. The Mughals Emperor were always fond of constructing monuments. Perhaps they knew that they would be gone but these structures will remind the world of their grandeur. Shah Jahan was particularly fond of building . He built the city of Shah Jahanabad which today is called the old Delhi.He loved construction more than that he loved his wife. Mumtaz Mahal as the name indicates, her beauty is compared with the light of heaven. She died while giving birth to her fourteenth child. Shah Jahan was so shocked by her death that his hair turned grey over night.
History of Taj Mahal
The origin of the name "Taj Mahal"
is not clear. Court histories from Shah Jehan's reign only call it the
rauza (tomb) of Mumtaz Mahal. It is generally believed that "Taj
Mahal" (usually translated as either "Crown Palace" or
"Crown of the Palace") is an abbreviated version of her
name, Mumtaz Mahal.
The construction of this marble masterpiece is credited to the Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan who erected this mausoleum in the memory of his
beloved wife, Arjumand Bano Begum, popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal,
who died in AH 1040 (AD 1630). Her last wish to her husband was
"to build a tomb in her memory such as the world had never seen
before". Thus emperor Shah Jahan set about building this
fairytale like marvel.
The construction of Taj Mahal was started in AD 1631 and completed at
the end of 1648 AD. For seventeen years, twenty thousand workmen are
said to be employed on it daily, for their accommodation a small town,
named after the deceased empress-'Mumtazabad, now known as Taj Ganj,
was built adjacent to it. Amanat Khan Shirazi was the calligrapher of
Taj Mahal, his name occurs at the end of an inscription on one of the
gates of the Taj. Poet Ghyasuddin had designed the verses on the
tombstone, while Ismail Khan Afridi of Turkey was the dome maker.
Muhammad Hanif was the superintendent of Masons. The designer of Taj
Mahal was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. The material was brought in from all
over India and central Asia and it took a fleet of 1000 elephants to
transport it to the site. The central dome is 187 feet high at the
centre. Red sandstone was brought from Fatehpur Sikri, Jasper from
Punjab, Jade and Crystal from China, Turquoise from Tibet, Lapis
Lazuli and Sapphire from Sri Lanka, Coal and Cornelian from Arabia and
diamonds from Panna. In all 28 kind of rare, semi precious and
precious stones were used for inlay work in the Taj Mahal. The chief
building material, the white marble was brought from the quarries of
Makrana, in distt. Nagaur, Rajasthan.
Taj Mahal
Architecture
The Taj Mahal (Crown Palace) is India's
most famous structure, and, perhaps the most beautiful piece of
architecture in the world. Photographs cannot truly capture the
grandeur of this perfectly proportioned tomb of Mumtaz Mahal and its
creator, Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal ruler.
Mumtaz Mahal was the second, and favorite, wife of Shah Jahan (r.
1628-1658). A Persian princess born as Arjuman Banu Begum, she was a
significant influence in his life and in his policies. She died at age
thirty-nine while giving birth to their fourteenth (some say
thirteenth) child in 1631. The ruler went into deep mourning and much
of his empire was compelled to do the same.
Almost immediately there was announced a competition for plans to
construct a tomb and shrine worthy of the ruler's beloved. Numerous
legends surround the selection of the architect--some even implausibly
suggesting that it was a westerner from Italy or France. But although
a number of names have been proposed, the architect's name is unknown.
It is clear that talent from many parts of the Muslim and western
worlds came together in Agra to work on the mausoleum: engineers,
carvers, artists, calligraphers, architects, craftsmen of all sorts,
and a variety of common laborers. It is estimated that 20,000 people
worked on the tomb from 1631 to 1648. Work continued in the adjoining
areas until 1653. It should be noted that the Taj Mahal is a total
package of tomb, mosque, gardens, gateways and fountains.
The Taj Mahal is set on a raised platform that is 6.6 meters (20 ft)
high and covers an area of 93.9 sq. meters (313 sq ft). The corner
minarets are 41.1 meters (137 ft) high. The main structure is 62
meters (186 ft) on each side. In contast to the gleaming white marble
of the mausoleum, there is a pair of red sandstone buildings flanking
the tomb to the west and to the east; the western building is a
mosque, while the other, sometimes called the guest house or museum,
was built to complete the symmetry of the scene. The water causeway
and fountains beautifully join the gateway and the tomb in perfect
symmetry.
There are numerous significant and striking elements in the creation
of this masterpiece both inside the taj mahal as well as outside. The
marvelously graceful piedra dura (or stone inlay work) that Adorns
many surfaces. This ncludes the three major elements of the Muslim
decorative arts: the sayings from the Q'uran, geometrical shapes and a
variety of plant forms and flowers, often repeated as borders. The
marble and precious stone inlays are so skillfully fit together that
one can hardly detect a seam, even with close examination. The
calligraphy of sayings from the Q'uran on the mausoleum, are in a kind
of trompe l'oeil style; the letters gradually increase in size as they
go up the side of the structure, so that from the ground all letters
appear perfectly uniform. Perhaps, however, the greatest impact is how
all of its parts fit together so perfectly, making the entire complex
much greater than the sum of its parts.
In recent years, this great manument is fighting a strange battle -
battle with increasing pollution of the area. Several measures have
been taken and several projects are under operations to save the
world's supreme architectural achievement.
The Story of a Second Taj Mahal
According to popular legend, Shah Jahan decided to construct another Taj Mahal in black marble on the other side of the river Yamuna and to connect the two by a bridge. This structure was intended to be his own tomb. It has been recorded almost contemporarily by a French merchant Tavernier : "Shah Jehan began to build his own tomb on the other side of the river but the war with his sons interrupted his plan and Aurangzeb who reigns at present is not disposed to complete it".
Later gazetteers and guide books mention this story almost invariably. The irregular position of the cenotaph of Shah Jahan as compared to that of Mumtaz Mahal which occupies the exact centre of the hall is said to be proof of this assumption. The Mehtab Burj and the wall adjoining it opposite the Taj Mahal are generally said to be the foundations and remains of the proposed plan.
Many scholars, however, believe that this idea belongs to fiction rather than history. The traces which are identified as the foundations of the second Taj Mahal are actually the enclosing wall of a garden founded by Babar. The irregular position of Shah Jahan's cenotaph in comparison to Mumtaz Mahal's, is similar to that at the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, and thus should not be of any striking significance. Besides, according to Islamic law, bodies are buried with their faces towards Mecca and legs towards the south, and the husband is placed on the right hand side of his wife. The interpretation that the cenotaph of Shah Jahan was not meant to be placed here appears to be superfluous.
Mumtaz Mahal
The year 1607 was a momentous year for Prince Khurram, the eldest son of Emperor Jahangir and his father's favourite. He was a young handsome prince accustomed to luxury and refinement. As he made his way to the Meena bazaar, the private market attached to the harem, he was surrounded by a string of fawning companions, all eager to catch his eye. Even at 15, young Khurram cut a dashing figure with his father's aristocratic nose, high forehead and large languid eyes. Every maid at the bazaar carried a torch for him.
The Flame is Lit
Arjumand Banu sat with her silks and glass beads at her shop. She was the daughter of Asaf Khan, the brother of the emperor Jahangir's consort, Noorjahan. Exquisitely pretty, Khurram was drawn to her. He saw a piece of glass at her stall and asked its worth. When she saucily replied that it was diamond and not glass he gave her ten thousand rupees (a sum she boldly said he could not afford), picked up the piece of glass and left carryimg with him her image in his mind.
Flamming Passions
The next day Khurram boldly presented his case before the Emperor seeking Arjumand's hand in marriage. The Emperor raised his hand in assent, perhaps recalling his own love for Noorjahan. However, five years were to pass before Khurram was to marry his beloved. Meanwhile, he was married to Quandari Begum, a Persian princess, for political reasons.
A Royal Marriage
The astrologers chose 1612 as auspicious for Khurranb's union with Arjumand. By now he was 20, and she, 19. It was a grand wedding, as befits an Emperor's son. Jahangir and Khurram went in procession, surrounded by nobles, musicians and dancers, acrobats, rare animals in cages, slaves and priests. Jahangir himself adorned Khurram with the wedding wreath of pearls. On the bride, he bestowed great honours.
A Perfect match
Deeply influenced by her aunt, Noorjahan, Arjumand Banu was, unlike her aunt, compassionate, generous and demure. Court poets woud celebrate her beauty saying the moon hid in shame before her. She was inseparable from Khurram and often accompanied him with an entourage when he went to fight wars. In her 19 years of marriage, she bore him 14 children, 7 of whom died in infancy.
Mumtaz Mahal
After Jahangir's death, Khurram became Shah Jahan and Arjumand Banu, Mumtaz Mahal. He built sumptuous palaces for her, for instance, the Khas Mahal in Agra fort. She daily rose in his confidence eventually giving her the royal seal, Muhr Uzah. She continually interceded on behalf of petitioners and gave allowances to widows and orphans. Like many royal ladies, she also had nerves of steel. She is said to have enjoyed the spectacle of men in combat with animals. Shah Jahan is believed to have persecuted the Portuguese at Hooghly at her behest.
Death of a Dream
Mumtaz Mahal died in childbirth in 1630 ib the Deccan where she had gone accompanying Shah Jahan as he went to war with Khan Jahanb Lodi. As she lay on her deathbed, it is said that she whispered to him to build for her a monument that would symbolize the beauty of their love. For a week Shah Jahan remained behind closed doors. When he emerged his hair had turned white, his back was bent, his face worn with despair. The entire kingdom was ordered into mourning for two years.
Tribute to Beauty
As a tribute to a beautiful woman and as a monument to enduring love, the Taj reveals its subtleties at leisure. The rectangular base of Taj is in itself symbolic of the different sides from which to view a beautiful woman. The main gate is like a veil to a woman's face which should be lifted delicately, gently and without haste on the wedding night. Shah Jahan surely had his chaste and exquisite bride in mind when he planned the Taj Mahal.
INFORMATION/SIGHTSEEING
OF AGRA
The city of Taj Mahal was
established in 1475 by Badal Singh. Agra finds mention in the
Mahabharata as Agraban. This city in those days was considered to be
the sister city of Mathura which was more prominent than Agraban. Agra
came into its own when the Lodhi Kings chose this place beside the
Yamuna to be their capital city. Sikander Lodhi made Agra his capital
but Babar defeated the Lodhis to capture not only Agra but also laid
the foundation of the Mughal empire.
The coming of Babar heralded a new era which was to see Agra at its
zenith during the reign of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jahan. It was
during Akbar's period that Agra became the center of art, culture and
commerce and learning. This trend reached its height when Shah Jahan
became the ruler.
In the mid 16th century and earlier 17th century Agra witnessed a
frenzied building activity and it was during this time when the symbol
of love Taj Mahal was built. The buildings made during this era were
purely in the contemporary Mughal style and of very high quality which
is still reflected in what ever monuments remain in Agra.The narrow
lanes of Agra filled with aroma of Mughlai cuisine, the craftsman who
are busy in crating master pieces with their skill all remind of the
Mughal royalty which this city had once experienced. Today whatever
remains, has become a major tourist attraction which has taken Agra
again to the heights of glory but this time as a major tourist
destination of India.
OTHER
ATTRACTIONS NEAR TAJ
MAHAL - AGRA
Agra Red Fort -Agra
Built principally as a military establishment by Akbar in 1565, the
red sandstone Agra fort was partially converted into a palace during
Shah Jahan's time. Though the principle structure was built by Akbar
many more additions were made by his grandsons.
Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb - Agra
This tomb belongs to the father of Nur Jahan, Ghias-ud-Din Beg. He was
the Wajir or the Chief Minister of Emperor Jehangir. This white marble
tomb was built by Nur Jahan between 1622 and 1628. The tomb may not be
as mammoth as the Taj but the inlay designs and carvings are no less
than Taj if not more. The delicate marble latticework in the passages
allows the light to enter the interiors. A similar tomb was built by
Nur Jahan for Jehangir in Lahore. This tomb was the first complete
marble Moghul structure.
Chini-Ka-Rauza - Agra
A tomb of glazed tiles is a memorial dedicated to poet-scholar and
later the Prime Minister of Shah Jahan, Allama Afzel Khal Mullah
Shukrullah of Shiraz.
Jama Masjid Or Jami Masjid - Agra
Built by Shah Jahan in 1648, the main gate of this mosque has
inscription written on it that it was built by Jahanara Begum. She was
the favorite daughter of Shah Jahan and was imprisoned with him. The
absence of minarets and the shape of the dome give sit a distinguished
character.
EXCURSIONS in Agra
Sikandra
Four kilometer from Agra is the mausoleum of Akbar. Construction of
this beautiful monument was started by Akbar himself . This structure
has a perfect blending of Hindu, Christian , Islamic, Buddhist, Jain
motifs.
Mariyam Tomb
This tomb is dedicated to the wife of Akbar. The red sand stone tomb
was built in 1611 and is on the Delhi- Agra highway. The carvings on
the tomb of Mariyam-us-Zamani are worth giving a closer look.
Fatehpur Sikri
37 kms from Agra is built a city predominantly in Red Sandstone called
Fatehpur Sikri. This town was built by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. He
had planned this city as his capital but shortage of water compelled
him to abandon the city and within 20 years the capital of Mughals was
shifted to Lahore. Fatehpur Sikri was built during 1571 and 1585.
Ram Bagh
When Babur came to India he laid the first Mughal gardens 500 m North
of the Chini Ka Rauza. This well laid gardens are not even a fraction
of what they used to be. It will need lots of imagination to picture
how these gardens must have looked in 1558.
Mathura
Krishna, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu was born here. Mathura,
which is one of the major Pilgrimage for the Hindus is 58 Kms from
Agra. It comes before Agra if travelling from Delhi. Today the small
town of Lord Krishna has grown and the place has a population of
almost 3 lakh people.
National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary
The National Chambal Sanctuary, located in Etawah, near Agra is spread
over an area of 635 sq. kms.