Taj Mahal

Let the splendor of the diamond, pearl and ruby vanish like the magic shimmer of the rainbow. Only let this one teardrop, the Taj Mahal, glisten spotlessly bright on the cheek of time... Rabindranath Tagore

Location:
Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra, one of the most powerful cities in the medieval world. Agra is a part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, in the northern region of India. It is a part of the great northern plains and is situated on the west bank of river the Yamuna. Agra is 204 km south of Delhi.

Legendary Saga:
An immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, Arjumand Banu. The Taj Mahal is one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage and the jewel of Muslim art in India. Taj Mahal was constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers. It was completed at a cost of 32 Million Rupees.

Elegy in Marble- Taj Mahal:
Taj Mahal means "Crown Palace" and is in fact the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tomb in the world. The architecture is stunning and the unique mughal style combines elements of Persian, Central Asian, and Islamic architecture. Most impressive are the black and white chessboard marble floor, the four tall minarets (40 m high) at the corners of the structure, and the majestic dome in the middle. If observed minutely around the archways, the lettering of the Quran verses appears to be uniform, regardless of their height.

The impressive pietra dura artwork includes geometric elements, plants and flowers, mostly common in Islamic architecture. There is a high level of intricacy involved in artwork when one realizes that a 3 cm decorative element contains more than 50 inlaid gemstones.

the Taj Mahal is inspired by love and shaped to perfection, it immortalizes one man's love for his wife and the splendor of an era.

Highlights Around the Taj Mahal:

» Agra Fort :-The Agra Fort was bulit by Akbar in Red Sandstone. The fort worked both as a military strategic point as well as the royal residence. The Diwan - i - Am, the Diwan - i - Khas, the Khas Mahal, the Palace of Mirrors, the Pearl mosque, the Nagina Masjid, the Garden of Grapes, and the Fish Pavilion are the other monuments in the fort complex.