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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Welcome to Taj Mahal - Agra


Taj Mahal - pride of India
The Taj Mahal is situated in Agra, India. Taj Mahal is the spectacular mausoleum built by Muslim Mughal Emperor Shah Jajan to honour the memory of his beloved late wife, Ajumand Bano Begum, who is better known as Mumtaz Mahal. A workforce of 20,000 constructed it between 1631 and 1654 AD. The Taj Mahal is generally considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, Indian, Persian and Turkish architecture. The Taj Mahal has achieved special note because of the romance of its inspiration. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar part of the monument, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures


The Garden in Taj Mahal
The complex is set in and around a large charbagh (a formal Mughal garden devided into four parts). The garden has sunken parterres or flowerbeds, water courses, and pools that reflect the Taj Mahal. Each of the four quarters of the garden is divided into 16 flowerbeds by raised pathways. There is a raised marble water tank at the centre of the garden where reflection of Taj Mahal is visible in the tank. Early accounts of the garden describe its profusion of the vegetation, including roses, daffodils, and fruit trees in abundance. As the Mughal Empire declined, the tending of the garden declined as well. When the British took over the management of the Taj Mahal, they changed the landscaping. They made it to resemble the formal lawns of Landon. After they left, the lawns have not been changed.


The Tomb and Dome
The main focus of the Taj Mahal is the white marble tomb. Like most Mughal tombs, the basic elements are Persian in origin: a building with arched entrances, topped by a large dome. In India, especially at the Taj Mahal, this simple idea reached its zenith. The tomb stands on a square plinth. The base structure is a large, multi-chambered structure. The main chamber houses the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz( The actual graves are a level below). The base is essentially a cube with chamfered edges, roughly 55 meters on each side. On the long sides, a massive pishtaq, or vaulted archway frames an arch-shaped doorway, with a similar arch-shaped balcony above. These main arches extend above the roof the building by use of an integrated façade.
The Dome : The marble dome that surmounts the tomb is its most spectacular feature. Its height is about the same size as the base building, about 35 mtr. Its height is accentuated because it sits on a cylindrical “Drum” about 7 mtr. high. The top of the dome is decorated with a lotus design. It serves to accentuate its height.


Present day in Taj Mahal, Agra
Its most recent threats came from environment pollution on the banks of the Yamuna River including acid rain occurring due to the Mathura oil refinery. I think in 2004, The Taj Mahal was claimed to be sunni wakf property, because it is the grave of a women, whose husband Emperor Shah Jahan was sunni. The Indian Government have dismissed claims by the muslim trust to administer the property, saying their claims are baseless and the Taj Mahal is Indian national property.

The Taj Mahal is often described as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Millions of tourists have visited the site- more than five million in 2007. Today, Agra is very developed city. All modern facilities are available here. There are also wide ranges of Hotels available. Taj View Hotel (5 Star), Mughal Sheraton Hotel (5 Star), The Trident Agra (3 Star), Hotel Mansingh (3 star) these are the famous hotel in Agra city & situated nearby Taj Mahal. Cheapest hotel are also available in Agra. Taj Mahal is one of the most popular international attractions in India.

Indian Actress Aishwarya rai at Taj Mahal

Main gate of Taj Mahal - Agra

1 comment:

Unknown said...

The Taj Mahal is generally considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, Indian, Persian and Turkish architecture. The Taj Mahal has achieved special note because of the romance of its inspiration.you ca visit there through bus and You can book Online Bus Ticket also.

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