Bageecha

The Taj Gardens and the Ingenious Water Devices

THE GARDEN
A green carpet of garden runs from the main gateway to the foot of the Taj. In essence, it is a Persian garden, a from born and nursed to maturity in the desert flat of Persia. Such gardens were introduced to India by Baber, the first mughal emperor, who also brought with him the Persian infatuation with flowers and fruit, birds and leaves, symmetry and delicacy.

Unlike other Oriental gardens - especially those of the Japanese, who learned to accentuate existing resources rather than formalise them - the Persian garden was artificially contrived, unbashedly man-made, based on geometric arrangements of nature without any attempt at a "natural" look. Like Persian gardeners, landscape artists at the Taj attempted to translate the perfection of heaven into terrestrial terms by following certain formulas. In Islam, four is the holiest of all numbers - most arrangements of the Taj are based on that number or its multiples - and the gardens were thus laid out in the quadrate plan. Two marble canals studded with fountains and lined with cypress trees (symbolising death) cross in the centre of the garden dividing it into four equal squares. The mausoleum, instead of occupying the central point (like most mughal mausoleums), stands majestically at the north end just above the river. Each of the four quarters of the garden have again been sub-divided into sixteen flower beds by stone-paved raised pathways. At the centre of the garden, halfway between the tomb and the gateway, stands a raised marble lotus-tank with a cusped and trefoiled border.The tank has been arranged to perfectly reflect the Taj in its waters. A clear, unobstructed view of the mausoleum is available from any spot in the garden. Fountains and solemn rows of cypress trees only adorn the north-south water canal, lest the attention of the viewer would be diverted to the sides !
This shows how carefully the aesthetic effect of the water devices and the garden were calculated. The deep green cypress trees with their slender rising shapes and curving topmost crests are mirrored in the water while between their dark reflections shines the beauty of the immortal Taj.

THE WATER DEVICES
The architect who was fully aware of the unaesthetic appearance of the grotesque pur-ramps and crude conduits, designed a clever system to procure water for the Taj through underground pipes.Water was drawn from the river by a series of purs (manual system of drawing water from a water body using a rope and bucket pulled by bullocks) and was brought through a broad water channel into an oblong storage tank of great dimensions.

It was again raised by a series of thirteen purs worked by bullocks. Except for the ramps, the other features of the whole water system have survived.An over-head water-channel supported on massive arches carried water into another storage tank of still greater dimensions. Water was finally raised by means of fourteen purs and passed into a channel which filled three supply tanks, the last of which had pipe mouths in its eastern wall.
The pipes descended below and after travelling underground crossed into the Taj enclosure. One pipe line runs directly towards the mosque to supply the fountains in the tanks on the red sandstone plinth below the marble structure. Copper pipes were used for separate series of fountains in the north-south canal, lotus pond and the canal around it. An ingenious method was devised to ensure uniform and undiminished water pressure in the fountains, irrespective of the distance and the outflow of water. The fountain pipes were not connected directly with the copper pipes feeding them as this would have resulted in a gradual decrease in the volume and pressure of the water. Instead, a copper pot has been provided under each fountain pipe - which was thus connected to with the water supply only through the pot. Water first fills the pot and then only rises simultaneously in the fountains.

The fountains are thus controlled by pressure in the pots and not pressure in the main pipe. As the pressure in the pots is uniformly distributed all the time, it ensures equal supply of water at the same rate in all the fountains. It is really creditable that the planner spared no efforts - belonging to art, architecture and engineering - to create a perfect production without the slightest weakness, architectural or aesthetic.

The main supply of the water was however obtained through earthenware pipes. One such main was discovered under the bed of the western canal. The pipe is 9" in diameter and has been embedded in masonry at a depth of 5 feet below the level of the paved walk. Evidently, the mughal water expert was a master of his art and successfully worked out the levels in relation to the volume of water to ensure its unobstructed supply for centuries. He anticipated no repair work and therefore made no provision for it; hence the extraordinary depth at which the pipe was sunk. The garden is irrigated by the overflowing of canals. The north-south canal has inlets of water through fountains. The east-west received its water through an interconnection with the north-south canal. Thus the quarters near the canals received an adequate supply of water and could be used for growing flower-plants which would not obscure the general view, while the distant quarters got a smaller supply of water and were suitable only for tall trees .

The Sinking Taj

THE TAJ IS SINKING!!
The architect of the Taj Mahal aimed at giving maximum strength and stability to the tomb and worked out the minutest details with utmost precision : the weight of the entire structure is uniformly distributed, extraordinarily massive piers and vaults were constructed to support this heavy load.

The very best quality of bonding material helped combat the disrupted tensile stress etc.However, in spite of all these precautions and care, dangerous cracks and leakages developed in the substructure just four years after its completion. Aurangzeb in his letter to Shah Jehan in 1652 mentions these cracks. Some defects ere discovered about the same time in the dome. Though thorough repairs were undertaken, the nature of the cracks was not discovered. The cracks were again noticed to have developed to dangerous proportions in 1810. As a result an Advisory Committee on the restoration and conservation of the monument was set up and a survey with reference to the damage was undertaken. Some very important facts resulted from this survey. It was discovered that the plinth of the mausoleum on the northern side (or the riverside) is lower than on the south by 3.5cms. Cracks were not noticed on the exterior wall, but they were definitely present on the second storey vaults of the marble structure and, on a much larger scale, in the underground vaults below the northern side. The long series of cracks in the underground vaults may be due to the crushing of lime on account of the excessive weight, or as seems more probable, this may be due to the sinking of the whole structure towards the riverside!! Such a sinking would shift the load out of balance slowly and gradually and the unequal settlement would crack the weak points, particularly the soffits of the vaults and arches, which is actually happening in the underground chambers. A structure which stands on the edge of water has a natural tendency to move towards the more open side, the higher edge always acting as a strong buttress, thrusting it in the opposite direction. It is the whole mass, and not a part of it, that is gradually sinking. This is what can justifiably be concluded from the available data.

Naqqar Khana

THE REST HOUSE

On the east side of the Taj stands the twin of the Mosque, a parallel structure also made of red sandstone, referred to as the jawab, or "answer". Because it faced away from the Mecca, it was never used for prayer. Its presence there has always been something of an enigma. Was it a caravanserai for pilgrims, or a meeting hall before the faithful gathered before prayer? More plausible is the theory that its purpose was purely architectural, to counterbalance the Mosque and preserve the symmetry of the entire design on the platform.
The jawab is similar to the Mosque. However, it does not contain the accessories which go with a mosque, and, instead of Koranic inscriptions, there are beautiful flower designs and other decoration effectively done in white marble on the red sandstone background. On the floor between the building and the mausoleum there is a full size reproduction of the pinnacle adorning the Taj. This gives some idea of the true proportions (31 ft.) of what from below appears to be a tiny thing.

RAUZA
The Taj Mahal is situated more than 900 ft. (275 m.) away from the entrance at the opposite end of the garden. Towering almost 200 ft. (76m.) in height, the tomb stands on its own marble plinth, which rests on a red sandstone platform that serves to level the land as it slopes to the river. Four tall minarets rise up from the corners of the white marble plinth. They taper to a majestic height of 138 ft. and are crowned with eight windowed cupolas. elegantly accent the central structure, framing the space like the mounting of a jewel.

The marble mausoleum is square in plan with chamfered corners. Each facade of the tomb is composed of a grand iwan framed by bands of calligraphy. The doorways inside these iwans are also adorned with calligraphy. The iwan is flanked on both sides by small double arches one over the other. They are rectangular while the arched alcoves of equal size at the angles of the tomb are semi-octagonal. Each section in the facade is well demarked on both sides by attached pilasters which rising from the plinth level of the tomb rise above the frieze and are crowned by beautiful pinnacles with lotus buds and finials. The pinnacles ornament the superstructure and help along with the other features to break the skyline gracefully.

The Taj Mahal is entered through the portal on the south side. Inside, two stories of eight rooms (four rectangular rooms on the sides and four octagonal small rooms at the corners) surround a central chamber. These rooms were originally used for the mullahs to chant the Koran and for Musicians who played soft Indians and Persian melodies. In this nine part plan, the visitor can circumambulate through the subsidiary rooms on each floor since they are interconnected. The central chamber is octagonal, and in the centre is the tomb of the queen and to one side is the casket of the emperor. The hall is 80 ft. high from the pavement to the soffit of the interior dome. This makes sound echo. A bulbous white double-dome majestically crowns the Taj. The huge dome emphasises the monumentality of the structure as its pear shaped form sits on a tall drum.

The height from the base of the drum to the top of the finial is almost 145 ft. (44 m.). The double domes fulfils various purposes. Besides providing a suitable and proportionate ceiling to the interior hall, it enabled the builder to raise the height of the outer dome as much as he desired in order to present a lofty and imposing effect. The space within the two domes is hollow and the inner cell reduces the weight of the dome. Four small kiosks clustered around the dome reduce the severity of the vertical emphasis.

Ornamentation of Taj

ORNAMENTATION
The domed mausoleum can seem deceptively simple since on first sight its white marble form appears to be a matchless example of purity and simplicity. But as one moves closer, the Taj Mahal's elaborate design reveals itself. While individual elements such as the refined inlays and myriad surface details are testimony to the fine quality of this monument, it is the superb manner in which all the elements are harmonised that most clearly reveals the great complexity of its creation. An often repeated nineteenth century characterisation of the monument is that "it was built by Titans, finished by jewellers."
The major modes of ornamentation found on the monument are

PIETRA DURA INLAY
The technique known as pietra dura, whereby thin sections of precisely carved hard and semi-hard gemstones are laid in sockets specially prepared in the surface of marble, is another mode of ornamentation prominently featured on the Taj Mahal. Here, the pietra dura inlay is wrought into the form of arabesque floral tendrils which meander over the surface of the white marble in a lyrical and graceful pattern that transcends its inherently restrictive symmetry.

The use of pietra dura in India has become a matter of great controversy for years. Some have claimed that it was derived from Florentine traditions, others that it developed independently in India. Recently, it has been cogently argued that the technique was indeed Italian in origin, but that it was modified by Indian traditions of craftsmanship. The argument hinges on the recognition of the difference between two related types of inlay. Although conventional stone inlay had been known in India for a long time (stages of indigenous development from the Ranpur temple to the tomb of Akbar are perfectly clear), the practice of pietra dura, which involves inlaying stones of extreme hardness, has in every instance of its development been traced back to an Italian source, and it is quite likely that European craftsmen taught it to the Mughal artists. There is no doubt that the Mughal sovereigns freely entertained artists from Europe.

Both stone inlay and hardstone inlay are found in the tomb of Itimad-ud-daula and his wife at Agra, built between 1622 and 1628. But it was in the earliest projects of Shah Jehan's reign that the pietra dura work was fully perfected and then adopted as an important means of decoration - perhaps the ideal one to be employed at the court of an emperor who would appreciate both the high level of skill entailed by the process and the jewel-like qualities realised in its finest products.

FLOEWRS
Flowers have long been important in Islamic cultures, where they were generally seen as symbols of the divine realm. The Mughals had maintained a special interest in flowers since the days of Babur, who was an avid garden-builder.

Shah Jehan's father Jehangir had been quite fascinated with nature, and his passion for flowers is well documented by his memoirs. Shah Jehan seems to have shared this interest. Jehangir seems to have been the catalyst in the introduction of naturalistic plants into Mughal paintings, which were inspired by engravings in European herbal books that had been brought into India by foreign visitors. But it was in the time of Shah Jehan that Indian artists refined such depictions, transforming them into the hallmark of the Mughal decorative style. The Taj Mahal reveals that the importance of floral motifs in an architectural context was established early in the emperor's reign.

HARD STONE CARVING
A long tradition of hardstone carving existed in India and the Islamic courts of Iran and Central Asia. The Mughals incorporated this art form into their architectural programs and corpus of decorative objects in the early seventeenth century. Although the technique of carving white marble as a building material was first utilised during the reign of Jehangir and jade luxury items were fashioned even earlier, it was not until the reign of Shah Jehan that hardstone carving achieved its full artistic expression. The Taj Mahal displays exquisitely carved modelled floral sprays sculpted in shallow relief in white marble. The superb quality of the sculpted flowers on the mausoleum can be attributed to the ancient tradition of stone carving in India. These reliefs, however, are also indebted to European sources for their more naturalistic forms. Besides its architectural role, hardstone carving was also used to create decorative objects and vessels.

CALLIGRAPHY
The inscriptions at the Taj Mahal have been judiciously selected and artistically inscribed over the main gateway, in the Mosque and the tomb proper, in panels around the arched portals, alcoves and the niches. They are chiefly verses from the Koran, which is considered by Muslims to be the word of God as revealed to Mohammed. While inlaying this calligraphy, Shah Jehan's calligraphers have performed an amazing optical trick : the size of the lettering that runs up and over the arch appears to be consistent from top to bottom. This illusion was created by gradually heightening the size of the letters as their distance from the eye increased; from the ground the dimensions seem the same at every point.

The South Gateway which is the main entrance has, along its front and sides, the whole chapter 'Walfazr' (The Daybreak) (Sura-89, containing 30 verses), chapter 'Wad-duha' (The Glorious Morning Light) (Sura-93, containing 11 verses), chapter 'Wat-tin' (The Fig) (Sura-95, containing 8 verses), and chapter 'Alam-nashrah' (Have We Not Opened) (Sura-94, containing 8 verses).
Inside the Mosque have been inscribed fifteen verses of Sura-91, entitled 'Wash-Shams' (The Sun) and four of Sura-112 entitled 'Sura Ikhlas' (The Declaration of Gods Unity).
The portals (iwans) of the main tomb are adorned with the text of Sura-36 entitled 'Ya-Sin' (containing 83 verses). Arched niches inside the portals have verses from Sura-81 entitled 'Izash-Shamso Kuvvirat' (The Folding Up), Sura-82 entitled 'Izas-Samaun Fatarat' (The Cleaving in Sunder), Sura-84 entitled 'Iz-as-Samaun Shaqqat' (The Rending in Sunder) and Sura-98 entitled 'Lam-Yankonil Kafaroo' (The Evidence). In the mortuary hall, around the frieze and arched niches are inscribed verses from Sura-67 entitled 'Mulk' (Dominion), Sura-48 entitled 'Fath' (Victory), Sura-77 entitiled 'Mursalat' (Those Sent Forth) and Sura-39 entitled 'Zumar' (The Crowds).

Besides these Koranic verses, Persian inscriptions are found inlaid in between beautiful stylised floral patterns on the tombstones and the cenotaphs in the lower and upper hall respectively.

They are epitaphs :
1. The one's on Mumtaz's cenotaph are : o on the south side of Mumtaz's cenotaph (Upper Hall) - "Here lies Arjumand Bano Begum called Mumtaz Mahal who died in 1040 Hijri A.D. 1630)" o at the head of the tomb is the line - "He is the everlasting : He is sufficient;" and the following line from the Koran - "God is He, besides whom there is no God. He knoweth what is concealed and what is manifest. He is merciful and compassionate." On one side of it - "Nearer unto God are those who say 'Our Lord is God.'

2. The inscription on the tomb of Shah Jehan is as follows :
" The illustrious sepulchre and sacred resting place of His Most Exalted Majesty dignified as the guardian of Paradise, having his abode in Paradise, and his dwelling in the starry heaven, inhabitant of the regions of bliss, the second lord of the Qiran, Shah Jehan, the king valiant. May his tomb ever flourish, and may his abode be in the heavens. He travelled from this transitory world to the world of eternity on the night of the 28th of the month of Rajab, 1666 A.D."

INCISED PAINTINGS
In this technique, a thin layer of colour pigment (hirmich red earth) is laid over the white (safeda white lead) plaster surface. A floral or conventional design is then drawn on the colour surface, according to which the colour surface is scrapped off, thus exposing the white plaster underneath, now seen only through the scrapped off design. It is thus 'incised painting'. The most developed stage of this technique is found at the Taj Mahal, in the mosque and its jawab (the rest house), distributed in highly stylised patterns along their whole interiors, from dados to the ceilings. Here again, two colours have been used, a hirmichi red on a white background which is allowed to show magnificently through the scrapped off leaves, flowers and the outlines. The tiny curves of white thus blossom exuberantly on a red ground - portions of the background have thus artistically been brought to the foreground and the foreground recedes into background!
The exterior of the Taj Mahal is a seemingly perfect balance of ornamented and unadorned surfaces. The techniques of this decoration and the motifs used are characteristic not only of Shah Jehan's architectural projects, but also of the other arts that flourished during his reign. Intricate floral and geometric inlays, profuse surface detailing by reliefs, and the exquisitely rendered calligraphic panels are all indicative of the great attention lavished on the building. Although geometric patterns appear, such as the ripple pattern inlaid in the terrace floor, floral designs are the dominant decorative motifs. As on the monumental gateway, inlays of floral arabesques embellish the spandrels of the arches, while elegant floral sprays sculpted in high relief appear on the dado of the exterior walls. Prominent calligraphic panels of black marble frame the iwans on each facade of the tomb. The doorways inside these iwans are also adorned with calligraphy.

The Taj Mahal is entered through the large portal on its south side. The eight sides of the octagonal central chamber are outlined with bands of inlaid calligraphy - passages from the Koran - and meticulously sculpted flowers framed by borders of delicate inlay appear on the dado. These flowers emerge from vases, where as most of those on the exterior walls of the mausoleum take the form of a single plant emerging from a small mound. Flowers, especially those in vases, are well-known Islamic symbols of the bounty promised to the faithful in paradise. Moreover, the reliefs inside the Taj Mahal are unusual, as the vases are placed on small mounds. This distinctive treatment may have been due to the desire to define its inner rooms in a special way.

In the centre of the main chamber stands an octagonal screen of marble more than six feet in height. When the tomb was being constructed, a gold screen was placed around the cenotaph of Mumtaz. In 1643, the court histories record that Shah Jehan ordered this be replaced by a marble screen in order to deter vandals. Inside the screen two cenotaphs stand above the remains of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jehan, who upon his death in 1666 was buried beside his long-dead wife in the crypt below. As is customary in Islamic practice, they are oriented longitudinally north to south with their faces towards Mecca. Her cenotaph is in the centre, while her emperor's is to her right on the west side of the enclosure.

Pietra dura inlay work covers the marble surface of the screen and the cenotaphs in the form of graceful flowers, delicate arabesques, and superb calligraphy. Although obviously made much later, the designs on Shah Jehan's cenotaph are quite similar to those on Mumtaz's except that the calligraphy on hers includes verses from the Koran.

In the subsidiary chambers on both levels, delicately carved screens, now fitted with panes of milky glass, emit diffused light, subtly altering the atmosphere of the interior. The filtered light imparts a mysterious, ethereal quality to the interior and, as it changes throughout the day, it becomes almost a palpable entity, a symbol of divine presence which could never be figured.

Introduction to Mugal Dynasty

Babur

Although Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire, ruled only for four brief years, he left his impress on all that was to follow. His love for nature led him to create gardens of great beauty on the formal charbagh (four quarters) plan. His Arambagh in Agra set the pattern for the gardens which became an intrinsic part of every Mughal fort, palace and tomb in the centuries that followed.

Humayun
Babur's son Humayun succeeded him in 1530, but was defeated by Sher Shah, an Afghan who ruled north India for 15 years, in 1540. Humayun only just managed to regain his father's territories before his death and the accession of his 13 year old son, Akbar, whose 49 year reign laid the foundation of empire, and the development of a new style of architecture.

Akbar
Humayun's son Akbar, who reigned from 1556 to 1605, decisively defeated the Afghans and firmly established Mughal supremacy in northern India. One of India's greatest rulers, he extended a sound administrative system, and won the loyalty of his Hindu subjects by abolishing the personal tax on them and by appointing them to high civil and military posts. Akbar was receptive to all creeds and doctrines, and he tried to found an eclectic religion.

Nine years after he became emperor, Akbar, ordered the construction of a fort beside the river Yamuna in what is now called Agra. The construction proceeded at a hectic pace and within eight years, most of the five hundred buildings within the fort were complete. By the time he was 26 years old, Akbar had power, prestige and great wealth, but despite a large number of wives, he had no heir. A mystic, by the name of Salim Chisti prophesised that the emperor would have not one but three sons. When the prophesy came true, Akbar decided to build a new capital city (Fatehpur Sikri) on the rocky ridge outside Agra upon which Salim Chisti had his hermitage, using the red sandstone of the ridge itself. Fatehpur Sikri consists of a number of highly individual structures united by the unvarying use of red sandstone and the intricate ornamentation that characterises them. Akbar employed local masons and craftsmen and allowed them the freedom to use their traditional skills to create a style which has been called Akbari.

At the summit of the ridge, Emperor Akbar built an enormous congregational mosque, the Jami Masjid. Later, he added a massive triumphal gate, called the Buland Darwaza at the southern entrance to the mosque. The dominant, aggressive dimensions of the Buland Darwaza provide a perfect foil to the other addition to the mosque; the single storeyed, daintily decorated tomb built for Salim Chisti. Akbar's own palace was a double storeyed structure located behind a pool of water. Spectacular accompanying buildings include the Turkish Sultana Begum's palace, the Diwan-i-khas, the Panch Mahal, the Hawa Mahal, Mariam's palace and Birbal's house. The entire palace complex is adorned with exquisite carvings, lattice and pierced stone screens, wall paintings, canopied roofs, carved brackets and pilasters.

Akbar chose the site for his own tomb himself, at a place called Sikandra, near Agra. Sikandra, in a sense, marks the transition between the strong, square, earthbound buildings that characterise the Akbari style and the delicate airy marble structures that Shah Jehan built two generations later. The beginning of inlay work that was so much a part of Shah Jehan's buildings are visible at Sikandra in the bold patterns that decorate the gateway.

Jehangir
Thanks to Akbar's organising genius, the Mughal administration functioned well under his son Jehangir from 1605 to 1627. There was not a great deal of architectural activity during Jehangir's reign, with one exception. This was the tomb Jehangir and his wife Nur Jahan built for Nur Jahan's father, Itimad-ud-Daulah, who was Jehangir's most important courtier. While the structure itself is fairly simple, the manner in which it has been carved and inlaid with semi-precious stones demonstrates the mastery over this craft which was to find such perfect expression in the Taj Mahal. Lapis lazuli, onyx, jasper, topaz, and carnelian have been combined with marble of various hues to create designs of unsurpassed elegance, interspread with finely carved screens.

Shah Jehan
Jehangir's son and successor, Shah Jehan ruled from 1628 to 1658. He was a great patrons of the arts, and Mughal painting and architecture, blending Persian and Indian traditions, reached their zenith at this time. With the accession of Shah Jehan to the throne, came a flowering of architecture both in Agra and Delhi. The profusion of white marble buildings raised during the period of Shah Jehan, led one scholar to characterise it as the reign of marble. Red sandstone and brick remained major building materials, but the use of marble is expressive of the very high standards of elegance and luxury thatgoverned all aspects of an architectural project throughout Shah Jehan's reign.
The innovations seen in the buildings created during Shah Jehan's reign are striking demonstrations of the effect of particular aesthetic and political concerns. In addition to a greater use of marble, which was a textural quality quite distinct from the red sandstone favoured by his predecessors, there was refinement of the architectural vocabulary. Among specific changes were the introduction of cusped arches and of pillars with tapering shafts and baluster detailing. Many developments can be directly related to a desire to articulate more forcefully paradisiacal and imperial theme, drawing on sources that included European motifs.

Shah Jehan had many earlier structures in the Agra Fort dismantled in order to make room for his own marble pavilions. It seems that immediately upon his accession in 1628, Shah Jehan ordered palace additions to the existing forts at Agra and Lahore. The most notable complex of white marble palace structures is situated on the eastern edge of the fortified walls built by Akbar bordering the Yamuna river. Among these is Muthamman Burg (Jasmine Tower), built at a point where the main north-south wall of the fort takes a turn towards the east. The octagonal room, which offers an exceptional view of the Taj Mahal, is supposed to be the place where Shah Jehan died in 1666. The Muthamman Burg is connected with a series of other marble pavilions forming the east side of a large courtyard that once contained a garden. Only the structure and not the flora survives today. To the north of the palace quarters bordering the garden are additional rooms including the Hall of Private Audience, which is a marble pillared hall decorated with profuse inlay. The Shish mahal which is located close to the royal apartments, has hundreds of small mirrors embedded in stucco decorations, in intricate floral and geometrical designs. Some distance away is the magnificent Moti Masjid, the Pearl Mosque built at an elevation so that its ethereal domes and kiosks are visible above the walls of the fort.

Auranszeb
Shah Jehan's son Aurangzeb was the last Great Mughal. Reigning from 1658 to 1707, he was a stern puritan and a religious bigot who sought to impose orthodox Islam on all of India. He dismissed Hindus from public service, reimposed tax on them, and destroyed their temples. Aurangzeb spent the latter half of the reign trying to conquer southern India. Although he brought the Mughal Empire to its greatest extent, his wars helped weld the Marathas into a powerful enemy and exhausted imperial resources.

Although patronage declined after the reign of Shah Jehan, elaborate architectural projects were undertaken for later Mughal rulers. The Badshahi Mosque in Lahore and the Pearl Mosque in the Delhi fort are but two examples built for Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb chose to be buried in a simple open-air grave, but the tomb of his wife (Bibi-ka-Maqbara) at Aurangabad, is quite elaborate. Although small, the Pearl Mosque in particular, represents a continuation not only of the architectural vocabulary established during the reign of Shah Jehan but also of the use of expensive building materials such as white marble, though the elongated shape of domes and arches signals a change in taste.
Soon after Aurangzeb's death the empire broke up. The 19th. and last Mughal ruler, Bahadur Shah II was deposed by the British in 1858.

Masjid

THE MOSQUE
On either side of the Taj Mahal are buildings of red sandstone. The one to the west is a Mosque. It faces towards Mecca and is used for prayer. Before we have a look at the mosque, let us take note of a small stone enclosure along the western boundary wall where the well of the Mosque is located. This greenery shaded structure, measuring 19 ft. by 6.5 ft. marks the site where the remains of Mumtaz Mahal were deposited when first brought to Agra. From this temporary grave they were removed to their present place of internment in the mausoleum.

On the outside the Mosque has pietra dura work twining across its spandrels. The platform in front of the Mosque is of red sandstone. A highly polished small marble piece is so fitted that it serves as a mirror and one can see the mausoleum reflected in it. The floor is of material which is exceedingly fine and sparkling and appears velvet red in shade.

On that 539 prayer carpets have been neatly marked out with black marble. All over there is exquisite calligraphy and the name Allah and quotations from scriptures inscribed. The ceiling is painted in a strange, hypnotic design. The roof supports four octagonal towers and three elegant domes.

On either side of the Mosque, to the north and south, and set along and upon the enclosure wall, there are two towers.

Crown of the Taj

Historical Significance of the Taj Mahal

Who built the Taj Mahal? For whom? When? Where is it located...

In 1612, Arjumand Banu Begam, better known by her other name , Mumtaz Mahal was married to Shah Jehan (then Prince Khurram), the fifth mughal emperor. This marriage, although the emperor's second, was a real love-match, and Mumtaz was her husband's inseparable companion on all his journeys and military expeditions. She was his comrade, his counsellor, and inspired him to acts of charity and benevolence towards the weak and the needy.

She bore him fourteen children, and died in childbed in 1630 (only three years after his accession to the throne) in Burhanpur in the Deccan where she had accompanied him on a military campaign. Overpowered by grief, Shah Jehan was determined to perpetuate her memory for immortality and decided to build his beloved wife the finest sepulchre ever - a monument of eternal love. It was Shah Jehan's everlasting love for Mumtaz that led to the genesis of the Taj Mahal.

The sad circumstances which attended the early death of the empress who had endeared herself to the people inspired all his subjects to join in the emperor's pious intentions. After twenty-two laborious years, and the combined effort of over twenty thousand workmen and master craftsmen, the complex was finally completed in 1648 on the banks on the river Yamuna in Agra, the capital of mughal monarchs.

The origin of the name the "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 (Exalted One of the Palace).

The Aesthetics

Besides the miraculous architectural features and the elaborate ornamentation of the Taj Mahal, many additional features, which can often be overlooked, help complement and enhance this spectacular monument.

BACKGROUND:

Unlike other Mughal tombs, the garden of the Taj Mahal has been laid out entirely in front of the tomb and does not play any part in the 'background'. Instead, the background has been provided by the sky. This background is not constant; it changes its colour and texture more than often, and the Taj is always presented in a variety of tints and moods. Its shades are subtly reflected on the white marble surface of the Taj Mahal which changes its colour and complexion accordingly.

MARBLE:
The Makrana marble used is of such a nature that it takes on incredibly subtle variations of tint and tone, according to the changes in the light, thus picturing the passing colour of the moment. Forms and lines : The composition of the forms and lines of the Taj Mahal is perfectly symmetrical. Here we meet with a beautiful admixture of lines, horizontal with vertical, and straight with curved - all harmoniously set together in the total unity. They adopt each other with amazing uniformity. The combination is entirely rhythmic and melodic. Especially the semi-octagonal alcoves at the chamfered angles which are perceptible from every perspective view and give a 3-dimensional appearance from the outset. They emphasise the diagonal lines and suggest depth.

SOLIDS AND VOIDS:
The great depth has also been further suggested by the double arches, one over the other, on each side of the central portal. The solids and voids have very judiciously been distributed to provide a variety, yet an undiminished uniformity. These alcoves, the balconies in each minaret, the chhatris near the dome, and certain pronounced projections in each facade allow a beautiful play of light and shadow.

SOARING EFFECT:
The colossal height of the tomb, along with its pyramidal appearance (which is obtained by the receding plinths, the square tomb and the bulbous dome, along with the pilasters surmounted by pinnacles, the tapering minarets and the decreasing volume of the dome culminating in a kalasa) give it a soaring effect. It appears as if it is about to rise into the sky...an ethereal quality full of lightness and grace

CORRECTION OF ILLUSIONARY EFFECTS:
The indigenous builders of the Taj Mahal fully understood the deceptive nature of the human eye. They knew that the reality and its perception and interpretation thereof differed. The plinth of the main tomb is 2'10'' high on an average. But the height varies at different places, particularly the central point between two piers being in each case 0.5" to 0.7" higher than the sides. This convexity has deliberately been given to the plinth in the centre of each arch, or else the building would have appeared as if it were falling down! The facades are not exactly at a right angle with the plinth, but are slightly inclined. The finial is a stupendous crowning feature which measures nearly 10 meters!! The architect fully anticipated the apparent size which a finial would present from such a great height. It has therefore been very ingeniously been planned. These features of construction demonstrate the ability of the Indian architects to reconcile the illusionary effects created by distance and light.

FLUTED PILASTERS:
Sections in each facade have been demarcated by semi-octagonal pilasters that rise from the plinth of the main tomb. They have chevron patterns inlaid with black and yellow marble horizontally along their whole height. They appear to be fluted on each side though, as a matter of fact, there is no real fluting at all. They create a beautiful illusionary effect which the architect has very skilfully manipulated.

UNIFORM SIZE OF CALLIGRAPHIC CHARECTERS:
The letter of the inscription around archways at the Taj Mahal, are generally supposed to become larger and larger above. On closer scrutiny, however, they are found to be of uniform size. Instead, the letters have been inscribed densely at the bottom, with little plain surface in between; the inscription becomes more and more sparse as it rises with more plain surface in between the letters. The diminution of the plain surfaces has been accurately calculated. Thus, the optical perspective of the letters has been reconciled, and unmistakable uniformity is obtained.

The Magestic Taj

India's noble tribute to the grace of Indian womanhood

To people the world over, the Taj Mahal, mausoleum of the mughal Empress Mumtaz Mahal, is synonymous with India. Its curving, gently swelling dome and the square base upon which its rests so lightly is a familiar image from hundreds of brochures and travel books. The Taj is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular buildings of the world. Renowned for its architectural magnificence and aesthetic beauty, it counts among man's proudest creations and is invariably included in the list of the world's foremost wonders. As a tomb, it has no match upon earth, for mortal remains have never been housed in greater grandeur.

MUGAL AGRA

who were the Mughals? What other monuments did they build? It is generally overlooked that the mausoleum, huge itself, is not an isolated building but it is a part of a vast complex comprising of a main gateway, an elaborate garden, a mosque and a prayer house, outer enclosures and enclosing walls. The exterior of the Taj Mahal is a seemingly perfect balance of ornamented and unadorned surfaces.The technique of this decoration and the motifs used are characteristic not only of shah jehan's architectural projects,but also of the other arts that flourished during his reign.Intricate floraland geometry inlaysprofuse surface detailing by reliefs,and the exquisitely rendered calligraphic panels are all indicative of the great attentiomlavished on the building.

The Taj Mahal is entered through the large portal on its south side.Tha eight side of the octagonal central chamber are outlines with bands of inlaid calligraphy - passages from the Koran - and meticulously sculpted flowers framed by borders of delicate inlayappears on the dado.
Shah Jehan travelled from the fort to the tomb by boat. Court histories describe his arrival on the river side of the monument and his ascent to its terrace by way of the embankment. This approach, however, was reserved for the emperor and members of his party. Others passed through a large courtyard, a jilokhana to enter the main gateway on the south. This courtyard was a place where travellers halted. Here, also, the poor were provided with food and shelter, and on the anniversary day vast sums were distributed in charity from the funds with which the Taj was endowed.

PURPOSE
In this courtyard stand the main gateway to the Taj and its gardens, a massive portal that opens to the south. Detached gateways were long a traditional feature of Muslim architecture and could be found fronting tombs and mosques throughout the East. Symbolically to the Muslim, such an entrance way was the gate to paradise. Metaphysically, it represented the transition point between the outer world of the senses and the inner world of the spirit.

STRUCTURE
Made of red sandstone, this 150 ft. wide and nearly 100 ft. high, gateway consists of a lofty central arch with double storeyed wings on either side. Octagonal towers are attached to its corners which are surmounted by broad impressive open domed kiosks. The most important feature of the gateway however is the introduction of a series of eleven attached chhatris (umbrellas) with marble cupolas, flanked by pinnacles, above the central portal on the north and south sides.

A heavy door at the base is made from eight different metals and studded with knobs. Inside are countless rooms with hallways that wind and divide in such apparent abandon that they seem intentionally built to confuse; perhaps they were, for they have remained unused for three centuries and their purpose has long confounded the experts. Within the archway of this majestic entrance, there is a large chamber with a vaulted roof.