A Glimpse of the Wonders of India: Taj Mahal:

[The Wonders of India-Taj Mahal]

The Taj of Taj Mahal is located in Agra which is considered as the finest examples of Mughal architecture consisting of elements derived from Persian, Turkish, Indian and Islamic architectural styles. The attraction of Taj Mahal is its marble tomb. The dome is fifty-eight feet in diameter and rises to a height of 215 feet. It was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658), grandson of Akbar the great, in the memory of his beloved queen Mumtaz. It took about 12 years to complete the plinth and the tomb and another 10 years to complete the remaining parts of the complex. A labour force of 20,000 workers was recruited to carry out the work.

My Visit for a Day:

I visited Taj Mahal many times. This time also I came to Delhi on 23^rd December, 2009 for some other works but I could not stop my temptation to go to Agra for a day to visit the Taj. It does not matter how many times you visit the Taj, you will feel to see it again and again. The city is Agra and that becomes well-known world wide because of Taj Mahal. The city is about 205 Km away from Capital, Delhi. Taj Mahal tour is one of the most popular tour in India. It is a symbol of love and all the tourists find it stunning. A tour to Taj Mahal is an unforgettable experience to be remembered forever as the historical monuments leave the travelers spellbound.  The best time to visit Taj Mahal is October to March.

Why does Taj Mahal regarded as one of the eight wonders of the World?

[One of the eight wonders of the World]

The Taj is built in a complex keeping a beautiful garden in front and the river Jamuna at the back. It is the most beautiful monument ever constructed by the Mughals, the Muslim rulers of India that its architectural beauty has never been surpassed. In all, twenty eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the white marble. Its glow of beauty is beyond description, particularly at dawn and sunset. The Taj seems to glow in the light of the full moon as it is built entirely of white marble. When viewed from the opposite side of Jamuna River on a foggy morning, the visitors get the pleasure of seeing a suspended Taj.

[Symbol of Love]

Shah Jahan lost his beloved third wife Mumtaz Mahal in 1631 when he was dipped into the sea of grief. After one year in 1632 he started to construct the monument keeping in mind to keep a symbol of memory of love for the inspiration of eternal love. Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in words as:

[“Should guilty seek asylum here, Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin. Should a sinner make his way to this mansion, All his past sins are to be washed away, The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sights; And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes. In this world this edifice has been made, To display thereby the creator’s glory.”]

[ Taj at Moonlight]:

The visit of Taj Mahal never completes unless the Taj is seen by the moonlight. Generally the entrance to Taj remains open two days before the moonlight and two days later. And the monument remained closed on Fridays even during full moonlights.

The record says- the Taj Mahal was visited annually by 2 to 4 million people and overseas vistors were more than 200,000 people. Most of the visitors prefer to visit in the cooler months of October, November up to February. Recently due to security reasons some restrictions were underlined for all visitors. The complex including the Garden is open from 6am to 7pm weekdays, except Friday when the complex remained open for prayers at the mosque. It is open for night viewing on the day of the full moon and two days before and after excluding Friday and the month of Ramzan. Only few items are permitted to take inside the Taj – such as: Water in transparent bottles, mobile phones, ladies’ purses, Cameras, and small video cameras. It is enjoyable and worthy to visit Taj along with the most beloved one.

[Shah Jahan buried]

The history says - Aurangzeb became the successor of Shah Jahan soon after the completion of Taj Mahal. There occurred battle among brothers. Aurangeb killed one of his brother and occupied the thrown by force and kept Shah Jahan under house arrest at nearby Agra Fort till his death. Shah Jahan used to see Taj Mahal from Agra Fort through power lens remaining in the concealed room. Upon Shah Jahan’s death, Aurangzeb buried him in the mausoleum next to his wife Mumtaz. Shah Jahan’s life left with the memory of Taj Mahal. To day even after four hundred years, the symbol of his love has been remembering by the tourist of the globe paying a visit to Taj Mahal. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became UNESCO world Heritage Site. It was recognized as the “The Jewel of Muslim Art in India”. It is universally admired as one of the masterpiece of the world’s heritage.