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The Taj Mahal -
An Emperor's Lament
Agra is the city of the Taj Mahal. It
is a sublime experience of the greatest love story
ever told. Today India's most fascinating and
beautiful masterpiece, this perfectly symmetrical
edifice is set amidst landscaped gardens on the
banks of the Yamuna river. The Taj was built by the
Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife,
Mumtaz Mahal. After her untimely death, Shah Jahan
had her mortal remains buried in this mausoleum. And
after his own demise he was placed to rest next to
his beloved queen in the same mausoleum. Under the
dome, below the ground level, in a dimly lit
chamber, lie the mortal remains of Shahjahan and his
beloved queen Mumtaz, reminding the world of their
undying love.
Planning and construction for the Taj started in
1634 and continued for over two decades. The Taj has
been constructed on a 313 square feet marble
platform that stands above a sandstone one. The tomb
is encased in pure white marble brought in from
Makrana (in Rajasthan) and Persia (present day
Iran). The walls are decorated with flawless
sculptures and inlaid design of flowers and
calligraphy cut from precious gems. The dome is made
of white marble, but the tomb is set against the
plain across the river and it is this background
that works its magic of colors that, through their
reflection, change the view of the Taj. The Taj is
most alluring in the relative quiet of early
morning, shrouded in mists and the color changes
from soft yellow to pearly cream and dazzling white;
it is well worth a visit at different times.
The Taj has been a visual delight for viewers over
the ages. The monument looks its best on clear full
moon nights. It looks its spectacular best in the
full moon nights of October, when the skies are
clear and the Taj is bathed in the off-white
moonlight. However, it is a delight even in the
radiance of dawn and the orange glow of sunset. The
Taj in all its timeless beauty is still the
inspiration of poets and painters, writers and
photographers.
The Taj remains closed for visitors on
Friday
Fatehpur Sikri - The City of Victory
37 kms from the city of Agra,
stands Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar’s capital. Full credit
goes to the Archeological Survey of India for this
perfectly preserved example of a Mughal city at the
height of the empire’s splendour. It is an
attraction no visitor to Agra should miss. This
sprawling structure is made of red sandstone and
combines both Hindu and Mughal architecture.This
walled city contains the mausoleum of the Sufi
fakir, Saleem Chisti who is said to have granted
Akbar and his Hindu queen Jodhabai their wish for a
son. The main entrance to Fatehpur Sikri is through
the 175 feet Buland Darwaza, the highest gateway in
the world. It was built by Akbar to commemorate his
victory over Khandesh in Gujarat.
The Panch Mahal ia a five-storeyed tower, the
highest point in Fatehpur Sikri. This extremely airy
tower is supposed to have been used by one of the
emperor's many queens.
Open: Sunrise to Sunset.
Agra Fort - Architectural wonder in stone.
Within a radius of 3
kilometers, on the banks of the river Yamuna, rises
the crescent like Agra Fort. Designed and built by
Akbar in 1565 A.D., the fort is surrounded by a 70
feet high wall. It houses the beautiful Pearl Mosque
and numerous palaces including the Jahangir Mahal,
Diwan-i-Khas, Diwan-i-Am and Moti Masjid. Later it
was used by his son Jehangir also as the seat of
power. Shahjahan modeled his creation, the Red Fort
at Delhi on this fort. The Agra fort happens to be
on the same bank of the river Yamuna as the Taj
Mahal which is visible in all its beauty from one
side of the fort. So very ironically, Shahjahan, a
prisoner of his son Aurangzeb in his old age was put
in a cell from where he could gaze at the Taj Mahal
at a distance, from his cell in the Agra Fort.
The fort has four gates and is enclosed by a double
barricaded wall of red sand stone. Many buildings
were constructed within the fort of which very few
remain till date. One of the most significant ones
is the multi storied Jahangir Mahal built by Akbar
for his wife Jodha Bai.
The Mahal is reached through an impressive gateway
and its inner courtyard consists of beautiful halls,
profuse carvings on stone, exquisitely carved heavy
brackets, piers and cross beams.
Open: 7 A.M. to 6 P.M.
Sikandra
Sikandra, 10 kms north west of Agra, is the final
resting place of Emperor Akbar. The Tomb of Akbar
shows an interesting fusion of Hindu and Mughal
architecture reflecting the spirit of the Mughal
Emperor Akbar. Akbar began the construction of his
own garden mausoleum during his lifetime, a red
sandstone structure in a char-bagh meaning 4-square
formal garden.
Itmad-ul-Daulah's Tomb
This tomb was erected by Nur Jahan in sweet memory of her father Ghiasud-Din-Beg
between 1622-1628 A.D. This white marble structure of the pre-Taj era though
smaller is often considered equal if not better to the great one itself.
Chini Ka Rauza
Reputed to be an Afzal Khan creation, a high official in the court of
Shahjahan, Chini Ka Rauza is decorated by glazed tiles on the facade. It
depicts the Persian influence on Mughal architecture.
Ram Bagh
It was created by Emperor Babar and is one of the earliest Mughal gardens.
Soami Bagh / Dayal Bagh
15 km from Agra, Soamibagh houses the samadhi of the founder
of Radha Swami faith, 'Swamiji Maharaj'. The main structure is a majestic
building, 110 feet in height, built of pure white marble. The most
impressive features of the samadhi are the detailed and exquisite carvings
on the walls, arches and pillar capitals. The belief here is that
construction work should never end, making it into a living monument, for
work is going on incessantly since 1904.
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