"You are at peace, Soul. RETURN TO THE LORD IN PEACE, AND HE IN PEACE WITH YOU." Both the south doorway and the main tomb are decorated with Arabic inscriptions in black marble. The black marble text is set inside scroll-like white marble frames that frame the architectural details. The phrase "QUR'AN" and "ALAH MUHAMMAD RAHIMA ANLAHI QURAANI" (May God's peace be upon him) can be seen on the entrance facade of the tomb.
The tomb was built for Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his wife, Empress Mumtaz Mahal. She died in April 1629, just three months before her forty-first birthday. The construction of the tomb began in 1631 and it was completed in 1654. It is believed that more than 20,000 people worked on the project during its five years of construction.
The tomb meets all expectations of a royal mausoleum: it is beautiful, elegant, impressive. But it is also an admonition to living people: "Die without faith, and you will go to hell; believe in God, and he will give you paradise." That is why the inscription on the tomb is not only in English but also in Persian and Hindi. The emperor wanted to make sure that everyone would understand it.
The Taj Mahal's exterior calligraphy was made in jasper or black marble and placed in white marble panels, utilizing a flowery Thuluth script. Whether it's incised painting, calligraphic lettering, carved geometric-style reliefs, or pietra dura inlays, almost every exterior surface has some form of art. The walls surrounding the central courtyard are covered with bands of colored plaster that run from red at the bottom to yellow at the top. Each band contains eight images: four scenes from the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan's life and four symbols meaning "world" or "universe". In the center, looking out over the Yamuna River, stands a statue of him wearing imperial robes and crown.
Art played an important role in Mughal culture. Paintings were made by elite artists who worked for the court. They used various materials such as egg yolk paint, mineral colors, and gold leaf to create images that are now considered masterpieces. Carved ivory, wood, and stone sculptures represented the world of nature, mythology, and religion. In 17th-century India, these arts had a broad audience because they were needed to communicate ideas about government, society, faith, and love. People enjoyed looking at paintings, listening to music, and seeing plays performed on stage. But only a small percentage of Indians could read or write, so teachers taught students through example. Students learned about leadership, morality, and good manners from observing their teachers.
The Taj Mahal garden is a green carpet that runs from the main entrance to the base of the tomb. It is a four-by-four garden known colloquially as the "Charbagh." The word means "comparison" or "contrast" in English; thus, it is a symmetrical array of plants chosen for their contrasting colors and textures.
There are three main types of gardens at the Taj Mahal: fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and herb gardens. The mango tree is the sole fruit tree planted at the Taj Mahal, but it does not bear fruit until about 50 years after it is planted. The other two types of fruit trees grown at the monument during Mughal times include the plum tree and the banana tree. Both of these fruit trees were imported from Europe.
Vegetables were cultivated at the Taj Mahal for use in cooking, while herbs were used for medicinal purposes. The Mughals who lived at the Taj Mahal had connections with India, so seeds from various crops were smuggled into the building every year. These included carrots, cauliflower, radishes, spinach, and tomatoes.
As for flowers, the garden contains examples of almost all major flowering plants, including roses. But the most abundant flower at the Taj Mahal is the jasmine vine, which grows all over India.
According to legend, Shah Jahan intended to build a tomb of black marble over the Yamuna river, with the two monuments joined by a bridge. It was thought that Shah Jahan was deposed by his son Aurangzeb before the structure could be finished. However, in 2018, researchers using underwater drones discovered that the tomb was actually made of limestone and had no connection to the more famous monument.
The location of the discovery has not been disclosed yet, but it's known that it's within the Indian city of Agra. The team of archaeologists hopes to publish their findings soon.
In addition to the Tomb of Shah Jahan, Agra also houses the Agra Fort, which was built by Muhammad bin Tughlaq in 1326. The fort was used as a residence until 1803 when it became the capital of India during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Today, it's considered one of the largest surviving Mughal forts in India.
Also in Agra are the Itimad-ud-Daula mosque and its associated library, which was built by Abdur Rahman Chisti in 1672. He was a religious teacher who lived in northern India and he was known for creating a school where students could learn from experienced teachers rather than professors. The library contains over 20,000 books, many of which are written in Persian or Arabic.
The Taj Mahal's Design and Construction The Taj Mahal, named after Mumtaz Mahal, was built of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones (such as jade, crystal, lapis lazuli, amethyst, and turquoise) to produce elaborate motifs in a technique known as pietra dura. It was designed by the Indian architect Fatai Hasan ezhuth who also designed the Lahore Shalimar Garden and the Baku Carpet Museum. The construction was supervised by Abd al-Qadir Ghiyasuddin, who died during its excavation.
The interior of the Taj Mahal is decorated with marble in different colors and patterns. Pillars made of red sandstone support the central dome which is covered with gold leaf. The walls and ceilings are painted with floral and other motifs in various colors. There are two entrances to the tomb: the north-east entrance which is reached via a long corridor with chandeliers made of solid gold and marble statues of elephants on both sides. The south-west entrance leads to a garden where flowers bloom all year round.
The world's tallest minaret, the Jama Masjid in Delhi, stands over 45 m (147 ft) high. Built in 1672, it is still used for prayer by members of the local Muslim community. The Taj Mahal is considered one of the greatest works of human creativity and was inspired by Sufi saints' graves that use architecture as a means of worship.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 BindleyHardware & Co Inc.
