Taj Mahal - The Construction
Shahjahan purchased a plot of land from Raja Jai Singh on the banks
of Yamuna River for building the Taj Mahal. Raja Jai Singh was also
instructed by Shahjahan to provide a regular supply of special, hard
and non-porous marble from the quarries of Makrana. A 2½-mile (4.02
km) road ramp was built to haul huge pieces of marble to the site of
the construction. Strangely the scaffolding of this magnificent building
was made, not of wood or bamboo, but with bricks. It is probable that
the lack of wood made the architects to make brick scaffoldings.
Though Shahjahan provided the vision behind the entire concept, he was
assisted in his endeavor by a number of architects. The name of the
architect, which is often mentioned during the building of Taj Mahal,
is that of Muhammad Isa Khan, who hailed from Shiraz in Iran. It is
also said that a creative nucleus of 37 people formed the core advisory
group behind this gigantic project. The construction of Taj Mahal commenced
in 1632. Work on the mausoleum started in frenzy with thousands of artisans
and laborers toiling ceaselessly day after day. It is said that Taj
Mahal took 21 years to complete, with the help of an army of 20,000
laborers, who worked under the guidance of Shahjahan. It is also said
that the royal coffers went dry after this project was over.
At the end of the first year of construction the mausoleum had taken
shape and the crypt chamber along with its surrounding works were also
completed. The body of Mumtaz Mahal was ceremoniously interred into
the tomb. Six years of extensive labor saw the main building of the
mausoleum complete and crowned with a majestic guava shaped dome. According
to some historians the major construction of Taj Mahal was completed
in about 10 years time.
Taj Mahal - The Plan
The Taj Mahal is built according to a predefined plan. It is built according
to the Islamic concept of Paradise, where an enormous, shimmering pearl
white dome stands supported by four corner pillars, from which flow
the rivers of grace.
he massive plinth on which the Taj Mahal stands is representative of
the material world, while the octagonal main structure signifies the
transitional phase. Finally the dome is symbolic of being the vault
of the heaven. To complete the illusion of the paradise, the tomb has
been ornamented with splendidly calligraphy of verses from the holy
Koran, in flowing Arabic. An inscription written on the massive front
gateway leading to the gardens in front of the Taj reads, O soul that
art at rest, return to the lord, at peace with Him and He at peace with
you. So enter as one of His servants and enter into His garden.
The Taj is marked by perfect symmetry and harmony, be it the shape of
the four towering minarets; the cupolas (chhatris); the central arch
in the façade; the perfectly arranged arched recesses on both
the story. s; the intricate pietra dura (stone inlay work); the delicate
lattice work on marble windows or the magnificent dome. Even the mosque
and the guesthouse (mehmankhana) are a mirror image of one another.
However, there is one thing, which breaks the perfectly harmonious plan
of the Taj Mahal - its position. Instead of locating the Taj Mahal in
the middle of the Charbagh (four garden plan), Shahjahan built the mausoleum
at the far end of the garden, with the back wall falling straight down
to the bed of Yamuna River.
Tajmahal
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