Taj Mahal

A Tryst With The Eternal Love
Standing with grandeur and elegance on the Banks of River Yamuna, Taj Mahal is an eternal tribute to one of the greatest love stories ever. Built by Shahjahan for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, this white wonder of the architectural world is situated in the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh state. The real beauty of Taj Mahal is that it exhibits different facets during different times of the day. Take a look at it with the rising sun and it will set a completely different mood than what it did when you saw it under the full moon light.

Taj Mahal is one of the most admired and cared for monument in the world. It was recognized as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983. It was also chosen among the Seven Wonder of the World. Recently, it again made headlines when it retained its position among the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Little Known Facts About Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal is the result of undying love that Shah Jahan had for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. After the death of Mumtaz Mahal in 1631, Shahjahan set out to build a mausoleum for her that would be an epitome of the bond between them. It took more than 20,000 workers and twenty two years to complete a dream called Taj Mahal. Once it was completed, it stood true to the promise of Shahjahan to Mumtaz that he will fulfill her wish to built a mausoleum for her such as the world has never seen before.

The Magic With Marbles
With the exception of the gardens built around Taj Mahal, the structure of Taj Mahal has net been altered a single bit. No compromises were done by Shahjahan in making this a truly a wonder in all senses. The Taj Mahal, built entirely of white marble, uses an architectural design known as interlocking arabesque. Every part of the building can stand on its own and integrate with the main structure; a technique that was unheard of in those days anywhere in the world.

The material used for the construction was brought to agra from all over India and Central Asia. Red Sandstone were brought Fatehpur Sikri, sapphire from Sri Lanka, jade and crystal from China, Jasper from Punjab and comelian from Arabia. It is said that more than thousand elephants were used to transport the material to the site.

The central dome, called the Taj, is 58 feet in diameter and 213 feet high. The marble walls inside the dome are covered with intricate mosaic patterns and precious stones. Within the dome lies the jewel-inlaid tomb of the queen. You will notice colouring on the borders of the arches, For this absolutely natural colours were used. After completion of Taj Mahal, not even once have been these colours touched.

On all four sides of the main dome, there are minars that are built in such a way that if an earthquake strikes, they will fall away from the central dome and not on it. The main archways are chiselled with verses from the Holy Quran. The mausoleum is part of a vast complex with a main gateway, garden, mosque, guest-house and several other palatial buildings.

Touch of Festive Taj Mahotsav
Such is the beauty of Taj Mahal that it does not matter which time of the year you are visiting it; however if you want to add an extra edge to your visit, make sure you come to Agra during the time of Taj Mahotsav. It is generally during the months of January and February.

Taj Mahotsav is a 10 day festival which showcases the rich culture, tradition and arts of Uttar Pradesh. It starts with a grand processions of ornamented elephants, dancers and musicians. There are breathtaking performances by folk dancers from around the country. This festival is also a splendid place to shop for Uttar Pradesh handicrafts like chikan work of Lucknow, Silk Sari from Benaras and woodworks of Saharanpur.

How To Reach Taj Mahal
Agra is just 203 Km from the capital city Delhi and it takes nearly 4 hrs drive to cover the distance. There are train facility as well. Once you are in Agra, there are buses and tempo's to take you to Taj Mahal. All these vehicles will leave you at a parking approximately 1 Km from the Taj. Even if you are in your private vehicle, you can only take it to this parking. From there you will have to hire a tonga (horse carriage), a pollution free tempo, or a camel ride to Taj Mahal.