The History of the Taj Mahal - Case Study Example

The Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal may be described as the personification of love in architecture. It is also called “a monument of immeasurable beauty”, “a poem in marble”, “a jewel of India”, and “a legend of eternal love of an Emperor for his favorite Queen” (Taj Mahal official web site). The history of the Taj Mahal is the history of love, passion, separation and creation. The majestic mausoleum mosque was built in the 17th century (1631-1653) by the order of Mughal emperor (the Muslim ruler of India) Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. His third wife died giving birth to their 14th child. A year later the emperor began the construction, driven by an irrepressible grief and a strong love for his dead wife. During the reign of the Mughal, Agra—along with New Delhi—was the capital of the empire, which, at that time, had reached the highest point of its prosperity. Being the patrons of architecture “the Mughals commissioned some of the finest buildings known to the world including the Red Fort at Delhi and the Taj Mahal” (Petersen 198). By tradition it was decided to erect a building in the suburb on the bank of Yamuna. The location was chosen surprisingly well, and earthquakes have not yet caused serious damage to the mausoleum. The process of construction of the mausoleum at the burial site had lasted for about 22 years. The construction of the mausoleum was completed in 1648 (although the finishing work continued until 1653) and it cost the ruler about 32 million rupees (Zahoor & Haq). Implementing such a grand plan in the course of 20 years was a remarkable achievement, but it was possible only because Shah Jahan had used all the resources of the empire: the construction involved about 20 thousand workers and more than one thousand elephants which carried marble from the unique marble quarries, located about 300 miles far from Agra. Malachite was transported from Russia, while Cambay stone came from Baghdad and turquoise from Persia and Tibet. The walls of the mausoleum are made of translucent polished marble inlaid with semi-precious stones. Marble has a unique feature – in bright daylight it looks white, but turns pink at dawn, and silver in moonlight. Judging from the extant written sources, the chief architect of the Taj Mahal was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, a famous architect of his time. Besides him, the construction was carried out by numerous artists from Delhi, Lahore, Multan, Baghdad, Shiraz and Bukhara. It is argued that the construction also involved architects and artists from Italy and France, but the architecture of the Taj Mahal is a most visible succession of monumental ancient Indian art, combined with elements of medieval architecture of Iran and Central Asia. It is believed that Shah Jahan could also take part in the construction of the mausoleum, at least, the idea and the general concept of the building belonged to him. The emperor had a deep knowledge of the arts and was a good artist himself. In addition, creation of the Taj Mahal was inspired by a great, all-consuming love for Mumtaz. Shah Jahan’s mausoleum embodies his vision of the world – harmonious, elegant and clean. Thus, the Taj Mahal is not only the material embodiment of love, but also the symbol of a great era. Mumtaz’s mausoleum is built according to strict canons of Islamic architecture. To the left and right of the mausoleum there are two graceful mosques, made of red sandstone, the color of which is shading the whiteness of the walls. In fact, this mosque is only one building of them – the one that faces east, and the second building is known as Jawab. The entire complex is the park closed on three sides. The entrance to it, which looks like a palace of red stone, is decorated with white patterned portico. There are 11 domes on each side and two towers, also topped with white domes. The fence is a high gallery made of red sandstone, leading to the minarets and the mausoleum. The park perfectly complements the entire ensemble, since it was planned as the road leading to the main sanctuary. Its axis is the irrigation canal, divided in the middle by a marble pool. Four roads lead to four minarets. As it was mentioned above, the Taj Mahal was created using a quaint Arabian style, in which each item is unique, and thus it fits perfectly into the overall architectural composition. In addition, all the buildings of the complex are subject to strict symmetry. The diameter of central dome of the mausoleum is 58 feet and its height is 213 feet. It is surrounded by four smaller domes, and a little farther there are thin towers of four graceful minarets, which look like sentinels guarding the quarters of Mumtaz from the intruders. It is noteworthy that the towers were erected with a slight inclination backward. It is not flaw in the design, but a thoughtful detail. Such position saved the minarets from destruction during earthquakes. That is why there is no miracle in the fact that the Taj Mahal has never been seriously damaged in this seismically active area. There is nothing from the side of the river that can obstruct the sight of the mausoleum. Yamuna is not very calm, so it is impossible to see a perfect reflection, which emphasizes the illusion of unreality. Many people specially come to the opposite bank in the early morning to see how a majestic building is floating in the fog, and the first rays of the sun begin the play of colors on its walls. Perhaps, this airiness is created by unusual proportions, when the height equals the width of the facade, and the facade is cut by huge semicircular niches and seems weightless. Or maybe the main dome takes up the entirety of the structure – four small domes and four minarets. According to unconfirmed legend, a twin building of black marble was to be constructed on the other bank of the river, but it was not constructed. It was supposed that a bridge made ​​of gray marble had to connect the two buildings. A staircase leads to the heart of the building. At its beginning people leave their shoes, like they do in a temple. White marble walls are decorated with the most skilled mosaics consisting of thousands of precious and semi-precious stones. Arabic letters, lined with black marble, are woven in exquisite ornament of plant stems. Fourteen verses of the Koran on the arches over the windows are a traditional decoration for the Muslim architecture. The remains of Shah Jahan and the empress are in the center of the mausoleum. Their cenotaphs are surrounded by a marble fence, which is decorated with elaborate lacy designs and gems. The tombs, which are located in the burial chamber, do not contain the bodies, which are buried in the crypt beneath. The Taj Mahal mausoleum is a part of a huge complex consisting of the main gates, leading to the magnificent, neatly designed garden, a mosque, a guest house (reception room) and a few other luxury buildings. The mosque, built of red sandstone, also attracts the attention of pilgrims and tourists. Of particular interest are the beautiful gates, decorated with 22 domes, which symbolize the number of years spent on construction of the Taj Mahal. A worthy framing of the Taj Mahal is a magnificent ornamental park with lakes, fountains and canals, which occupies a total of 18 hectares, with a clear layout. Unlike other facilities, which are usually placed in the center of the garden, the Taj Mahal is located at its end, as a real crown. The Taj Mahal is considered to be the best example of Mughal architecture, the style that combines elements from Persian, Indian and Islamic architectural styles: “it represents the finest architectural and artistic achievement through perfect harmony and excellent craftsmanship in a whole range of Indo-Islamic sepulchral architecture”. In 1983, the Taj Mahal was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage” (whc.unesco.org). Recently, cracks have been found in the walls of the Taj Mahal. According to scientists, cracks may be caused by shoaling of the nearby river Yamuna. The disappearance of the river would change the structure of the soil and sedimentation of the mausoleum, perhaps even lead to its destruction. It also began to lose its legendary white color because of polluted air. Despite expanding the park area around the Taj Mahal and closure of a number of particularly polluting industries in Agra, the mausoleum is still yellow. It has to be cleaned regularly with special white clay. References Archaeological Survey of India, Government of India. World Heritage Sites - Agra - Taj Mahal. Accessed December 12, 2012. http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_agratajmahal.asp Department of Tourism, Government of UP, Uttar Pradesh. The official web site of Taj Mahal. Accessed December 12, 2012. http://www.tajmahal.gov.in/home.html Petersen, A. Dictionary of Islamic Architecture. New York: Rutledge, 1999. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Taj Mahal. Accessed December 12, 2012. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/252 Zahoor, A., Haq, Z. Taj Mahal, Mausoleum of Mumtaz Mahal. Accessed December 12, 2012. http://www.islamicity.com/culture/taj/default.htm Read More