An Architectural Analysis of the Taj Mahal - Essay Example

An Architectural Analysis of the Taj Mahal I. Introduction Sir Ranindanath Tagore describes the Taj Mahal as "a tear in the face of eternity." The most recognizable of Mughal architecture and in fact, of Indian architecture, it is proclaimed as an undisputed "wonder of the world." The splendid white structure is actually a tomb built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Arjumand Banu Begum (Chosen of the Palace), dearly referred to by his subjects as Mumtaz Mahal. She was the second wife of Shah Jahan, who married her in 1612 and they became inseperable until she dies of childbirth in 1629 on a campaign with her husband in Burhanpur. The Shah became inconsolable upon her death and he thought of abdicating his throne in favour of his sons. The Emperor and his court mourned Mumtaz Mahal for two years and he decided to commemorate his beloved wife with a building that which had no equal in the world. Mumtaz Mahal was laid to rest on the banks of the Jamuna river and a council of the best architects were assembled to prepare the designs for the memorial. Some experts attribute the design to Geronimo Veronneo, an Italian in the service of the Mughal emperors. However, others credit Ustad Isa Khan Effendi, a Persian, and his pupil Ustad Ahmad who did the detailed work. Ismail Khan designed the famous dome. It took 22 years to build the more than 20-storey edifice which required a total of 20,000 workers to finish. Craftsmen from as far as Turkey were engaged to contribute their talents. Precious stones were imported from foreign lands. The marble was quarried at Makrana, close to Jodhpur. A ramp stretching two miles was built to reach the level of the dome. According to local lore, Shah Jahan ordered the right hand of the chief mason to be cut off upon the building's completion so that his work cannot be recreated. Another legend relates that the Shah wanted to build another Taj across the river, this one made entirely of black marble. II. Discussion A. Description of the Taj Mahal The symmetrically designed Taj Mahal sits on a raised platform and is surrounded by four minarets. Built during the height of the Mughal empire with its unparalleled riches, the best materials and adornments were utilized to furnish and decorate the Taj Mahal. There were rich Persian carpets, gold lamps and candlesticks. Beautiful mosaic works and precious stones were also used to decorate the building's interior. Two great silver doors were said to have been melted down by Suraj Mal in 1764. A sheet of pearls covering Mumtaz Mahal's sarcophagus was carried away by Amir Hussein Ali Khan in 1720. The surroundings of the Taj Mahal have been restored in accordance with the original designs of Ali Mardan, a nobleman in Shah Jahan's court. A red sandstone channel set between two rows of cypress trees dominates the main vista. The main entrance is located at the west side of the building but there are two other entrances from the west and east. The main gateway is a sandstone structure standing three storeys high. It has an octagonal central chamber with smaller rooms on each side. The walls are filled with inscriptions of verses from the Quran. The white marble which was quarried from Makrana varies in its tint and tone, changing with the light at various times of the day. Sheila S. Blair and Jonathan M. Bloom wrote in The Art and Architecture of Islam (1994) that the edifice stands on a large garden of quadripartite chahar bagh which measures 1,900 feet by 1,000 feet. Being at the north end of the garden and along the riverbank, a large gateway at the south end provides balance to the tomb. The tomb's plan and massing is a refinement of Humayun's tomb in Delhi. The large bulbous dome of the mausoleum is more logically connected to its octagonal rooms compared to those of Humayun's tomb, and is framed by four minarets. The white marble is delicately polished and the details of its carvings are intricate that they render a carefully balanced image on the channel. The symmetrical design is further balanced by a mosque or masjid to the west and a guest house or mihman khana to the east.1 Barbara Brend wrote in her book Islamic Art (1991) that the building and its accompanying structures is a culmination of a perspective, standing at the north end of the garden with its white marble changing hues with the variations in light.2 According to Blair and Bloom, the decoration of the Taj Mahal is restrained piedra dura (stone inlay work) that form vining floral designs. Located above these decorations are inscriptions from the Quran which refer to eschatological themes. Blair and Bloom that the overall calligraphic theme gives emphasis to the tomb being the allegorical Throne of Allah above the Garden of Paradise on the Day of Judgment. Other experts explain that the four canals represent the four rivers of Paradise as written in the Holy Quran, and which was witnessed by the holy prophet Mohammed as he ascended into Paradise. This is not surprising since the Taj Mahal was built as a mausoleum, and the Quranic verses at the south end render support to the allegorical representation of the tomb: (It will be said to the pious): O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord, -- well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto him! Enter you, then, among My honored slaves, And enter you My Paradise! - The Holy Qur'an, Surah Al-Fajr: 89:27-303 According to Gavin Hambly in Cities of Mughal India (1964), the most impressionable characteristic of the Taj Mahal is its Persian origin.He said that the mausoleum was designed in the Safavid style with its signature perfection in shape and proportion, perfection in shape, in combining the monumental with the delicate, and the high quality of its decoration. Hambly wrote: "(The Taj Mahal) "is a work of the finest Safavid taste... Except for the use of the most immaculate Makrana marble which translates the gay and gaudy Persian taste into the dreamy, languid spirit of later Mughal art, there are in the Taj Mahal only a few other deviations from Safavid orthodoxy - the Rajput chahtris around the dome, some differences in the proportion of the dome and dome drum (common, however, in the Deccan), and also the minarets, probably inspired by Mahmud Khilji's tomb at Mandu. It is one of the freaks of history that this 'Wonder of the World,' which is least characteristic of Mughal art, has become the classic representative and emblem of Mughal civilization." B. Architectural Influences of the Taj Mahal What are the architectural and cultural influences of the Taj Mahal. Although many have researched and studied the architectural aspect of this monument, very few have explored its cultural and political histories. To gain a better understanding about the mausoleum's architectural character and influences, as well as, to gain relevant insight into its rich cultural past, we must look into the architectural styles which preceded the creation of this unparalleled masterpiece which is the Taj Mahal. The Mughal Dynasty began in 1526 when Babur won a crushing victoy in Panipat. He reigned for five years was marked by the erecton of numerous buildings. His son Humayun who was wayward and dissolute succeeded him and the empire fell in 1540. Humayun re-established the empire in 1555 and his tomb located in Delhi is among the most outstanding examples of the development and refinement in Mughal architecture. Believed to be designed by Humayun's widow as a symbol of her devotion, its plan was based on the description of Islamic paradise gardens. The gardens are known as charbagh and are based on a pattern of grids. Humayun's tomb became the foundation for some of the most important characteristics found in Mughal architecture, especially in the design of mausoleums. The tomb has an enclosure measuring 348.5m north to south and 431.4m east to west. The north, south and west are surrounded by a wall made of ruble 5.8m in height. The tomb itself is located inside a garden. The centre of the pathways are water channels. The tomb is strongly influenced by Persian architecture of the Char Bagh' or Paradise Garden. Marble and sandstone in such great quantities were used for the first time in India. Its decorations include inlaid marble, medallions, finial on dome, canopies, and sandstone jalis. The tomb is set on a geometrically designed garden. It is criss-crossed by water channels which symbolize paradise. These gardens were introduced into India by Humayun's father, Babur. The building's architecture is primarily Persian and is influenced by the tomb of Tamerlane from whom Babur was descended. The double dome which originated from Persia was also first used in Mughal architecture with Humayun's tomb. The dome's proportions are harmonious. The mausoleum is set on a platform. Among the building's Indian components are the small kiosks or chhatris located on the roof. The building is decorated with inlaid tilework which depicted Indian and Persian decorative elements. It also has carved stone screens (Waugh 2001). Humayun's son Akbar constructed a huge fort in Agra wherein the outstanding feature is the massive sandstone ramparts of the Red Fort. He also created a new capital in Fatehpur Sikri. Upon his death, his son succeeded him as Jahangir. Jahangir built the Mausoleum of Akbar located in Sikandra which marks another turning point in Mughal architecture. He adapted the massive sandstone structures of his father into marble works of art. He also refined the design of the Mughal garden, with the Shalimar Bagh in Kashmir being its best example. His son Emperor Shah Jahan succeeded him to the Mughal throne. The unparalleled developments in Mughal art and architecture can be attributed to many factors. The empire provided a secure environment where artistic talent could flourish and prosper. The empire had vast resources and wealth which was never paralleled in Indian history. The rulers of the empire were extraordinary patrons of the art. Their intellectual and artistic dispositions were expressed in their cultural undertakings and refinement of taste. In general, Persian architecture utilized geometry for its symbolisms. The geometric figures it employs are in their pure forms such as the circle and the square. The plans are usually symmetrical with rectangular courtyards and halls. Post-Islamic Persian architecture as exemplified by the Safavid Dynasty made use of decorations to cover large and expansive spaces. These decorations include glazed tiles, carved stucco, patterned brickwork, floral motifs and calligraphy. The Safavid Period (15th to 17th Centuries) is believed by many experts to be the most notable in the post-Islamic era. Numerous structures were built by the rulers of this dynasty, including mosques, mausoleums, bridges, bazaars, many of which have survived to the present day. Old Persian architecture was inetersted in semi-circular and oval-shaped vaults which gave impetus to Safavi architects to create massive domes. The pinnacle of their skills were exhibited in the great masterpieces of Isfahan. It was the same Isfahan craftsmen who lent their talents to the construction of the Taj Mahal. Domes dominate Safavid architecture and are constructed in bazaars and mosques. Their distinguishing characteristics are their height, proportion, beauty of form, and the roundness of the dome stem. The German archaeologist D. Huff observed that the dome is the dominant feature in Persian architecture (Hattstein 200). III. Conclusion Although the Taj Mahal is world renowned as the best example and pinnacle of Mughal architecture, exploring its influences would reveal that the mausoleum was more of a testimony to Persian art. Most of the features of the Taj Mahal are closely associated with the architecture of Humayun's Tomb. This is not surprising because Humayun is the second generation Mughal ruler and the ancestor of Emperor Shah Jahan. The Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb share the several characteristics. Their symmetrical plans follow a grid pattern. Both have water channels criss-crossing the garden which are symbolic of the rivers of Paradise, as written in the Quran. The central channel of the Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb are both located centrally, with the former placed between two rows of cypress trees and the latter having its channel situated centrally between pathways. Overall, the Garden of Paradise design employed by the architects of both Humayun's Tomb, and later, the Taj Mahal, were all derived from the Persian garden designs which were refined by the Safavid Dynasty. As most experts observed, the dominant feature of Persian design are the domes which they build for their mosques and bazaars. The Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb also have domes which are symmetrical and well-proportioned. These domes are also dominant components in each of the structures much like the towering domes of Isfahan in Persia. Proportion and symmetry is another principle dominant in Persian architecture, which could also be found in Humayun's Tomb. The Taj Mahal refines this even further, producing a delicate effect amidst the massiveness of the structure. Much like Safavid architecture, the Taj Mahal gives emphasis to the importance of balance and proportion. This could be seen in the geometric layout of the mausoleum and its accompanying structures, as well as, the geometric complementation of the surrounding garden and channel which perfectly reflects the massive structure. Decoration was also heavily influenced by Safavid architecture. The Taj Mahal utilized beautifully designed mosaics and intricately carved inscriptions of verses from the Quran. This type of decoration is also present in Mughal architecture. Likewise, it is exhibited in Isfahan architecture wherein intricate tilework and calligraphy are also used to decorate the buildings. The rule of the Safavid Dybasty of Persia and the Mughal rulers of India overlapped. It is not unusual that the art and architecture of one would be acquired by another. Likewise, the Mughal emperors trace their roots to Tamerlane, whose artistic and architectural contributions to Persia also laid the foundations for Safavid architecture. Emperor Shah Jahan also made sure that he had the best materials and craftsmen for his memorial to his beloved wife. Many of the architects and craftsmen among the 20,000 workers employed in the construction of the Taj Mahal gained their skills from the creation of Isfahan. Thus, although the Taj Mahal may be India's pride and symbol to the world, its architectural origins could be safely traced back to Persia. References: Hattstein, Markus and Peter Delius Islam Art and Architecture. 2000. p96. Taj Mahal. Islamic Arts and Architecture. Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization. Last updated: June 27, 2004. http://www.islamicart.com/library/empires/india/taj_mahal.html Waugh D.C. (2001) Humayun's Tomb. Walter Chapin Simpson Center for the Humanities at the University of Washington. http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/cities/india/delhi/humayun/humayun.html Read More