Every
year, thousands of tourists board an express train or hire a
car in New Delhi and journey to Agra on a pilgrimage to the
Taj Mahal. To the Western World, the image of the curved white
domes of the Taj Mahal, displayed endlessly on travel brochures,
is synonymous with India. However, the postcard picture does
not adequately convey the legend and romance that shroud the
world's most well-preserved and architecturally beautiful tomb.
The
story behind the Taj Mahal has its roots in the Mughal Dynasty,
a line of Muslim emperors who reigned in India from 1526 to
1858. Agra, once the capital of the Mughal Empire, was the center
of wealth of one of the most extensive empires in the medieval
world. During this time, Indian culture and art flourishedžleaving
many structures of historical significance to Indo-Islamic architecture.
But none are as famous as the Taj Mahal.
In
1612, one of the world's greatest love stories began when Mumtaz
Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess married Shah Jehan, known as
Prince Khurram before he ascended to the throne in 1628 to become
the 5th Mughal emperor. The queen's real name was Arjumand Banu.
In the tradition of the Mughals, important women of the royal
family were given another name when they married. Although Mumtaz
was Shah Jehan's second wife, she was considered his ultimate
love match. By all accounts, Mumtaz and the emperor were soul
mates. Mumtaz accompanied her husband throughout his travels
and military expeditions, and was his most trusted political
adviser. Unfortunately, as with any legendary love story, tragedy
lurked in their future. In 1630, Mumtaz died while giving birth
to her 14th child.
The
death of Mumtaz reportedly affected the emperor so deeply that
his black hair and beard turned snow white in just a few months.
The emperor was overcome with grief, and vowed to keep his beloved
wife's memory alive forever. He decided to build her a monument
of eternal love. Because Mumtaz had endeared herself to the
people with her kindness, the emperor's subjects were inspired
to help build the spectacular monument.
After
twenty-two years and the combined effort of over twenty thousand
workmen and master craftsmen, the monument was finally completed
in 1648 at a cost of 32 million rupees. (That's just over 1
million Canadian dollarsža lot of money in the 17th century!)
It was built with material from all over India and central Asia
and required 1000 elephants to transport the material to the
site. Construction documents show that Ustad Isa, a renowned
architect of his time, was the genius behind the structure.
The emperor also sought the skills of expert craftsmen from
other cities and countries.
The
Taj Mahal, built entirely of white marble, uses an architectural
design known as interlocking arabesque. Each element of the
structure can stand on its own and integrate with the main structure.
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. The only asymmetrical
object in the Taj Mahal is the casket of the emperor. (After
stealing the throne, Shah Jehan's son imprisoned him for 8 years.
When Shah Jehan died, he was buried in the Taj beside his beloved
Mumtaz.)
Four
domed chambers surround the Taj. The main archways are chiseled
with passages from the Holy Quran. The mausoleum is part of
a vast complex with a main gateway, garden, mosque, guesthouse
and several other palatial buildings. A large garden is divided
at the center by four reflecting pools. Like the Taj, the garden
elements follow the Arabesque concept, standing on their own
and constituting the whole.
One
of the most intriguing aspects of the Taj Mahal is the magical
quality of its changing colours. The Yamuna River behind the
Taj reflects light onto the white marble. Depending on the hour
of the day or the season, the colours of the Taj are different.
The best time to view its stunning beauty is at dawn or sunset.
The
origin of the name Taj Mahal has never been clearly documented.
Court histories from Shah Jehan's reign refer to it as the rauza
(tomb) of Mumtaz Mahal. It's generally believed that Taj Mahal,
usually translated "Crown of the Palace", is an abbreviated
version of the name Mumtaz Mahal, which means "Exalted One of
the Palace".
There
are many contemporary (and some might say, unromantic) historians
who contend that the Taj Mahal is a mausoleum far too great
to commemorate the memory of one woman, even if she was the
favourite wife of an emperor. These historians believe that
the Taj Mahal symbolizes the tyranny of a powerful ruler exploiting
his subjects and flaunting his magnificence to the world.
Whether the Taj Mahal symbolizes eternal love, an emperor's
power or a little of both, Shah Jehan deserves credit for turning
the death of his wife into a symbol of lasting beauty. He bequeathed
India and the world its most beautiful mausoleum. As English
poet, Sir Edwin Arnold wrote, the Taj Mahal is "not a piece
of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions
of an emperor's love wrought in living stones."
Jean, or "mom" as she known to
Faze Magazine's founder and editor Lorraine:
on a pilgrimage to the land of her ancestors
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