Thursday, January 25, 2007

The Taj Mahal




My trip to India could not feel complete without a short tour of North India. We visited Agra to see one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is one of the world's most famous buildings. It was built by the Mughal emporer Sha Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631 during childbirth. It's perfect proportions and exquisite craftsmanship have been described as "a vision, a dream, a poem, a wonder." The sublime garden-tomb, an image of the Islamic garden of paradise, cost nearly 41 million rupees and 500- kilos of gold. About 20,000 workers laboured for 12 years to complete it in 1643. There are 4 minarets, each 40 meters high and crowned by an open octoganal pavilion or chhatri at each corner of the complex. These frame the tomb, highlighting its perfect symmetry. There are calligraphic panels that decorate the Taj. The size of the Koranic verses built along the panels increases as the arch gets higher, creating the subtle optical illusion of a uniformly flowing script.

It is widely believed that the Taj Mahal was designed to represent an earthly replica of one of the houses of paradise. Its impeccable marble facing, embellished by a remarkable use of exquisite surface design, is a showcase for the refined aesthetic that reached its height during Shah Jahan's reign. Described as one of the "most elegant and harmonious buildings in the world," the Taj indeed manifests the wealth and luxury of Mughal art as seen in architecture and garden design, painting, jewellery, calligraphy, textiles, carpet-weaving, and furniture. The Mughals were great naturalists and believed that flowers were the symbols of "the divine realm." In the Taj, pietra dura (inlaid marble design) has been extensively used to translate naturalistic forms into decorative patterns that complement the majesty of its architecture. The Florentine technique of Pietra Dura is said to have been imported by Emporer Jahangir and developed in Agra as "pachikari." Mionute slivers of precious and smiprecious stones, such as camelian, lapis, lazuli, turquoise and malachite, were arranged in complex stylized floral designs set into a marble base. Flowers, such as the tulip, lily, and narcissus were depicted as sprays or in arabesque patterns. Stones of varying degrees of color were used to created the shaded effects. Even today, artisans in the old city maintain parttern books with the fine motifs used on the Taj to recreate 17th century designs in contemporary pieces. Close to the Taj, vendors will flood you with offerings to purchase replicas of these designs in the form of coasters, boxes, and any marble tchotchkie you can think of!

Other artistic elements in the Taj include the carved relief work, the calligraphy, the floral sprays, and the Jali patterns, which are on the octagonal perforated screen surrounding the tombs. They are a complex combination of the geometric and floral. The filtered light captures the intricate designs and casts mosaic-like shadows on the tombs.

We saw the Taj Mahal at sunrise. We woke up in the dark and watched patiently as the light emerged and bathed the Taj. What an incredible sight! I took a ton of pictures. And of course, there could have been many, many more. It is truly a wonder. And to imagine that the Mughal (ruler) built it for his wife. This was definitely a labor of love!

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