THE TAJ OF INDIA

TAJ MAHAL

INTRODUCTION:

“Let the splendor of the diamond, pearl and ruby vanish like the magic shimmer of the rainbow. Only let this one teardrop, the Taj Mahal, glisten spotlessly bright on the cheek of time…”

If there’s a building which evokes a country- like the Eiffel Tower does for France, the Sydney Opera House for Australia- then it has to be the Taj Mahal for India.

BRIEF BACKGROUND:

North India was ruled by the Mughal’s in the 16th and 17th centuries, a race of Islamic regime from central Asia. In 1627, Shah Jahan became Emperor of the Mughal Empire. His wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died 5 years later whilst giving birth to her 15th child. Importing architects and designers from as far as Persia & Europe and recruiting 20,000 builders & laborers, this took over 20 years to complete. It is not certain that who is the planner and the designer of the Taj but the Indian architect of Persian descent, Ustad Ahmad Lahori, has been often associated in this regard from many sources. In 1630 when the construction commenced masons, craftsmen, sculptors, and calligraphers were brought from Persia, the Ottoman Empire, and Europe to work on the masterpiece on the southwest bank of the River Yamuna. The architectural complex consists of five main elements: the Darwaza or main gateway, the Bageecha or garden, the Masjid or mosque, the Naqqar Khana or rest house, and the Rauza or the Taj Mahal mausoleum. The actual Tomb is situated inside the Taj.

REASON:

This most famous Moghul monument was constructed by emperor Shahjahan as a tribute of love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the ‘lady of the Taj’. It has been described as the most extravagant monument built his beloved wife Mumtaz after her death in 1629 completing their seventeen years of married. She died during childbirth when she was giving birth to her 15th child.

CONSTRUCTERS:

Construction of the Taj commenced in 1632 and was not completed until 1653. Workers were recruited not only from all over India but also from Central Asia and in total 20,000 people worked on the building. Experts were even brought from as far away as Europe- the Frenchman Austin of Bordeaux and the Italian Veroneo of Venice had a hand in its decoration. The main architect was Isa Khan who came from Shiraz in Iran. This monument stands right beside the Yamuna River. It is in a large and geometrically laid out garden. Two similar red sandstone mosques embrace the building when viewed across the river. At the entrance there is a high red sandstone gateway inscribed with verses of the holy book.

The Taj Mahal stands on a raised marble platform with four tall white minarets (40 m high) are around it. Four smaller domes surround the lofty central dome. The tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are in chambers which are false tombs, a common type. Light is admitted into the central chamber by finely cut marble screens.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ARTWORK, METHODS AND TECHNIQUES USED:

The black and white chessboard patterned marble fine pieces of Islamic architecture. The Quran verses are around the archways which are uniform inspite of their height. The juxtaposition of the letters and the calligraphy are amazingly precise. The tomb and the minarets display an illusionary effect. Semiprecious stones are inlaid into the marble in beautiful patterns and with meticulous craftsmanship. This process is known as pietra dura. The impressive pietra dura artwork incorporates a good variety of geometry, natural elements like plants and flowers which are predominant in Islamic architecture. The artistic sophistication, precision and aesthetic are brought by the 3 cm decorative element which contains more than 50 inlaid gemstones.

These images are crafted on the exterior of the Taj Mahal. These aesthetically pleasing marble carving and inlays portray the golden dawn light. Fine pietra dura is again used here with semi-precious stones which are precisely inlaid into the marble forming beautiful patterns.

The Islamic architecture and artworks are dominated primarily geometric motifs which rendered it a very distinct identity around the world. As the geometric and mathematical themes revolved around the Ancient Greek era but the Islamic art was distinct in the way it was projecting meanings and ideas about the Islamic vision of the entire universe.

As Islam forbided idol worship the representation of their religion was portrayed through other means like the calligraphy and other forms of motifs. Here the letters and the artistic geometrical patterns became prominent means of expressing the spiritual truth and physical world’s dimensions.

The star is one of the prominent and significant icon representations in Islamic vision about a central point that emits equal radiations in all directions.

Another significance of the star is its center circle which symbolizes the religion’s vision of one mighty power. It also emphasizes that the Mecca which is the center of Islam which is to be faced by all the followers during their prayer. The star emits its rays in all directions in the same way as the god’s omnipresence also symbolizing the spread of Islam everywhere.

CONCLUSION:

There is a good composition of fine materials, exquisite geometric forms and patterns, and the symmetry of the structure, with the juxtaposition of the garden and other structures. This monument continues to remain the significant architectural icon of India to the entire of the world which suggests the enriched historical and cultural heritage.

INSPIRED ARTWORK BY THE TAJ MAHAL

Albert GoodwinTaj SunsetOil on boardChris Beetles Ltd., London

Thomas and William DanielleThe Taje Mahel, Agra, Taken in the GardenAquatint with hand coloringThe British Library, London

BIBLIOGRAPHY

THE TAJ OF INDIA

• Saili, Ganesh Taj Mahal New Delhi: lustre press 96
• Head, Raymond The Indian Style London: George Allen & Unwin 86

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Rabindranath Tagore- Duniya ka Ajuba Agra mein, West Bengal, Vernacular press, 1872, 256

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