Taj Mahal, Agra
About the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal, symbol of love of the great Indian
Mughal ruler is one ofthe most beautiful structures
in the world. It is situated in Agra in UttarPradesh
on the banks of river Yamuna and is a premier attraction
fortourists coming from various parts of the country
as well as abroad. In thefirst half of the seventeenth
century, Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperorordered the
construction of this structure in the memory of
his beloved latewife Arjumand Banu (better known
as Mumtaz Mahal). The structure derives itsname
too from the name of Mumtaz Mahal.
The construction of this beautiful white marble
tomb took the hard work ofmore than 20,000 labourers
for a period of 22 years. Today, this standingreminder
of a great love story, is not only the largest mausoleum
of theworld, but also one of the seven wonders of
the world.
The Architecture of the Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is built of white marble and stands
on a flat raised platformof 20 feet. The main structure
is a combination of square tomb and aswelling dome.
A couple of red sandstone building stand in its
eastern andwestern side and actually enhances the
beauty of the structure even more bypresenting a
contrast. The structure is a remarkable example
of a perfectsymmetry complete with gardens and fountains.
Inside the Taj, threeimportant element of Muslim
decorative art heightens the beauty of thisstructure
- the from the Q'uran, geometrical shapes and a
variety ofplant forms and flowers.
The beauty of the Taj is best enjoyed when seen
as a reflection in theriver in a moonlit night.
It appears golden and enlivens the aestheticsenses
of all watching this beautiful view. The rest of
the day also, thestructure appears in different
colours like pinkish in the morning and milkywhite
in the evening. It is said that the changing colours
of the Taj is areminder of the changing moods of
woman.
Reaching Taj Mahal
» By Air - Agra has its own airport
known as theKheria Airport which is situated at
a distance of 6 kms from the city.
» By Rail - Agra is well connected
by rails to allthe major cities of India.
» By Road - Agra is well connected
to all the majorcities of Uttar Pradesh by road
as well as other cities also. Distancebetween Agra
and Delhi is 204kms.
