The Taj Mahal

by Maya Jacobs Article Writer

The world is filled with beauty, it can either be found in nature or manmade objects that take the breath away of the individual at first sight. Those with an interest and enthusiasm for such things know no bounds; they will travel all over the world and are willing to pay any amounts to experience the beauty and aura first hand.

Considered to be one of the finest manmade structures in the history is “The Taj Mahal” which roughly translates to “The Crown of Palaces”, it was built in the Mughal era by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved third wife Mumtaz Mahal. The years spent building “the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage” were more than 20 and it was completed in 1653. Testimony to its everlasting beauty and the aura of the structure it is regarded as one of the Wonders of the World.

The Taj Mahal is located on the right bank of the Yamuna River in a vast Mughal garden that encompasses nearly 17 hectares, in the Agra District of India. For its construction, masons, stone-cutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome builders and other artisans were brought from the whole of the then Mughal empire and employed for a number of years; with Ustaad Ahmad Lahauri being the principal designer of the master piece.

Emperor Shah Jahan has described the Taj Mahal in the following words:

· Should guilty seek asylum here,
· Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
· Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
· All his past sins are to be washed away.
· The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
· And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
· In this world this edifice has been made;
· To display thereby the creator's glory.

The Tomb of the Taj Mahal is a beautiful white marble building that houses the graves of both Mumtaz Mahal and the Emperor Shah Jahan. The tomb like most Mughal structures is Persian in origin, throughout the complex passages from the Quran have been beautifully written in calligraphy to capture the essence of the structure.

The Garden or the Bageecha, have been planned along classical Mughal char bagh style and have been laid out in a way to maintain the perfect beauty with two canals running through them to add to the beauty.

The Taj Mahal is one of many famous monuments on the World Monuments Fund’s watch list, which documents the endangered landmarks. Pollution and environmental changes have jeopardized the wooden foundations of the Taj Mahal and some experts believe that if the structure isn’t repaired as soon as possible it might collapse and the future generations will be deprived of such a historic building.

The best time to visit the Taj Mahal is in late October but before the scorching heat of the summers of India engulfs the country. So what are you waiting for? You should use the Air miles that you have been accumulating to visit one of the Wonders of the World!!

While in Agra do not miss the opportunity to explore it further and see how much it has developed over time.

Maya Jacobs is specialized in the travel industry, writes articles and offers tips to find the best places from all around the world, If you are looking for cheap flights first check for Airline Miles and rates offered by various airlines.