Taj Mahal

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By admin | November 25, 2009

THE LEGEND OF THE ROYAL PALACE The year was 1607, when Shah Jahan prince, heir to the Great Mongol Empire, 20 years old, he met Mumtaz Mahal, who fell in love. City-Agra-India celebrated the coronation of the Muslim Persian princess age 19 became the second wife and a favorite of his emperor.

And they lived a great love … but Mumtaz died while accompanying her husband on a campaign Berhanpur the Emperor made to quell a rebellion and then giving birth to their 14th child. But before she died she asked her husband to fulfill these four promises:

To build his tomb;
To marry again;
That would be good to their children;
Visit his grave every year on the anniversary of his death.

Shah Jahan started construction of the Rauza (tomb) and deployed to build on the banks of river Yamuna in 1631 twenty thousand people worked on site for 22 years (until 1653) giving way to a white marble architecture that fuses the Hindu tradition with the Persian-Muslim. The materials were transported from Makrana to 300 kilometers by 1000 elephants.

The precious stones were brought from Baghdad, China, Afghanistan, Tibet, Egypt, Persia, Yemen, Russia and Ceylon to decorate the interior and exterior of the tomb. However, this monstrous effort had a high cost for living mad Shah Jahan for his tribute of love. The economic ruin caused by the eloquent work caused the loss of his throne. One of his sons, Aurangzeb, deposed Shah Jahan and imprisoned his father in the Agra Fort.

Shah Jahan He spent the rest of his life, watching from the railings a wonderful work to which he devoted his life and his empire and is still today the most impressive monuments of India. This huge mausoleum, built as a tribute to the memory of his beloved wife of the emperor, is actually a gift from Shah Jahan to the whole human race.

The stories of the Court states that the name “Taj Mahal”, usually translated as “Crown Palace” or “Crown Palace” is nothing but the short version of the name of Empress Mumtaz Mahal. Today is one of the Seven Wonders of the world “but will forever symbolize the greatest …. … monument to love …

The gift of love of an Emperor: In the sixteenth century Babur, a descendant of Genghis Khan and the Islamic religion, founded the Mughal dynasty, replacing Persian word ‘Mongol’ to clear the connotations of that word was barbarism. By conquering the northern India in 1526, created a great empire that lasted until 1857, with capital at Agra, a city that he and his successors set out to beautify.

In Islamic architecture of this time, continuing the Persian tradition introduced in the subcontinent in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the distinction between civil and religious buildings is less pronounced than in Christian architecture. Designed to emphasize the mastery of Koranic faith, is characterized by the distinct geometry, symmetry and balance. Every single element is inserted into a unifying framework for complex geometric decoration. The building is configured around a dominant axis of prayer, facing Mecca, the holiest city of Islam.

Each of the Mughal sultans built a magnificent palace, it was customary that after his death becomes his tomb and that of their wives. These tombs, built of marble, had the monumental entrances that was entered after touring beautiful gardens. Between them, the most emblematic is the Taj Mahal, on the right bank of the river Yamuna. He ordered his erection, between 1632 and 1648, the emperor Shah Jehan (1592-1666), in memory of the most beloved of his wives, or Light Muntazer Mahal Palace, with whom he had married in 1612, and died in 1631 in the city of Burhanpur. According to legend, when he was on his deathbed asked her husband to build a monument that would symbolize the beauty of their love.

Construction

The building began construction to 1632, according to plans by a council of architects from India, Persia and Central Asia, although it seems that the real inspiration was the emperor. They worked on their implementation more than 20,000 workers, the works of the mausoleum was completed in 1643 and attached units as of 1649. In total the project took twenty-two and forty million rupees cost. We know the names of some of the teachers who participated in the company: the Turkish Afandi Ismail, who designed the dome, Qazim Khan, Lahore; Chíranji Lal, Delhi, who took charge of the mosaics, the mason Amir Ah, Baluchistan; Amanta Khan, Shiraz (Persia), a famous calligrapher. The master builder was the Turkish Exhibi Isa, the legend says that when the building was finished, Jehan ordered to cut their power to prevent repeat could not work like that. In the writings of a Portuguese missionary of the time seems to allude to the possible intervention of an Italian artist, Jerome Veroneo. Although actually lived in Agra during those years, nothing seems to seriously support this hypothesis.

The entry

The site is flanked to the north and south by two oblong smaller sectors: in the south stands a sandstone gate that gives entrance to the complex and some auxiliary buildings of uncertain purpose, in the north, parallel to the bed of the Yamuna, is stands the mausoleum. The emperor was entering the place by the river, by boat, along with his entourage. Other visitors to enter through a large courtyard on the south side, where he gave alms to the poor and where, on each anniversary of the death of Muntazer, distributed large sums of money among the poor. In the Muslim world, these doors also had a strong symbolism, they represented the entrance to paradise, from the metaphysical point of view, were considered the transition point between the external world of senses and the inner world of spirit.

The gardens

The complex, aligned from north to south, has a rectangular 580-m long by 305 wide. At the heart ‘of the rectangle lies a garden of 300 square meters, whose main axis extends from south to north, from the door to the mausoleum. With an area of 6.9 hectares, was planned as a representation of Paradise, in the style of Persian gardens introduced into India by Babur, the first Mughal emperor. Originally contained a multitude of flowers and exotic trees, everything in them and perfectly symmetrical geometric arrangement: the gardeners worked with the conscious effort to translate the celestial perfection earthly terms, following a series of well-known formulas. Thus, the four sacred number and Islam was the basis of the whole design.

The channels, the symbol of the four rivers of paradise (which, according to tradition, flowing water, milk, wine and honey), with fountains and flanked by cypress trees (which, in addition to providing shade, accentuating the lines of perspective) , intersect in the center to form a pool of water lilies in white marble, something off the floor; alKawthar symbol of the celestial pond of abundance in the Koran, was designed so that the mausoleum was reflected in its waters. Each of the four sides defining the channel is divided into sixteen flower beds by stone paths.

In Mughal architecture, the water is used for ritual ablution to humidify and cool the atmosphere, a wise combination of religious significance to the practical need. Was extracted from the river and was introduced into underground channels from which was derived to fill the ponds and water gardens you.

Mosque and jawab

The mausoleum itself is flanked to the east and west by two identical symmetrical buildings, the mosque, west and east, the matching jawab or “answer”. On the purpose of this second building, it is assumed that served as a hostel for pilgrims, a meeting place of the faithful before the prayer, but it is likely that the ultimate purpose was purely architectural, aesthetic balance to give the whole and contribute to the symmetry of the structures located on the platform.

A high wall with octagonal towers around the northern section and the central garden, outside, south, stables and accommodation for the guards. On the western side, near the mosque, stands a small stone enclosure to remember the first place they were deposited the remains of Muntazer Mahal.

The mausoleum

Mosque and jawab were made of red sandstone, contrasting with the white marble mausoleum Makrana, high on a plinth of marble from seven meters high. A stone embankment protecting the garden from river erosion.

Square plan, the mausoleum has four identical facades, with chamfered corners and an impressive arc of 33 feet tall at each framed with bands of calligraphy in relief. The artisans who drew these reliefs with verses from the Koran used an optical trick, consisting of gradually increase the font size with increasing distance, to ensure that its dimensions seem identical.

The large arched niches are framed with floral (roses, daffodils, tulips), based inlays of semiprecious stones, crystals, minerals and lapis stone inscriptions as well as black. The same decoration continues inside in the spandrels of the arches and vaults.

The beautiful bulbous dome located on the central hall stands on a drum surrounded by four octagonal towers, each surmounted by a small domed pavilion. The internal structure has a height of 24.4 m and over it provides another highly banked outer dome that stylized profile of the building. The external finish consists of a brass needle of 17.1 m high.

Beneath the dome lies the tomb of the octagonal room, with large niches and ports that provide access to other rooms, decorated with reliefs of white marble, like the cenotaphs of Shah Jahan and Muntazar Mahal occupy the real sarcophagus crypt at garden level.

Besides the four octagonal, or chattri, also topped with small domes and four minarets are arranged in the corners of the platform. which raises all the construction, completing geometric harmony of the whole. These minarets have a unique formal function to highlight the central composition with the dome.

The construction material is brick covered with white marble slabs, the tone changes with the light of day, creating a subtle variation that produces a sense of tranquility immaterial. The geometric and floral decoration, inlaid with lapis lazuli, coral, amber and jade, fits all the vain of the building and complete with verses from the Koran inlaid in black stone.

Besides boosting the construction of the Taj Mahal, Sultan Shah Jahan founded the city of Shajahanabad (Old Delhi), extending the fortified palace (1639-48) which houses the magnificent mosque of the Pearl (1646-54). The buildings erected during his reign are testament to the power and vitality of the Mughal dynasty.