Discovering Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is a mesmerising monument that attracts thousands of tourists from all around the world. It is a historical monument educating us about the Mughal period and provides interesting facts about its architecture. Many monuments are built by different emperors showcasing their power but Taj Mahal was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan to express love for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. She was Shah Jahan’s third wife and the only one who gave birth to the heirs. Taj Mahal was built after her demise. There is a myth that Shah Jahan was put on house arrest by Aurangzeb to look at the Taj Mahal from the Agra fort in the memory of his wife. Furthermore, it is believed that he was buried with his wife in the Mahal and the graves seen in plain sight are indeed replicas of the real graves of the royal couple, which are buried 10 feet underneath the ground

The Taj Mahal follows the basic principles of Mughal architecture which rely heavily on strict geometry and symmetrical planning. There are three gates in Taj Mahal but to enter one needs to use the western or eastern gate. The monument is built of plain white marble with engravings of pietra dura. The onion dome adorning the top of this glorious structure is 7 metres high. The four pillars surrounding the main structure are tilted outwards so that in an event of earthquake, the pillars would crash outwards saving the main structure. One should honor people like Ismail Afandi, Muhammad Hanif, Ahmad Isa Khan, Muhammad Effendi, Amanat Khan, ChiranjiLal and Abdul Karim who helped Shah Jahan to build this memorial for his late wife.

The view from Taj Mahal is breathtaking. One can see the river Yamuna which has several trees and small houses on its banks. The beautiful sight of Agra Fort is also visible from there.

Written by Bani Singh, Simran Sharma, Aishi Kansal, Aanya Goyal, Devika Maitra Chakravarty (The Shri Ram School, Moulsari).

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