Taj Mahal

candid India tips

 

Why the
Taj Mahal
is special

Most travelers call this wonder in India the world's most beautiful building - ever. Some say it's worth a trip half way around the world just to see it.

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About my
animated picture
of the Taj Mahal

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The hue of the marbled Taj Mahal of India varies from hour to hour, season to season. My picture on the left illustrates three of its most sublime times: daytime, sunset and full moon. I've experienced them all and was most moved by the last phase.

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Taj Mahal
tips & insights

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Why it was built

The grieving Mogul emperor Shah Jahan erected it in the 1600s as the final resting place for his beloved queen. He wanted to perpetuate her memory. It took 22 years and 22,000 people to complete the Taj Mahal.

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A costly and
intricate project

The Taj Mahal costs in today’s money about US $100 million. It also cost Shah Jahan dearly. Because it acutely drained the treasury, Jahan was dethroned and imprisoned for the last nine years of his life. From his prison quarters, he could poignantly see the wonder where his love lay and where he himself would eventually be.

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Artistic styles

It is a hybrid of many artistic styles including Hindi, Mogul, Persian and Islamic.

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Who designed it

No one person conceived the Taj Mahal in India. Rather, it is the collective creation of different people who contributed to the project at various times over the course of two decades. The design was evolutionary.

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Priceless

This wonder is truly priceless. No one could today assemble craftsmen in or outside of India with the same skills and talent levels of those who toiled on the monument. The craftsmen (and materials) came from India and beyond, as far away as China and Italy.

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Two main
chambers

The large octagonal chamber is repeated twice. One is one floor directly beneath the other. Both rooms contain two bejeweled sarcophagi, one for the shah and the other for the queen. Those in the upper room are for show. Those in the lower room contain the remains of the emperor and queen.

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Acoustics

The two chambers are acoustically interesting - even a whisper can be heard from the other side of the room.

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Symmetrical

Practically everything about this wonder is symmetrical. The striking exception is the sarcophagus of Shah Jahan, which lies off center from the queen’s perfectly centered one.

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Calligraphy

Most of the walls are embellished with delicate floral and calligraphic patterns made with inlaid semiprecious gems.

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Minarets

Four tall, slender minarets sensuously rise from its four corners (see photo). They intentionally slant slightly outward so they would fall away from the main structure in the event of an earthquake.

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Setting

The wonder sits on a broad but squat red sandstone platform, which produces a slight flotation effect. The reflecting pools and gardens in front of the splendid edifice (see photo) enhance the site's visual charm. The opening of the majestic main gateway gives arrivals a dramatically framed sight of the Taj Mahal.

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When to go

March to April and October to mid December are the ideal times.

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Least
desirable months

Heavy monsoon rains fall in July to mid September - and temperatures can be scorching from April to June.

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Tourist crowds

Expect exceptional high tourist traffic during the days surrounding full moons.

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Corrosion

Air pollution from factories, cars and other sources has been slowly but surely corroding the wonder. However, the government of India is now making an effort to alleviate this serious problem.

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Getting there

The wonder is in Agra, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of New Delhi, the capital of India. You can easily travel to Agra from this city by air (as well as by road and rail).

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