Taj Mahal - Seventh Wonder of the World - Essay Example

Mumtaz Mahal wanted the King to build a monument of their love to show it to the whole world. King Shah Jehan fulfiled her wish by building a miracle of white marble in the loving memory of his beloved wife. History says that the monument took 22 years to complete in 1653. That time, it cost 32 Million Rupees. The guide informs that it took twenty thousand workmen and expert craftsmen from countries like Persia, France, Iran, Italy and Turkey to build the Taj Mahal under the supervision of a Persian architect, Ustad Isa.

As we are entering the main gateway, the guide informs that the length and width of the Taj Mahal complex measures 590x300m, including the main gateway called Darwaza, the equally proportioned garden measuring 300x300m, the Masjid or mosque, the Naqqar Khanna means rest house and the Rauza or the Taj Mahal mausoleum.

By the time, we reach the main gateway – the Darwaza, from the west direction.  There are two other entrances also – from the east and the south. I can observe the three-story structure of it, built-in red sandstone. The huge structure standing before me is 100ft in height and 50ft in width with an octagonal main room along with smaller rooms on both sides. There is a high main arch having double-story wings on both sides. I start counting the umbrellas called Chatteris on the north and the south side of the main portal with domes made of marble, flaunted by pinnacles; they are 11 in number. I see lines from the Quran in Arabic, in black calligraphy. We are told that the gate, which is covered all over with copper, was before laced with silver, which was adorned with 1,000 nails with heads of silver coins of that period.

The path to the Taj Mahal passes through the beautiful gardens. There are two canals decorated with fountains and cypress trees coming out, the pool in the center of the garden divides it into four squares of the same size, providing symmetry. Marching further, I can see a museum on the west side. It has all relevant information on the monument

The Taj Mahal is approaching nearer now. It is standing on two bases: one of sandstone and above it in chessboard design a squared platform of 186x186 ft
floored by blue-veined white marble. I can see tall white minarets of 41.6m in height embellishing all corners of the square platform. Approaching nearer, I am able also to view two red sandstone buildings on the east and west sides of the tomb. On the east side is the duplicate of a mosque, which is on the west.

The main structure named the Taj Mahal is square with sides chamfered. The guide tells the length of each side, which measures 56.6 m long with a big main arch supported by two sharp arches. All corners have small domes while in the center lies a double dome above which we can see a brass embellishment. Here, the outer decoration is calligraphy, wonderful carvings, and artistic inlay work in perfectly balanced big enough floral tendrils embracing the surface of the white marble.

There is an octagonal room inside with a dome-shaped roof. The two imitation tombs of Mumtaz and Shah Jehan lie in the center of the room while the real ones are in the basement – the lower vault. There is a marble screen, which looks transparent because of the finely cut marble producing a mottled effect of dissipating light. Both the tombs are adorned with brilliant work of cherished stones. I am stunned to see the beauty of the Taj Mahal, saying – Woh! A paradise on earth.