Solo Explorer: Agra, India

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal

The meaning of Taj Mahal is "Crown of the Palace", it is an ivory white marble mausoleum complex in Agra, in western Uttar Pradesh, northern India. It is situated in the eastern part of the city on the southern right bank of the Yamuna (Jumna) River. Agra Fort, also on the right bank of the Yamuna about 1.6km (1mi) west of Taj Mahal is situated there. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1628 to 1658) to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centerpiece of a 17 hectare (42acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall. Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643, but work continued on other phases of the project for another 10 years. The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at that time to be around 32 million Indian Rupees, which in 2020 would be approximately 70 billion Indian rupees ($916 million). The construction project employed about 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the emperor, Ustad Ahamad Lahauri.

Taj Mahal was constructed using materials from all over India and Asia. It is believed over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials. It took the efforts of 22,000 labourers, painters, embroidery artists and stonecutters to shape the Taj Mahal. The translucent white marble was brought from Makrana, Rajasthan, Jasper from Punjab whereas Jade and Crystal from China. The Turquoise was from Tibet and the Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan, while the Sapphire came from Sri Lanka and the Carnelian from Arabia. In all, twenty-eight types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the white marble.

Tomb:

The Tomb is the central focus of the entire complex of Taj Mahal. It is a large, white marble structure standing on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an Iwab (an arch-shaped doorway) topped by a large dome and final. Like most Mughal tombs, the basic elements are Persian in origin. The base structure is a large multi-chambered cube with chamfered corners forming an unequal eight-sided structure that is approximately 55M(180 ft) on each of the four long sides.

The most spectacular feature includes the marble dome that surmounts the tomb. The dome is nearly 35M (115ft) high which is close in measurement to the length of the base, and accentuated by the cylindrical "drum" on which it sits on and is approximately 7M (23ft) high. The main finial was originally made of gold but was replaced by a copy made of gilded bronze in the early 19th century. The minarets which are each more than 40M(130ft) tall, display the designer's penchant for symmetry.

Design:

The exterior decorations of the Taj Mahal are among the finest in Mughal architecture. As the surface area changes, the decorations are refined proportionally. The decorative elements were created by applying paint, stucco, stone inlays and carvings. In line with the Islamic prohibition against the use of anthropomorphic forms, the decorative elements can be grouped into either calligraphy, abstract forms or vegetative motifs. The Taj Mahal complex is bordered on three sides by crenellated red sandstone walls and the side facing the river is open. Outside the walls are several additional mausoleums, including those of Shah Jahan's other wives and a larger tomb for Mumtaz's favourite servant.

The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being "the Jewel of Muslim Art in India and is one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". It is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal Architecture and a symbol of India's rich history. Taj Mahal attracts 7–8 million visitors a year and in 2007, it was declared a winner of the new 7 Wonders of the World (2000–2007) initiative.

Agra Fort:

Agra Fort is a historical fort in the city of Agra, Uttar Pradesh in India. It was the main residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty until 1638 when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi. In 1983, the Agra fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is about 2.5 km (1.5mi) northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled city.

It had been used by the early Mughal rulers. The Fort stands on an ancient site and was traditionally known as Badalgarh. It was captured by Ghaznavi for some time but in the 15th century A.D. the Chauhan Rajputs occupied it. Soon after, Agra assumed the status of capital when Sikandar Lodi (1487–1517) shifted his capital from Delhi and constructed few buildings in the pre-existing Fort in Agra. After many battles, Agra Fort was completed by Akbar (Abu'l-Fath Jalal-Ud-Din Muhammad Akbar) in 1573. It took 4,000 workers on daily basis for 8 years to complete this Marvel Fort.

Tourism:

The Taj Mahal attracts a large number of tourists. UNESCO documented more than 2 million visitors in 2001, which had increased to about 7–8 million in 2014. A two-tier the pricing system is in place with a significantly lower entrance fee for Indian citizens and higher expensive one for foreigners. Most tourists visit in the cooler months of October, November, and February.

How to Visit:

Since Taj Mahal is located 233km (145mi) away from India’s capital, Delhi. If you are planning a visit by road you can use Taj express highway/ Yamuna Expressway or Chenna- Delhi Highway/ Mathura Road (NH 02) to reach Agra. It will take you approximately 3hours & 40 minutes to reach there.

By Train:

The most popular way of getting from Delhi to Agra is by train. It's possible to visit Taj Mahal in a day from Delhi if you catch the right trains, the fastest of which can get you from city to city in two hours. The main railway station in Delhi is New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) near Paharganj. Although some trains to Agra also depart from Delhi from Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station (NZM). You can buy tickets on the official website of Indian Railways but it requires signing up for an account and paying a small registration fee. Other travel websites are more user friendly but they don't always show all available trains and even charge a commission fee too. There are several trains throughout the day from Delhi to Agra but some of the most popular ones for Taj Mahal visitors are the following trains you should try to catch up if you Wanner complete Agra tour in just one day.

The Gatimaan Express (12050): It takes approximately 100 minutes to reach Agra. The train departs Delhi's Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station at 8:10 a.m. and makes you reach Agra by 9:50 a.m.

The New Delhi Habibganj Shatabdi Express (12002): It departs New Delhi Railway Station at 6 a.m and arrives at Agra by 7:57 a.m. The train runs every day.

The Taj Express Superfast (12280): It's departs from New Delhi Railway Station & it stops at Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station too but the trip takes nearly three hours. It departs at 6:45 a.m. and arrives in Agra at 9:32 a.m.

Places to Visit In Agra:

Ø The Taj Mahal

Ø The Agra Fort (Red Fort)

Ø Fatehpur Sikri (36km (22mi) away from Agra City)

Ø Mehtab Bagh