About Taj Mahal
Built by a grief stricken Emperor Shah
Jehan as a memorial to his beloved wife Mumtaj Mahal , the Taj Mahal has a
structural elegance and pristine beauty that has been rarely matched .

It took 20 thousand men nearly 22 years to build the mausoleum and the
finest of skilled artisans were brought in to inlay the white marble edifice
with precious stones and to conjure filigreed marble screens around the
centaphs of the emperor and his beloved queen . there is a jewel -like
quality about the taj mahal .
The beautiful proportioned
octagonal structure topped by a perfect dome is balanced by 4 soaring
minarets that stand at the corners of the plinth .
The Taj mahal
is ethereal at any part of the day - blushing in the rosy glow of down or
sunset , appearing like a pearly mirage in the moonlight or reflected in the
pools of the garden . perhaps the most moving view of the taj is from an
octogonal tower in the agra fort further along the river yamuna . It was
here that the emperor shah jehan was imprisoned and wherehe spent his last
day gazing at the tomb of his beloved wife .
It is said that he
had planned to build a similar tomb for himself in black marble across the
river - but it was not to be
TAJ MUSEUM Timings: 10 am. to 5
pm.
Original drawings available here show the precision with
which the architect had planned this monument. He even anticipated that it
would be completed in 22 years. Drawings of the interiors show the position
of the graves in such precision that the foot of the graves faces the viewer
from any angle. Many more such breathtaking collections are here which can
also be seen.
THE MOSQUE & THE JAWAB
To the left of the Taj is a mosque made of red sandstone. It is
common in Islam to build a mosque next to a tomb. as it sanctifies the area
and provides for a place for worship. This mosque is still used for Friday
prayers.
An identical mosque is also built to the right of the
Taj and is known as the Jawab (answer). Prayers are not held here as it
faces west i.e. away from Mecca. the holy city of the Muslims. It was built
to maintain symmetr