TAJ MAHAL INDIA VACATIONS
Taj
Mahal - The Symbol of Eternal Love
There is no other monument in the world, which can match the
beauty and grandeur of the Taj Mahal. Set amongst the serene
ambience of a well laid out garden the massive marble
structure of the Taj Mahal is awe-inspiring. It is more than
350 years since TajMahal was built, but it has not lost its
romantic aura, which attracts millions of visitors towards
it. It is because of this everlasting charm that the Taj
Mahal can boast of being one of the most popular world
heritage monuments on earth. The world is divided between
those who have seen the Taj Mahal and those who have not.
Tajmahal acquires a different hue at different time of the
day. One might have seen might have seen Taj 15 times but
when you return back to see it 16th times, you will find it
something different from the earlier visit. The Taj at noon,
the Taj Mahal at sunset, under the full moon, against the
setting sun, and against the rising ball of fire, each time
the mausoleum acquires a different accent and tells a
different story. It was a reminder of the love of a king for
his queen Mumtaz Mahal who could inspire such a monument and
also of the king himself who could sign his love across the
horizon.
Agra - The chosen city for Taj Mahal
Agra was the chosen city of the Mughal emperors during the
early years. It was here that the founder of the dynasty,
Babur, laid out the first formal Persian garden on the banks
of the River Yamuna. Here, Akbar, his grandson, raised the
towering ramparts of the great Red Fort. Within its walls,
Jehangir built rose-red palaces, courts and gardens.
Shahjahan embellished it with marbled mosques, palaces and
pavilions of gem-inlaid white marble. Agra is globally
renown as the city of the TajMahal, a monument of love and
imagination, that represents India to the world
The Taj Platform
The reign of Shahjahan from 1628 to 1658 was the golden age
of Mughal
architecture
in India that produced a series of noble buildings. But, the
most prominent and undoubtedly magnificent of all these was
TajMahal built by him in the memory of his favorite wife
Mumtaz Mahal.
Architecturally, Tajmahal was the greatest peace of
architecture that Mughals produced, but it is a natural
growth from the tomb of Humayun and to a lesser extent from
certain other, prominent is the Tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah in
Agra itself. But it is far superior to any of them in the
dignity of its grouping and disposition, in the masterly
contrast between the central dome and the slender minarets,
in the chaste refinement and painstaking craftsmanship of
its details, and above all in the splendor of its materials.
The Attractions Around Taj
Agra Fort
Though Agra is more famous world over as the city of Taj,
Agra Fort is another dimension to the city that attracts
tourists in hordes. Built by Akbar in Red Sandstone when he
was through with the consolidation of his power after
accession to power in 1654, Agra Fort worked both as a
military strategic point as well as the royal residence.
Fatehpur Sikri - Imperial Ghost City
The
imperial city of the Mughal dynasty between 1571 and 1584,
Fatehpur Sikri was built by Mughal Emperor Akbar. The
architectural grandeur of this deserted city cannot be
described in words and one can only experience the aura of
its magnificent edifices by seeing them. Fatehpur Sikri is
the most popular day excursion from Agra, the city of
Tajmahal and capital of invincible Mughals for a long time.
Akbar's Tomb
Sikandra, Akbar's tomb in the former Lodi capital, is a
grand affair, much under-rated in comparison to the Taj
Mahal. Akbar started building his mausoleum in the true
Timurid tradition, but the actual monument was completed by
his son Jahangir. He pulled down most of the earlier
structure and redesigned it according to his wishes and the
result is more than impressive.
