Saturday 17 January 2015

The City Of The Taj

I got a chance to visit Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal once again a few days ago. I had not been to this city for several years and this is only my third visit in entirety. And the one thing that has been consistent with each visit is that even though I have visited almost the same places each time, I find something new to wonder over and to think about. There is always a new story that comes my way at each monument.

To begin with, the new expressway connecting Delhi and Agra, the Yamuna Expressway is a dream come true! Its is a beautiful road (those living in India will know exactly how rare that is these days!) that reduces the travel time between the 2 cities to approximately 2.5 hours to 3 hours. 

We left early-ish in the morning and were in Agra by mid-morning and headed straight to the Taj Mahal. The plan was to see 3 sites in Agra (the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort and the Tomb of It-Mad-Ud-Daulah) and return to Delhi by night fall. I am very pleased to report that we managed to achieve our target and were back home in Delhi by 8:30 at night, very satisfied albeit a little tired.

The Taj Mahal took our breath away as it always does. No surprises there really. The world agrees that it is a sight to behold and it has not made it to the list of the seven wonders of the worlds for nothing. I like to look at the Taj and close my mind and imagine what it must have looked like when the inlay work was done with real jewels instead of the colored stones that have substituted them, and the thought simply takes my breath away! I can imagine the great doors leading to the char-bagh gardens and the fountains leading up to the gleaming white Taj Mahal with the gems glittering in the sun.... Oh what it must have been to be alive in those days and to wake up to the beauty of that structural marvel! And if you think that it is beautiful from outside just wait till you get inside the mausoleum. The inlay will take your breath away the first second you lay eyes on it. Unfortunately we are not allowed to take pictures inside or I could have shown you a tiny glimpse of what it is like inside. Even the Jali work is exquisite and worth a third and even fourth glance. 


The Taj Mahal
Apart from the sheer beauty of the marble structure, you cannot but marvel at the architectural marvel that the architect and the masons of the Taj Mahal created. Please remember that all this was achieved without modern science, machinery or theory that we use today to build insane buildings like the Bhurj Khalifa! If you do get the chance to visit the Taj Mahal (and in my opinion you must take out the time for this trip at least once in your life time!), set aside a few moments to notice the the details like the calligraphy on the doors of mausoleum which increases in size as it goes higher up, so that to the casual observer it looks as if it is of the same size through out. Without any new-fangled gizmos the workers at the Taj managed to get all the fountains lined up in a perfectly straight lines vertically as well as horizontally. The four Minars around the Taj are perfectly linear and symmetrical as well. Ah! But that is not all... The Minars also lean out just a little bit to safe-guard the Taj Mahal from damage in case of an earthquake. If there is an earthquake and the Minars do fall down, they will fall outwards and away from the Taj Mahal and not on top of it because of this slight angle! They really did think of everything in the good old days, didn't they? I could go on for quite a while about the beauty and the structural brilliance of the place, but nothing I say could possibly match up or even come close to describing the real thing. As I said, take out some time and go and visit the Taj Mahal at least once on your lifetime. 

A Small And Feeble Example Of the Inlay Work and Carving on a Panel Wall OF The Taj Mahal

Out next stop was the Agra Fort. Now the area of the fort that is open to us is not as large as many forts that I have been to. The approach to it isn't as awesome either. But the romance and the stories surrounding the Agra Fort as just as intriguing as that of the Taj Mahal. This was the place where Jahangir first lay eyes on Noor Jahan and fell immediately in love with her. This is also the place the where emperor Aurangzeb held his father Shah Jahan captive when he dethroned him and took over the reigns of the country. The area where Shah Jahan was held captive is one of the few places in the fort from where you can see the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan wanted to see the Taj where his beloved Mumtaz Mahal was buried even while he was held captive until his dying days. The Agra Fort is also made up of 7 smaller palaces where various members of the Mughal empire lived. 

The Area Where The Meena Bazaar Was Held At The Agra Fort Where Jahangir First saw And Fell In Love With Noor Jahan
Palace At The Agra Fort Where Shah Jahan Was Held Captive And From where He Could See The Taj


Our last stop was a beautiful though little visited site - the tomb of It-Mad-Ud-Daulah, Noor Jahan's father. This structure is said to be the birth of the idea for the Taj Mahal. Though gems were not used here, the intricacy of the inlay work done in this amazing structure is just as beautiful as that of the Taj Mahal. Noor Jahan also broke a lot of tradition in getting this place made. Contrary to most Islamic practices, Noor Jahan instructed the artisans to incorporate the images of men and animals in the inlay work, but in a manner so as not to make it immediately apparent to the observer. Please note the swan shaped handles of bottles as well as the image of a man in the art work. Very progressive, specially given the era in which these were made. 


Notice The Swan-like Handles on The Bottles on The Left And Right Of The Center Motif

An Example Of The Intricate Work Done At the Tom Of It-Mad-Ud-Daulah

Work Done On The Ceiling Of The Mausoleum At The Tomb 


Notice The Miniature Portrain Of a Man at the Center Of The Bottle 
Oh, but I cannot possibly tell you all about everything that I had the privilege of seeing in Agra. You will just have to go there and experience them for yourself. Because even the best authors in the world the best photographers in the world cannot not hold a candle to the real deal.