If there is anything as spectacular as the Taj Mahal, it is the legend surrounding its creation. The story holds that Emperor Shah Jahan was so distraught when his third wife died that he ordered the construction of the glorious Taj Mahal to be built in her honor. The Emperor’s wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during childbirth. After more than a decade, Mumtaz Mahal’s mausoleum was completed, and the stunning outbuildings and gardens were completed five years after that. The site, which is widely considered one of the most beautiful in the world, is based, then, on eternal love. And what a monument to love it is.
The focal point of the Taj Mahal complex is the tomb itself, which is the impressive and instantly recognizable white marble building. The architecture reflects the refined style that Shah Jahan promoted during his reign: with pishtaq, for vaulted archways, the iwan, the arched doorway, arched balconies, minarets framing the tomb, a beautifully symmetrical design, the stunning marble dome, and scores of other gorgeous elements, the Taj Mahal is rightly revered as an architectural gem in India and all over the world.
To honor the memory of his wife, Shah Jahal spared no expense and transcended traditional decorating in the interior chamber of Mumtaz Mahal’s tomb. The marble is inlaid with precious and semi-precious gemstones; the dramatic 82-foot walls are capped with an interior dome, which features a sun motif; arched balconies and pishtaq define the space, and light from the intricately cut jali, or screens, and roof openings, pours into chambers, highlighting the beautiful calligraphy panels and inlaid work. The interior chamber hosts the elaborate and stunning caskets.
Mumtaz Mahal and her emperor are not actually laid to rest in this glorious chamber. According to Muslim tradition, graves should not be elaborately decorated, so the two are found beneath the chamber, in a plain crypt. Inscriptions on the sides of the Mumtaz Mahal’s tomb read, “O Noble, O Magnificent, O Majestic, O Unique, O Eternal, O Glorious…” Each is more than true of this remarkable temple.
The tomb is so remarkable that it is hard to tear your eyes away; do, though, because the outbuildings and gardens are treasures in their own right. The total complex measures 580 x 300 meters; the gardens alone take up 300 x 300 meters with their delicate and symmetric designs. This represents the belief in paradise; it was paradise that Shah Jahal wanted to recreate to honor his beloved wife, and it is what visitors from all over the world discover for themselves.
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