Taj Mahal is the jewel of Muslim art in India, and one of the most admired beautiful monuments of the world?s heritage. Considered as one of the most heartfelt symbols of love, Taj Mahal was made by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the loving memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. This pearly white monument stands synonymous to love. The heavenly beauty of Taj Mahal right beside the gleaming Yamuna River appears like a dream right out of a fairytale.
Travellers visiting Taj Mahal are floored by the beauty of its construction, which includes a melange of precious gemstones, unmatched architecture and handpicked ornamentation. An architectural marvel, the Taj Mahal flaunts an unearthly vigour during full moon nights, when the monument shines like a white pearl carefully soaked in the quietness of the moon.
Considered to be the greatest architectural achievement in the whole range of Indo-Islamic architecture, the beauty of Taj Mahal has a rhythmic combination of solids and voids, concave and convex and its beautifully designed arches and domes that further increases the aesthetic aspect.
Going by the statistics, about 20,000 labours were employed and 32 million rupees were spent to raise this masterpiece. Special architects were hired to make the monument stand out and appear as one of its kind. Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 for being an impressive example of Mughal architecture. It was also declared a winner of the New7Wonders of the World (2000?2007) initiative.
The most brilliant feature of Taj Mahal is its tomb. Nearly 35 metres high, the dome is made up of white marble and looks like a lotus flower. The exteriors of the monument feature eye catching Mughal architecture with elements made using paint, stucco, stone, inlays and carvings. The inside of Taj Mahal is equally beautiful and makes many jaws drop out of fascination. A large 300-metre square charbagh or Mughal garden around the monument looks fascinating with raised pathways, reflecting pool, avenues of trees and fountains.
