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TAJ MAHAL
The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India. The Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned it as a mausoleum for his favorite wife,
Mumtaz Mahal. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in
approximately 1648. Some dispute surrounds the question of who designed
the Taj Mahal; it is clear a team of designers and craftsmen were
responsible for the design, with Ustad Ahmad Lahauri considered the most
likely candidate as the principal designer.
The Taj Mahal (sometimes called "the Taj") is generally considered the
finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of
Persian, Turkish, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. While the
white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar part of the monument,
the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. It was
listed as a World Heritage Site in 1983 when it was described as a
"universally admired masterpiece of the world's heritage."
ORIGIN AND INSPIRATATION
In 1631 Shah Jahan, emperor during
the Mughal's period of greatest prosperity, was grief-stricken when his
second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their daughter
Gauhara Begum, their fourteenth child
Contemporary court chronicles concerning Shah Jahan's grief form the
basis of the love story traditionally held as the inspiration for the
Taj Mahal.
Construction of the Taj Mahal was begun soon after Mumtaz's death. The
principal mausoleum was completed in 1648, and the surrounding buildings
and garden were finished five years later.
The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on many design traditions,
particularly Persian and earlier Mughal came from a number of successful
Timurid and Mughal buildings. These include the Gur-e Amir (the tomb of
Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand)Humayun's Tomb,
Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Baby Taj), and Shah
Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi. Under his patronage, Mughal building
reached new levels of refinement. While previous Mughal building had
primarily been constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use
of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones.
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FATEHPUR SIKRI
Mughal Emperor Akbar, who was known
for his interest in literature, architecture, and the arts, built the
royal city at Fatehpur Sikri, situated 26 miles west of Agra (city of
the Tajmahal, India). He is also reputed to be a very tolerant ruler and
the buildings at Fatehpur Sikri blend both Islamic and Hindu elements in
their architectural style. One of the buildings even reflects Din-e-Ilahi,
the new faith founded by Akbar.
Popular legend has it that since
Akbar was without a heir for a long time, he made a pilgrimage to the
renowned Sufi saint, Sheik Salim Chisti, to seek his blessings. Later,
when a son -- later to be known as Jahangir -- was born to him, Akbar
built the new capital to mark his birth. Construction of the new
ceremonial capital, with its elaborate palaces, formal courtyards,
reflecting pools, harems, tombs and a great mosque, commenced in 1571. A
large number of masons and stone carvers worked hard for 15 years on its
construction. Shortly after the work was completed, the city had to be
abandoned for lack of adequate water supply.
Fatehpur Sikri is now a World
Heritage site. The Panch Mahal , or Palace of Five Storeys, and the
Buland Darwaza, a massive gate which provides entrance to the complex,
number among the finest specimens of Mughal architecture. It is also
arguably the greatest accomplishment of Mughal architecture, surpassed
only in reputation but not in its beauty and the awe it inspires by the
Taj Mahal.
The Diwan-e-Khas entirely unique in
its concept is a tall vaulted room with an intricately carved central
pillar and capital supporting a platform that once held the emperor's
throne. |