autobiography of Taj Mahal in 2000 wards
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Taj Mahal
One of the world’s greatest love stories produced a timeless monument. The structure’s sheer beauty inspired poetic words from the builder himself. The monument is an engineering marvel that has been studied by scholars and historians alike. Visitors throughout history have been infatuated by the shrine’s elegance. Count Hermann Keyserling describes the monument as, "A massive marble structure, without weight, as if formed of ether, perfectly rational and at the same time entirely decorative (Taj Mahal, 2008).Keyserling went on to say, “It is perhaps the greatest art work which the forming spirit of mankind has ever brought forth (Taj Mahal, 2008)." An American novelist, Bayard Taylor referred to this structure as a castle in the air.
The monument incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian architecture and earlier Mughal architecture while the dome on cube design of the central block is a common characteristic of Islamic buildings (Kleiner, 2010 pgs 38). Inspiration for the design, came from Timurid and Mughal buildings including; the Gur-e Amir or tomb of Timur, Humayun's Tomb, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi (The Taj Mahal the tear on the cheek of history, 2007). Earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone though Shah Jahan requested the use of white marble layered with precious stones to be used in constructing the Taj Mahal (The Taj Mahal the tear on the cheek of history, 2007). The Taj Mahal web site describes the complex’s five major components, the main gateway, the gardens, the mosque, the rest house and the main mausoleum.
Taj Mahal is bounded on three sides by structures while the forth side faces the River Yamuna (Taj Mahal, 2008). The gateway is the entry point to the entire complex. The prevalent material used in its construction is marble and the gateway is designed in the style of Mughal architecture of earlier emperors (Taj Mahal, 2008).
Taj Mahal is one the greatest piece of architecture of India. This mosque-mausoleum was built by Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved resting wife Mumtaz, who died in childbirth. it is also more than a building because the Taj Mahal is the physical manifestation of a man’s everlasting love for his deceased wife, therefore, it be referred to as a symbol of eternal love.
However, in the recent past, the monument’s white marble was observed to be changing colour and turning yellow.