I've never been to India, so understandably, I'm a bit
nervous writing about the Taj Mahal. I remember though in 7th grade,
my social studies class conducted a look at India for a semester and when I saw
a picture of the Taj Mahal, it took my breath away. Just picture a young
13-year-old, eyes wide open - my mouth slightly agape as I drank in the wonder
of the structure. In that moment my heart knew one thing – a picture could not
do the Taj Mahal justice. This was a building that needed to be seen in person.
Sadly, I haven't had a chance to do that yet.
I suppose the thing that has resonated with me throughout the
years was knowing the Taj Mahal was built for a king's (Shah) wife who died in
childbirth. What an amazing testament to love.
The Taj Mahal is in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. Construction
began in 1632. (Charles I is on the throne in England, to give you a little
perspective) The main building, the mausoleum was finished in 1648 (the year
before Charles' died) and the surrounding gardens and structures were finished
five years later. Materials from all over India and Asia were used. Over 1,000
elephants helped transport the materials. They include white marble, crystal,
turquoise, Lapis lazuli, sapphires, and carnelian.
During the 1600's, the Mughals were the Muslim rulers of
India. Shah Jahan ruled during a period of great prosperity, but became grief stricken
when his 3rd wife, Mumtaz Mahal died giving birth to their 14th
child. He employed the best architects of his times to build a beautiful
mausoleum for her.
I can't begin to describe the Taj Mahal, but I will say
importance was place on symmetry. This attention, at least for me, is what
gives the Taj Mahal it's majestic beauty.
What happened to Shah Jahan after his wife's death? Shortly
after the Taj Mahal was finished, his son deposed him, placing him under house
arrest. When Jahan died, his son buried him next to his wife in the Taj Mahal.
Nowadays the beauty of the Taj Mahal is threatened by
environmental pollution. The pollution has slowly been turning the structure
yellow. Currently, there is a 4,000 square mile zone around the Taj Mahal in which
strict emission standards have been enacted.
Also, due to a lack of water in the Yamura River, the wooden
supports may be rotting, compromising the mausoleum's structural integrity.
Only 5 items are allowed in – water in see-through bottles, small video
cameras, still cameras, mobile phones and small ladies' purses.
Question: Have you seen the Taj Mahal? What was your first
impression?
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