India is an ancient country which is bestowed with the presence of a variety of cultures and heritages.

It is not
only culturally rich but historically the country entails a long story of its richness. In order to experience these
sights, not only people from our country, but also foreign tourists come every year. Almost all the historical
places of India read the story of heroism, patriotism, humanity, love and sacrifice. Even I have visited a lot of
them, but the beauty of the Taj Mahal attracts me again and again. From the point of view of architecture, Taj
Mahal is a beautiful model of artistic creation and is often called a unique chapter in the book of Indian history
since many incidents, perspectives and viewpoints are attached with it.

It was the month of May in 2010 when I was there at Taj Mahal with my family. Rajdhani Express took us to
Indian capital city Delhi from Howrah Station. We were there at Delhi for 3days, then we reached Agra by Bus.
We were very excited about Taj Mahal. Next day, we took an early start and reached to the monument of
eternal love. As we entered the main gate, the blowing wind was, as if, telling the story inscribed in the white
marbles of the Taj. A local guide accompanied us and began to tell the history of the place.

It is calculated to be among the seven wonders of the world. With the Taj Mahal, the romantic side of Mughal
emperor Shah Jahan is attached who built this in memory of his Begum Mumtaz Mahal. Thousands of artisans
have cooperated with their talents for years. In fact, the diligence carried out in the construction of the Taj
Mahal for years has been clearly visible even today. Looking at the Taj Mahal located in the Agra city of Uttar
Pradesh, presently its construction is not easy to imagine. It is a scenic spot as well as an architectural model
from the historical point of view.

Taj Mahal is located on the right bank of Yamuna river which lends charm to its beauty and the south of Agra
city and is built on design traditions of Persian and earlier Mughal architecture. Earlier Mughal buildings were
primarily constructed of red sandstone but Shah Jahan preferred the use of white marble with semi-precious
stones. Buildings under his encouragement reached new levels of refinement. The entire structure is made of
purely white marble and had been procured from Rajasthan. The pattern in the Taj Mahal are octagonal
chambers all connected with the help of diagonal passages; it is, in fact, quite a similar pattern to the one used
in Humayun’s tomb in Delhi. There are beautiful minarets situated on each of the four corners of the main
structure. Taj Mahal has a number of pretty gardens, sparkling pools and cheery fountains.

This was about the history of the Taj. Now coming back to visit of Taj Mahal, at entrance, there was a huge
stone door which has the rectangles of Koran written with white stone. According to the order of the Supreme
Court, tourists have to go through the X-ray equipment and metal detectors before entering the Taj Mahal.

The surroundings and the garden and lustre to its architecture. I have seen several buildings but none presents
such a glorious view. It is matchless in beauty. Some historians have named it “the crown of the
world.” Someone has rightly called it a ‘poem in marble.’ In short, it is a paradise on earth. It is a thing of
beauty and a joy forever. The crimson rays of the sun at the time of sunset, enhance its beauty and glory. My
joy knew no bounds on seeing this wonderful building. Its memory will always remain fresh in my mind. My
knowledge about the Taj is now first hand. It is quite different form the second-hand information which I had
got from my books.

Next to the main entrance to the Taj, between the beaches of the charming and grand gardens, was a road
equipped with peacock trees. The cold breeze blowing through the Taj was reminding us every time about the
romantic stories related to the historical monument. In the middle, there was a beautiful lake in which the
colourful fishes float. To enter inside, one has to climb on a large marble stacked floor. Its texture is also very
romantic. Four towers talking to the sky on the four corners of the platform are raised in pride, in this way,
the head is lifted up as if there are four guardians of the Taj Mahal so that no one will spoil the beauty of the
Taj.

Our guide gave us some more basic information. The tomb was the central focus of the entire complex of the
Taj Mahal. It was a large, white marble structure settled on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical
building with an iwan or an arch-shaped doorway, topped by a large dome and finial. The structure of the base
was a large multi-chambered cube which formed an unequal eight-sided on each of the four long sides.

The corners of the base structure were skilfully chamfered. Each side of the iwan was framed with a
huge pishtaq or vaulted archway with two similarly shaped arched balconies stacked on either side. This motif
of stacked pishtaqs was replicated on the chamfered corner areas, making the design completely symmetrical
on all sides of the building. The false sarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan was there in the main
chamber. The actual graves are at a lower level. The interior design of the tomb was really eye-catching, all
the walls were carved with beautiful design, emphasizing Muslim traditions. The domes and vaults of the
sandstone buildings were worked with tracery of incised painting to create elaborate geometric forms.

The Taj is surrounded by a cypress garden on three sides. The Mughal Garden or Charbagh is the jewellery of
the Taj. There are several raised pathways in the garden that divide each of the four quarters of the garden
into 16 sunken parterres or flowerbeds. Halfway between the tomb and gateway in the centre of the garden,
there is a raised marble water tank. The reflecting pool is positioned in the water tank in such a manner that
it will reflect the image of the mausoleum.

Elsewhere, the garden is laid out with avenues of trees labelled according to common and scientific
names and fountains. The Charbagh garden, a design which came from Persian inspiration, was introduced
by Babur, the first Mughal emperor. The design of garden stands for the four flowing rivers of Paradise,
reflecting the heavenly garden derived from the Persian Paridaeza, meaning ‘walled garden’. Most Mughal
gardens are rectangular with a tomb or pavilion in the centre. The Taj Mahal garden is unusual in that the main
element, as the tomb is located at the end of the garden.

It was a great tour for us. We, not only breathe the essence of eternal love, but also, we have seen our thick
traditional history. We didn’t want to lose any of these moments. Grasping every moment of tour, we came
back to the hotel. The best attraction of your holidays was finally over. Later we came to know that more
recently, the Supreme Court has ordered the Taj to be opened in the nightWe were totally unaware of that
and missed the chance of experiencing the beauty of Taj in Moonlight.

Each historical site has its own importance. The significance of the Taj Mahal is in its architectural craft and
beauty, which has made it unique. In addition, the love of Shah Jahan has made a successful attempt to infuse
life in this beautiful building. By seeing the Taj Mahal, the lovers themselves sing songs of love. That’s why this
is my favourite historical place. Whenever I shall get the opportunity, I feel happy to be with the beauty of the
Taj Mahal again.

At last the day came when my long-cherished desire turned into reality. Last year I had an occasion to attend
the marriage of a friend of mine. This gave me a chance to see this master-piece of artistic design. As I came
close to it, I was struck by its unique structure. It is a marvel in marble. We went to the underground room
where Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal lie buried. Our minds went back to the times of Shah Jahan when he
built this building at a high cost.

I had also visited some other historical buildings in Agra Fort. It is a huge building that reminds the visitors of
the lofty grandeur and the glory of the great Moghul Kings. I then went to Fatehpur Sikri where I saw
thefamous Buland Darwaza, the Panch Mahal and many other buildings. All these magnificent structures made
a deep impression on me but there is nothing to match the beauty of the Taj. I was reminded of the English
lady who, on seeing the Taj, had said to her husband,” If you promise to build a monument like the Taj in my
memory, I am ready to die right now.”

Me back in 2010