TAJ MAHALStory and
Photos By Subhasis
Banerjee lives in Calcutta, India and knows his homeland well.The photographer
is a senior executive with HSBC (Hongkong Bank) in Calcutta, India.
Photography is his passion. A keen birdwatcher he enjoys photographing
nature. Monideepa Banerjee The author is a free lance travel writer
from Calcutta, India. She has done her masters in Journalism from Calcutta
University and instead of joining mainstream journalism has opted for
travel writing because that is where her heart is. She lives with her
photographer husband, Subhasis and two children Subhodeep and Manali.
She is associated with various travel magazines in India and is planning
to begin travel consultancy.
If there is a single object to represent India in the same way that the Eiffel Tower does for France, it can be none other than the Taj Mahal, the Monument of Love. The white-marbled edifice peeping out of every brochure, every literature on India has become such an integral part of the country that a visit to the Taj Mahal, or Taj as it is better known, has become synonymous to a visit to India. Indeed the beauty of the Taj is spectacular. The monument looks its best on clear full moon nights when the Taj is bathed in the off-white moonlight. Thousands of tourists who visited her during the last millenium full moon would surely agree to this. However, it is a delight even in the radiance of dawn and the orange glow of sunset. The Taj Mahal was constructed by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan in memory of his beloved wife, Arjumand Banu Begum Mumtaj who died in 1629 during her fifteenth childbirth in the 17 years of their marriage. The mortal remains of Shah Jehan and Mumtaj are placed side by side in a dimly lit chamber below the ground level just under the main dome. It is sure to invoke a feeling of undying love in the heart of the visitors, too! The construction work began in 1632 and for the next two decades 20000 workmen from all over India and central Asia worked day and night to create this symphony in marble. A pure white variety of marble was specially brought from Markana in Rajasthan and Persia (Iran). Expert architects were brought from France, Italy and other European countries but the chief architect was Isha Khan from Shiraj, Iran. Legend says that the right thumb of Isha was chopped off afterwards so that he could never recreate a similar edifice. The Taj stands on a raised marble platform on the banks of the Yamuna river in the city of Agra which has two other world heritage sites, the Agra Fort and the Fatehpur Sikri. Undoubtedly the setting of the Taj Mahal has a lot to do with its uniqueness. The shady gardens and reflecting waterbed with fountains, the surrounding buildings in red sandstone, the dark frame of the gateway and the backdrop of the Yamuna - all combine to make this a white marble mirage. The walls are decorated with flawless sculptures, floral designs and calligraphy scripts from the Holy Koran. Most of these designs had precious gems embedded but have been stolen over the ages. Visitors enter the Taj lawns through a high, red sandstone arched gate. The leading pathway is lined with shops and showrooms displaying handicrafts. Most of these are highly expensive and unreliable. The next gate take you to the Taj, one of the most photographed, filmed and drawn buildings in the world which is sure to draw you back again and again. And it is certainly worth more than a single visit. More than 20,000 people visit the Taj every day and during the season the numbers may increase to over 100,000. It is advisable to time your visit to early morning and late afternoon. On a bright sunny day it is sure to blind you by its dazzle.
Fatehpur Sikri owes its origin to the saint Sheikh Salim Chisti who resided there. Akbar was without a male heir and once made a pilgrimage trip to the saint. He was blessed with a son soon after. A gratified Akbar not only named his son Salim but also made the village of Sikri his new capital. It was named Fateh-pur-Sikri or the capital of victory. Today this deserted city with its perfectly preserved ancient township lies at the top of a ridge while the modern village has come up a little further on the highway towards Bharatpur in Rajasthan. A tourist guide is a necessity here and those with a government licence are to be preferred. All the buildings are made of red sandstone with beautiful inlay work in white. The 175 ft high Buland Darwaza or the Gateway of victory was constructed to commemorate Akbar's win over Khandesh in Gujarat. It is the highest gateway in the world. Inside the fort stands the white marbled tomb, in sharp contrast to the surrounding red, of Sheikh Salim Chisti. The marble lattice screens are sure to surprise the visitors with their superb craftsmanship. You will be surprised to find red thread tied on the marble screens inside the tomb. Those represent prayers that the devotees request to be fulfilled and legend says that once a prayer is fulfilled one must visit the pilgrimage once again to untie a knot. On the other side of the palace is Akbar's Hindu Queen Jodha Bai's Mahal. The architectural style of this palace amalgamates Hindu pillars with Muslim cupolas. His Christian wife Mariam's palace is small and beautifully crafted. In those days this palace was gilded throughout giving it the nickname of 'Golden House'. Another interesting thing is a huge pachisi board made on the floor that was used by Akbar to play chess using slave girls as pawns. And then there is the Nahabat-khana
where Tansen and other musicians would hold their concerts for the royal
audience. The A proper tour through the walled city with an experienced guide, from the Bulund Darwaza up to the rear entrance and moat, would take about 3 to 4 hours. Plan your visit accordingly. Before leaving Fatehpur Sikri sample the local specialty--the 52-layered Parantha in the snack shops below the Buland Darwaza. The Parantha is a kind of Indian bread rolled out of wheat dough and fried on a pan with butter or ghee. It has, as the name suggests 52, yes fifty-two incredible layers. These Paranthas are about 6 inches in diameter and thoroughly filling! Finally, look for the old man who performs an amazing feat of diving from the ramparts of the fort into the moat. The 60 feet jump will certainly surprise you. How to go: Agra has an Airport connecting it to the world. It may be accessed by train from New Delhi and many other cities in India. The superfast Shatabdi Express takes about 2 hours from New Delhi. This train is most convenient for a day visitor since it reaches Agra by about 0900hrs leaving the whole day for touring Agra and takes the returning train back in the night. The road journey from New Delhi to Agra takes about 5 hours. The roads are reasonably good. Agra to Fatehpur Sikri is about 3-4 hours drive. Buses both state owned and private ply regularly. Private vehicles are plenty and can be booked through the hotels or private tour operators. Conducted site seeing tours are also organised from the tourism department as well as private operators. Where to stay : Staying is not a problem at Agra as it has a number of luxury hotels and plenty of budget hotels too. The big ones are Novotel, the Ashok, the Agra Sheraton and the Taj. Most of these hotels give a view of the Taj from most of the rooms and are conveniently located in the sprawling Cantonment area. Eating places are found everywhere and can suit every taste. Some of the hotels are: TAJ VIEW HOTEL ***** Fatehabad Road Taj Ganj WELCOMGROUP MUGHAL SHERATON ***** (Deluxe) 6-B, Mall Road. HOTEL AGRA ASHOK ***** 6B, The Mall, Agra Cantt. HOTEL CLARKS SHIRAZ ***** 54, Taj Road. HOWARD PARK PLAZA INTERNATIONAL Taj Ganj, Fatehabad Road, Agra HOTEL MANSINGH *** Fatehabad Road THE TRIDENT *** Taj Nagri Scheme, Fatehabad Road HOTEL ATITHI *** Tourist Complex Area,Fatehabad Road HOTEL AMAR *** Tourist Complex Area, Fatehabad Road AGRA DELUXE Tourist Complex Area, Fatehabad Road GRAND HOTEL *** 137 Station Road. RANJEET HOTEL 263 Station Road, Cantt MAYUR TOURIST COMPLEX Fatehabad Road. At Fatehpur Sikri accommodation can be arranged at Archeological Survey of India guest house by prior booking at the ASI, Agra. Few other basic hotels and rest houses are also available. The Maurya rest house below the Buland Darwaza is a pleasant budget hotel. About half a kilometer back along the main road is the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation's Gulistan Tourist complex. Season : The summer season is rather hot and lasts from around March-end till the middle of June. The monsoon follows for about 2 to 3 months. Winters are pleasant during the day and cold in the nights. Best time to visit- October to March. What to buy: There are plenty of souvenirs available here. The most famous ones are leather goods, marble products and items made of semi precious stones like Jade. Try to buy things from a government emporium, which are far more reliable both in terms of quality and value. |
After
satiating yourself with this love-poem on white marble let us proceed
to Fateh-pur Sikri where a symphony is played on red sandstone.Forty
kilometers southwest of Agra lies this huge complex of gardens, palaces,
pavilions, baths, a majestic courtyard, lakes and stables. This was
the capital of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar between 1570 and 1586.
After this the city was abandoned, abruptly and mysteriously, probably
due to the shortage of water supply. 
Ankh-micholi hall where the emperor used to amuse himself by playing
hide and seek with the ladies of the harem. But the most spectacular
building is the Panch Mahal or the five-storied palace. This airy palace
is open on all sides and was built for the queens to enjoy the breeze
freely. This is the highest point in Fatehpur Sikri and a must see for
the visitor.