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Taj Mahal
Perhaps no other historical monument has evoked as much awareness and admiration from tourists and travelers alike, as the magnificent Taj Mahal fondly called by people as the ultimate requiem of love, from a great Mughal Emperor to his beloved.
Shah Jehan built the Taj in memory of Mumtaz Mahal who died giving birth to their 14th child.
No cost was spared to make it the most beautiful monument the world had ever seen. White marble and red sandstone, silver and gold, camelian and jasper, moonstone and jade, lapiz lazuli and coral were fashioned by 20,000 skilled workers to make the emperor's dream a reality.
It took 22 years to complete - a symbol of eternal love where Shah Jehan too lies buried, re-united at last with his beloved Mumtaz The Taj Mahal is flanked by two smaller red stone buildings, one a mosque and the other a rest house.
Outside the walls surrounding the tomb, you'll be harassed by many hawkers, but the Taj and the surrounding gardens are haggler free, so even with the huge crowds visiting the mausoleum, it is a relaxing place.
Most people spend several hours around the Taj or in the gardens, which are well maintained. One of the things that surprised me in India was that the lawn was not cut with a lawnmower, but cut manually! The gardens has a geometrical structure, and is believed to symbolize paradise.The structure of Taj Mahal adheres to the Islamic style (Mughal style) of architecture, which flourished in India during the medieval period.
The Islamic style of architecture is also referred to as the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. This magnificent monument is set around a Charbagh or ‘four garden’ plan, which is split by watercourses - a reflection of the Persian style.
The Taj Mahal itself is not set within the Charbagh but is located towards the far end of the enclosure near the bank of river Yamuna.
Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb
Itmad-ud-Daulah or "Baby Taj" as it is called sometimes is a highly ornate edifice and one major attraction in Agra.
This mausoleum is considered as the imminent precursor of the Taj Mahal as far as elaborate carvings and inlay work are concerned.
Itmad-ud daulah, one of the most amazing of Mughal tombs, stands across the river Yamuna from the Taj Mahal.
It contains cenotaphs of Mirza Ghiyas and Asmat Begum, parents of the powerful Mughal Empress Nurjahan queen of Jahangir.
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