prince. She was married at 21 to Emperor Jahangir's third son Prince
Khurram and stayed loyally by his side through good times and bad: in the
luxurious royal palaces of Agra as well as the transient tents of war camps. A
labour of love ~ Work on the mausoleum began in 1633 and 20,000 workers
laboured for 17 years to build it. The most skilled architects, inlay craftsmen,
calligraphers, stone-carvers and masons came from all across India and
lands as distant as Persia and Turkey. The master mason was from
Baghdad, an expert in building the double dome from Persia, and an inlay
specialist from Delhi. Intricacy in design ~ what is most amazing about the Taj
Mahal is the fine detailing. The coloured inlay is never allowed to overwhelm
the design, as carvings done in relief sensitively balance it. The ornate pietra
dura and relief carvings are of floral, calligraphic and geometric designs.
However, flowers remain the main decorative element as the tomb depicts a
paradise garden. The skill of the inlay worker is so fine that it is impossible to
find the joints, even when as many as 40 tiny pieces of semi-precious stones
have been used in the petals of a single flower. Some of the best calligraphy
of Koranic verses can be seen around the entrance arches and on the two
headstones. The colours of the Taj ~ Taj Mahal changes its moods with the
seasons and the different times of the day. At dawn, the marble has a
delicate bloom in shell pink, by noon it glitters majestically white, turning to a
soft pearly grey at dusk. On full-moon away against the star-spangled sky.
Monsoon clouds give it a moody blue tint and it appears and disappears like a
mirage in the drifting mists of winter. It can be solid and earthbound, fragile
and ethereal, white, amber, grey and gold. The many faces of Taj Mahal
display the seductive power of architecture at its best.In evening enjoy
exclusive dinner with THE MOGHUL THEME - Go back to the historically
fabled world of the great Moghuls. "Chobedar" (gatekeepers) usher guests to
the "Daawat - khana" (dining room). Hostesses clad in silken, flowing
shararas (skirts) & "chunnis" (veils) welcome the guests with flowers &
"attars" (perfumes) in a traditional style. Flamboyant folk dances herald a
sumptuous spread of Mughlai delicacies, served in a manner befitting royalty.
O/N stay at hotel.
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