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Taj Mahal Mausoleum

The Mausoleums Marble Platform (takhgah,kursi)

The eye-catching pure white marble platform is constructed in square and enriched by fourmarble faced three-storey minarets with the pillared domes of octagonal chhatris toppings. Thevaulted tunnel stairs reach to the platform from the riverfront terrace in the centre of the southern

side. The centre of the rest three sides opens via two doors to a long room lit by jalis (cagewindow) in hexagonal patterns. The doors are the entrance of the small square rooms which give

access to the long room as connecting rooms. The rooms once used for the imperial familysresting place are now functioning for storage.

The faades of the platform is ornamented continuously with the blind arches and round shapedfigures followed by rectangular frames above.

The Mausoleum (rauza-i manauwara, rauza-i mutahhara, rauza-i maqqadas)

The mausoleum known with the names of holy tomb (rauza-i maqqadas), illuminated tomb

(rauza-i munauwara) and pure tomb (rauza-i mutahhara) unquestionably deserves all theseexpressions with its perfect order, harmony, purity and symmetry.

Hasht Bihisht, the architectural plan preferred by the Moguls for tombs and garden pavilions isused in the mausoleum skillfully in cross-axial symmetry. The plan is set on Baghdadi

Octagon with four long and four short sides in corners. The basic cross pattern(+) intersectswith the second (x) pattern linking the central hall to the four corner rooms. The ground plan is

alike with the upper floor.

Exterior

The influence of naturalism is commonly felt through the detailed decorations of the plinths

carvings. The pishtaq halls above the plinth are ornamented with the carvings of flower patterns

growing up from the ground namely tulip, narcissus with smaller flowers and framed by leafmotifs pietra dura. Geometrically designed, yellow and black coloured rectangular frames with

eight-side stars on the corners embellish the over-plinth decoration facing the garden.

The pishtaqs are framed by the passages of Quran emphasizing the divine forgiveness, the Last

Judgment and reward for the faithful believers. The top of rectangular frames dominate the inner

walls of the pishtaq halls. The arched doors of the pishtaqs are covered with jalis, the cagesdesigned in honeycomb pattern. The door on the ground floor is larger than the one above. Thesub-pishtaqs are rather smaller and smaller and simple without pattern. The blind arches

surround the halls of the sub-pishtaqs. The caged door is located in the center.

The Tomb Chamber

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As the perfect reflection of Mumtaz Mahals paradise-like eternal house, the mausoleum belowthe domed hall is the core of the complex with its unique decoration, harmony and the echo. The

octagonal hall contains eight niches on each of the two storey which are equal in size but differin their elevation. The details of the ground floor resemble the outside pishtaqs. All eight niches

are ornamented with flower patterns followed by multi-cusped blind arches. The niches are

topped by inlaid flowers within the frames of the inscriptions while the niches on the secondfloor have only the blind arches and rectangular frameworks. The two floors are bordered with alarge line of inscription from the Quran. Some of the niches on both floors are covered only

with jalis. The floor is patterned geometrically with the border of lobed cartouches in black andwhite marbles. The naturalistic flower vases are the perfect decoration for the symbolism of the

paradise.

Upper Cenotaphs

The cenotaphs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan together with the screen create unique

decoration made of flower and plant patterns, ornamented with semi-precious stones.

The octagonal screen surrounding the tombs are divided into three frames on each side filledwith jalis having attractive plant elements which is unlikely to the geometric jalis patterns of the

entire Taj Mahal. Each corner of the octagon is topped with kalasha, a globe-like shape toppedwith a pointed-shape.

The actual burials are located in the lower chamber room according to the Mogul traditions. The

cenotaphs in the lower room are similar in design.

The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal is in the center of the hall and the larger cenotaph of Shah Jahan is

situated on the western side of the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal which is according to some a later

planned burial. The heads of the tombs are on the north, towards Mecca. The tomb of ShahJahan is topped by a pen case in order to emphasize its being a male tomb.

The east side of the upper cenotaph of Mumtaz Mahal starts with inscriptions from sura 83 of theQuran and continues with verse of 30 of sura 41 on the other sides aiming to comfort her soul.

The epitaph at the foot end of the tomb on the south reads The illuminated grave ofArjumandBanu Begam, entitled Mumtaz Mahal, who died in the year 1040 ( ad. 1631).

The upper cenotaph of Shah Jahan is without any inscription from Quran but only an epitaph on

the foot which reads This is the sacred grave of His Most Exalted Majesty, Dweller in Paradise,Second Lord of the Auspicious Conjunction, Shah Jahan, Padshah; may it ever be fragrant! The

year 1076 (ad. 1666).

The usage of the red flowers both on the screen and the cenotaphs is the reflection of the death

and blood as in Persian and Turkish poetry. Poppies are used in the poems of Turkish poet Ahi

which might also be the influence of the identifiable usage of poppies on the surface of the tombof Shah Jahan.

Screen

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The screen is ornamented with different patterns of flowers namely, columbines, honeysucklesand poppies. The cresting part on the upper level of the screen is decorated with lilies inside a

vase. Most of the flower patterns are topped by one blossom and two symmetrical blossomgroups below.

See also ....HISTORYAkbar

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