Taj Mahal, Symbol of Eternal Love

As soon as I received the kind invitation of the Indian Embassy in my country to visit India within a journalist delegation, the picture of Taj Mahal quickly came to my mind. Of course, there are many beautiful and worth seeing historical places in India, but the Taj Mahal of Agra is the most beautiful of all. It is a dream in marble.

Really, we were very excited in our one-day trip in Agra city that embraces the most recognizable structures of the world. I didn’t forget the moment of our entering to the site of Taj Mahal, we just froze and stood gazing at it, in fact, we all felt that we had known little bit about Taj Mahal till we visited it personally.

Taj Mahal is considered as one of the greatest and the most fascinating monuments not in India only, but in all the world. It is chosen as one of the 7 wonders of the world

Taj Mahal can be regarded as a love story written in marble. Rabindranath Tagore called it, “A Dream in Marble”. For many others, it is a “poem written in marble” and “symphony in stone”. Today, it is chosen as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and it is one of India’s biggest tourist attractions. Taj Mahal is visited by no less than three million people a year.

 This great monument, built in pure white marble was erected by Shahjahan, the Mughal emperor in memory of his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal. He had loved her deeply while she was alive and when she died he wanted to perpetuate his eternal love for her by erecting a spectacular tomb.

He took more than seventeen years to complete this splendid edifice in memory of his beloved wife. Therefore, this historical monument stands as a monument of love between Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal.

Taj Mahal stands on the banks of river Yamuna, in the city of Agra. The monument has an arched doorway which opens a panorama of awe-inspiring view of Taj Mahal. The entire monument has a fine layout each fitting to the overall majestic setup.

A beautiful footpath surrounded by a lawn with green tufts of grass and a line of sky-high cyprus trees on both sides lead to a raised rectangular shaped platform called the mausoleum. A series of enchanting water fountains in the middle of the paved footpath make the entry to the main mausoleum, a memorable experience of pomp and show.

The raised platform has four tall minarets or towers at its four corners. These four minarets stand like four sentinels guarding the precious enclosure. Within the enclosure lie the tombs of Mumtaz Mahal and Shahjahan.

The tombs within are enclosed by sculptured walls of pure white marble, artistically painted and inlaid with precious stones. Couplets from the holy Quran, written on the sidewalls give a divine touch to the monument.

The whole structure shines like a dream in the backdrop of calm Yamuna. No wonder why thousands of people flock to this wonderful monument of eternal love carved on stone. It is the best legacy left behind by the Great Mughals who once ruled the land.

The Taj Mahal has been described as “a dream in marble, designed by fairies and finished by jewelers”. The closer one examines it, the more one realizes its splendid charm.

The reflection of the whole structure in the still waters of the Yamuna, on a moonlit night is said to be an unforgettable sight unseen anywhere else in the world. Taj Mahal is a relic of India’s glorious past. Therefore, this noble monument of love in its original charm and splendor is really deserving to be preserved for our future generations.

But the best and most beautiful description of Taj Mahal was given by Ghandi as; “This is not a grave. this is a song of marble”.

Really, it was a fantastic unforgettable day where we closely got acquainted with this great edifice. Indeed, you feel when you are touring in Taj Mahal like you’re in a dream which you do not want to awake from.

Overall the visit to Taj Mahal was a wonderful experience, it is really a memorial for one of the greatest and sad love stories .

M.Wassouf, Agra