Taj Mahal – One of The Seven Wonders of The World

The Taj Mahal is located in Agra, India and is considered one of the Seven wonders of the world. When one starts to approach the Taj Mahal you experience a sensation of love at first sight. You are overwhelmed by its vast size and the beauty of the pure white marble. What one might imagine when the Taj Mahal is mentioned is the central domed building. However, there are many aspects of the Taj Mahal: the entrance garden, the mosque, six octagonal pavilions, platforms, as well as fountains and a lot of greenery.

As you enter the main gate also known as the Jilokhama, your eyes are directed toward the central dome, which is framed by an arc. The arc of the Taj Mahal’s main gate is embellished with floral patterns made out of a multitude of colored semi-precious and precious gemstones. These gemstones seem to twinkle in the sunlight and a small rainbow seems to appear. The central marble dome is atop a huge white marble terrace that itself is founded on a high red sandstone base. Once one enters the Jilokhama you look and see a vaulted room that has a huge Egyptian style brass lamp in the center. You notice that there are very intricate designs on the lamp, they are in a swirl pattern. The lamp is hanging on a by two support beams, they have a gold yet brassy color to them, they are not normal stars, they are kind of in the shape of a sheriff’s bag. As you pass through the main gate and make your way towards the main mausoleum, you notice that it appears to be moving farther and farther away.

Once one passes through the main gate, you notice the magnificent Taj gardens. Like everything else, the gardens are arranged in a very symmetrical manner. The Taj Mahal gardens also referred to as the Charbagh gardens not only adds to the overwhelming beauty of the Taj Mahal they provide a calm and serene ambiance which makes everything more pleasurable. There are flowers of all different colors and the wind is slightly slowing so that as you take a deep breath in, you can smell the wonderful smell. The gardens start from the end of the main gateway and extend all the way up to the Taj mausoleum. The Charbagh gardens are divided into four parts with two main walkways. Each of these four parts is further divided into four parts, thus creating sixteen squares. You decide to take the walkway on the right. There is a beautiful canal splitting the two walkways and it extends all the way to the base of the Mausoleum. The Mausoleum is reflected in the canal’s bright water. The two walkways meet in the center of the outside portion of the Mausoleum where a raised marble lotus platform is built.

When one finally reaches the Mausoleum, you again notice how symmetrical everything is and the breathtaking white marble that it is made out of. When one takes a look at the Taj Mahal all you can see is the beautiful clear blue sky in the background. When you enter the Taj Mahal Mausoleum, you notice the calligraphy on the wall and verses from the Quran on black stone. ‘O Soul, thou art at rest. Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you’, these are the holy words that greet you as you walk into the Taj and it creates a soulful environment and leaves you feeling at peace. There are many verses written on the stone, they are mainly about the themes of judgment and the bliss that awaits the faithful who commit good deeds. The verses have been specifically chosen to match the vibe of the place. As one gets further into the Mausoleum you notice that there are perforated marble screens to allow light to pass through, it makes the setting more serene. When you are exiting, you pass back through the gardens, this time you take the path on the left. It is exactly the same as the path on the right that you took when entering the Taj. One can’t help but be mesmerized by the symmetry and the overall beauty. The architecture is so precise and everything looks to be so perfect. You look back at the Mausoleum and can not help but grin at the feelings you have experienced while visiting and all of the glorious memories. There are so many aspects of the Taj Mahal and one realizes why it is one of the Seven wonders of the world.