Architecture under Shah Jahan
The vision
of Shah Jahan (r. 1628 - 1658) introduced a delicate elegance and detail to
Mughal architecture, illustrated in the Jama Masjid in Delhi, the Moti Masjid
situated within the Agra Fort, and the Sheesh Mahal in the Lahore Fort, which
makes spectacular use of pietra dura and complex mirror work. His most famous
achievement, however, is indisputably the Taj Mahal.
Located in
Agra, India, the Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum built between 1632 and
1648 by Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Constructed by twenty thousand men, it represents the Islamic garden of
paradise, and is widely regarded as Mughal architecture's greatest achievement.
The
mausoleum rests in the middle of a large square plinth and has four almost
identical facades, each with a large arch-shaped doorway. It is topped by a
large double dome and a finial, combining both the traditional Islamic motif of
the crescent moon and the Hindu symbol of the trident, associated with the god
Shiva. The central dome is adorned with a lotus design and is surrounded by
four smaller chhatris, each of which also has the same lotus motif. Four tall
minarets extend from the corners of the plinth.
The exterior
decorations of the Taj Mahal include calligraphy, abstract forms, verses from
the Koran, and vegetable motifs, executed in paint, stucco, carvings, and
pietra dura work. The interior decorations also feature inlay work featuring
precious and semi-precious gemstones. Muslim tradition forbids elaborate
decoration of graves and the bodies of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal are interred
in a plain crypt underneath the mausoleum. However, the inner tomb features two
cenotaphs or false tombs that are richly decorated with inlays of semi-precious
stones forming vines and flowers and surrounded by jali screens.
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