c00l blogs

2011-04-18T23:29:00.000-07:00

Tourism

[edit]Historic sites and neighbourhoods

Goa has two World Heritage Sites: the Bom Jesus Basilica^[36] and a few designated convents. The Basilica holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, regarded by many Catholics as the patron saint of Goa (the patron of the Archdiocese of Goa is actually the Blessed Joseph Vaz). Once every twelve years, the body is taken down for veneration and for public viewing. The last such event was conducted in 2004. The Velhas Conquistas regions are also known for its Goa-Portuguese style architecture. There are many forts in Goa such as Tiracol, Chapora, Corjuem, Aguada, Gaspar Dias and Cabo de Rama.

In many parts of Goa, mansions constructed in the Indo-Portuguese style architecture still stand, though in some villages, most of them are in a dilapidated condition.Fontainhas in Panaji has been declared a cultural quarter, showcasing the life, architecture and culture of Goa. Some influences from the Portuguese era are visible in some of Goa's temples, notably the Shanta Durga Temple, the Mangueshi Temple and the Mahalasa Temple, although after 1961, many of these were demolished and reconstructed in the indigenous Indian style.

[edit]Museums and science center

Goa also has a few museums, the two important ones being Goa State Museum and the Naval Aviation Museum. The Aviation museum is the only one of its kind in the whole of India.^{[citation needed]} Also, a place not well known to

[edit]

Shanta Durga temple at Kavlem.

[edit]Dance and music

Goan Hindus are very fond of Natak, Bhajan and Kirtan. Many famous Indian Classical singers hail from Goa, including Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Kishori Amonkar,Kesarbai Kerkar, Jitendra Abhisheki and Pandit Prabhakar Karekar. Some traditional Goan art forms are dekhnni, fugdi, corridinho, Mando and dulpod.

[edit]Theatre

Natak, Tiatr and Zagor are the chief forms of Goa's traditional performance arts. Other forms are Ranmale, Dashavatari, Kalo, Goulankala, Lalit, Kala and Rathkala. Stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata along with more modern social subjects are narrated with song and dance.^[40]^[41] The drummers, keyboard artists, and guitarists are part of the show and give the background score.

[edit]Food

Fruitseller in Vasco Da Gama

Rice with fish curry (Xit kodi in Konkani) is the staple diet in Goa. Goan cuisine is famous for its rich variety of fish dishes cooked with elaborate recipes. Coconut andcoconut oil are widely used in Goan cooking along with chili peppers, spices and vinegar giving the food a unique flavour. Pork dishes such as Vindaloo, Xacuti andSorpotel are cooked for major occasions among the Goan Catholics. An exotic Goan vegetable stew, known as Khatkhate, is a very popular dish during the celebrations of festivals, Hindu and Christian alike. Khatkhate contains at least five vegetables, fresh coconut, and special Goan spices that add to the aroma. Sannas,Hitt are variants of idli and Polle,Amboli,Kailoleo are variants of dosa;are native to Goa. A rich egg-based multi-layered sweet dish known as bebinca is a favourite at Christmas. The most popular alcoholic beverage in Goa is feni; Cashew feni is made from the fermentation of the fruit of the cashew tree, while coconut feni is made from the sap of toddy palms.^{[citation needed]}

qutub minar

2011-04-18T00:02:00.000-07:00

Structure Of Qutub Minar

Qutub-Minar in red and buff sandstone is the highest tower in India. It has a diameter of 14.32m at the base and about 2.75m on the top with a height of 72.5m.

Rajputs laid the foundation of Qutab Minar but after the invassion of Mohammed Ghori it was converted into a structure to celebrate the victory of Mohammed Ghori, the invader from Afghanistan, over the Rajputs in 1192. Qutb-ud-din Aibak raised the first stories, to which were added three more stories by his successor and son-in-law, Shamsu'd-Din IItutmish (AD 1211-36). All the stories are surrounded by a projected balcony encircling the Minar and supported by stone brackets, which are decorated with honeycomb design, more conspicuously in the first story.

Inspired by the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan and wishing to surpass it, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Delhi, commenced construction of the Qutub Minar in 1193; but could only complete its basement. His successor, Iltutmish, added three more stories and, in 1368, Firuz Shah Tughluq constructed the fifth and the last story. The development of architectural styles from Aibak to Tuglak are quite evident in the minaret. Like earlier towers erected by the Ghaznavids and Ghurids in Afghanistan, the Qutub Mahal comprises several superposed flanged and cylindrical shafts, separated by balconies carried on Muqarnas corbels. The minaret is made of fluted red sandstone covered with intricate carvings and verses from the Qur'an. The Qutub Minar is itself built on the ruins of Lal Kot, theRed Citadel in the city of Dhillika, the capital of the Tomars and the Chauhans, the last Hindu rulers of Delhi.

History Of Qutub Minar

According to history, the minar was started by Qutubuddin Aibak. However, it is assumed & historians believe that Iltutmish finished it though the minar may have been commenced by Qutubuddin Aibak.

The Qutub Minar comprises several superposed flanged and cylindrical shafts, separated by balconies carried on Muqarnas corbels. The minaret is made of fluted red sandstone covered with intricate carvings and verses from the Qur'an. The Qutub Minar is itself built on the ruins of the Lal Kot, the Red Citadel in the city of Dhillika, the capital of the Tomars and the Chauhans, the last Hindu rulers of Delhi. The complex initially housed 27 ancient Hindu and Jain temples, which were destroyed and their debris used to build the Qutb minar.^[1] One engraving on the Qutub Minar reads, "Shri Vishwakarma prasade rachita" (Conceived with the grace of Vishwakarma.)

The purpose for building this monument has been variously speculated upon. Some say the minaret was used to calling people for prayer in the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosqueoffer prayer but it is so tall that you can't hear the person standing on the top. The earliest extant mosque built by the Delhi Sultans. Many historians believe that the Qutub Minar was named after the first Turkish sultan (who's decendant- Wajid Ali Shah-repaired it), Qutub-ud-din Aibak,^[2] but others contend that it was named in honour of Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki,^[3] a saint from Transoxiana who came to live in India and was greatly venerated by Iltutmish.

The nearby Iron Pillar is one of the world's foremost metallurgical curiosities, standing in the famous Qutub complex. According to the traditional belief, anyone who can encircle the entire column with their arms, with their back towards the pillar, can have their wish granted. Because of the corrosive qualities of sweat the government has built a fence around it for safety.

The minar did receive some damage because of earthquakes on more than a couple of occasions but was reinstated and renovated by the respective rulers. During the rule of Firoz Shah, the minar's two top floors were damaged due to an earthquake but were repaired by Firoz Shah. In the year 1505, earthquake again struck and it was repaired by Sikandar Lodi. Later on in the year 1794, the minar faced another earthquake and it was Major Smith, an engineer who repaired the affected parts of the minar. He replaced Firoz Shah's pavilion with his own pavilion at the top. The pavilion was removed in the year 1848 by Lord Hardinge and now it can be seen between the Dak Bungalow and the Minar in the garden. The floors built by Firoz Shah can be distinguished easily as the pavilions was built of white marbles and are quite smooth as compared to other ones.

golden temple

2011-04-16T23:19:00.000-07:00

General

The Golden Temple is considered holy by Sikhs because the eternal guru of Sikhism, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is always present inside it and its construction was mainly intended to build a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religion to come and worship God equally.^[1]^[6] The Sri Guru Granth Sahib is the holiest literature in the Sikh religion,^[6] the tenth guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh, on 7 October 1708 at Nanded made it the eternal Sikh Guru and the leader of Sikhism.^[6] Anywhere in the world where the Guru Granth Sahib is present is equally holy and precious to Sikhs. Amritsar is the location of Harmandir Sahib.

[edit]History

Its name literally means Temple of God. The fourth guru of Sikhism, Guru Ram Das, excavated a tank in 1577 CE which subsequently became known as Amritsar(meaning "Pool of the Nectar of Immortality"),^[7] giving its name to the city that grew around it. In due course, a splendid Sikh edifice, Harmandir Sahib (meaning "the abode of God"),^[8] rose in the middle of this tank and became the supreme centre of Sikhism. Its sanctum came to house the Adi Granth comprising compositions of Sikh gurus and other saints considered to have Sikh values and philosophies, e.g., Baba Farid, and Kabir. The compilation of the Adi Granth was started by the fifth guru of Sikhism, Guru Arjan Dev.

]Construction of the Harmandir Sahib

The Harmandir Sahib at night

Ber Baba Buddha Ji

Dukh Bhanjani Beri & Ath Sath Tirath

Originally built in 1574, the site of the temple was surrounded by a small lake in a thin forest. The third of the six grand Mughals, Emperor Akbar, who visited the third Sikh guru, Guru Amar Das, in the neighbouring town ofGoindval, was so impressed by the way of life in the town that he gave a jagir (the land and the revenues of several villages in the vicinity) to the guru's daughter Bhani as a gift on her marriage to Bhai Jetha, who later became the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das. Guru Ram Das enlarged the lake and built a small township around it. The town was named after Guru Ram Das as Guru Ka Chak', Chak Ram Das or Ram Das Pura.

During the leadership of the fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev (1581–1606), the full-fledged Temple was built. In December 1588, the great Muslim Sufi saint of Lahore, Hazrat Mian Mir, who was a close friend of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, initiated the construction of the temple by laying the first foundation stone (December 1588 CE).^[1]^[9] A mason then straightened the stone but Guru Arjan Dev told him that, as he had undone the work just completed by the holy man, a disaster might come to the Harmandir Sahib. It was later attacked by the Mughals.

The temple was completed in 1604. Guru Arjan Dev, installed the Guru Granth Sahib in it and appointed Baba Buddha Ji as the first Granthi (reader) of it on August 1604. In the mid-18th century it was attacked by the Afghans, by one of Ahmed Shah Abdali's generals, Jahan Khan, and had to be substantially rebuilt in the 1760s. However, in response a Sikh Army was sent to hunt down the Afghan force. They were under orders to show no mercy and historical evidence suggests the Sikh Army was decisively victorious in the ensuing battle. Both forces met each other five miles outside Amritsar; Jahan Khan's army was destroyed.^[10] He himself was decapitated by commanderSardar Dayal Singh.^[10]

The Harmandir Sahib Complex and areas in its vicinity

Map of the Harmandir Sahib

Wide-angle view of the Harmandir Sahib

The Harmandir Sahib's eastern entrance gate(see map)

The temple is surrounded by a large lake, known as the Sarovar, which consists of Amrit ("holy water" or "immortal nectar"). There are four entrances to the temple, signifying the importance of acceptance and openness; ostensibly, this concept is reminiscent of the tent of the Old Testament patriarch Abraham, whose tent was open on all four sides in order to be able to welcome travelers from all directions. Inside the temple complex there are many shrines to past Sikh gurus, saints and martyrs (see map). There are three holy trees (bers), each signifying a historical event or Sikh saint. Inside the temple there are many memorial plaques that commemorate past Sikh historical events, saints, martyrs and includes commemorative inscriptions of all the Sikh soldiers who died fighting in World Wars I and II.

In 1988, after Operation Black Thunder, the government acquired a narrow peripheral strip of land (including buildings) in order to use their space as a security buffer. The acquisition process involved the displacement and relocation of a large number of residences and businesses. However, the project met with a strong resistance from both moderate and militant Sikh organisations and had to be abandoned following the murder of a senior government-employed engineer connected with the project. The project was revived only in 1993 by the Deputy Commissioner Karan Bir Singh Sidhu, who was also appointed as the project director of what became popularly known as the Galliara Project. He changed the concept of the periphery from that of a security belt to that of a secondparikarma and created a serene landscape that was fully consistent with the ethereal beauty of the Harmandir Sahib. This was done in quiet consultation with the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). Present-day pilgrims can travel by foot in the Galliara; no vehicles are permitted.

In keeping with the rule observed at all Sikh temples (gurdwaras) worldwide, the Harmandir Sahib is open to all persons regardless of their religion, colour, creed, or sex. The only restrictions on the Harmandir Sahib's visitors concern their behavior when entering and while visiting:

Maintaining the purity of the sacred space and of one's body while in it:
- Upon entering the premises, removing one's shoes (leaving them off for the duration of one's visit) and washing one's feet in the small pool of water provided;
- Not drinking alcohol, eating meat, or smoking cigarettes or other drugs while in the shrine
Dressing appropriately:
- Wearing a head covering (a sign of respect) (the temple provides head scarves for visitors who have not brought a suitable covering);
- Not wearing shoes (see above).

First-time visitors are advised to begin their visit at the information office highlighted in the map and then proceed to the Central Sikh Museum near the main entrance and clock tower.

]Artwork and monument sculpture.

North Entrance gate near Ath-sath Tirath (68 Sacred Places) (Point 15 on map)

Much of the present decorative gilding and marblework dates from the early 19th century. All the gold and exquisite marble work were conducted under the patronage of Hukam Singh Chimni and Emperor Ranjit Singh, Maharaja of the Sikh Empire of the Punjab. The Darshani Deorhi Arch stands at the beginning of the causeway to the Harmandir Sahib; it is 202 feet (62 m) high and 21 feet (6 m) in width. The gold plating on the Harmandir Sahib was begun by Emperor Ranjit Singh and was finished in 1830. The Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of the Punjab) was a major donor of wealth and materials for the shrine and is remembered with much affection by thePunjabi people in general and the Sikh community in particular. Maharaja Ranjit Singh also built two of the other most sacred temples in Sikhism. This was because Maharaja Ranjit Singh had a deep love for the tenth guru of Sikhism Guru Gobind Singh. The other two most sacred temples in Sikhism, which he built, are Takht Sri Patna Sahib (intiation or birth place of Guru Gobind Singh) and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib, the place of Guru Gobind Singh's Sikh ascension into heaven.

Celebrations at Harmandir Sahib

The Harmandir Sahib Watch Towers(Point 17 on map)

One of the most important festivals is Vaisakhi, which is celebrated in the second week of April (usually the 13th). Sikhs celebrate the founding of the Khalsa on this day and it is celebrated with fervour in the Harmandir Sahib. Other important Sikh religious days such as the martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur, the birthday of Guru Nanak, etc., are also celebrated with religious piety. Similarly Diwali is one of the festivals which sees the Harmandir Sahib beautifully illuminated with Divas/Diyas (lamps); lights and fireworks are discharged. During these special occasions many thousands of people visit the holy shrine named Harmandir Sahib.

Most Sikh people visit Amritsar and the Harmandir Sahib at least once during their lifetime, particularly and mostly during special occasions in their life such as birthdays, marriages, childbirth, etc.]Reaching the Harmandir Sahib from abroad

For the global Sikh pilgrim or international tourist visitor the fastest way to reach the Harmandir Sahib is by air travel. The holy city of Amritsar, where the Harmandir Sahib is located, has a rapidly expanding modern airport called Amritsar International Airport. The airport can be reached directly by the international traveller from most major cities of the world including London and Toronto. Moreover, there is a rapidly expanding array of international hotels in the holy city that can be booked for overnight stays. Lonely Planet Bluelist 2008 has voted the Harmandir Sahib as one of the world’s best spiritual sites.^[11]

Tirupati Balaji

2011-04-15T01:20:00.000-07:00

History

The village was in the parish of St Michael named after the church built there, it was created in 1878 as an extension of the town of Tipton in the county ofStaffordshire, England. It was originally set around the main Dudley to Oldbury road with several hundred terraced houses with shop fronts on the main road as well as many more on the side streets running off.

Tividale began to expand during the first half of the 20th century and was actually developed beyond Tipton's borders into Dudley, namely with the Tividale Hall Estate (private) and the Grace Mary Estate (council). After the Second World War, further housing developments, mostly by the local authority, saw these two housing estates effectively merged.

Tividale Tram workshops opened along the main Tividale Road (a tram route) in 1907, and remained open until 1930. The tramway along the road closed in 1939, as trams were phased out in favour of motor buses.

There were several air raids on Tividale during the Second World War, including a landmine which destroyed a pair of semi-detached houses on Birch Crescent (Tividale Hall) and air raids which wrecked several houses on the Grace Mary Estate.

The Netherton Tunnel runs under Tividale. Evidence of the tunnel is evidenced by the 'pepperpots' that can be seen near the site of the former Hangsmans Tree site and in Aston Road.

Several Quarries used to exist in the Tividale area used as a source of stone known as the 'Rowley rag'. Turner's Hill is the site of the only remaining quarry.

In 1966, Tipton became part of West Bromwich County Borough but Tividale was split between the boroughs of West Bromwich and Warley. Since 1974 it has been part of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough in the West Midlands county.

^[1]== Quarrying ==

On the southern and eastern slopes of Turner's Hill a huge quarry exposes the brown and grey igneous rock, dolerite by name which, covering less than one square mile has given rise to one of the most distinctive minor regions within the Black Country. The dolerite occurs as a building stone in the older cottages around Rowley Regis and the scraggy, windy fields on the summit of Turners Hill are walled with the same shapeless, dark brown lumps of the same rock.<The Black Country; Roy Millward & Adrian Robinson, 1971. Macmillan Education Limited>

The use of the Rowley dolerite (known as 'Rowley R ag') as a building stone ceased over two centuries ago when bricks made from the clays within the coal measures, became the universal building material of the Black Country. The rise of the quarry industry on a commercial scale dates from the 1820s when the hard smooth rock was used for the paving stones of new streets in Birmingham and the rapidly growing Black Country towns. As demands have changed, today the quarries serve as a source of road metal, but is is hard to imagine how long quarrying will continue. Quarrying in other areas of Tividale, Darby's Hill, Warren's Hall and Blue Rock has ceased and the quarries used for landfill. Only Turner's Hill quarry remains.

[edit]Housing

Housing estates around Tividale include Tividale Hall, Castle View, Grace Mary and Brades Hall.

Up until the late 1960s Dudley Golf Course was split in two by the Oakham Road. Around 1966 the section of the course on Darby's Hill was sold and part of it was used to build a private housing estate originally named Oakham Green.

Tividale Hall was originally developed as private housing during the mid to late 1930s in the Dudley section of Tividale, but was extended in the 1950s with council housing.

Castle View is an extension of Tividale Hall and was built during the 1970s, mostly as private housing but also with several low-rise blocks of council flats.

Grace Mary was built in the 1930s between Oakham and the recently completed Birmingham New Road, mostly as council housing. Expansions took place in the 1950s to merge it into Tividale Hall.

Brades Hall is situated in the north of Tividale off the A457 road between Tipton and Oldbury. The first development took place with private housing during the 1960s, with further private and council housing being added in the 1970s and another private development taking place in the mid 1980s.

In the early 1990s, the area of Tipton around the Birmingham Canal was developed as a private housing estate called Tividale Quays. The most recent development came in 2005/06, when two new streets of private housing were added.

Despite existing within the original Dudley and Tipton council areas, most of Tividale exists within the Oldbury B69 postal district.

[edit]Religion

St Michael's C of E Church, once the most prominent landmark in the village, was completed in 1878. Contributions to its costs were made by local industrialists and especially by the Earl of Dudley. The large, brick building became known as the "Cathedral of the Black Country" and earned itself a reputation for advanced Anglo-Catholicism early in its history. Several vicars became very well known and loved: one, Wynn Griffiths, is commemorated in a street name in the Tividale Quays development. The growing parish produced two mission churches: one, St Augustine's (a corrugated iron construction now demolished)on Oldbury Road and a second, Holy Cross, on the Grace Mary Estate to the west of the Birmingham New Road. The Parish Church was earmarked for demolition in 1982 after an inspection revealed that the buildings were riddled with damp and woodworm. It was decided to demolish the church and rebuild it, rather than improve the original building. Consequently, the church was demolished in 1984 and a new, smaller church was later opened in 1995, using what had been the substantial parish hall as its core. There is another church, Oakham Evangelical, sitting on the brow of the hill in City Road.

Today, Tividale is also the home of the new Hindu Temple which is an exact replica of Tirupati Balaji Temple in Southern India.

[edit]Education

The area has been served by a secondary school since 1956. It was opened as 'Tividale Secondary Modern School' before being renamed Tividale Comprehensive School and earned the nickname locally as 'The Comp' but is now known as Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy.

Vono beds set up business at Tividale in 1896 and remained present in the area for some 100 years afterwards, until relocating from their Groveland Road factory to a new site in Wednesbury in the late 1990s.[1]

[edit]Public houses

The majority of Tividale's pubs today are situated on Tividale Road and Dudley Road West near Tividale's northern border. The Wonder, The Albion, The Plough and The George are all within walking distance of each other. Apart from these, there is Brades Tavern on Brades Road and the Price Of Wales on Ashtree Road. The Wheatsheaf stands alone at the southern edge of the area on the junction of Turner's Hill, Portway Hill, City Road and Oakham Road.

Since the turn of the millennium a large amount of pubs - especially the housing estate based establishments have gone. The Hangman's Tree (demolished),^[2] Barley Mow (demolished 2010), Red Lion (demolished 2010), The Huntsman (now an Indian restaurant, the 'Red Mango'), The Waggon & Horses (now a branch of the Co-Operative food store^[3]) and the Cottage Spring all no longer exist as pubs if not at all.

The Hangman's Tree Public House was named after an elm tree that existed opposite the public house that was said to have been used for at least one public execution in the 18th or 19th century. The elm tree alas is no more as after contracting dutch elm disease in the early 1970s was then struck by lightening and all trace of the tree has now been removed.

[edit]

Taj Mahal-pride of india

2011-04-13T23:41:00.000-07:00

The Taj Mahal ( /ˈtɑːdʒ/ or /ˈtɑːʒ məˈhɑːl/;^[1] Hindi: ताज महल, from Persian/Urdu: تاج محل "crown of buildings", pronounced [ˈt̪aːdʒ mɛˈɦɛl]; also "the Taj"^[2]) is amausoleum located in Agra, India. It is one of the most recognizable structures in the world.^{[citation needed]} It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is widely considered as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and stands as a symbol of eternal love.

Taj Mahal is the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles.^[3]^[4]

In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar component of the Taj Mahal, it is actually an integrated complex of structures. The construction began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, employing thousands of artisans and craftsmen.^[5] The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of architects under imperial supervision, including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.^[6]^[7] Lahauri^[8] is generally considered to be the principal designer.^[9]

In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire's period of greatest prosperity, was grief-stricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their 14th child, Gauhara Begum.^[10] Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632, one year after her death.^[11] The court chronicles of Shah Jahan's grief illustrate the love story traditionally held as an inspiration for Taj Mahal.^[12]^[13] The principal mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these words:^[14]


Shah Jahan, who commissioned the Taj Mahal -"Shah jahan on a globe" from the Smithsonian Institution		Artistic depiction of Mumtaz Mahal

Should guilty seek asylum here,
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the creator's glory.

The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian architecture and earlier Mughal architecture. Specific inspiration came from successfulTimurid and Mughal buildings including; the Gur-e Amir (the tomb of Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand),^[15] Humayun's Tomb, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Baby Taj), and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi. While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, and buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement.^[16]

Architecture

The tomb

The tomb is the central focus of the entire complex of the Taj Mahal. This large, white marble structure stands on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an iwan (an arch-shaped doorway) topped by a large dome and finial. Like most Mughal tombs, the basic elements are Persian in origin.

The Taj Mahal seen from the banks of river Yamuna

The base structure is essentially a large, multi-chambered cube with chamfered corners, forming an unequal octagon that is approximately 55 metres (180 ft) on each of the four long sides. On each of these sides, a huge pishtaq, or vaulted archway, frames the iwan with two similarly shaped, arched balconies stacked on either side. This motif of stacked pishtaqs is replicated on the chamfered corner areas, making the design completely symmetrical on all sides of the building. Four minarets frame the tomb, one at each corner of the plinth facing the chamfered corners. The main chamber houses the falsesarcophagi of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan; the actual graves are at a lower level.

Viewed from the east

The marble dome that surmounts the tomb is the most spectacular feature. Its height of around 35 metres (115 ft) is about the same as the length of the base, and is accentuated as it sits on a cylindrical "drum" which is roughly 7 metres (23 ft) high. Because of its shape, the dome is often called an onion dome or amrud (guava dome). The top is decorated with a lotus design, which also serves to accentuate its height. The shape of the dome is emphasised by four smaller domed chattris (kiosks) placed at its corners, which replicate the onion shape of the main dome. Their columned bases open through the roof of the tomb and provide light to the interior. Tall decorative spires (guldastas) extend from edges of base walls, and provide visual emphasis to the height of the dome. The lotus motif is repeated on both the chattris and guldastas. The dome and chattris are topped by a gilded finial, which mixes traditional Persian and Hindustani decorative elements.

The main finial was originally made of gold but was replaced by a copy made of gilded bronze in the early 19th century. This feature provides a clear example of integration of traditional Persian and Hindu decorative elements. The finial is topped by a moon, a typical Islamic motif whose horns point heavenward. Because of its placement on the main spire, the horns of the moon and the finial point combine to create a trident shape, reminiscent of traditional Hindu symbols of Shiva.^[5]

The minarets, which are each more than 40 metres (130 ft) tall, display the designer's penchant for symmetry. They were designed as working minarets — a traditional element of mosques, used by the muezzin to call the Islamic faithful to prayer. Each minaret is effectively divided into three equal parts by two working balconies that ring the tower. At the top of the tower is a final balcony surmounted by a chattri that mirrors the design of those on the tomb. The chattris all share the same decorative elements of a lotus design topped by a gilded finial. The minarets were constructed slightly outside of the plinth so that, in the event of collapse, (a typical occurrence with many tall constructions of the period) the material from the towers would tend to fall away from the tomb.