Tej Kohli’s visit to Taj Mahal
Tej Kohli misses everything about India. On he last visit to India he manged to steal some time from his busy schedule and visit Taj Mahal. Here on Tej Kohli personal blog is an elaborative account of his visit to this ‘Mecca of Love’.
Although, I have traveled to a lot of places, but when it comes to monuments, the allure of Taj Mahal is beyond comparison. An icon of beauty, Taj Mahal is rightly termed as ‘Mecca of Love.’
On my recent visit to India in April this year, I took a trip to Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located. Built by Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years and 22,000 people to complete the Taj Mahal. This huge monument of love, built entirely of white marble, is indeed the most beautiful building ever made. What that adds more to its beauty are the precious stones engraved on it. Perhaps, it is this mesmerizing beauty as well as historic significance that have pushed me to Taj Mahal over and over again.
Taj Mahal is beautiful both inside and outside. Interiors of Taj take you into a world of everlasting splendor. From Architecture viewpoint Taj Mahal is an avant-garde in its own ways. It stands on a raised, square platform with its four corners tapered, forming an unequal octagon. The design is Italian inspired, in which each element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main structure. The principles of self-replicating geometry and symmetry of architectural elements has been used in formulating the whole set up. The central domed chamber and four adjoining chambers include many walls and panels of Islamic decoration. The entire mausoleum is decorated with inlaid design of flowers and calligraphy from Qur’an, using precious gems such as agate and jasper.
The whole architecture of Taj Mahal comprises of a main gateway, an elaborate garden, a mosque, a guest house, and several other palatial edifices. The glance of this mesmerizing tribute is further enhanced by the presence of the mighty river Yamuna. The most significant part of the Taj is that when ever you plan a tour to Taj Mahal and at whatever number of times you visit, you will find different aspect of Taj. The Taj at noon, the Taj at sunset, under the full moon, against the setting sun, and against the rising ball of fire, each time the mausoleum acquires a different accent and tells a different story.
No one person conceived the Taj Mahal. It is the collective creation of different people who contributed to the project at various times over the course of two decades. The design is ever evolutionary. However if you want to witness the full glory of this heart touching architecture, the best time to visit is between March to April and October to mid December, as the weather is quite soothing during these months. So rejoice your Taj Mahal trip to the utmost leve, like i did. 
Tags: agra, kohli, kohli tej, taj mahal, tej, tej kohli, tejk