Taj Mahal is like Eiffel of France, Statue of Liberty of America for India. But it’s fame, elegance, posture, glamour is much more than Eiffel or Statue of Liberty. Tac is different. This is one of the most famous buildings in the world. Millions of photograph was taken, millions of models was made from iron, stone, plastic in different sizes. That’s how it’s known for.
Writer: Özcan Yurdalan
Some say Taj Mahal is a immortal statue of eternal love, some say it would be better to consider it as a symbol of population planning in India. Almost everyone knows the story of Sultan Mümtaz: Young lady who sleeps in this statue was married with Shah Cihan when she was so young and she delivered thirteen babies. When she was thirty seven in 1630 she died while delivering her fourteenth baby. This painful loss devostated Shah Cihan. In one night great Mughal Emperor’s hair changed it’s color to white. They say full moons was so bright like it never was. Yamuha Rive was flowing like a thunder with it’s grey color like screaming.
Twenty thousand masters and workers work under İsa Han from Shiraz for twenty three years. Tac Mahal was finished but the treasures of Mughal-Indian Empire was very weak because of this massive construction. And fights for throne was started. While the empire is collapsing, Shah Cihan was inprisoned by his son Evrengzeb to Castle of Agra. He spend his last years in Castle of Agra near Yamuna River watching Tac Mahal. When he died, he was burried next to his wife with a simple ceremony.
But his biggest wish was building a great black statue for himself as glamourus as Tac Mahal at the other side of Yaumana River opposite of the Tac Mahal. He wanted a silver bridge to connect two lovers’ graves. But emipre’s powerful times was gone and there was no throne for Shah Cihan.
To make it right, you can not see legendary buildings like Tac Mahal in your life. This is not about it’s legendary story of that white building. Every visit, every photo and writing about it, grows it’s fame.
Effects of Tac is about the time you spent there. Every time of day it’s legendary, but full moons are great, first hours of the day is more suited for feeling that state of mind. For a person, hearing his/her heart beats from a white stone building is only possible with Tac.
If it’s early morning time, when you enter from the gate you face to Tac Mahal from a long distance. But this facing is not like harsh skyscaper. Tac Mahal occurs slowly as a white siloutte Tac Mahal stands like swinging with foggy sky next to Yamuna River.
When people see it for first time, they first ask “Am I here?” themselves. Everybody analises what they see at first time and then walt to kubbe. Everybody poses for a photograph before the pools, in front of Tac Mahal. That’s the stongest evidence about being there. If someone doesn’t have a camera, there are photographers waiting for them. They take your picture with Tac Mahal. For tourists, this is a destination for the top place of what to see list.
There is small museum with very few visitors in west side. I visited it years ago and went to there once again. The strangest objects in museum were the plates that change their color or break themselves when a poisonous food touch them. I took out my shoes when I came to the platform that Tac Mahal stands. I felt warm stone beneath my feet and mixed myself with Tac Mahal. Amazing acoustic of this great building takes the smallest cracky sound and delivers it in waves. Two lovers are laying down under the floor that polished with the bare feet of visitors inside that dark room. For me, you can see the wiev best with the evening breeze from north side of Yamuna River.
Sunset makes a completely different atmosphere in Tac Mahal. White stones turn pink first and then gold, red and finally they turn blue with the night. Stones are warm, soft. Eyes see, body feels but what happens with the soul when the echoes of Yamuna’s sounds and silence, colors and lights? That’s more like personal for everyone. But I must say if you experience Tac Mahal in full moon, even if you save your mind, your soul can not escape.
