Taj Mahal: Beauty Beyond The Scope Of Words

TajMahal - Symbol of Love

I had already known how the Taj Mahal was built as the preeminent expression of a man's love for a lady. Known as one of the seven wonders of the world, this mausoleum was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in commemoration of his wife Mumtaz. I was craving for that lifetime experience. I wanted to see how beautiful could be the combination of the Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. Finally, I applied for a leave in my office and headed towards the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh.

It was 12 in the noon when I arrived there, and I did not even bothered to have my lunch. Carrying a small bag with a few packets of chips and biscuits, I hired a rickshaw to the Taj Mahal. The city seems to be quite cheaper in comparison to Delhi or Jaipur or some other tourist destination. In another few minutes, I was at the Taj. It was a dream come true. This jewel of Muslim art is one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. The first thing which fascinated me was the square plinth on which stands the large, white marble structure consisting of a symmetrical building with an iwan (an arch-shaped doorway) topped by a large dome and finial. People were clicking some photographs at the base structure, which is a multi-chambered cube with chamfered corners, forming an octagon that is about 55 meters on each of the four long sides. The marble dome towering 35 meters and surmounting the tomb is another spectacular feature.

I got along with a French group headed by a guide. The guide told us that the main finial was originally made of gold but was replaced by a copy made of gilded bronze In the early 19th century. The 40 meters tall minarets display the designer's penchant for symmetry. The best part of the Taj was calligraphy, paintings, stuccoes, stone inlays and carvings. The charbagh garden (with four river stream flowing in the centre) is completely inspired by Persian gardens.

Lastly, I visited the inner part of the Taj. I saw 99 names of the God as calligraphic inscriptions on the sides of the actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb of Shah Jahan also has a calligraphic inscription regarding the journey of his life. The guide told us that the construction began in 1632 and was completed around 1653, which employed about twenty thousand artisans and craftsmen. Over 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials from various places – like the translucent white marble from Rajasthan, the jasper from Punjab, jade and crystal from Chinam, turquoise from Tibet, Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, sapphire from Sri Lanka and the carnelian from Arabia. In all, 28 types of precious and semi-precious stones were inlaid into the white marble.

Standing majestically on the banks of River Yamuna, this epitome of love is simply a monument of immeasurable beauty.

Ranthambore National Park: The Land Of Tigers

“A country is known by the way it treats its animals.” - This statement by

Ranthambore National Park

Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, has always been a lesson to me. It was my last day in Jaipur, and I was seeking to explore some alluring site. Being a great fan of Ramesh Bedi, a veteran wild-life writer and photographer, finally decided to take an excursion tour to Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary. It was an awesome deal where I could capture the tigers and other fauna in my camera. To enjoy the tour into this sanctuary, I hired a jeep that took me in the deep forests without any fear.

I was in the eastern part of Rajasthan at a distance of 130 km from Jaipur. The very first fascinating factor was the natural beauty of the surrounding Aravali and Vindhya mountain ranges. My driver-cum-guide told me that Ranthambore National Park used to be the hunting ground of Maharajas of Jaipur. It was first declared a game sanctuary in 1955 and later became a National Park in 1980, and came under the Tiger Project. The Park is actually an eye treat for the lovers of wild-life. Various natural rivers and man-made lakes flowing through the National Park add some extra charm to it.

After a drive of hardly two kilometers, I spotted langurs, caracals, hyena, jungle cats, marsh crocodiles, jackal, bear, sambar, chital, nilagai, gazelle, mongoose, wild boar and a few other animals. But I was still searching for the roaring tigers and speedy leopards. The driver then took me to the Padam Talab, Raj Bagh Talab and Milak Talab. While on the way to these lakes, he told me that we could easily spot tigers there. And surprisingly, withing next 15 minutes, I was clicking the best tigers of India, in their relaxing moments. Hunting is strictly prohibited in the grounds of this National Park.

Ranthambore National Park has some areas open for the tourists to travel around and explore the flora and fauna of the park. There was a small restaurant, where I enjoyed a cup of coffee with some light snacks. The chaiwala told me that the Park has the largest and most diverse collection of wildlife species in India, including 300 trees, 50 aquatic plants, over 300 species of birds, 12 reptiles and 30 species of mammals. Ranthambore Park is also classified as a heritage site because of some of the ruins of old monuments. As I was running out of time, I paid short visits to the Jogi Mahal (has the second largest Banyan tree in India), Ranthambore Fort (probably the oldest existing fort in Rajasthan) and the Padam Talao. The Cenotaphs and Old Citadels date back to thousand years. The trip was very exciting and I returned back to my hotel with some remarkable moments in my camera.

Elephant Festival In Jaipur: An Incomparable Entertainment

Elephant Festival Jaipur

Being addicted to celebrations, I have been fascinated by the royal festivities, pageants and beautiful processions. And while holidaying in Jaipur, the elephants definitely become an exciting element of the celebrations. Elephants have always been a symbol of strength and wealth to me, and when I came to know that Jaipur devotes one complete day for 'Elephant Festival', I could not resist myself for visiting the Chaugan ground. Moreover, I convinced all my friends as well to accompany me as well. Chaugan ground was the place which was going to host the festival the very next day.

The Elephant Festival is held in the month of March, on the eve of Holi - the festival of colors. People celebrate Holi by throwing water balloons, coloured water and Abir/Gulal (colored powder) on each other. People in Rajasthan give a warm welcome to the spring with Elephant Festival. The entire Chaugan ground was alive with dancers, musicians, elephants and onlookers from around the world. As the festival started, the audience was greeted with an impressive procession of the majestic elephants lovingly painted and tastefully attired with glittering ornaments and embroidered velvets. These processions, including elephants, camels and horses, cover almost all the major streets of Jaipur. The hard work of mahouts (elephant keepers) for decorating the elephants, painting their trunks, foreheads and feet with floral motifs, and adorning them from tusk to tail with interesting trinkets was clearly depicted there. The caparisoned elephants, accompanied by lancers on horses, chariots, camels, cannons and palanquins, form the most important attraction of the festival.

Jaipur Festival

During the festival, the elephants greeted the visitors, offered garlands to the guests and walked past the ramp before a jury of experts. The judges selected the best amongst them for the title of 'Best Decorated Elephant'. Next programme was the catwalk by the female elephants before an enthralled audience. These female elephants wear wear anklets, which make music as they walk. In the olden times, special hunting programs on elephant back and elephant fights were organized to entertain the royal guests. The festival, obviously, had nothing to do with hunting programmes, but what we enjoyed most were the elephant races, elephant-polo matches and tug of war between elephants and men. The game of polo was the highlight of the festival. The teams, dressed in saffron and red turbans, were trying to score goals with long sticks and a plastic ball. It was superb. I wish I could have volunteered to join in and be a part of the game, but being an amateur I did not even think about it.

An outstanding display of fireworks brought the festival to a colorful and memorable end. We also enjoyed traditional music and dance at the floor. The best among them was the 'Ghair', in which the women swirl in unison to rhythmic beats. The spectacular event was truly the day of the pachyderm.