Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-06-11
THE TAI MAHAL.

TIE TAI MAHAL.
The WondrOus Tomb Built by Shah
Jehan for His FavOrlte Beauty.
A letter from Agra, India, to the
Minneapolis Pioneer Press says: India
boasts of the tallest mountain in the
world, the most beautiful building,
and the finest echo in the world, the
tallest column in the world, and the
largest church in the world, which are
at Delhi. OF course, the all-abSorhlng
object of interest to tourists is the TAI
Mahal. The Tai is undeniably the
greatest architectural wonder in the
world to-day. The main quadrangle,
1000 by 1860 feet, is red sandstone
finely carved and trimmed with marble
Upon entering the quadrangle by the
main entrance from the preliminary
court without, the visitor finds HIM
self in charming garden laid out Win
trees, shrubs, flowers, fountains, ETC.,
all in keeping with the memorial ma
ture of the place. Looking down on
avenues of dark, beautiful Expresses,
he sees that miracle of beauty, the Tal,
with its pure white walls, inlaid with
every kind of Oriental gems, and It's
great marble dome towering to super
nal heights. 1t rests upon a marble
platform 3l3 feet square and about
twenty feet high, which in turn rests
upon a red sandstone platform 96l feet
by 1926 in Dimensions. At each end OF
the sandstone platform are mosques,
themselves rare works of art.
The TAI was built by Shah Jehan as
a tomb for his favorite begun, Num-
taz Mahal. This woman was evident
ly a great Indian beauty, if one may
Judge from her photograph. ller
name, Mumtaz, was abbreviated into
Taz, and this has been corrupted into
the present form, Tai The work OF
construction was begun in 1880, and
continued for twenty-five years, during
which time 10000 labOrcrs were con-
stantly employed Its cost in Amerl-
an money would be over Sl5,OO0,OOO.
The following inscription, translated
from the sarcophagus in which the re-
mains of Shah Jehan now repose beside
those of his beloved queen, contains a
good deal of information, SO that it is
worth quoting entire:
The magnificent tomb of the King
inhabitant of the two raradiscs, Rlt-
wran and Khuld, the most sublime site,
on the throne in IlIezayn (the starry
heaven, dweller in Ferdos (paradise)
Shah Jehan Padishah-i-Gazi; peace tc
his remains-heaven is fol him. i
From this transitory world eternity
has marched him off to the next
Among the workmen who came from
divers countries to assist in the build
Ing of the Tai were the head master
Isa Muhammad, whose salary was ,OVC
rupees a month; the illuminat0r Amar
nund Khan, an inhabitant of Jhiraz
also 1000 rupees month; another
Master Mason, Muhammad lanif
from Bagdad, also 1000 month. A
great many workmen were employed
from Turkey, Persia, Delhi, Cuttack
and the Punjab, who received salaries
ranging from 100 to 800 rupees
month. ct must be remembered tha
this was in country where wage
vary from three to six rupees month.
The white marble came from Jey
PORE in kaipootana; the yellow from
the banks of the Ncrbudda. A squar
yard of the latter cost forty rupees
The black marble came from a rlac
called Charkoh, and cost ninety rupee
per square yard. The crystal cam
from China--rupees so per sQuar
yard. The jasper from the Punjal
| The carnelan from Bagdad. The tul
quoise from Thibet. The agate lror
Yemen. The lapis-lazuli from Ceylol
i, 1,156 rupees per square yard. Th
, coral from Arabia and the Red Sea
, The garnets from Bundelcund. Til
@ diamonds from Pannah in Bunlelcunt
7 The plum-pudding stonc from Palai
= mere. The rock spar from the Nei
: bulda. The loadstone from GwaioI
: The onyx from Persia. The chalcedc
$ nv from Nillait. The amethyst froI
l Persia. The sapphircs from Lurli
: (Ccylon). And the red sandstone, {
g which 1l4,00) cartloals were use,
. from Fcttellpore Skin. Many othe
stones were also used in the inlayin
of the flowers which have no name i
our language Most of these were r'
: ceived in lieu or tribute from dilfertn
nations under the Emperor's rule, {
! were made presents 10y the dilteren
y rajahs and nawabs, voluntarily {
otherwise.
This illustration serves also to Civ
!. sCme idea of the ilorid and cXtrayagM
literary style so common among Las
!. ern nations. 1t might seem that sue
u an inscription is ont of place on such
y tomb, but as it is in the native chara,
: ters, it never bothers tourists mucl
c The immense amount of work involve
) in bringing these materials togctht
can scarcely be imagined, especially i
bringing the marble from jeypore, lC
e miles distant, and the sandstone frol
o Fettchpore. 1t must DO remembers