The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-08-02
The Ia JmahaI.

We have steam engines. steam
motors, and machines OF wonderful in
genuity and skill for lifting heavy
blocks Of stone and placing them in the
exact spot in a building Indicated bv
the architect No wonder that the
massive stone walls rise rapidly and
that architectural grandeur. is fast
lining the streets Of our great cities;
but modern architecture finds nothing
TO surpass the far-famed TAI Mahal"
OF India.
AS / gazed at NJ bathed IN moonlight
it's purity cleaning likethepurest moon
stone. on visited 1t at uay-break when
the rising sun flushed It's white marble
with it's delicate rose tint. It's un-
equallei splendor and unique mag
nificence seemed TO rse sublime
over all that l had seen In my own
America an. other lands. Neither pic-
ture nor most eloquent word painting
can truly describe IL. IL stands In love-
illness without a peer
1t is situated at one ed Of a noble
courtyard, the depth OF which Is 450
feet. The whole Is surrounded by a red
sandstone wall, tadorned with arcades.
and pierced by four gateways. The
principal entrance Is deliberately carved
and on Il are many Inscriptions from
the Koran. Twenty-six marble cupolas
ornament its summit. long paved
pathway leaGs up to the Tai which Is
situate dat the river end On either
side of this avenue are 'aees Of gigantic
proportions and lovely foliage and
flowers OF varied hue spring up on
every side. In the centre Is a splendid
raised marble ''chubutra" with a
fountain, and row OF Jets d'eau" is
carried from end TO end. AT one side
Is fernery, containing many varieties.
and on their soft green leaves the drops
OF water sparkle like myriads OF dia-
monds in the sunlight
The TAI is raised on a platform OF
red sandstone, measuring 96i feet by
329 feet, one side OF which is washed
by the Jumna. Two mosques occupy
the east and west sides: they are OF
red sandstone. inla,d with white mar
Die, with marble domes That TO the
east was built as a ''jawab," or answer.
10 the other. in order TO preserve
me symmetry of the group. From this
PLATFORM rises a superb terrace OF
white marble, 3l5 feet square i'm the
centre of which stanls the beautiful /
pile itself. At each angle is a lofty /
OF exquisite proportions and I
,uiit or white marble. surmounted by |
lgnt. graceful cupola, supported on 4
'ight pillars. They are about 150 feet I
N height. and a beautiful view is
sained from the top, which is reached 4
~ spiral staircase.
Inc plan ofrthe Tai is that OF Am ir-
egufar octagon. the sides facing the
our cardinal points, which contain the
ntraElces, and are about l30 feet long. !
me roof is about 20 feet from the ter
ace and each angle is surmOmted by /
nlnaret. From the centre springs the
marble dome. 20 feet In diameter. and
sing to a height of 120 feet; II is sur
mounted by a gilt crescent. about 260
eet from the ground level. The whole
or iinest Jeypore marble highly pol
sned, and retaining. its pure white
ol0r, as when IL was first quarried.
On eacn side" to quote from Bay
fu IayIor, there is grand entrance.
'ined Dy a single pointed arcil rising
-afIy 10 the cornice. and two similar
rches. one above the other on either
lde. Every part. even the basement.
ne dome, and the upper galleries OF
ne mlnarefs. - inAaid in ornamental
eslgns IN marble Of different colors,
7 nclpaliy pale brown and a blush !
iolet variety. Great as the dmen-
ons OF the Tai are. Il is elahorately
nished as a Chinese ebony casSet.
~ - asserted that The Koran is in
eited in the exquisite finish In the
al
The building Is perfect I'm every
art and any dilapidations that it may
ave suffered are so well restored that
u traces or them have disappe
efore entering the central hall, We
scend To the vault where the beaud-
u Mumtaz Mahal Is buried. A slop-
q passage. whose walls and floor ,,
I'VE Deen so polished by the hands and ,,
lrefully to avoid sliding down. con- {