Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-10-23
construction was commenced four years
after Arjamand's demise.

construction was commenced four years
after Arjamand's demise.
In keeping with an old Tartar Gus
tom, garden was chosen as the site
of the tomb-a garden planted Win
flowers and fragrant shrubs, emDlemS
OF life, and solemn expresses, emblems
OF death and eternity. In Mogul days
such a garden was maintained as
pleasure ground during the owners lire
time. and used for his interment when
dead.
The laborers came from many parts
of the world-the chief masons IRON
northern India and Bagdad. the dome
builders from Asiatic Turkey, and the
mosaic artists from Persia. Every
section of India and Central Asia was
drawn upon for materials. The marble,
spotless in purity, was brought from
Javpore, 300 miles away, on the backs
of elephants and camels or by bullock
carts. The red sandstone was contri-
buted by Fathpur Sikrij, one of the
Mogul capitals, the Jasper by the Pua-
lab, the crystal and jade by emma
The turquoises came from Tibet ana
the Red Sea, the sapphires and lapis
lazuli from Ceylon, coral and corne-
Ian from Arabia, onyx and amethysts
from Persia, and the diamonds from
Bundelkund.
II engaged the unceasing labor OF
% 600 men for seventeen years to com
nlete the Tai; and like that other great
tomb. the Cheops Pyramid in Egypt,
II was reared chiefly by forced labor,
unnaid and uncared for, and thereby
nroduced great suffering and mortal
inv This Is the chief blemish on the
fair fame of the mausoleum overlook
ing the Jumna.
The Tai garden Is perhaps a half
mile square, and is surrounded by a
strikingly beautiful wall of masonry.
II is an orderly wilderness of rich
negotiations. to be found only in Asia
AMI the deep greens and rich browns
of the avenues of foliage unquestion-
aalv accentuate the whiteneSs of the
| Tanple of Death. AS the garden helps
the tomb. so the tomb gives expression
to the garden.
rhe great gateway of red sandstone
whose roof is adorned by Moorish
arches and pavilions, is in itself one
81 midas most perfect buildings. From
IFS summit a perfect view of the Tai
is had, with the Jumna flowing slug
c;shly beneath its marble platform
and from there the grounds are spread
before the visitor in a perfect pan
Drama. The paved avenues, all lead
Ing to the magnificent pile, miles oil
marble aqueducts filled with ornd
mental fish, playing fountains-all
breathe the speculative Of art every
Gathering leaf whispers o. the east
Not by its size is Arjamand's tomt
| commanding, for its dimensions are
very moderate. Imagine plinth o
a4wless marble, 313 feet square and
rising IS feet from the ground-thq
Is the foundation of the wondrou'
structure. The Tai is 1S6 feet square
with dome rising 90 an extreme height
OF 800 feet. At each corner of the
pl!nth stands a tapering minaret rear
ing its crown 49, feet.
No building carries, the idea of PEE
solality further than the Tai, fem
mime personality, as it should be, 70
It contains no suggestion of the rug
gAd grandeur of a tomb for a grea
man. The Tai is the antithesis of til,
Parthenon. of Napoleon's resting place
of Grants robust mausoleum on tn.
Hudson. A sepuicher fashioned afte
ordir airy architectural canons can on,
be conventional; the Tai is differen
from all other buildings II the world
It Is symbolical of womanly grace am
purity-is the jewel. the ideal itself
A spectator marvels that sc much beau
" car come from so little apparent ef
fort. Yet nothing is wanting, there j
ncthing in excess: we cannot alter
single stone and claim that the reSul
would be better.
Ore enters reverently the burial plac
of Shah Jahan's Queen. whose cenorapl
is OF the whitest marble placed Ia tn
precise center OF the building snd sur
rounded by an octasonal screen of ala
5aster. that IS pierced and inteFwoyel
Ike lace. Every foot of the walls
every column and panel. is elaborateI
! smbellished with Ecwsrs. leaves. scroll