Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-10-17
construction was commenced four years
after Arja1nand's demise.

C1ubtTuCtIOu WIS commenced IOuE years
after Arjarnand's demise.
In keeping with an old Tartar Gus
tom, garden was chosen as the site
Of the tomb-a garden planted with
flowers and fragrant shrubs, emblems
OF life, and solemn expresses. emblems
OF death and eternity. In Mogul days
such garden was maintained as y
pleasure ground during the owners life
time, and used for his interment when
dead.
The laborers came from many parts
Of the world-the chief masons from
northern India and Bagdad, the doma
builders from Asiatic Turkey, and the
masaic artists from Persia. Every
section of India and Central Asia was
drawn upon for materials. The marble,
spotless in purity, was brought from
Jarpore, 800 miles away, on the backs
of elephants and camels or by bullo.n
carts. The red sandstone was contri-
bnted by Fathpur Sikrii, one of the
Mogul capitals, the Jasper by the Pun
jab, the crystal and jade by China.
The turquoises came from Tibet and
the Red Sea, the sapphires and lapis
lazuli from Ceylon, coral and corne-
liar from Arabia, onyx and amethy,ts
from Persia, and the diamonds from
Bundelkund.
II engaged the unceasing labor OF
5000 men for seventeen years to com.
plcte the Tai: and like that other great
to NIB, the Cheops Pyramid In Egypt.
1t was reared chiefly by forced labor.
unpaid and uncared for, and thereby
produced great suffering and mortal.
ity. This is the chief blemish on the
fair fame of the mausoleum overlook
ing the Jumna.
The Tai garden Is perhaps hl'f
mile square, and is surrounded by n
strjkingly beautiful wall of masonry.
It is an orderly wilderness of ri III
negotiations. to be found only In Asia,
AMI the deep greens and rich browns
Of the avenues of foliage unquestion-
ably accentuate the whiteness of the
Temple of Death. AS the garden helps
the tomb, SO the tomb gives expression
to the garden.
rhe great gateway of led sandstone
whose roof is adorned by Moorish
| arches and pavilions. is In itself one
of India's most perfect buildings. Fro !,
Its summit perfect view of the Tai
is had. with the Jumna flowing slug.
g,shly beneath Its marble platform:
aud from there the grounds are spread
before the visitor In perfect pan
Drama. The paved avenues. all lead.
ing to the magnificent. pile, miles of
marble aqueducts filled with orna-
mantaI fish, playing rountains-all
breathe the superlative Of art, every
dutterIng leaf whispers OF the east.
Not by Its size is Arjamand's tomb
commanding, for its dimensions arc,
very moderate. Imagine plinth of
fawless marble, 313 feet square and
rising IS feet from the ground-thet
Is the foundation of the wondrous
structure The Tai is 1856 feet square.
with dome rising to an extreme height
of 220 feet. AT each corner of the
pl!nth stands tapering minaret rear
Ing its crown 1877 feet.
No building carries the idea of per-
soLallty further than the Tai, fem,
mime personality, as 1t should be, for
It contains no Suggestion of the rug
gad grandeur of tomb for a great
man. The Tai is the anlithesis of the
Parthenon, of Napoleon's resting place,
Of Grants robust mausoleum on tho
Hudson. A sepulcher fashioned after
ordir airy architectural canons can on'y
be conventional; the Tai is different
from all other buildings ID the world:
1t is symbolical of womanly grace and
pu1ity-is the Jewel. the ideal itself.
A spectator marvcls that SC much beau.
ty can come from SO little apparent eff:
fort. Yet nothing is wanting, there is
nothing in excess; we cannot alter a
single stone and claim that the result
would be better.
One enters reverently the burial place
Of Shah Jahan's Queen, whose cenotaph
is Of the whitest marble, placed In the
precise center of the building and sur
rounded by an octagonal screen of ala.
batter, that Is pierced and interviewer
Tie lace Every foot Of the walls.
eysry column and panel, u elabcrntsly
Aubesl!shsd with flowers. leaves, scrolls