The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1908-07-08

1t is we'll that Agra is deep in the
heart of India. and that the traveller
from either East or West, bent on
really seeing something of the land.
must perforce tarry at many places
ere he reaches the old MOgul capital.
The cOuntry's wonders are thus seen
in their proper Order-the lesser ones
first. The architectural glories Of the
city are many. but it is the Tai Mahal
that makes of Agra an Indian Mecca.
One enters among the charming for
malities of its old Persian garden in
pensive mood, for it seems of another
world than Ours-the garden of land
of dreams. Here all sounds are 81
fenced; the air is heavy with the fra
and the cypress trees. Even the gen
tie plash of the fountains does not Of
ten disturb the soft peace encompass
ing this shrine-Sanctuary of the fair
est romance of Hindustan. Perfect in
its proportions, almost unearthly in its
beauty. it is no monument raised for
arrogant elf-aggrandizement, but is
the mirror Of a kings heart.
1t is the reflection of husbands de-
votion to a dead wife's memory; it is
the enduring record, enriching both
art and romance. of the love story of
one who held the best the world had
to offer as scarcely good enough to
consecrate the lifeless clay of her who
bore him seven children, and had been
his wife for fourteen happy years.
The Tai enclosure is therefore hal
lowed ground, ard the story of the
shrine runs as follows: The Mogul
emperor, Shah Jehan. stricken with
grief at the death of his beautiful Per-
sen of the Palace. vowed he would
erect over her body mausoleum
which should be pure and beautiful as
his dead queens heart; the fairest
building that ever adorned the earth,
just as she had been the fairest wom-
an that ever trod it. This exquisite
creation in marble is witness to the
sacredness of his word.
1t was Bishop Heber who said 'the
Moguls designed like Titans and fin
ished like jewellers" They were the
greatest of all Mahomedan builders,
and in this respect at least Shah Jehan
was the greatest of the Moguls. The
Emperor Akbar was Titan indeed.
Had he built nothing but the town of
Fatehpur-Sikri, that lonS-deserted pile
of temples, palaces and towers, his
name would live for ever; but many
other are the marvels that bear trib-
ute to his fearlessness and vigor.
When this Mogul jeweller conceived
the idea of the Tai Mahal, the whole
world was searched for materials and
the finest talent of Europe was enlist
ed to beautify the work. In 1880, the
year following the death of his queen,
the foundation stones were laid.
Many thousands of laborers and arti-
sans were employed, and seventeen
years later this love story in marble
and precious stones received the final
touches from the artists who had
created it. We met at Delhi a FlOren-
tine artist who, with a staff of lapi-
diaries, was engaged in the restoration
of tine mOsaics of the Diwan-i-Khas in
the palace. He it was who told us of
the stones to be found inlet in the
Jeypore marble of the Tai Mahal.
There are agates of every conceiv-
able hue from many lands OF Europe,
chalcedon from as many more, green
and white and variegated jade from
China, cOlumbino from Italy, rare-cOl-
ored pebbles from Africa, lapis-lazuli
from Russia and Persia, turquoise
from Thibet, jasper from Northern
India, gabri, a lovely green and red
stone, from Florence, comedian from
Persia and Arabia. topaz and anne
thysts from the Alps, coral from Cey-