Omaha daily bee., 1910-07-24
CcODywright, 1910. by Frank G. Carpenter,

Ora, 1s1O--(Special Correspou-
a dence to The Bee.)--It was at
O'Clock this afternoon that my
turbaned Hindoo driver took me
8St from my hotel to the Tai Mahsl.
S25S<RS4 That hour Is one Of the best to
view this mighty monument The tropical
sun then hangs low In the heavens. 1t
strikes the marble minarets at the corners
of the platform and they cast long shadows
upon the white marble floor. Its rays have
a softenng effect The great building
changes from dazzling white 10 the rich
cream of old ivory and its mighty dome
seems to rest more airly in the blue sky. At
sunset the gardens about the Tai are alive
with birds There Is a sweet singing in the
trees, the crows cav and the splendid pea
cocks come out and walk across the lawns
and in and out through the pines and tropl-
cal foliage.
Most Beautiful Building in World.
The Tai Mahal is the most beautiful
building of the world. and it has a beau
uful setting. 1t is surrounded by frame
OF red sandstone. Around the garden of
perhaps ten acres in which the structure
is situated is a wall of low buildings of
dark red tremendously joined to the great
gate of the same material which forms
the entrance. The Tai is a mosque as
well as a tomb, and Mohammedans from
all parts of India come here to worship.
The sandstone buildings about the gar
dens are rest houses, in which pilgrims
may stay over night. The gate at the
entrance is wonder. 1t was built twenty
eight years after our Puritan forefathers
landed ON Plymouth rock, but it is in per
feet condition today. 1t is beautifully
carved and is inlaid with Inscriptions from
the Koran Entering it one gets his first
view of the Tai. He sees it looking 'ovel
a long row of fountains bordered with
cypress trees and rising, as it were, out
of the green. In the distance the building
looks small. 1t is. l judge, 1000 feet away
a marble jewel framed against the cleares
sky that heaven ever gave TO man. Th'
dark green OF the trees shuts out the view
ON each side, and you look down over thu
flashing waters at the great ivory monu
ment. AS you do so the crows cav, th'
cockatoos fly from tree TO tree, the sun
turns the falling waters TO diamonds, ant
the rich colors of the Hindoo girls dresse
add to rather than mar the beauty Of tn
scene.
As you 80 nearer the Tai its size rapid,
Increases and when at last you mount th'
steps and stand upon its platform YOU re
all2S It's immensely. Inc ildISie lOuludtiOl
upon which 1t Is built covers three acre!
and at each corner there is tower o
marble. or Ininaret, as high as a seven
story house. The tomb itself covers almos
an acre. 1t Is building which rises e
one-thlrd the height o fthe Washington
monument and ends in a central dome
which floats in the sky, The whole is O
the purest white marble SO symmetrical
Joined that it seems to be carved out o
one block The dome looks like a silver
bubble which might have been blown fror
the mouth Of god 1t is fifty feet /
diameter, and YOU could put a big hous
inside It and would not touch the sides
Stll. from the platform 1t is not out o
proportion. and It rests lightly upon tn
great structure below II fits down lik
the tropical sun when it sets upon tn
waters In the midst OF the ocean. \
the sun touches ths The latter al
pears TO rise and pull i down, as
were. When IL IA tAo-u.-ros su5merge
il is Of just the shape OF the uome of th
Tai. perfect in every cure aud wonder
fully beautiful,