Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-12-11
THE TAI MAHAL.

NJ. Il. Tracy OF brownsville YESTERDAY
lectured before the Learners Club. and
its invited guests, the members of the
Self-Culture Club, school teachers. and
others in the city interested in literary
topics, some s~eventy-tive in all. The lee
ture was held at the Christian church
on Levee street. Mr.. Tracy's topic was
the Tai Mahal. the famous tomb at Agra
in the Northwest Provinces of India.
Mr.. Tracy is particularly interested in
historical subjects. He has for many
years made a study of famous structures
from the standpoint of a scholar. as well
as from the standpoint of romance. His
lecture on the Tai MahaI was probably
one of the most lnished and most classi
cal lectures ever heard by a Brownsville
audience.
In part, Mr.. Tracy said:
The Tai Mahal is a tomb. more than
that, ii is a woman tomb. 1T is situated
near the city of Agra in northwest IN
dia. 1t was built less tlan three hun
bred years ago, and. therefore. cannot
be considered ancient. Its design is or
iginal and must be regarded as repre-
senting a distinct type OF architecture.
For a proper appreciation of the
Tai, three facts must be recognized:
First. the strength and magnificence of
the empire which brought it into being:
second the epoch Of architecture which
ii tyni6ac. thiul tho ,-I;.l g,
spired its erection"
Mr.. Tracy then devoted some time to
the history of the MOgul empire, and
showed how its growth and develop
mcnt paved the way for the building of
the Tai. He spoke of the Akba. Jahan
Cir, and paid a tribute to the celebrated
empress, Nur Mahal. to whose memory
the Tai was erected. He described the
great palace of Delhi, the famous Pea
cock throne. and the Pearl Mosque.
Coming to the period Of the Tai, he said:
Shah Jahan assembled the throne un-
der the most suspicious circumstances
for the carrying OF of great building OPP
erationS. Possessing his grandfather's
breadth of intellect, and his fathers in
dOmitable passion. all that he lacked
was some deep. emotional theme arOund
which to build his structure. This theme
was supplied by Providence with terri
bic promptneSs. for scarcely two years
after his accession to the throne he suf
fered the loss of his beautiful and &C
complished wife. Mumtaz Mahal-a blow
so harsh, $ o unexpected to his passion
ate. sensitive heart that. cropping blindly
for relief from its mortal hurt. he could
do naught else han pour forth his grief
in one grand. frozen symphony of mar
BILE"
Mr.. Tracy then described the building
of the Tai. telling how the foundations
were laid, the walls erected. and the
dome closed in. He spoke of the sepul
chres in the Tai. surrounded by the won
dcrful marble screen. He spoke also O.
the jeweled decorations of the PietrS
Dura, the Mosaic work OH the floors. am
particularly of the inlaid decoration o
the Sarcophagus of MumtaZ Mahal; ais,
Of the singular acoustic properties O.
the Tai.
ITO compare the Tai with the Parthe
non. Pantheon or any other classic build
ing" he said. lis impossible, as the sym
bolism and idealism of the eastern ar
except the Gothic.
The sternneSs and severity o
was not known to any Occidental SchOO
Akbar's tomb" he said. lis the stern
ness and severity of Akbar himself
wrought into the living rock. The Ia
Mahal is Mumtaz Mahal herself. radiant
in her youth and beauty. delightful il
the details Of adornment which all WON
en- love, standing on the banks Of tn,
shining Jumna, attended by her tai
court Of ladies.
1T is the frozen lament of an Emper
Or's heart, dedicated to the memoir Of
his wife, i'll which he sought to echo hel
every charm. 1t is an Indians tribute
to Indian w~omanhOod; it is the Venus dt
Milo of the east. but sweeter and purel
than the Venus de Milo. 1t pOrtravs the
grace. goodness and chastity of woman
indebted by the ~sensuality of physical
charm"
NEW CANAL SYSTEM.