TOMBS AND MOSQUES

The Taj Mahal stands serene and perfect in its garden of cypresses and reflecting pools on the banks of the River Yamuna. Its pure white marble shimmers silvery white in the moonlight, glows softly pink at dawn, and at close of day reflects the fiery tints of the setting sun. The Taj in all its timeless beauty is still the inspiration of poets and painters, writers and photographers. And lovers still meet here in the.  moonlight in the shadow of the world's most famous monument to love.
Shahjehan built the Taj in memory of Mumtaz Mahal who died giving birth to their 14th child. No cost was spared to make it the most beautiful monument the world had ever seen. White marble and red sandstone, silver and gold, carnelian and jasper, moonstone and jade, lapis lazuli and coral were fashioned by 20, 000 skilled workers to make the emperor's dream a reality. It took 22 years to complete - a symbol of eternal love where Shahjehan too lies buried, re-united at last with his beloved Mumtaz. Set at the north end of a formal Persian garden with water courses, paved walkways and rows of dark cypresses, the Taj rises on a high red sandstone base topped by a huge white marble terrace, its flawless double dome flanked by four tapering minarets. Within lies the jewel-inlaid cenotaph of the queen, and a little to one side - the only asymmetrical feature in the Taj - the richly decorated casket of the emperor. Both are enclosed by an octagonal screen of finely pierced marble. So perfect are the proportions of the Taj, so exquisite its workmanship, that it has been described as having been designed by giants and finished by jewellers.The legend, the poetry and the romance that shroud was described by Rabindranath Tagore as "a teardrop on the cheek of time". Taj Mahal means "Crown Palace" and is in fact the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tomb in the world. It is best described by the English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold, as "Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor's love wrought in living stones." It is a celebration of woman built in marble and that's the way to appreciate it. Taj Mahal stands on the bank of River Yamuna, which otherwise serves as a wide moat defending the Great Red Fort of Agra, the center of the Mughal emperors until they moved their capital to Delhi in 1637

Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in India. Shah Jahan built it in 1656. It is situated in Delhi. It's also known as 'Masjid-i-Jahan Numa', 'Jahan' means 'World' and Numa means 'Visible'. Its courtyard has a capacity to hold nearly 25, 000 worshippers. The mosque has three huge gateways, four angle towers, and two minarets, both, which are 40 meters high. The eastern gateway was originally open only to the emperor. It was built with red sandstone. White marble has also been used extensively, specially in the three domes and has been inlaid with stripes of black. Wide staircases and arched gateways are the hallmark of this popular mosque.
The Masjid also comprises of a great treasure that has been kept in the northeast corner of the white shrine. The treasure comprises of a hair of the beard of Hazrat Mahmmad, his used chappal, a chapter of Koran taken from its original holy book, the canopy of his tombstone and the foot print of Muhammad on the stone.

Humayun's Tomb is situated in Delhi. Humayun's senior widow Bega Begam, popularly known as Haji Begam built the tomb, at a cost of 15 lakh rupees. It was built in the year 1565. It is among the first examples of Mughal architecture, with high arches and a double dome.
There are two high double-storey gateways on the west and south that lead to the enclosure. There is a pavilion in the center of the eastern wall and a bath chamber in the center of the northern wall. To enter the tomb's chamber one has to come through the south entrance while the other three sides are covered with mesh wire in white marble. In the quietude of the central chamber lies the tomb, though the actual resting-place of Humayun is directly beneath in an underground chamber. The lofty mausoleum is in the center of the enclosure and rises from a podium faced with series of cells having arched openings. The central octagonal chamber contains the cenotaph, encompassed by octagonal chambers at the diagonals and arched lobbies on the sides. Their openings are closed with perforated screens. Each side is dominated by three arches, the central one being the highest. This plan is repeated on the second storey too. The roof surmounted by a double dome (42.5m) of marble has pillared kiosks (chhatris) placed around it. Several rulers of the Mughal dynasties are buried here. Bahadur Shah Zafar had taken refuge in this tomb with three princes during the first war of independence (AD 1857).

The word 'Qutub' itself, means 'pole of justice.' The Qutub Minar made of red sandstone rising to the height of 72.5mts is an architectural marvel of the 13th century. It is situated in Delhi. It is constructed by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in the 12th century to celebrate the victory of Mohammed Ghori over the Rajputs and was completed in the 13th century by his successors.
The structure was also probably built as a Minar, or place to call the faithful to prayer. It is often viewed as a symbol of the military might of the Turko-Afghan dynasty and Islam. The Minar rises over 230 feet (72.5 meters) and the 379 stepped circular stairway leads to a spectacular view of the city. The monument's diameter tapers from 14.3 meters at the base to 2.7 meters at the top, which creates the illusion of increased height. The tower has five distinct stories, separated by balconies. The first three stories are made of red sandstone, but when lightning knocked off the fourth in 1368, it was restored by Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who added a fourth and fifth story of marble and sandstone. The walls of the minar are intricately carved and inscribed with verses from the Koran.

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