So What Does the Calligraphy on Mumtaz Mahal’s Tomb Say?

DISCOVER THE TAJ (4)

So what does the calligraphy on Mumtaz Mahal’s tomb say? Anyone?

And which language is it in? Arabic/Persian/Urdu/Hindi ...

First things first. The exquisite calligraphy in Taj Mahal is written in either of these two languages, Arabic and Persian. Arabic is the language of the Quran, thereby holy, and Persian was the court language of the Mughals, thereby official. 

On Mumtaz’s tomb - as in Shah Jahan’s - the verses from Quran inscribed on the tomb are in Arabic. The epitaph is in Persian. It reads: 

Marqad munavvar Arjumand Banu Begum mukhatib bah Mumtaz Mahal tanifiyat ferr sanh 1040 hijri.

English?

"Mehrunisa returned to her examination. The base was decorated with registers of interlacing hanging flowers, the top and sides inscribed with Quranic verses. The common theme of the verses was to comfort the soul of Mumtaz with the prospect of paradise. At the south end, in the lowest element of the plinth was the epitaph: The illumined grave of Arjumand Banu Begum, entitled Mumtaz Mahal, who died in the year 1040 (AD 1631)." 

- The Taj Conspiracy

Voila! Now you can quiz your friends and watch their befuddled faces as you spout Persian! 

How Sound Evokes Eternity Inside Taj Mahal

DISCOVER THE TAJ (3)

When you entered the mausoleum of Taj Mahal did your guide abruptly break into a shout? 

Taj attendants habitually call out to demonstrate the remarkable acoustics of the dome. (This fails usually as the air is raucous with other visitors.) When designing Taj Mahal as Mumtaz’s home in paradise, Shah Jahan put all elements to the task. Inside the mausoleum even sound had to evoke eternity. 

“The dome of the tomb chamber holds a tone for almost half a minute as the musician Paul Horn demonstrated in a night session with his flute on 25 April 1968.” Ebba Koch

The best way to experience the acoustics is to be the first person to enter the mausoleum at the start of the day - after the air has lain still through the night, like Mehrunisa does in The Taj Conspiracy. You can speak normally and hear your echo multiple times over. What a delight!

At any other time, I’d urge you to refrain from experimenting with shouting - in any case you’ll be competing with other visitors putting their vocal chords to devastating effect. Remember, the mausoleum is a sacred place. 

Sang-i-surkh Embracing Sang-i-marmar: Is There a Symbolism to the Taj Colour Scheme?

DISCOVER THE TAJ (2)

Close your eyes and think of the Taj Mahal. Quick - what did you see? White marble? White dome, white minarets... 

And yet, the Taj Mahal is a composition in white and red, the sandstone playing off the marble, the earthy tethering the ethereal, sang-i-surkh embracing sang-i-marmar, the mausoleum in luminous white marble, the flanking buildings  in red sandstone.

Is there a symbolism to this colour scheme? You bet!

This colour dualism is a feature of imperial Mughal architecture, which derived from a practice adopted by the Delhi sultans who, in turn, had borrowed from an ancient Indian concept laid down in the shastras. The Vishnudharmottara Purana recommended white stone for buildings built for Brahmins and red ones for the ksjatriyas. White: priestly; Red: warrior. 

“By using white and red in their buildings the Mughals identified themselves with the two highest levels of the Indian social system. Until Aurangzeb, the emperors were concerned to define themselves as rulers in Hindu terms as well.” - Ebba Koch

Next time you visit Taj, feast on the Darwaza-i-Rauza, meander through the Mihman Khana, stroll through the garden pavilions - soak in the entire Taj Mahal, not just the white mausoleum. Time you ‘discovered’ the building which has become a byword for beauty!

Photo by Steve McCurry

Mumtaz's Home in Paradise

This week is dedicated to Taj Mahal, the monument on which pivots The Taj Conspiracy. If you’ve read the book, you’d have gleaned some of these facets - each of which melds into another to form the sublime Taj. If you haven’t yet, it’s never too late to grab the book  - there’s more to the monument than the famed love story! Meanwhile, here is the first  sampling from the Taj mezze.

Taj Mahal is more than a tomb. It is Mumtaz’s home in paradise, as envisioned by her husband Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor. In order to give concrete expression to an ethereal vision, the emperor put all elements of ideal architecture to work and play. 

Rigorous mathematical planning provides a structure of perfect symmetry, balance and harmony; the choice and colour of building materials, the surface decoration and ornamentation provide the aesthetics. In the Padshahnama, Lahauri says the exalted mausoleum imitated the gardens of Rizwan, the guardian of Paradise, and gave an impression of the holy abodes... 

“It is this fusion of the intellectual and the sensuous that has made Taj Mahal so successful over the centuries.” - Ebba Koch

Almost four centuries since the Taj was built and yet, amidst the frenzy of Des it continues to provide an oasis of calm. On a quiet day, even a glimpse of Paradise.

Photo by the inimitable Steve McCurry

Why I Wrote The Taj Conspiracy

I enjoy reading reviews on Flipkart - they are almost always unadulterated, and, therefore, good fun! My latest novel, The Taj Conspiracy, has been receiving its share of bouquets and brickbats, expectedly, and I am intrigued by what readers have to say: from 'India's Stieg Larrson' to 'The Indian Dan Brown' to 'Very ordinary' - we have got ourselves a range of reviews.

Additionally, there is one question I have been asked repeatedly: why did you choose to write about the Taj Mahal? Why not any other Indian monument?

Well, to know the answer, you'll have to hear a story. Ready?

It was a crisp winter morning in ‘08 when I last visited the Taj Mahal. As our guide urged us through the Jilaukhana, forecourt, I caught a fleeting glimpse of the white mausoleum perfectly framed in the arched entrance gateway. Before we could savour the moment, we’d stumbled through the gate into the lush gardens. 

The green of the chahar bagh contrasted with the red sandstone platform upon which stood the famed white mausoleum with its flanking buildings. Everything sang harmony - except our guide. Intent upon hustling us on, he ignored the perfect symmetry of the gardens, dismissed the central pool - almost as famous as the celebrities who pose from across it, gave a wide berth to the garden wall pavilions with their intriguing verandahs accentuated with coupled columns and arches ... 

No, for him, the Taj Mahal was only the white marble building at the north end, which, in turn, was some periodic table, materials and numericals interwoven, in which ‘marble’ and ‘sandstone’ popped with unsurprising periodicity. 

Admittedly, I was nonplussed. I am a writer, I like stories - they tell the truth, about the world, about ourselves, and since inception, homo sapiens have deployed stories to learn and remember by. 

x pheet by y pheet... marble... pheet pheet... sandstone... 

Why then was this guide bent upon dishing us an obscure periodic table? When I objected to the lack of a narrative, he nodded sanguinely and proceeded to a garnish of urban legends. I gaped.

Earlier that year, we had toured the Vatican museums with a guide who had brought alive the magic of Renaissance - Michelangelo’s marble Pieta had since found a home in my heart. Here was the world’s most beautiful marble monument that should be pulsing with life stories, yet its narrative was buried under bloodless piling of numerical detail and credulous myths when the true story of the monument was far bigger?

Did he know that the marble mausoleum at the north end of the complex descended in terraced steps towards the Yamuna as part of a riverfront terrace which was a Shahjahani innovation? That the emperor approached the Taj on a boat over the river as against the approach by tourists today - which is why we never sight the terrace rooms. 

How, while designing the Taj as Mumtaz’s home in paradise, Shah Jahan put all elements to work, even sound. The central domed chamber within the mausoleum has such perfect acoustics that it is renowned for one of the longest echoes of any building in the world.

That an Englishman’s love has illuminated the imperial Mughal tomb for over a century. The bronze lamp that hangs over the cenotaphs was especially gifted by Lord Curzon who, dismayed by the smoky lanterns the guides used to show him around, resolved to present the Taj with worthy lighting.

That the Taj Mahal, Islamic in conception yet imbued with Hindu elements, is a syncretic creation truly symbolic of our culture.

When we departed, I turned once to look at the Taj. This time, unhindered by the guide, I savoured it framed within the arched Darwaza-i-Rauza, the mist swirling around its marble dome. Somehow, the Taj looked forlorn, as if it needed someone to tell its story...

The guide had come highly recommended; apparently his clientele included foreign corporate clients. Imagine what havoc the less recommended guides must yield? 

I resolved that day to write a novel around the Taj Mahal, one that would rescue it from ignorant guides and benighted rumours and show it for what it really is - as the colour white contains all colours within it, this monument of white comprises multiple, diverse threads of a pluralistic India. 

Thus was The Taj Conspiracy born.

If  you get to read the book, I'll be happy to hear your thoughts. So, write in!

Trailer for The Taj Conspiracy

Hello Friends!

I am very happy to share with all of you the first trailer of The Taj Conspiracy, my upcoming thriller, and Book 1 of the Mehrunisa trilogy.

You can view it on Youtube here or click the Play button in the embedded video below.

When a young Mughal conservator stumbles on a conspiracy to destroy the Taj Mahal, she must battle her inner demons and overcome a prejudiced police to decipher clues that will help unmask the mysterious conspirator.

Crime/thriller genre is nascent in India. However, I believe that the crimes in a country reveal much about the country itself. The Taj Conspiracy pivots on a central question - what if Babri Masjid were to happen to Taj Mahal? - and I use the tropes of crime fiction to explore how growing fundamentalism threatens the ancient pluralistic fabric of India.


Liked the trailer guys?!

If you liked the video, please leave comments on the Youtube page, share the video and spread the news - your efforts will be much appreciated! And I look forward to meeting some of you at least during my book tour.

Cheers!

The Taj Mahal Brainteaser - 1

A rare picture of the Taj Mahal  

Image Courtesy: ASI

Three questions to tease your brain:


     1. Can you guess what the dome of Taj Mahal is wearing?


     2. What is the reason behind this?


     3. What year was this done?  


Leave your answers on the blog post below or on the Facebook page 


P.S - Even if you don't know, be creative with your answers, and have fun!


Source: The Taj Conspiracy, coming soon

Is This the Fate of the Taj Mahal?

The fifth phase of UP assembly elections 2012 is underway and Mayawati cannot be far from the mind, right? While her statues might have been veiled, what if the Dalit Queen fired a salvo which was totally unmissable?

Like below?!

Facts to chew over:

Cost of construction of Taj Mahal: USD 500 million (present value)

Cost of construction of Mayawati's statues: USD 400 million between 2007-2009, plus
                                                                     USD 500 million planned on future memorials

Take away:

Tucked inside those statues of elephants, Bagwati and Kanshi Ram are two Taj Mahals, at least! Howzzat?

Join the debate now, and have your say, at

The Taj Conspiracy

http://www.facebook.com/ManreetSodhiSomeshwar

Should we let the Taj Mahal collapse? Join the debate now!

Like the Abu Simbel temples of Egypt, should Taj Mahal be physically relocated in order to save it?