Taj Mahal | Music of Ancient India

Taj Mahal
"A tear of marble still on the cheek of Time" (Rabindranath Tagore)
"Una lacrima di marmo ferma sulla guancia del Tempo"

Soundtrack: Traditional Music of Ancient India

Il Taj Mahal situato ad Agra, nell'India settentrionale (stato di Uttar Pradesh), è un mausoleo fatto costruire nel 1632 dall'imperatore moghul Shah Jahan in memoria della moglie Mumtaz Mahal. Nonostante vi siano molti dubbi riguardo al nome dell'architetto che lo progettò, generalmente si tende a considerare Ustad Ahmad Lahauri il padre dell'opera. È da sempre considerata una delle più notevoli bellezze architettoniche dell'India e del mondo a tal punto che il complesso è tra i patrimoni UNESCO dell'umanità dal 9 dicembre 1983. L'origine del nome Taj Mahal è ancora oggi incerta. Le varie corti che sono succedute al regno di Shah Jahan hanno chiamato il monumento semplicemente rauza (complesso di tomba e moschea) di Mumtaz Mahal. È credenza generale che Taj Mahal (il cui significato letterale è "Palazzo della Corona" oppure "Corona del Palazzo") sia una versione abbreviata del nome di Mumtaz. Arjumand Banu Begum, conosciuta anche con tale nome, che in persiano significa "la luce del palazzo", morì nel 1630 dando alla luce il quattordicesimo figlio dell'imperatore. I lavori di costruzione del mausoleo, iniziati nel 1632, durarono 22 anni per concludersi nel 1654. Tra le 20.000 persone che vi presero parte si contano anche numerosi artigiani provenienti dall'Europa e dall'Asia Centrale. Tra di essi vi era anche un artista italiano: Geronimo Veroneo. L'architetto incaricato di realizzare il Taj Mahal è tuttora sconosciuto, la maggior parte degli studiosi attribuisce la paternità dell'opera a Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, ma alcuni parlano del Turco Ustad Isa; anche Geronimo Veroneo è indicato come uno dei possibili architetti, per quanto non ci siano prove certe su questo argomento. Disse Shah Jahan del Taj: "La vista di questo palazzo provoca tristi sospiri e fa versare lacrime dagli occhi del sole e della luna. Questo edificio è stato costruito per mostrare, attraverso di esso, la gloria del Creatore".
Altre info: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal
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The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
The Taj Mahal (also "the Taj") is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian, Indian, and Islamic architectural styles. In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."
While the white domed marble mausoleum is its most familiar component, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. Building began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, and employed thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of architects under imperial supervision including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer. Among the 20.000 persons who participated in the palace construction there are also many craftsmen and artists from Europe and Central Asia. Among them was also an Italian artist: Geronimo Veroneo, that someone suspect can be one of the possible architects of this monument.
In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire's period of greatest prosperity, was griefstricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their fourteenth child, Gauhara Begum.Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632, one year after her death. The court chronicles of Shah Jahan's grief illustrate the love story traditionally held as an inspiration for Taj Mahal. The principal mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these words:
"Should guilty seek asylum here / Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin. / Should a sinner make his way to this mansion / All his past sins are to be washed away / The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs / And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes / In this world this edifice has been made; To display thereby the creator's glory".
The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian architecture and earlier Mughal architecture. While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, and buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement. The central focus of the complex is the tomb. This large, white marble structure stands on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building with an iwan (an arch-shaped doorway) topped by a large dome and finial.
More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_Mahal

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Taj Mahal
• India
• Agra
• Music of India
• Mumtaz Mahal
• Shah Jahan
• marble
• Arte Moghul
• ताज महल
• تاج محل

[mssonnet26]

hey does shah jahan had any children with his other wife?

[minuicch]

@mssonnet26

Mumtaz gave Shah Jahan fourteen children, seven of whom died young. She died for childbirth at Burhanpur in the Deccan, June 17, 1631, while he followed Shah Jahan in his campaign against the Lodhi Dynasty's nobles.

[minuicch]

@mssonnet26

I don't know !

[jnoori]

How can anyone dislike this.



[minuicch]

@jnoori

Thank you so much! :-)

[Gesquel80]

My Favourite Country greetings from another side of the world México!

[tassde]

@DiogoBailao Back then, Portugal was a power, now the Portuguese are quiet like mice. Compare Portugal to the advancement of India today. Portugal is dust, India is a rising super-power. What is Portugal today? Answer that question first. Then compare it to India's great history, struggles and success as a nation.

[pretrno6]

This music describes more than any book!

[perryk829]

boner go fucking down!!

[jandrews270]

Beautiful music and pictures.

[fahad4HELL]

how many men built taj mahal i think it take years

[REBEL1SINGER1RIO]

I love ancient music :-)

[Kan3nas100]

yeaaahh..beautiful

[DiogoBailao]

GOA=PORTUGAL

[twiggysangelfromhell]

I LOVE THIS! THANKS!

[MrSkate4weed]

@xxdirectorxx that's real fuckin productive