AT SEA (day 93) AGRA, INDIA                                                               day 92 continued

TAJ MAHAL

"In the 16th century, a Mughal emperor had a marble mausoleum constructed in memory of his favorite wife. They were married for 19 years and had 14 children. Before she died she made the Emperor promise that he would never marry again, which he did. He did, however, have a concubine of 200 women and he lived for another 30 years after she died.

The TAJ took 200,000 workers 22 years to build. The foundation consists 88 wells that are filled with clay, copper and other minerals which are all covered by a slab of red sandstone. Interesting, the foundation was planned this way so that should there be an earthquake that they would shift keeping   the building, THE TAJ, intact. Also, the MINARETS, a total of 4 one tower of in each corner of the building, are built purposefully leaning at slight angle away from the TAJ so that should there be an earthquake they would fall away from the TAJ.

"THE TAJ MAHAL is now revered as one of the world's most beautiful buildings".

MEN AND WOMEN ARE SEPARATED BY FENCES AND STAND ON SEPARATE LINES WHILE WAITING TO ENTER TO SEE THE TAJ

Dan and Lynn

WE ENTERED THROUGH THE WESTERN ENTRANCE 

THERE IS AN IDENTICAL EASTERN ENTRANCE ON THE OTHER SIDE

Everything in THE TAJ is totally symmetrical. It was only after the Emperor died and his son  him buried him at his wife's side did the symmetry become compromised.     

VIEW AFTER WALKING THROUGH THE ARCH OF THE ENTRANCE

It was 100 degrees that day and the crowd was unimaginable.

Apparently as many as 20,000 people can visit in a day.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUILDN IN THE WORLD

The MINARETS have scaffolding around them while they are being cleaned.  

CLOSE UP  OF THE DETAILS ON THE WALLS 

SEMIPRECIOUS STONES INLAID INTO INDIAN MARBLE

INLAID JADE LETTERING WORDS FROM THE KORAN THAT ADORN THE ARCHWAY ENTRANCE TO THE TAJ  

FLOWERS ETCHED INTO MARBLE
ALL OF THE MARBLE IS INDIAN MARBLE
The etchings were done in one very big piece marble, if they made a mistake the piece was broken and the etching was started again, from the beginning.

To be continued....