Shah Jahan finished building the Taj Mahal in 1948. He was a rich and powerful
emperor, and he constructed the Taj Mahal as a memorial to his wife. It was a monument to love.
The word "taj" means crown. "Mahal" was the name of his wife. Twenty thousand people worked for
nearly two decades to complete this beautiful domed structure. A thousand elephants carried enormous
stones amd jewels from all over India and central Asia for the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan wanted this memorial
to be a special place for Muslim pilgrims to visit. In addition, he wanted it to be a burial
place for himeself and his wife.
2 . The Taj Mahal is on the Yamuna River in Agra, which is in northern India. To many people around
the world, the Taj Mahal is a symbol of India. Its image is in most travel books and brochures. It is
open daily from sunrise to sunset. For about 15 rupees, or about US$.31, amyone can enter this peaceful
and quiet place.
3 . As you enter, you pass through splendidm silent gardens. From the gardens, you cross a wide
and spacious courtyard. Suddenly you see the dome of the main building through a tall, red
samdstone gate. From the cool, dark gate, the Taj Mahal seems to float between earth and sky.
At daybreak, its white walls glow a rose color. At noon, they blaze white. At dusk, they become dark gray.
Many people think the Taj Mahal is most beautiful by the light of the full moon.
Then, you can feel the romance and mystery of this amazing structure.
4 . After you pass through the gate, you step onto a wide stone platform that is adjacent to another
garden with pools. Everything is arranged carefully in fours because four is a special number
in the Muslim religion. The garden is divided into four sections. There are straight rows of
colorful flowers and trees in each of the parts. At the four corners of the Taj Mahal, there are pointed
minarets or tall towers.
After the gardens, you go down stone steps rowards the main building that houses
5 . After hundreds of years, the Taj Mahal remains a lovely and peaceful
environment to visit. An inscription at the entrance gate describes the Taj Mahal as "a palace of pearls
where the pious can live forever. " this beautiful building is truly a jewel for all people.