ONE OF THE BEST WEEKEND GETAWAYS FROM DELHI AND THINGS TO SEE IN AGRA.
The Taj Mahal in Agra, in one of the seven wonders of the world. It is an architectural marvel and is considered a symbol of love.
The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum which the mughal emperor Shah Jahan built for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It houses the tomb of both emperor Shah Jahan as well as Mumtaz Mahal.
The Taj Mahal is one of the best weekend getaways from Delhi, and is also one of the best things to see in Agra, as well as our life.
Entry tickets to the Taj mahal can be booked online. The entry from East Gate of the Taj Mahal is less crowded. You are allowed to carry only a camera, mobile and wallet. Handbags are not allowed.
When you reach the Taj Mahal, the car parking is approximately 1 km away, to reduce pollution and protect the Taj from pollution. From here, you can take the battery operated vehicle to reach the Taj Mahal.
Built between 1632 to 1653, the Taj Mahal is the perfect example of architectural planning, the sheer genius of human mind and also the grandeur of Indian culture. It is unbelievable how this architectural marvel, could be made at a time when information was not as easily available as it is now, and things also could not have moved as fast as it does now. And yet this wonder was made. Did you know that the Taj Mahal is designed to play tricks with our mind. Here are 7 optical illusions of the Taj Mahal.
Optical illusion 1 – The Taj Mahal goes further away when you walk towards it.
When you come close to something, say a building or a wall, it appears bigger and bigger. But when you walk towards the Taj mahal from the entry gate, it appears smaller and smaller as if it is going further away from you. And when you walk backwards, the Taj Mahal starts looking bigger and bigger, as if it is coming closer to you. This happens because, from the arch of the entry gate, you can see only a small part of the monument. As you walk towards it, the monument becomes visible gradually, and it feels as if it is moving away.
Also, there are monuments at both sides of the Taj mahal. But you don’t notice them because when you enter through the gate, there is a portion of the gate which is dark, and you focus only on the Taj Mahal, and everything around it, is dark. The beauty of the monument captivates you. And it is pretty much like a camera, where you see only the subject, and nothing much is visible around it. That is why the monuments adjacent to the Taj Mahal, go unnoticed.
Optical illusion 2 of the Taj Mahal – Minarets look straight but are not.
The Taj Mahal has 4 minarets, and they appear to look straight. But in reality, they are tilted away from the Taj Mahal, and are designed so, to protect the Taj Mahal from any destruction. In case of an earthquake, the minarets will fall away from the Taj and not on it, thereby saving the monument from any damage.
Optical illusion 3 of the Taj Mahal – Writings look the same size, but are not.
The Taj Mahal has verses from the Holy Quran. They look the same size, but they are actually not. The letters at the top are larger than the ones at the bottom, so you can comfortably read the verses from anywhere. If they were of the same size, then the letters at the top would not be so easily visible and comprehensible. Principles of trigonometry was applied to determine the size of the alphabets.
Optical illusion 4 of the Taj Mahal – Patterned parallel lines are not parallel.
When you walk towards the Taj Mahal, you will see patterned parallel lines. But when you look carefully, you will notice that they are actually a depiction of Jasmine flowers, and not parallel lines.
Optical illusion 5 of the Taj Mahal – The Dome which looks round is not round.
The dome of the Taj Mahal looks round, but in reality, it is bulbous in shape. It’s neck is not visible easily, and that is why it gives an impression of the Taj Mahal’s dome being round.
Optical illusion 6 of the Taj Mahal – Columns appear to have 8 sides.
The columns on the Taj Mahal have zig zag lines, and they appear to be three dimensional with 8 sides. But in reality, they have only 4 sides.
Optical illusion 7 of the Taj Mahal – What looks like paintings on the Taj Mahal are not paintings.
In fact, there is no paint on the Taj Mahal. The flowers and patterns which look as if they are painted, are actually semi precious stones inlaid into the marble. These semi precious stones are reflective and they gleam at night when light strikes.
What is also fascinating about the Taj Mahal, is that such a huge monument is fully visible from ground level. This monument never ceases to amaze. The Taj mahal looks pinkish in the morning, white in the afternoon, and yellowish in the moonlight. But no matter what time you look at it, it certainly gives a feeling of peace to your mind and leaves you with wanting to see it all the more.