India – The Taj Mahal

  "The Taj" (as it is commonly called here) is one of the Eight Wonders of the World, and one I have wanted to see since I first saw a picture of it as a young girl. It looks exactly like its pictures – except it is much more massive and grand than I had imagined … and intricate and pristine and imbued with love and honor.

Khan, my guide, explained that it was actually a mausoleum (or ma-ZO-lee-um as he says) dedicated to the most beautiful and well-loved third wife of Emperor Shah Jahan. She died birthing their 14th child (only 6 children lived) in 18 years of marriage. On her deathbed, Mumtaz Mahal made her husband promise two things – that she would have her own tomb/memorial, and that he would never marry again (which he didn't for the next 35 years of his life). NB He still had his first two wives.

It took 20,000 expert craftsmen from around  the world, working 24/7 for 22 years and 32 million rupees to complete the Taj Mahal. Here are pictures, but it's like the Grand Canyon – pictures just don't pick up all the dimensionality of either one. The white marble is translucent, so the light reflected from its surfaces changes as it interacts with the light from celestial orbs. It is beyond adequate description just in general, but I have heard that it is particularly spectacular at dawn and sunset and in the light of the full moon. I only got to see it for four hours in the full sunlight of an afternoon – and it sparkled.

I did the tour, heard all about the workmanship and the personalities behind the idea and the creation of The Taj. And I knew I hadn't 'grokked' it. So I went off by myself, found a place to sit and just open to the feel of it, including all the masses of people weaving in and out and around the whole site. And I felt my tears – tears of wonder and awe at how perfectly the Taj Majal captures the intent of a husband to honor the beloved of his life. It is immense and contained, simple and ornate, majestic and reflective, graceful and durable, luminous and solid – it is unique in the world, as was she to him.

I grokked it … and still feel touched by the story of their love and by the exquisite representation of it.

PS  The picture on the right is but a small section of the replication of symmetry throughout the building – high and bas relief, all color is from inlaid jewels from around the world – different repetitive patterns circling different parts, all of which are interlocking, in which each element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the overall theme. Translucent white marble, inlaid colorful jewels, arabesque symmetry, expert craftsmanship, conceived in love – physically impacting, spiritually moving.

PPS  Grok – to understand intuitively or empathically.