Great Gate Darwaza i Rauza Taj Mahal

“Gate of the Mausoleum” – Darwaza-i Rauza stands oblong on a platform on the southern wall as the passage between the Jilaukhana and the funerary garden. The façade from Jilaukhana proves its being the entrance and the beginning of the great mausoleum. The red sandstone structure is surrounded by octagonal towers namely minarets topped by white marble domes on the corners. The white marble is densely used in the arches of the centre while the thin margins around the rectangular panels of the corner towers are only lined. The top of the arches is ornamented with floral patterns. The main entrance is framed in rectangular with sura 89 of the Qur’an, namely al-Fajr (daybreak) inviting the believers into the Paradise. The Gate does not have an outer dome. The miniature eleven domes (cupolas) between the two high columns namely guldastas, framing the entrance from the base are the topping features above the entrance. The northern entrance from the funerary garden is ornamented with another sura of the Qur’an as the only difference. The calligrapher, Amanat Khan’s signature is at the bottom left end of the frame dated Hijri 1057 (AD 1647/48). The central vault inside the gate is ornamented with stars and partial stars. The big bronze lamp was mad in the Mayo School of Arts in Lahore and was given as present by Lord Curzon in 1909. The side rooms are used for the administration by the Archaeological Survey of India. Both lower and the upper levels are not open to the visitors.

Iwan dar Iwan – the two arcaded galleries with massive multi-cusped arches and shahjahani columns with floral bases in the outer row are located on the south of the funerary garden where the poor people were welcomed by Shah Jahan in order to receive their alms in rainy season.

The Garden (bagh-i firdaus-a’in)

The paradise-like garden is the very impressing part of the complex. The square garden is divided into four parts with two main walkways. Each of these four parts is also divided into four with narrower walkways, therefore, creating sixteen squares. The canal including a line of fountains passes in-between the main walkway. It is lined with sandstone strips and geometrical stars and then followed by larger sandstone walkway with typical Mogul geometrical designs. The north-south walkway connects the great gate to the mausoleum while the two pavilions are connected through the east-west walkway.

The raised white marble platform at the centre of the walkways, namely “chabutra” includes a pool with five fountains. The four marble banks around the pool were added later with the order of Lord Curzon in 1907.

The Garden Wall Pavilions

The mirror-like pavilions at the ends of the east-west walkways are known as “Naubat Khana” (drum house). The second storeys of the both pavilions include double-arched and multi-cusped open verandahs. The red sandstone structures by the garden walls are topped with pillared dome of octagonal chhatris, made of white marble. The dome is supported by eight columns with shahjahani characteristics. Taj Museum is situated in the pavilion on the west with the wide collection of paintings, calligraphic documents, imperial orders, coins and valuable objects. The museum also houses the detailed plan of Taj Mahal. Taken with the order of Lord Hastings in 1815, the two large columns from Shah Jahan’s hammam (bath) at the Agra Fort are also of interest.

The Riverfront Terrace( chabutra, kursi)

Being amongst the most impressing platforms ever built, the riverfront terrace is only 1.22 m above the level of the garden, while the height reaches to 8.7 m towards the river due to the slope. The terrace is the first structure built in Taj complex.

The red sandstone facades of the terrace are ornamented with the carvings of flower vases and palm trees framed with white marbles. The two doors by the riverfront near the towers, enabling direct access to Taj Mahal by boat are now closed. The terrace is geometrically covered with light and dark sandstone. The closer parts of the mausoleum are patterned with the combination of sandstone and marble geometrical designs