The Taj Mosque and Jam’ at
Khanah (1631-48) ( as Displayed inside Taj Building)
The Taj Mosque is built on a reside platform on the western side of the
main, white Marble tomb and its exact replica is there on its eastern side in
perfect symmetry. The eastern building is called ‘ Jamat- Khanah’ as ‘ Mehman –
Khanah’. It is not worthy that, more than fulfilling the need of a house of
prayer and a house of assembly, these identical building flank the main tomb
effectively and help to present the white marble monument in an aesthetic
setting, and thus do they from an integral part of the Taj design.
The facade of the mosque is composed of a central Iwan, flanked on
either side by a single arch entrance, almost half the dimensions. Ornamental
arches have been framed above these sides arches. Octagonal towers attached to
the corners are surmounted by octagonal chhatris, while the turrents attached
to the quoins of the Iwan and the side arches are growned by pinnacles. The
interior is composed of three bays which are roofed by three bubous domes. The
central one on the have being larger. Padmakosh and Kalash finials have been
used to crown them as usual the domes, chhatries and pinnacles combine to make
up a beautiful super structure. Dados have carved naturalistic plant designs.
The rest of the mural space, including the ceiling is either panelled to bear
ornamental cartouches or finished with incised painting in red and white
colours, n highly stylished design. Through it is built of red sandstone, white
marble has been used on a large scale, e.g. on the domes and cupolas of the
chhatries, and in the spandrels of the arches inlaid with rare polychrome stone
the total effect is simple, yet graceful.
The jamat Khanah on the eastern side is exactly similar to the mosque
except that it does not have a mihrab (central niche denoting the direction of
the Kabah), Minbar (pulpit) musallas (arches space marked in the pavement),
zenana (ladies) sections enclosed by marble railin Quranic inscriptions or tank
(hauz) in its front. But it has a curious historical records made in stone. At
the northern end of its platform, in its front, is inlaid, by Black marble an
exact replica of the Kalash final which crowned the main dome of the Taj Mahal.
It measures 30 feet 6 inch in length and the width of the resent is 5 feet 4.5
inch. The present final measure 32 feet and 5.5 inch. The original, thick gold
plated Kalash measured 30 feet 6 inch. It was replaced by Captain Joseph Taylor
in 1810. The second one was again replaced in 1876 by a final which measured 32
feet. The third one replaced in 1940 and present one is the fourth final in
succession. The replica of the final was made on the platform Jamat Khanah by
Nathuram in 1888 as a memorial to the original final. It is remarkable that
both these are monumental buildings capable of standing independently an else.
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