Mar 23, 2010 04:08 PM
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A popular place for tourists from the world over, yet a trip to the Taj Mahal makes you discover more for yourself than what the world already knows, finds Smita Roy.
Almost everyone present in today's, have grown up to knowing the existence of this wonder of the world which is the pride of India. People also know the story of how it was built as the sign of the immortal love that the Mughal Emperor Shahjehan had for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. So why then do we pick up this super-famous mausoleum to be talked about? The reason doesn't just lie in the history or geography of it. The reason here is simple... it's about the people who humbly call themselves 'workers of the Taj'.
Everyone must be aware of the controversies that have surrounded this white beauty and how the industries were made to have their shutters down just so that this wonder would be saved from any further de-facation. So what happened to all the workers whose households ran thanks to the factories? And despite all, is this heritage really in the process of being saved and preserved well? A trip to the Taj Mahal in Agra solves almost all the questions and in fact gives more answers than those the mind asks.
Once in the precincts of it, there would be touts hounding the cars or traveler on foot for a camel or a horse ride or even the option of an electric-run shuttle. These used to be the workers of those factories, before they shut down, and are now working with the Indian tourism department which has employed them to give the 1 km rides to the tourists who have to park their fuel-run vehicles that far away from the main site. Reason? Fuel cars emit polluting gases which cause harm to the marble structure.
Before getting into the Taj, these touts who also double up as guides, would ask you to have a look at the handloom stores in the premises of the Taj. These stores offer various handmade things, made by prisoners, the proceeds of which are believed to be given the the makers directly. These products include some unique things such as sarees made out of Bamboo shoots and Banana Leaves. The fabric is made by pulling out fine fibre of these plants and weaving them into cloth. There are also other handmade items such as camel leather shoes and bags along with the upholstery.
Moving out of here just when you enter the Taj, on another end there's a marble market. No you don't get tiles for the floor here, but marble items which are made by the heirs of the original workers and karigars who made the Taj. The marble and stones used here to make various items are the same as those used in the actual building. So anything that's been bought from here, poses more as a piece of the Taj itself!
Finally, the grandeur of the Taj Mahal, awaits to lure and mesmerize the visitor. The premises have things that boast of being existent for more than 300 years now. And despite having a crowd of millions visiting the place, it still remains clean, calm and peaceful only to be disturbed by the flutter of pigeons in flight that take rounds in brief intervals. The stone structure was built without any modern equipment that we have now, yet it stands in perfect symmetry no matter what angle you look at it from. With a lot of optical illusions and minute stone and carving works done, an actual trip to the Taj would bring in the realization of why it is one of the seven wonders of the world.