Decorative Elements of The

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1 5 6 BEYOND DELHI AR E A by A R E A T A J M A H A L 1 5 7 Decorative Elements of the Taj CARVED RELIEF WORK It is widely believed that the Taj Mahal Decorative panels of flowering plants, was designed to represent an earthly foliage and vases are realistically carved replica of one of the houses of paradise. on the lower portions of the walls. While the pietra dura adds colour to the pristine Its impeccable marble facing, embel- white marble these highlight the texture of lished by a remarkable use of exquisite the polished marble and sandstone surface. surface design, is a splendid showcase Stylized floral for the refined aesthetic that reached its motif height during Shah Jahan’s reign. Des- cribed as “one of the most elegant and harmonious buildings in the world”, the Taj indeed manifests the wealth and luxury of Mughal art as seen Detail of the marble screen with in architecture and garden design, painting, jewellery, an inlaid chrysanthemum Floral sprays, carved in relief on calligraphy, textiles, carpet-weaving and furniture. the marble and sandstone dado PIETRA DURA levels, are framed The Mughals were great naturalists with pietra dura who believed that flowers were the and stone inlay “symbols of the divine realm”. In the borders. The Taj, pietra dura has been extensively profusion of used to translate naturalistic forms floralmotifs in into decorative patterns that comple- theTaj symbolizes ment the majesty of its architecture. the central paradise theme. Flowers such as the tulip, lily, iris, poppy Jaali patterns on the and narcissus were octagonal perforated depicted as sprays or screen surrounding arabesque patterns. the cenotaphs are a Stones of varying complex combination degrees of colour were of the floral and used to create the geometric. The filtered shaded effects. light captures the intricate designs and casts mosaic-like shadows on the tombs. CALLIGRAPHY Inlaid calligraphy in black marble was used as a form of ornamentation on undecorated surfaces. The exquisitely detailed panels of inscriptions of Koranic passages, that line the recessed arches like banners, were designed by the Persian calligrapher, Amanat Khan. White marble, black slate and yellow, red and Inlaid marble above the mosque’s central arch grey sandstone are used for decoration PIETRA DURA The Florentine technique of pietra dura is said to have been imported by Jahangir and developed in Agra as pachikari. Minute slivers of precious and semi-precious stones, such as carnelian, lapis lazuli, turquoise and malachite, were arranged in complex stylized floral designs into a marble base. Even today, artisans in the old city maintain pattern books contain- ing the intricate motifs used on the A contemporary Taj and can still re-create 17th-century A single flower often had more inlaid marble platter designs in contemporary pieces. than 35 variations of carnelian.

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