Taj Mahal in India

Thousands of Indians handed out sweets and set off fireworks on July 7, 2007 to celebrate the inclusion of Taj Mahal in the list of the 7 'new' world wonders, as recently reported by the Agence France-Presse (AFP) from Lisbon, Portugal. The AFP-Lisbon report says that "Hundreds (of Indians) thronged the 17th-century monument built by Mughal ruler Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal."

Historical records paint the Taj Mahal, thus: "A vision of symmetry and delicacy, like a perfect pearl set against an azure sky, it is the world's best known mausoleum and one of the most exquisite buildings ever designed."

The Taj Mahal, arguably the most famous building in the world, is situated on the southern bank of the River Yamuna (Jumna) at Agra in India. Its silhouette is instantly recognizable and has become, for many, the unofficial symbol of India. The fame of the Taj Mahal rests not only on its architectural beauty - in which grandeur and delicacy are miraculously balanced - but also on its romantic associations. Records indicate that the Taj Mahal was built by the 17th-century Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his favorite wife, whose death plunged him into unshakeable grief. As a physical symbol of the devotion of a man to a woman, the Taj Mahal is unsurpassed. Tradition has it that when a couple goes there, the woman should ask her partner: "If I were to die, do you love me so much that you would build me a memorial like this?" [Read Full Article]