Already in UNESCO’s list of Protected World Heritage sites, the Taj Mahal, has already been one of the best known wonders but to figure at the top seven wonders in a campaign billed as one of the first global democratic exercise in which even peoples of countries which had no nominations, was indeed a proud moment for Indian culture even as this glory has evinced a renewed interest in this wonderful and iconic wonders of the world. Howard Hillman, a leading wonder travel authority, explains why the Taj Mahal is special. As the world’s most beautiful building it is worth a trip half way around the world just to see it. The hue of the marbled Taj Mahal of India varies from hour to hour, season to season. Three of its most sublime times: daytime, sunset and full moon. Each out do the other though Taj in full moon light is ethereally beautiful. The grieving Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan erected it as the final resting place for his beloved queen. He wanted to perpetuate her memory. It took 22 years and 22,000 people to complete the Taj Mahal. Indeed a Global Heritage for several reasons its evolutionary design has been inspired by centuries of Persian, Turkish, Islamic and Hindu traditional styles of architecture engineering marvels, fine-tuned over two decades of construction period. The development of Indo-Islamic architecture is not just a story about architecture but development of a whole new civilisation in the fertile plains of India which left an indelible mark for all times to come.

The integration and adaptation of Islamic architecture in far flung states gave a new cultural identity which varied from place to place. The variation in style was influenced by local artisans, their specialisation and experience and finally the influence of Islamic and Hindu styles, which were ‘regionalised’ themselves. The result was an enriched co-existence of people hailing from different cultural backgrounds who believed in assimilating the best from one another. The main regions which produced a substantial body of fusion architecture, integrated styles are Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat, Bengal and Malwa.
“The practice of secularism in India did not start just by an official declaration when the Constitution came into being but evidently due to the evolution of cultural forces which blended with each other in a mutual influence over centuries,” says Professor of history Jyoti Marwah on the Board of Studies, University of Mumbai.

In every way, architectural wonders have always evoked a strange sense of might and awe, magic and mystery, at once calm and stirring, imposing and awe-inspiring. What all goes into building and creating huge sprawling, extensive and sky-reaching structures that withstand weathering of all kinds, natural, historical, social, political and of course, commercial? Not an accomplishment of a single man but the entire ethos of an environ bestowed with positive energies. A rare harmony of elements which breathe song and poetry into sand, brick and stone.