Photo 212/7(37)

Genre: Architectural Photography

Close view of the colonnade and verandah, taken from an angle of the building and looking along two façades. The north door of the tomb is at the left. Another copy at Photo 1000/31 (3178). Lyon's 'Notes to accompany a series of photographs prepared to illustrate the ancient architecture of Southern India' (Marion and Co., London, 1870), edited by James Fergusson, gives the following description of this photograph: '529. - Approaching the mausoleum the visitor will at once be struck by the tasteful Colonnade forming a verandah of l5 ft broad round the whole edifice. The pavement of this colonnade is slightly elevated, and the ceiling is exquisitely carved with sentences of the Koran, enclosed in compartments and interspersed with wreathes of flowers. The border of every compartment is different from that of the one adjoining. The whole of the Koran is said to be carved on this mausoleum. The inscription over the North Door (the one to the left in the photograph) is translated as follows 'Heaven stood astonished at the elevation of this building, and it might be said that, when its head rose from the earth, another heaven was produced. The Garden of Paradise has borrowed its beauty from this garden, and every pillar here is as graceful as the cypress tree, in the garden of purity. An angel from heaven above, announced the date of the structure by saying. This building which makes the heart glad is the memorial of Taj i Sultan!' The last words give the numerals A H 1036 - A D 1628. The inscription over the south door is as follows 'In pomp like Zubaiza, in magnificence like Balkis she was the ornament of the throne and crown of chastity and when she passed to the capital of Paradise from this terrestrial abode which is but dust, when I asked an old man the date thereof he answered mesa ying Taj i Sulta is among the people of Paradise, the words give A H 1043 - A D 1033 [?1633].' On the same door is also inscribed 'Malik Sandal by expending 150,000 huns, with 900 more, caused this tomb to be finished after great exertions.' The cost thus was about £528,125.'