I believe this is the only Mahomedan monument in which the
sarcophagus is placed at the top of the building in an uncovered
space.
The palace of the Mongolian Sultan stands in the citadel. It is
said to be one of the most remarkable buildings of Mongolian
architecture. {177}
The fortifications are nearly two miles in extent, and consist of
double and treble walls, the outer one of which is said to be
seventy-five feet high.
The interior is divided into three principal courts. In the first
live the guards; in the second, the officers and higher authorities;
in the third, which occupies the side towards the Jumna, stands the
palace, the baths, the harem, and several gardens. In this court,
everything is made of marble. The walls of the rooms in the palaces
are covered with such stones as agates, onyxes, jasper, cornelian,
lapis-lazuli, etc., inlaid in mosaic work, representing flowers,
birds, arabesques, and other figures. Two rooms without windows are
exclusively destined to show the effects of illumination. The walls
and the arched roof are covered with mica slate in small silvered
frames; fountains splash over glass walls, behind which lights can
be arranged, and jets of water are thrown up in the centre of the
room. Even without lights, it glittered and sparkled most
marvellously; what must be the effect when innumerable lamps throw
back their rays a thousandfold! Such a sight enables one easily to
understand the imaginative descriptions of the Eastern tales of "a
thousand-and-one nights." Such palaces and rooms may be truly
considered works of magic.
Near the palace stands a small mosque, which is also entirely
constructed of white marble, richly and artistically furnished with
arabesques, reliefs, etc.
Before leaving the fortress, I was led to a deep underground vault -
the former scene of numerous secret executions. How much innocent
blood may have been shed there!
The Jumna Mosque, which the erudite affirm to surpass that of
Soliman's in Constantinople, stands outside the fortress, upon a
high terrace near the river. It is of red sandstone, has the same
wonderful domes, and was built by the Sultan Akbar. In the arches
are to be seen remains of rich paintings in light and dark-blue,
intermixed with gilding. It is to be regretted that this mosque is
in a rather dilapidated condition; but it is hoped, however, that it
will soon be completely restored, as the English government have
already commenced repairing it.
From the mosque we returned again to the town, which is, for the
most part, surrounded by rubbish. The principal street, "Sander,"
is broad and cleanly paved in the middle with square stones, and at
the sides with bricks. At both extremities of this street stand
majestic gateways. The houses of the town (from one to four stories
high) are almost entirely of red sandstone; most of them are small,
but many are surrounded by columns, pillars, and galleries. Several
are distinguished by their handsome porches. The streets are
narrow, crooked, and ugly; the bazaars unimportant. In India, as
well as in the East, the more costly wares must be sought in the
interior of the houses. The population of this town is said to have
amounted formerly to 800,000; it is now scarcely 60,000.
The whole environs are full of ruins. Those who build can procure
the materials at the mere cost of gathering them from the ground.
Many Europeans inhabit half-ruinous buildings, which, at a small
expense, they convert into pretty palaces.
Agra is the principal seat of two missionary societies - a Catholic
and a Protestant. Here, as in Benares, they educate the offspring
of the children they picked up in 1831. A little girl was pointed
out to me that had recently been bought of a poor woman for two
rupees (4s.)
At the head of the Catholic mission is a bishop. The present one,
Mr. Porgi, is the founder of a tastefully-built church. In no
similar establishment did I ever see so much order, or find the
natives so well-behaved as here. On Sundays, after prayers, they
amuse themselves with decorous and lively games; while in the
Protestant establishments, after having worked all the week, they
are compelled to pray all day long, and their greatest amusement
consists in being allowed to sit for a few hours gravely before the
house-doors. A person who passed a Sunday in this country among
strict Protestants would imagine that God had forbidden the most
innocent amusements.
These two religious societies, unfortunately, are not on very
amicable terms, and censure and persecute every slight irregularity
on the part of each other; by this means not setting the natives
living round them a very good example.
My last visit was to the magnificent treasure of Agra, and, indeed,
of all India - the famous Taj-Mehal.
I had read somewhere that this monument ought to be visited last, as
the others would not be admired at all after seeing this. Captain
Elliot says: "It is difficult to give a description of this
monument; the architecture is full of strength and elegance."
The Taj-Mehal was erected by the Sultan Jehoe (Dschehoe), in memory
of his favourite muntaza, Zemani. Its building is said to have cost
750,000 pounds. Properly speaking, the sultan's memory is more
perpetuated by this building than that of his favourite, for every
one who saw it would involuntarily ask who erected it. The names of
the architect and builder are unfortunately lost. Many ascribe it
to Italian masters; but when it is seen that there are so many other
admirable works of Mahomedan architecture, either the whole must be
considered foreign or this must be admitted to be native.
The monument stands in the centre of a garden, upon an open terrace
of red sandstone, raised twelve feet above the ground.
