Agra Gets A New Taj Mahal!

A new white marble structure in Agra that took 104 years to build is daily drawing hordes of spiritually inclined tourists.

The visitors often draw comparisons between the iconic Taj Mahal and the newly built mausoleum of the founder of the Radhasoami sect in Soami Bagh, located about 12 km away from the Taj Mahal.

The immaculate white marble structure has become a popular attraction for tourists exploring Agra. Many are in awe of the grandeur of the mausoleum and consider it a worthy rival to the Taj Mahal, adding to the architectural splendour of the city known for its Mughal-era monuments.

Larger Than The Taj

Unlike the Taj Mahal, which was completed in 22 years with the labour of thousands of skilled artisans and craftsmen in the 17th century under a medieval authoritarian regime, the construction of the Soami Bagh mausoleum spanned over a century. in an open society.

A devoted follower of the faith, Pramod Kumar mentioned that the construction of the mausoleum was a testament to the unwavering faith, fervour, and dedication of its creators, who were driven by their religious beliefs.

Resting on a foundation of 52 wells, the 193-foot tall structure, all in white marble from Makrana in Rajasthan, is undoubtedly one of the most ambitious projects in India.

The mausoleum is dedicated to the founder of the Radha Soami faith Param Purush Pooran Dhani Swamiji Maharaj. The grand mausoleum is situated in the Soami Bagh colony in Agra's Dayalbagh area. Each day bus loads of tourists visit the mausoleum and express their admiration and awe at the exquisite craftsmanship on display. The entrance is free while the photography is not permitted.

Already visitors have begun comparing the Soami Bagh mausoleum with the world heritage monument, the Taj Mahal which draws thousands of tourists from all over the world daily. The Taj Mahal houses the mausoleum of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Officials who supervised the construction said, "It is a form of worship that has been going on and will go on relentlessly."

The Soami Bagh mausoleum stands amidst a colony of the followers of the Radha Soami faith. The faith has millions of followers in states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Karnataka as well as foreign countries.

The original samadh was a simple white sandstone structure. In 1904, work began on a new design by an architect from Allahabad. Work was held up for a few years, but since 1922 to this day men have been toiling away, mostly by hand, at the enormous, highly decorated construction.

The 31.4-foot gold-plated pinnacle is taller than that of the Taj Mahal and was mounted by a crane especially called from Delhi for this highly specialised job. It took years because marble stones of the desired size could not be found. Most of the marble for the mausoleum has come from Makrana and Jodhpur quarries in Rajasthan. The variegated mosaic stone is from Nowshera in Pakistan. Semi-precious stones for inlay work have been procured from riverbeds in central and southern India.

The promoters of the project consider it wrong to compare it with any other building, but those who visit the mausoleum continue to wonder whether the Taj Mahal has a rival in Agra.
(Source: Syndicated Feed)