Silk in the biggest garden of the world
Table of Contents
Agra Feb. 16, 1984
[ Agra is a famous historical town, known for the Tajmahal projecting a glorious architectural blending of Rajwara, Semitic and Gothie styles. It depicts the characteristics of Jamuna-valley civilisation, where in Krsna lived, 3000 years ago. The great Saint-poet of Braj bhasa, Suradas also lived nearby ].
Today, Baba visited Surasarovara, Sura Kutii and Sura Kupa, at Agra.
He said that Surasarovara was named after Suradas who performed spiritual practices and was a great poet of Braja whose life and works are glory to India.
While returning to His residence, Baba dedicated a Prabhat Samgeet to the great poet.
Later, Baba visited the Tajahal, where He said:
The Turkish architecture of the Taj is a blending of Semitic and Gothic styles.
The Arabs were highly influenced by these styles, using them to construct mosques, mazars and mausoleums.
The original home of the Gothic style was southern Greece.
Many old Catholic churches were constructed in this style, which was also highly influential in Persia.
At places around the Taj, the Rajawara style is also visible, especially the entrance gate.
Artisans and masons were hired from several places in Rajasthan like Bharatpur, Alwar, Jaipur, and Pokhran to help construct the Taj Mahal, and materials were brought from all over the world.
Mounds of earth were built around the Taj so that the artisans could work easily, sitting if they so desired as fine craftmanship is not always possible in a standing posture.
After the completion of the work, the soil was taken away.
The soil here is soft, alluvial soil from the Ganga and the Jamuna rivers.
Large structures sink down into it.
The soil is not very old, but is very fertile and is excellent for growing wheat but not for paddy.
In ancient times, this area was beneath the sea.
It became the capital of the Moghul Empire when Shah Jahan ascended the throne.
Later, he built his capital at Raisiina, the present New Delhi.
There is little water in the Jamuna river during February.
It shall decrease even further as the incoming water from the Jamunottari recedes in volume.
The rainfall has lessened at Jamunottari because the severity of winter has declined and so has the snowfall.
Jamnotri is the place in the Himalayas from where Jamuna originates.
There is plenty of underground water here, but excessive use of deepwells would reduce the amount of water flowing into the Jamuna river and:
- make the water saltish
- affect the quality of the soil
Soil naturally compresses with time.
However, the extensive use of tube wells creates a vacuum under surface layers of the earth, and as a consequence, soil compacts and compresses faster.
In Bengal:
- the soil is soft
- the water level is high
The extensive use of deepwells tends to make the water salty.
A refinery is necessary in Agra.
But if it is built, the Taj should not be affected by the gaseous emissions and pollution from the refinery.
It would be best if the refinery were situated at a safe distance from the Taj.
The Braja area has little industrial development which is essential for solving the high unemployment problem in the area.
The Tajmahal is:
- a symbol of architectural distinction and achievement.
- the biggest building in the world made of white marble
There are 3 types of marbles:
- White
- Cream
- Supra-white
It is very difficult to construct a building of supra white marble.
The Victoria Memorial Hall in Calcutta is made of cream-coloured marble.
Shah Jahan was fond of white marble, while Akbar liked red marble.
Baba examined a cycad tree.
Its Sanskrit name was Mayakharjura.
The cycad tree was a delicious food for the dinosaur and pre-dates human existence, which is 1 million years old.
In Madhu Malanca, Baba’s residence in Calcutta, there are 20 varieties of Mayakharjura from all over the world.
Besides cycad trees, Shah Jahan was also fond of Cinara.
Jahangir had brought it from Persia and planted it in Kasmir.
When they flower, they appear as if the trees are alive with fire.
The Kashmir government has rightly banned the felling of these precious trees.