Taj Mahal

by Giles Tillotson (Author)

• Used

  Hardcover
  2008

  $3.46

  Giles Tillotson tells us the human drama behind the building, particularity the relationship between Shaj Jahan and his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who lie there. He explores its reputation as a Wonder of the World over 400 years and its representation in art, and analyses the secrets of its architectural success. He concludes with the troubled story of conservation, first by Lord Curzon, and records recent disputes about its ownership, treatment and exploitation. But, whatever else, there is no doubt that the Taj holds a secure place in the world's collective consciousness.

• Used

  Paperback
  2010

  $3.78

  'Marble enigma, most photographed of structures, the Taj Mahal lends its name to a prime brand of Indian tea bags and stands too as the world's great, extravagant monument to eternal love. This wry, brisk book is a delightful and fascinating excavation of the Taj Mahal's many layers of meanings. Giles Tillotson deploys his formidable knowledge of India's artistic and cultural history to create a kaleidoscopic interpretation of the Taj - revealing what it meant to the Mughal world that conceived and built it; to the British colonists who cavorted amidst its grounds and minarets, then set about to preserve it; and to the many millions who now come every year to gawp and touch and click. With delicacy, creation, and yet succeeds in keeping its unworldly aura intact.'' Sunil Khilnani, author of The Idea of India