d the sphinx. All the material was brought from great
distances. The white marble came from Jeypore and was hauled in bullock
carts or carried by elephants; the jasper came from the Punjab, the jade
from China and the precious stones from many parts of Central Asia, from
Thibet to Arabia.

The Emperor summoned the best architects and workers in precious stones
of his time and asked them for designs. It is evident that many hands
united in the plans of the building, but history gives the credit for
the main design to a Persian. An Italian architect lent aid in the
ornamentation and three inlaid flowers are shown to-day as specimens of
his work. The building itself is only a shadow of its former
magnificence--for the many alien conquerors of India have despoiled in
it in succession, taking away the solid silver gates, the diamonds,
rubies, sapphires and other precious stones from the flower decorations,
and even the gold and silver from the mosaic work. All the precious
stones looted by vandal hands have been restored by imitations, which
closely resemble the priceless originals. Restorations have also been
made where the marble has been defaced or broken.

The Taj stands in the midst of a great garden, laid out with so much
skill that from any part of its many beautiful walks fine views may be
had of the dome and the minarets. This garden is planted to many
tropical trees and flowering shrubs whose foliage brings out in high
relief the beauty of the flawless marble tomb. The main gateway of the
garden, built of red sandstone, would be regarded as a splendid work of
art were it not for the superior beauty of the tomb itself. The gate is
inlaid in white marble with inscriptions from the Koran, and it is
surmounted by twenty little marble cupolas.

Once inside the gate the beauty and the majesty of the Taj strike one
like a physical blow. Simple as is the design, so perfectly has it been
wrought out that the building gives the impression of the last word in
delicate and unique ornamentation. The white marble base on which the
building rests is three hundred and thirteen feet square and rises
eighteen feet from the ground. The tomb itself is one hundred and
eighty-six feet square, with a dome that rises two hundred and twenty
feet above the base. At each corner of the base is a graceful minaret of
white marble one hundred and thirty-seven feet high. Although no color
is used on the exterior, the decoration is so rich as to