Agra Adds a New Attraction To Its Heritage; Will It Give Competition To Taj Mahal?

By OB Bureau On May 18, 2024

New Delhi: A new white marble structure in Agra that took 104 years to build is drawing hordes of spiritually inclined tourists. everyday. Comparisons are being drawn 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, IANS reported.

The 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 monuments, the report added.

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.

The structure rests on a foundation of 52 wells, the 193-foot tall structure, all in white marble from Makrana in Rajasthan.

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. Some minor additions are yet to be made.

The original samadhi 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 architectural design of the building conforms to no particular style, modern or traditional, though in conception it is essentially oriental. An effort has been made to blend a variety of styles harmoniously. However, the sponsors of Soami Bagh, literally the ‘garden of the Lord’, firmly deny any plans of rivalling the Taj.

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, according to IANS.

The construction process faced many problems, including difficulties in procuring the right quality of marble although quarries were taken on lease in Mount Abu and Udaipur areas. Construction work was also affected due to labour shortage, as a large number of skilled masons migrated to greener pastures in Gulf countries.