At sunrise, from the Bridge of Boats, nothing can be more beautiful than the view up and down the river: there are an hundred domed bastions jutting out from the banks amid the gardens and residences of the nobles of former days: the Fort, with its marble buildings, peeping over the ramparts; the custom house, and many other prominent objects; form a magnificent tout ensemble.
CHAPTER XXXII.
REMARKABLE BUILDINGS AROUND AGRA.
The House of the Wuzeer—The Jāmma Masjid—Tomb of Jahānārā Begam—The Tripolia—The Mahookma Masjid—The Madrissa—Etmad-od-Doulah Cheen-ke-Masjid—Rām Bagh—Syud Bagh—Secundra—The Chamber of Gold—Miriam Zemānee—Kos Minārs.
1835, Feb.—The residence of the Wuzeer close upon the Jumna, and without the walls of the Tāj, is a house now in ruins, with a large garden containing the tombs of the Wuzeer of Shāhjahān and of his family.
An Eastern writer says, “He rendered the field flourishing and fruitful: he passed through life with reputation and lustre; and when he sank into the grave, a cloud of sorrow obscured the face of the empire.”
THE JĀMMA MASJID,
Or great mosque, was built by Jahānārā, the favourite daughter of Shāhjahān and Arzamund Banoo. The princess Jahānārā (the Ornament of the World) was an unmarried lady, and devoted to religion. She is described as fourteen years of age when her father mounted the throne; sensible, lively, generous, elegant in person, and accomplished in mind. Her influence over her father was unbounded.
The Masjid is a fine mass of building of red carved granite; the court and fountains handsome. The three domes, with their peculiar adornments, are beautifully formed; they are inlaid with red granite and white marble. This immense masjid is very handsome: over the doors are Arabic characters in black and white marble, and the outside is ornamented with the same. Within it is ornamented with chūnā and white marble. The workmanship cost five lākh, and the time it took in building was five years. The stones and marbles were sent from different Dependents as presents to the princess. The masjid was much shaken forty years ago by an earthquake, which also did injury to the Tāj.
The Jāts from the Deccan, who were in Agra about ten years, despoiled this masjid: they were expelled by the Vukeel of the Delhi Padshah. There are three domes on the roof, and four burj at the corners. In the court of this mosque the sixtieth regiment of Native Infantry saw some fighting some thirty-three years since, and the old place certainly shows marks of hot work; however, they succeeded in taking it. From the top of this masjid you have a good view of the city of Agra, with Akbar’s tomb at Secundra in the distance. This princess also made the garden called “Bagh Zaarrai” on the opposite bank of the Jumna.