Since 1906, the huge copper and bronze chandelier gifted by Lord Curzon had been hanging at the royal gate of the Taj Mahal for almost a century and the lamp has illuminated the mausoleum of the imperial lovers Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan as they lie side by side in eternal sleep. Of course, there had been a big break when, unfortunately, it fell on the ground on 19th August 2015.
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| Bronze lamp gifted by lord Curzon, The Taj, Agra. scroll.in |
The accident could be due to carelessness on the part of the officials of the ASI as they failed to check periodically the safety of the historical gift and the chains . The chandelier was damaged and after its repair, it was put back in its original place inside the royal gate of Taj Mahal. But, this time steel chains were used to fasten it for extra safety.
What is unique about this brass lamp and why does it get much importance? The copper and bronze lamp at the Royal Gate entrance of the Tal Mahal never fails to get the attention of the visitors who are wonderstruck by its workmanship. It is described as a chandelier and weighs 60 kg and is six feet high and four feet wide,. The famous English writer Aldous Huxley had a fascination for this lamp that lights up the interior of the inner chamber of the Taj. The one gifted by lord Curzon was itself a replacement and the original brass lamp was vandalized during the struggle between the British and Indian soldiers. Being honest and dignified, Curzon took upon himself the task of replacing the beautiful brass lamp with a similar one worthy of the Taj. He bore all the expenses. No public subscription. Built in 1653 CE by Shah Jahan, the Mogul ruler in honor of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, it took 20,000 workers and 22 years to complete the Taj on the banks of the Yamuna river in Agra. . .
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| Brass lamp gifted by Lord Curzon, The Tajmahal, Agra.organikos.net |
Lord Curzon (11 January 1859 – 20 March 1925) who served as Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905. had offered two chandeliers to Taj Mahal as his personal gifts. . One was in the central octagonal chamber enshrining the cenotaphs exactly over them in the main mausoleum. The second one was at the Central hall of the Southern gate. An interesting fact is Mayo School of Art in Lahore designed and built it and it was installed on 18th February 1906.
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| copper and bronze chandelier twitter.com |
The installation ceremony was held on the evening of February 16,1908 and it was witnessed by a huge gathering of over 10,000 people including countless dignitaries. As the last rays of the setting sun lingered on for the last moments on the minaret, the muezzin gave the call for prayer. "As it (the lamp) hangs above the graves of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jehan, it revives in spirit, if not in precise details, a ceremony performed in the old days, of lighting up the tomb once a year at the anniversary festival held in the Emperor’s honour...," said in Urdu the President of the Anjuman-e-Islamia.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) sources came up with the explanation that the bras lamp fell down because of wear and tear . No efforts were made to reinstall the lamp as early as possible. Lots of people especially lovers used to visit the Taj that was open all night for the annual moonlight fair during Sharad Purnima to experience the interior ambiance under the lamp and comparing the light from the lamp with that of moonlight falling on the marble monument. The view was just breath-taking according to visitors. The priests from the near-by churches were all in praise of the magic lamp and its mesmerizing radiance and wanted to have Taj-like lamp in their church.
https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-lampless-taj/article7594211.ece
https://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20030412/windows/main2.htm
https://www.thetajtours.com/lord-curzons-chandelier-reinstalled-inside-taj-mahal/ dec. 2020
https://navrangindia.blogspot.com/2018/01/viceroy-lord-curzons-bronze-lamp-in-taj.html
