Taj Mahal - Garden, the Islamic Style garden
Built in Islamic style of architecture, the Taj Mahal Garden in not just one of the unique features of Taj Mahal but it symbolized the spirituality. According to Islam, a garden in a symbol of paradise. Immediately after the main gateway the garden spreads all the way up to the plinth of Taj Mahal. The Taj Garden covers most part of the Taj Complex, out of total area of 580 m x 300 it alone covers an area of 300 m x 300 m. This lovely garden is based on geometrical symmetry and measurements called as Charbagh (a typical Mughal garden divided into four parts). The Charbagh garden was introduced by Mughal emperor Babar, which is inspired by Persian gardens. Charbagh is meant to reflect the gardens of Paradise filled with abundance, in which water plays a key role. The garden has flowerbeds, elevated pathways, avenues of trees, beautiful fountains, water courses and pools that reflect the Taj. Two marble canals run through the centre of the garden with fountains and lined by Cyprus trees. This divides the garden into four equal squares, evoking the image of Islamic Paradise that have four rivers of water, milk, wine and honey. Each of the four quarters of the Taj Mahal garden is divided into 16 flowerbeds by elevated pathways making a total of 64.


The Water Devices and Irrigation system
Taj Mahal Garden are architecturally designed with an excellent system to procure water through the underground pipes. Water was drawn from the river by a series of purs (a manual system of drawing water from river using bucket and ropes) through a wide water channel into an huge oblong storage tank. The water was again raised above by a series of 13 purs driven by bullocks into a channel. One pipe line run to the mosque to supply water to the fountains in the tanks on the plinth below the marble structure. For irrigation of the garden, water from the overflowing canals was used. An ingenious system of water supply was used to provide uniform and undiminished water pressure in the fountains. A number of copper pots were used for separate fountains in the north-south canal, lotus pond and the surrounding canal. Water first fills the copper pot and then simultaneously in the fountains. The fountains are controlled by pressure in the pots, which ensures equal supply of water at the same rate. However the the main supply of water was obtained through a series of earthenware pipes. The unique water devices depict that the Mughal water expert was a master of his art and ensured the unobstructed supply of water for centuries.