INDIA CROSSING THE RIVER GANGES Ourside Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is a wonderful piece of art. The beauty of the Taj Mahal is not limited to just the outside view but the art works and carvings inside the Taj Mahal are even more beautiful and fascinating. If one says that the works in Taj Mahal interiors are no less than jewellery; it is not exaggeration! The works and decorations inside the Taj Mahal are so exquisite that there is hardly any space for criticism. They epitomize perfection and beauty. As soon as one enters the monument; one can see an elevated central chamber below which is the burial chamber. Four octagonal rooms in each corner surround the crypt. There are two levels in the Taj Mahal that consist of eight rooms each. These rooms were to be used to bury other members of the royal family. The crypts of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal lie side by side with the heads facing in the direction of the holy city of Mecca. They are decorated beautifully with inscriptions from the holy book of Muslims; The Quran and once were studded with semi-precious stones and gems. A masterpiece inside the Taj Mahal is the marble screen or "Jali" that surrounds the graves. It has been intricately carved by artisans and is a delight to look at. It is carved so finely that it seems as though the screen is made up of fine cloth. The walls are intricately decorated with drawings like vines; creepers with flowers and other beautiful designs. At one point of time; these decorations had semi-precious stones and gems studded in them.