June 17th 1631: Mumtaz Mahal Dies During Childbirth. June 17 1631 - Mumtaz Mahal Dies During Childbirth On June 17th 1631 Mumtaz Mahal, the beloved wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, died while giving birth to their fourteenth child in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh. Thereafter, Shah Jahan spent more than twenty years building the Taj Mahal in memory of his beloved wife. The Taj Mahal is probably the world’s most recognized building apart from being called one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World". This magnificent, white marbled mausoleum was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his wife Arjuman Banu (also known as Mumtaz Mahal), who died during childbirth on June 17th, 1631. Mumtaz Mahal was born on April 6th, 1593 in Agra to Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan, a Persian Nobleman, which made Mumtaz Mahal the niece of Empress Nur Jehan and later her daughter-in-law.

At the age of fourteen, Mumtaz Mahal was engaged to Prince Khurram (also known as Shah Jahan) who fell in love with her at first sight. The year was 1607. The couple had to wait for five years after their engagement to get married - the date of their wedding was to be decided by an astrologer, which would be instrumental in ensuring a happy married life for the couple. Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan finally got married in 1612 and she became the love of his life. After their marriage, Shah Jahan gave his new wife the title of Mumtaz Mahal which means the “chosen one of the palace”. Shah Jahan had two wives previously before he married Mumtaz Mahal. Ever since his marriage to Mumtaz, however, Shah Jahan showed little interest in his earlier wives. Shah Jahan had deep love and great respect for Mumtaz Mahal and gave her his complete, undivided attention. Mumtaz Mahal was renowned for her beauty and grace and was the source of inspiration for many poets and writers who wrote about her ethereal beauty and charm.

Some poets even went so far as saying that so great was the beauty of Mumtaz that even the moon hid its face in her presence. Shah Jahan and Mumtaz shared a very loving relationship and Mumtaz was Shah Jahan’s trusted companion who, despite her many pregnancies, travelled with her husband around the country during his military campaigns. Shah Jahan trusted his wife so deeply that he gave her his Imperial Seat - the Muhr Uzah. Historical records portray Mumtaz Mahal to be a woman who nurtured no political ambition, a sharp contrast to her aunt and mother-in-law, Empress Nur Jehan who had controlled the previous reign strongly. A gentle and compassionate person, Mumtaz Mahal took up the cause of the poor and helpless. She requested her husband Shah Jahan to provide aid to his poorer subjects. Mumtaz Mahal was fond of architecture and used to spend a lot of time tending to a riverside garden in Agra, she also enjoyed watching combat fights in court.

Mumtaz Mahal bore Shah Jahan fourteen children, including popular (and, at times, controversial) historical figures such as Dara Shikoh, Shah Shuja, Roshnara Begum, Jahanara Begum and Aurangzeb, among others. Mumtaz died in Burhanpur (in present day Madhya Pradesh), on June 17th 1631 while giving birth to their fourteenth child, a daughter, Gauhara Begum. Legend has it that while on her deathbed, Mumtaz asked Shah Jahan to build her the most beautiful tomb the world has ever seen. Mumtaz’s body was initially buried in a walled garden in Burhanpur, known as Zainabad and situated on the banks of the River Tapti. Shah Jahan was visibly devastated at the death of his beloved wife and was inconsolable. It is believed that Shah Jahan went into isolated mourning for a year and when he returned, all his hair had turned white and his face was ravaged with sadness.

The emperor’s eldest and most favourite daughter, Jahanara Begum helped her father though this difficult phase of grief and gradually brought him out of this period of mourning. Following this, Jahanara Begum took the place of her mother Mumtaz Mahal in the royal court. Since Shah Jahan had never intended for Mumtaz to be buried at Burhanpur, he had her body exhumed in the December of 1631 and transported back to Agra in a golden coffin which was escorted by the Emperor’s son, Shah Shuja. Back in Agra, Mumtaz Mahal’s body was buried in a small building on the banks of the River Yamuna and Shah Jahan began planning the royal mausoleum which he would build for his deceased wife, the Taj Mahal. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632 AD and was completed in 1648 AD. Located in Agra (Uttar Pradesh), on the right bank of the River Yamuna, this enormous and beautiful tomb made out of white marble is a gem of Mughal architecture in India and was supposed to be Shah Jahan’s vision of Mumtaz’s home in paradise.

The architecture of the Taj Mahal combines elements of Islamic, Indian, Persian, Ottoman and Turkish styles of art. The principal architect of the Taj Mahal was Ahmed Shah Lahauri and thousands of artisans and craftsmen were employed during the construction of this monument. Materials from all over India and Asia were used to construct the Taj Mahal and over 1000 elephants were used to carry building material. The white marble used to construct the monument was sourced from Makrana in Rajasthan. Turquoise was sourced from Tibet, Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan, Jade and Crystal from China and Sapphire from Sri Lanka and Arabia. The white marble of the Taj Mahal, in contrast with the green of the surrounding gardens and the blue of the sky, provides a beautiful hue to the monument. It is believed that the Taj Mahal was constructed in a manner that the white marble would reflect the sky and hence the monument changes its colours during the day. In the early hours of the morning the Taj appears pinkish, milky white at noon, a sparkling golden at sunset and shimmering silver in the moonlight. The Taj Mahal has been a source of inspiration to poets and writers over the years.

One of the most moving descriptions of the Taj was by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore who described the Taj Mahal as “a teardrop on the cheek of Time”. A fitting tribute to a building as beautiful and meaningful as the Taj Mahal, which speaks volumes of a man’s deep and unending love for his wife. It has very appropriately come to be known as “the monument of love”. Taj Mahal Taj Mahal The most gigantic monument of India Taj Mahal, the first wonder of the world, is the most gigantic monument of India. This huge monument stands over 40 acres of land and it is located in one of the oldest city in India and it is Agra. Situated along the banks of the holy River Yamuna, Taj Mahal stands vital monument in the history on India. It is known as an insignia of love because Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan, a great emperor of Mughals in the memory of his darling wife Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal is the biggest tourist destinations of India and on average thousands of people come every year to India specially to visit this emblem of love.

Shah Jahan was one of the greatest emperors of Mughal Empire and he got married in the year 1612 to Arjumand Bano Begum. This wonderful couple had 14 children. Mumtaz Mahal accompanied his husband on every military camp and she died on one such military camp in the year 1631. It is known that Shah Jahan was so much fascinated by his soul mate Mumtaz Mahal that when his wife died he built this monument on her grave. And thus this is how the eternal love between this pair came to an end. It took 22 long years to finish this wonder but at the end when it was completed it just appeared like a white rose. Shah Jahan wanted that this monument should be the only one in this entire world and thus he slaughtered both the hands of the all the workers who made this historical monument. Taj Mahal is built with white marble which signifies the royalty and aesthetic magnificence of this tombstone. This gigantic monument appears to be white as milk which makes it look pure and serene. This magnificent emblem of love and passion was designed by a local architecture named Ahmad Lahori.

The entire atmosphere in Taj Mahal is so serene and pure that the fragrance of love is alive till date. You will still feel that there is love spread everywhere in this gravestone. This tombstone is surrounded by beautiful garden, a tranquil mosque and great gateway structures which make it look imperial and magnetic. The entire view of Taj Mahal is simple outstanding as it stands in the middle of giant fountains and roadway made from marble. There are four water channels in the garden area where the water of Islamic Paradise echoes. People from all over the world believe in the purity of Taj Mahal and praise this wonderful and gigantic heritage. You will four minarets in Taj which are have three parts each. Each minaret has a vast balcony which is very beautiful and you can view entire city from that place. There are beautiful cravings and calligraphic designs made on the exterior walls of this heritage. These designs are very sharp and fine and that makes it look crisp and royal too. Apart from this, another feature that makes Taj Mahal a beauty in itself is the inscriptions from Quran, the Holy Islamic Book, that are carved on the walls all over the tomb. The designs of flowers which are engraved here are truly mind boggling and magnetic.

Also the engraved stones add to the features of the Taj Mahal. But above all one thing which makes Taj Mahal a wonder is that even after so many years and centuries this monument is still the same and maintained so well. The Taj Festival conducted every year is a carnival celebrated for almost 10 days at Shilpgram which is very near to Taj. This is a grand event for India where you will find ornamented animals that symbolizes royalty, folk dances of old Indian tradition. You will also find spectacular craftsmen who will show their talents in this festival. All in all it is a grand event which is conducted every year. So if at all you are planning to visit this marvelous wonder of the world you can hire a private car so that you can enjoy the beauty of this place with leisure. Travel with us ,fill these information fields, we will contact you as soon as possible: Name: Taj Mahal History - Brief History TajMahal Home » Taj Mahal Tour » Taj Mahal Travel Information »Taj Mahal History Taj Mahal History The Taj Mahal which is located on the bank of River Yamuna in Agra is one of the top tourist spots in India.

Being recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, this marvelous mausoleum draws numerous tourists from within the country and across the world. Not only for its magnificent beauty but also for its history, the Taj Mahal is well-known worldwide. It is a soul filled with love, loss and sorrow. This glorious monument is an example how intensely a man loved his wife that to keep her memories evergreen, he built a remarkable building like the Taj Mahal. The Lady of Shah Jahan’s Life It was Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the son of Emperor Jehangir who dearly loved his wife Mumtaz Mahal built Taj Mahal in her memory. Mumtaz was a Muslim Persian princess and her name was Arjumand Banu Begum before marriage. Shah Jahan also known as the grandson of Akbar met Mumtaz at the age of 14 and fell in love with her. In 1612, they got married after a long wait of 5 years. Tough Mumtaz Mahal was his third wife yet she had been his favorite since they got married.

He had been attracted to Mumtaz as she had a strong character and amazing beauty with no greed for property. She accompanied Shah Jahan wherever he used to go during military campaigns and so she is known as an inseparable companion of the Mughal Emperor. A Tribute to Mumtaz Mahal It was in 1631 that she died during the birth of their 14th child at Burhanpur. Shah Jahan isolated himself for more than a year while mourning the death of his beloved wife. After that he started the construction of Taj Mahal as a tribute to his everlasting love. He appointed 22,000 artisans or laborers which included Masons, inlayers, carvers, stonecutters, calligraphers, painters, dome-builders from Central Asia & Iran and 1,000 elephants to get the building completed. This epitome of love was built in about 22 years using white marble, at the expense of approximately 32 million rupees. In the year 1653, Taj Mahal was finally completed.

The dome was designed by Ismail Khan and the whole monument was under the expert supervision of Persian designer Ustad Isa Khan Effendi and executed by Ustad Ahmad. Shah Jahan’s Cenotaph He wisely chose a location for the monument so that he could see the tomb of his beloved wife from his palace. Shah Jahan was deposed by Aurangzeb, his own son. After his death, Shah Jahan was entombed beside his wife’s Cenotaph by his son Aurangzeb. Preservation of the Iconic Taj British Viceroy Lord Curzon started a restoration project of this unique monument in the late 19th century. The project was completed in 1908 after the British soldiers and officials carried away the precious stones and lapis lazuli from its walls, destroying its beauty. The lawns were also remodeled at the same time. Despite pollution and several threats from rival countries, this remarkable symbol of love bore the same glory and is able to attract people from across the globe through its charm.

Taj Mahal Travel Guide Taj Mahal Story - Love Story Behind Taj Mahal Agra - The True Story of Taj Mahal India Male Protagonist: Shah Jahan (Prince Khurram) Female Protagonist: Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Banu Begum) Taj Mahal, the magnificent monument that stands at the heart of India has a story that has been melting the hearts of millions of listeners since the time Taj has been visible. A story, that although ended back in 1631, continues to live on in the form of Taj and is considered a living example of eternal love. It's the love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, two people from the course of history who set an example for the people living in present and the future to come. An English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold best describes it as "Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passion of an emperor's love wrought in living stones." The story that follows next will prove why the statement is true. Shah Jahan, initially named Prince Khurram, was born in the year 1592.

He was the son of Jehangir, the fourth Mughal emperor of India and the grandson of Akbar the Great. In 1607 when strolling down the Meena Bazaar, accompanied by a string of fawning courtiers, Shah Jahan caught a glimpse of a girl hawking silk and glass beads. It was love at first sight and the girl was Mumtaz Mahal, who was known as Arjumand Banu Begum at that time. At that time, he was 14 years old and she, a Muslim Persian princess, was 15. After meeting her, Shah Jahan went back to his father and declared that he wanted to marry her. The match got solemnized after five years i.e., in the year 1612. It was in the year 1628 that Shah Jahan became the Emperor and entrusted Arjumand Banu with the royal seal. He also bestowed her with the title of Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the "Jewel of the Palace". Though Shah Jahan had other wives also, but, Mumtaz Mahal was his favorite and accompanied him everywhere, even on military campaigns.

In the year 1631, when Mumtaz Mahal was giving birth to their 14th child, she died due to some complications. While Mumtaz was on her deathbed, Shah Jahan promised her that he would never remarry and will build the richest mausoleum over her grave. It is said that Shah Jahan was so heartbroken after her death that he ordered the court into mourning for two years. Sometime after her death, Shah Jahan undertook the task of erecting the world's most beautiful monument in the memory of his beloved. It took 22 years and the labor of 22,000 workers to construct the monument. When Shah Jahan died in 1666, his body was placed in a tomb next to the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. This magnificent monument came to be known as "Taj Mahal" and now counts amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. This is the true story of the Taj Mahal of India, which has mesmerized many people with its bewitching beauty.

Planning India tour?Enquire Now Get in touch with our Tour Planner Arrival*: Mumtaz Mahal Biography, History and Facts Mumtaz Mahal Biography Mumtaz Mahal (1593-1631) was the beloved wife of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, in whose fond memory and tribute to her beauty was the grand monument of the Taj Mahal built. Mumtaz's maiden name was Arjumand Banu Begum, and she was born in April, 1593 in Agra, Uttar Pradesh . She was the daughter of a Persian nobleman named Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan, who served the great Mughal emperor Jahangir as the grand vizier, and whose sister was coincidently Noor Jehan, wife of the emperor himself. As history and legend relates, Arjumand Banu was by nature a pious muslim girl who grew up to be a woman of legendary beauty and virtue.

She sold silks and glass beads at her shop in the famed Meena Bazar, the private market attached to the harem, where perchance, the emperor's eldest son, Prince Khurram, (the future Shah Jahan), would meet her in 1607 and fall madly in love with her since then. After seeking his father's approval, the auspicious royal wedding then took place in May 1612, amidst grand pomp and gaiety. Married at the age of 19, she became his second wife and his most beloved. After ascending his father's Peacock Throne, Prince Khurram was then known by his regal name of 'Shah Jahan'. Such was his love for her that he named her Mumtaz Mahal, which means ('beloved ornament of the palace'). A perfect match who were inseparable, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal both shared a very intense and loving marriage relationship which is legendary throughout history. Known for her exquisite beauty and grace throught the kingdom, she even inspired poets to pen down verses in admiration of their queen's beauty.

Mumtaj Mahal was a compassionate queen who looked over administration and to the needs of the women and the destitutes in her kingdom. She would even accompany her husband all across his dominion. Honouring her as his trusted companion, Shah Jahan gave her his imperial seal, the Muhr Uzah, and went on to build stunning palaces, such as the Khas Mahal in the Agra Fort in her name. Mumtaz Mahal bore fourteen children, seven of whom died in infancy. Her children included the future imperial rulers in Shahzada Dara Shikoh, who was defeated by his brother, and next Emperor to the Mughal Dynasty, Aurangzeb. Mumtaz Mahal died in June 1631 in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh , after giving birth to her fourteenth child, Shahzadi Gauhara Begum, and whilst on her deathbed, made her last wishes to her husband to erect a monument that would symbolize their love. The grief-stricken emperor went into secluded mourning along with the entire kingdom mourning the death of their beloved queen.

He fulfilled her wishes though by constructing one of the Seven Wonders of the World - the magnificent Taj Mahal, whose grand splendor remains a memorable symbol of love and purity in the history of human civilization. The white-marble masterpiece monument in Agra took over 20 years to complete, and houses the remains of Mumtaz Mahal as her mausoleum, and more importantly, a tribute to their love. History of Taj Mahal - History of Taj Mahal Agra - Taj Mahal India History - Taj Mahal History Taj Mahal : History of Taj Mahal History of Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal of Agra is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, for reasons more than just looking magnificent. It's the history of Taj Mahal that adds a soul to its magnificence: a soul that is filled with love, loss, remorse, and love again. Because if it was not for love, the world would have been robbed of a fine example upon which people base their relationships. An example of how deeply a man loved his wife, that even after she remained but a memory, he made sure that this memory would never fade away.

This man was the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who was head-over-heels in love with Mumtaz Mahal, his dear wife. She was a Muslim Persian princess (her name Arjumand Banu Begum before marriage) and he was the son of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir and grandson of Akbar the Great. It was at the age of 14 that he met Mumtaz and fell in love with her. Five years later in the year 1612, they got married. Mumtaz Mahal, an inseparable companion of Shah Jahan, died in 1631, while giving birth to their 14th child. It was in the memory of his beloved wife that Shah Jahan built a magnificent monument as a tribute to her, which we today know as the "Taj Mahal". The construction of Taj Mahal started in the year 1631. Masons, stonecutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome-builders and other artisans were requisitioned from the whole of the empire and also from Central Asia and Iran, and it took approximately 22 years to build what we see today.

An epitome of love, it made use of the services of 22,000 laborers and 1,000 elephants. The monument was built entirely out of white marble, which was brought in from all over India and central Asia. After an expenditure of approximately 32 million rupees, Taj Mahal was finally completed in the year 1653. It was soon after the completion of Taj Mahal that Shah Jahan was deposed by his own son Aurangzeb and was put under house arrest at nearby Agra Fort. Shah Jahan, himself also, lies entombed in this mausoleum along with his wife. Moving further down the history, it was at the end of the 19th century that British Viceroy Lord Curzon ordered a sweeping restoration project, which was completed in 1908, as a measure to restore what was lost during the Indian rebellion of 1857: Taj being blemished by British soldiers and government officials who also deprived the monument of its immaculate beauty by chiseling out precious stones and lapis lazuli from its walls.

Also, the British style lawns that we see today adding on to the beauty of Taj were remodeled around the same time. Despite prevailing controversies, past and present threats from Indo-Pak war and environmental pollution, this epitome of love continuous to shine and attract people from all over the world. Planning India tour?Enquire Now Get in touch with our Tour Planner Arrival*: History of Taj Mahal History of Tajmahal Who built Taj Mahal,Taj Mahal Story History Taj Mahal, a peerless monument in pristine marble which is proclaimed as the greatest wonder of the world. The origin of the name "Taj Mahal" is not clear. Court histories from Shah Jehan's reign only call it the rauza (tomb) of Mumtaz Mahal. It is generally believed that "Taj Mahal" (usually translated as either "Crown Palace" or "Crown of the Palace") is an abbreviated version of her name, Mumtaz Mahal (Exalted One of the Palace). The Taj Mahal is a deserving resting palace for an Emperor's Empress.

It stands on the banks of the river Yamuna, which otherwise serves as a wide moat defending the Great Red Fort of Agra, the center of the Mughal emperors until they moved their capital to Delhi in 1637. It was built by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess. She died while accompanying her husband in Burhanpur in a campaign to crush a rebellion after giving birth to their 14th child. Promise turned into a reality As Mumtaz Mahal lay dying, she asked four promises from the emperor: first, that he build the Taj; second, that he should marry again; third, that he be kind to their children; and fourth, that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary. He kept the first and second promises. Construction The construction of this marble masterpiece is credited to the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan who erected this mausoleum in the memory of his beloved wife, Arjumand Bano Begum, popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal, who died in AH 1040 (AD 1630).

Her last wish to her husband was "to build a tomb in her memory such as the world had never seen before". Thus emperor Shah Jahan set about building this fairytale like marvel. The construction of Taj Mahal was started in AD 1631 and completed at the end of 1648 AD. For seventeen years, twenty thousand workmen are said to be employed on it daily, for their accommodation a small town, named after the deceased empress-'Mumtazabad, now known as Taj Ganj, was built adjacent to it. Amanat Khan Shirazi was the calligrapher of Taj Mahal, his name occurs at the end of an inscription on one of the gates of the Taj. Poet Ghyasuddin had designed the verses on the tombstone, while Ismail Khan Afridi of Turkey was the dome maker. Muhammad Hanif was the superintendent of Masons. The designer of Taj Mahal was Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. The material was brought in from all over India and central Asia and it took a fleet of 1000 elephants to transport it to the site. The central dome is 187 feet high at the centre.

Red sandstone was brought from Fatehpur Sikri, Jasper from Punjab, Jade and Crystal from China, Turquoise from Tibet, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire from Sri Lanka, Coal and Cornelian from Arabia and diamonds from Panna. In all 28 kind of rare, semi precious and precious stones were used for inlay work in the Taj Mahal. The chief building material, the white marble was brought from the quarries of Makrana, in distt. Nagaur, Rajasthan. Shah Jahan got the hands of all those involved in the construction chopped off so that no one else can create the same type of architecture. SubscribeNewsletter Mumtaz Mahal,About Mumtaz Mahal,Shah Jahan wife Mumtaz Mahal,Info on Mumtaz Mahal Agra,Mumtaj Mahal Agra,Information Mumtaz Mahal Taj Mahal » About Taj Mahal » Mumtaz Mahal Mumtaz Mahal Mumtaz Mahal or Arjumand Banu was the woman in whose memory the Taj Mahal was built. Perhaps, there is no better and grand monument built in the history of human civilization dedicated to love.

Arjumand Banu was daughter of Asaf Khan and when she married Shahjahan at the age of 14 years, imperial city of Agra was already agog with the stories of her beauty. She was third wife of Prince Khurram or Shahjahan and the principle one throughout their life. She became Mumtaz Mahal in 1612 after her marriage and remained an inseparable companion of her husband till her death. As a symbol of her faith and love she bore Shahjahan 14 children and died during the birth of last child. For the love and affection she showed to her husband, Mumtaz Mahal received highest honor of the land - the royal seal - Mehr Uzaz from Shahjahan, the emperor. According to the legends, stories of her virtue spread all over the Mughal Empire. The emperor and his pregnant empress moved towards Maharashtra or Deccan in the year 1630 to suppress the Lodi Empire that was gaining strength at that time. This was going to be the last journey that Mumtaz Mahal ever took.

She breathed her last after delivering their 14th child (a daughter) in the city of Burhanpur on June 17, 1631. It is said that Mumtaz Mahal on her deathbed asked Shahjahan to create a symbol of their love for posterity and her loyal husband accepted it immediately. Though many historians are not agree with this story saying that it was the grief-stricken emperor himself who decided to built the most memorable symbol of love in the world. It took her husband 22 years and most of his royal treasury to built a monument befitting the memory of his beloved wife. In the name of Mumtaz Mahal stands the most beautiful building in the universe, that monument of love, purity and unparalleled beauty called the Taj Mahal. Know More About Taj Mahal : Welcome To Official WebSite of Taj Mahal-U.P.Tourism I Mughal Splendour Who could ever think that an eternal love leading to the saga of infinite bondage can evolve out of a desert like land and would blossom to be the reason to gift our world a poem-in-marble, The Taj!

No image of The Taj, neither on canvass nor on celluloid, can adequately express its conceptual imaginary nor convey the legend, the poetry and the romance that shrouds what Rabindranath Tagore calls "a teardrop on the cheek of time". The Taj Mahal, a spectacle in white marble, unparalleled in grandeur that depicts the sheer opulence of an era. The awesome structure, the monument of love that Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan gave to the world, stands as a testimony of his intense love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is a romance celebrated in marble and glorified with precious and semi-precious stones and that’s the way to appreciate it! Uttar Pradesh, the Land of The Taj is rich in its cultural heritage and has always been a prominent arena of politics since the ancient times. Agra, the City of The Taj and once the capital of the Mughal Empire during the 16th through the early 18th centuries, enjoys a close proximity to the National Capital City of New Delhi.

Tourists from all over the world visit Agra to make a pilgrimage to Taj Mahal, India’s most famous architectural wonder, in a land where magnificent temples and edifices abound to remind visitors about the rich civilization of a country that is slowly but surely lifting itself into an industrialized society as well. Taj Mahal means "Crown Palace" and is in fact the most well preserved and architecturally beautiful tomb in the world. The English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold has described The Taj as "Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor’s love wrought in living stones." It is a romance celebrated in marble and glorified with precious and semi-precious stones and that’s the way to appreciate it!. Taj Mahal stands on the bank of River Yamuna, which otherwise serves as a wide moat defending the Great Red Fort of Agra, the center of the Mughal emperors until they moved their capital to Delhi in 1637. It was built by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of his third but the most favourite wife, in fact a soul-mate Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess.

She died while accompanying her husband in Burhanpur in a campaign to crush a rebellion after giving birth to their 13th child. The death so crushed the emperor that all his hair and beard were said to have grown snow white in a few months. When Mumtaz Mahal was still alive, she extracted four promises from the emperor: first, that he build the Taj; second, that he should marry again; third, that he be kind to their children; and fourth, that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary. However, due to ill health and being under house arrest by his own son and successor to the throne, Aurangzeb, barred him from continue to keep the last promise. The Taj rises on a high red sandstone base topped by a huge white marble terrace on which rests the famous dome flanked by four tapering minarets. Within the dome lies the jewel-inlaid cenotaph of the queen. So exquisite is the workmanship that the Taj has been described as "having been designed by giants and finished by jewellers". The only asymmetrical object in the Taj is the casket of the emperor which was built beside the queen’s as an afterthought.

Legend has it that during his eight years long ailment and imprisonment, Shah Jahan used to intensly view The Taj lying on the bed through a diamond fixed in the wall in front at a particular angle. WOW!!! As a tribute to a woman of exotic beauty and as a monument of a love story, which is keeping us engrossed even when we are reading through these pages here, truely an ever-lasting romance of a love not ended as yet, the Taj reveals its subtleties to its beholder! The rectangular base of Taj is in itself symbolic of the different sides from which to view a beautiful woman. The main gate is like a veil to a woman’s face which should be lifted delicately, gently and without haste on the wedding night. In Indian tradition the veil is lifted gently to reveal the beauty of the bride. As one stands inside the main gate of Taj, his eyes are directed to an arch which frames the Taj. The dome is made of white marble, but the tomb is set against the plain across the river and it is this background that works its magic of colours that, through their reflection, change the view of the Taj. The colours change at different hours of the day and during different seasons.

The Taj sparkles like a jewel in moonlight when the semi-precious stones inlaid into the white marble on the main mausoleum catch and reflect back its glow with a better gleam. The Taj is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines. These changes, they say, depict the different moods of a beauty of any kind. Different people have different views of the Taj but it would be enough to say that the Taj has a life of its own that leaps out of marble. A masterpiece of the art and science of architecture, a representative of an era called The Mughal Period surpassing any authority to add or de-add anything in any sense in or out of the Taj! The Taj Mahal stands tall with grace is not just a parable epitome of emotional & eternal love between a man and a woman but for other reasons too _ Emperor Shah Jahan, who commissioned the construction of ‘The Taj’, desired to create it also as a symbol of solemnity, harmony, purity and spirituality as well. The Taj is not merely a monument of grace and dignity alone. It is, in fact, a message to all mankind that “Pure love is the soul of life”.

The Taj is a reminder for all mankind about the universally accepted but not so well practiced concept of ‘Love & Peace’, the essence of the paradise, free from conflicts of races and geographical boundaries is important to be observed solemnly. The Taj is simply a majestic tribute to an exotic beauty! The saga of The Taj would be half told if the myths related to it are not mentioned. Like many a great buildings the Taj Mahal has its myths and legends. It seems that there is more fiction on the Taj than serious scholarly research. Several of the stories belong solely to oral tradition and are told by the guides, some are so established that they form a popular history of the monument and have made their way into guidebooks, and some have been taken up by scholars, or even created by them, and thus become part of the scholarly debate. Facts To the last category belong the oldest tales of the Taj. Here the most widely known is the story of the second Taj, the 'Black Taj', which Shah Jahan intended to build in black marble opposite the present mausoleum, on the site of the Mahtab Bagh.

It goes back to Jean-Baptiste Tavernier who, when at Agra in 1665 AD, reported that 'Shahjahan began to built his own tomb on the other side of the river, but the war with his sons interrupted his plan, and Aurangzeb, who reigns at present, is not disposed to complete it. Shah Jahan was put under house arrest by his own son and successor by force, Aurangzeb. The latter did not agree with his father on most issues and was particularly opposed to him building a black Taj as his own mausoleum. Upon Shah Jahan's death, Aurangzeb made the body of the Emperor, who got the body of his beloved Mumtaz in a golden casket from Burhanpur to Agra, carried in a boat by only two men and buried him in the Taj, next to his wife in probably the simplest manner. Shah Jahan, the Emperor, who fulfilled the wishes of his beloved, could not find fulfilment of his own wish to build a Black Taj to express his mourning for the beloved Queen Mumtaz Mahal even after his death. That was the serenity in the purity of love.

Legend has it that during his eight years long ailment and imprisonment, Shah Jahan used to intensly view The Taj lying on the bed through a diamond fixed in the wall in front at a particular angle, WOW!!! As a tribute to a woman of exotic beauty and as a monument of a love story, which is keeping us engrossed even when we are reading through these pages here, truely an ever-lasting romance of a love not ended as yet, the Taj reveals its subtleties to its Beholder! Come!! Be Thy One!!!

Question: The husband of Mumtaz designed and built what magnificent monument in India to her when she died in 1631?
Answer: Taj Mahal