New Delhi: Among the many historical places in India, the Taj Mahal is possibly the most popular and is a renowned UNESCO Heritage Sites. The ivory-white marble mausoleum on the Yamuna river’s right bank in Agra is adored by almost everyone for its stunning beauty. In 1631, Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor commissioned it to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb of Shah Jahan is also there inside the Taj Mahal. In this article, we will take a look at the reason behind its construction, an eternal story of love.
Taj Mahal: The eternal symbol of love
The love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal have been etched in history as stuff of legends. Mumtaz was the chief empress consort of the Mughal Empire and they couple was madly in love. However, Mumtaz’s reign as the empress was brief as she passed away on June 17, 1631, that year while giving birth to their 14th child, Gauhara Begum.
In the same year, Shah Jahan commissioned the construction of Taj Mahal in the memory of Mumtaz Mahal. The construction of the monument began in 1632, and was completed in 1648, while the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. It is said that the immense grief of Shah Jahan on Mumtaz’s death shows the love between the two which inspired the Taj Mahal.
Contemporary historians like Abdul Hamid Lahori, Muhammad Saleh Kamboh and Muhammad Amin Qazvini, Shah Jahan was more affectionate to Mumtaz when she was alive than to any other person. After Mumtaz passed away, Shah Jahan avoided royal works for a week as he was extremely grief-stricken. He did not listen to music and gave up lavish dressing for a couple of year.
Taj Mahal: A stunning product of a love story
The Taj Mahal is an embodiment of marital devotion and undying love. According to English poet Sir Edwin Arnold, the Taj Mahal is not just another building “but the proud passion of an emperor’s love wrought in living stones.” It is also said that the monument’s beauty represents the beauty of Mumtaz Mahal. The mausoleum has the bodies of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz in a relatively plain crypt and their faces are turned towards Mecca.
The ivory-white marble mausoleum on the Yamuna river’s right bank in Agra is adored by almost everyone for its stunning beauty. In 1631, Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor commissioned it to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
