History of Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal, one of Seven Wonders of the World is just not known for its pristine beauty but much of its grace lies in the fact that it is a monument dedicated to love. Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal and hence the monument still stands as a pilgrimage for lovers.

Shah Jahan was the son of Mughal emperor Jahangir and grandson of Akbar the Great. At the age of 14, Shah Jahan (then known as Khurram) met Mumtaz Mahal (then known as Arjumand Banu Begum) and fell in love with her. Arjumand Banu Begum was a princess of Persian nobility. Both were married in 1612 and enthralled by the brilliance and beauty of the queen, Shah Jahan bestowed the highest honour of the land and renamed her as Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the Jewel of the Palace, in Persian language. Mumtaz Mahal accompanied Emperor Shah Jahan in every venture, be it wars or hunting campaigns and both were overwhelmingly in love with each other.

Unfortunately Mumtaz Mahal died in 1631 giving birth to their 14th child and the shock depressed the emperor to great extent. The depth of love did not diminish after the demise of the empress and Shah Jahan planned to build an unimaginably precious and exquisite memorial for Mumtaz Mahal. Hence started the construction of Taj Mahal; it took 22 long years, use of 22000 labourers and 1000 elephants to complete the construction of this white beauty.

Taj Mahal is a white marble memorial inscribed with Arabic inscriptions from Quran. The silver entrances, the gold leaved designs, the floral paintings, calligraphy and the motifs narrate the majestic tale of love; artisans, stone cutters, dome builders and painters from the entire country, Iran and Central Asia were gathered by the Emperor to erect the unforgettable edifice for his beloved. Studded with semi-precious stones and located amidst four by four lush green meadows, Taj Mahal is an edifice of eternal beauty.

Shah Jahan looked into every aspect of the construction of Taj Mahal and named it after his beloved; Taj being the short form of Mumtaz. Taj Mahal is located at the banks of River Yamuna in Agra. While the ripples of River Yamuna create an enchanting atmosphere, it is also the prime source of water to the gardens and the ebony base of the structure.

Shah Jahan had a tragic ending as the last years of his life were spent in captivation at the Agra Fort, being arrested by his son, the next Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. It is said the Shah Jahan spent these years looking at Taj Mahal and remembering his love and after his death he was laid beside Mumtaz in Taj Mahal.

After Shah Jahan’s demise, Taj Mahal gradually started losing its grandeur. During the British rule, the silver entrances, large light lamps and other assets of Taj Mahal were looted by the locals and the rulers. Once it was also thought by the then British governor, Sir William Bentinck to break down Taj Mahal and auction the marble. By end of the 19th century Taj Mahal was on the verge of destruction when Lord Curzon began its restoration work. Hence Taj Mahal sustained severe turmoil but managed to standstill portraying the immense love of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal.

History of Taj Mahal

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