The history of
Taj Mahal is a saga of everlasting love that began when
Prince Khurram aka Emperor Shah Jahan fell 'head over
heels' in love with Arjumand Bano Begum - the tale of
togetherness that ensued sowed the seeds for
construction of this spectacular memorial in pure white
marble.
Impregnate with political intrigue, passion, love and
devotion, the history of Taj Mahal enchants and enamors.
Shah Jahan married Arjumand Bano Begum and christened
her "Mumtaz Mahal" that literally means "the gem of all
eyes." The queen accompanied her husband everywhere,
even on military campaigns and it was during one such
tour that the beautiful queen died while giving birth to
their 14th baby, in the arms of the distraught Emperor.
Mumtaz Mahal elicited a promise from Emperor Shah Jahan
on her deathbed and the magnificent Taj Mahal is the
very essence of that promise.
True to his word, Shah Jahan diverted all his attention
towards the creation of the greatest memorial of love
ever built. History records indicate that the Mughal
court grieved the death of Mumtaz Mahal for more than
two years. There was no celebration on festivals and
feast days for quite a while.
The monument was constructed over a period of 20 years
with 20,000 workers working non-stop under the guidance
of skilled architects, scholars, calligraphers and
craftsmen. The history of Taj Mahal is also associated
with a great tragedy that till date has not been
substantiated by fact. It is believed that Emperor Shah
Jahan was so pleased with the monument that he ordered
all the artisans, builders and craftsmen who were even
remotely connected with the building of the monument to
be debilitated, so that they could never create
something like this ever again. |
