For centuries, the Taj Mahal has inspired poets, paintersand musicians to try and capture its elusive magic in word, colour and song. Itis one of the most flawless architectural creations of the world. window.google_render_ad(); Since the17th century, travellers have crossed continents to come and see this ultimatememorial to love, and few have been unmoved by its incomparable beauty.
Taj Mahal stands in the city of Agra, in the northern Indian state of UttarPradesh, on the banks of the Yamuna River. It was built in the memory of thebeautiful Arjumand Bano Begum, who won the heart of a Mughal prince. She wasmarried at 21 to Emperor Jahangir’s third son Prince Khurram and stayed loyallyby his side through good times and bad: in the luxurious royal palaces of Agraas well as the transient tents of war camps.
In AD 1628, Khurram became king after a bloody battle of succession: he tookthe name Shahjahan or “King of the World” and showered his beloved begum withthe highest titles. She became Mumtaz Mahal, the exalted of the palace andMumtaz-ul-Zamani, the exalted of the Age. But Mumtaz Mahal was not destined tobe queen for long.
In 1631, Shahjahan went on an expedition to the south and,as always, Mumtaz Mahal accompanied him. But she died in childbirth atBurhanpur. She had borne Shahjahan fourteen children, of whom four sons andthree daughters survived. When Mumtaz Mahal died, she was just 39 years old.Shahjahan was inconsolable and contemporary chronicles tell of the royal courtmourning for two years. there was no music, no feasting, and no celebration ofany kind.
Shahjahan, who was a passionate builder, now decided toerect a memorial to his queen in pristine marble that the world would neverforget. The site selected for the tomb was a garden by the Yamuna river,unshadowed by any other structure. The garden had been laid by Raja Man Singhof Amber and now belonged to his grndson, Raja Jai Singh. By a royal firman,Shahjahan gave Jai Singh four havelis in exchange for the garden. The site wasalso chosen because it was located on a bend in the river, and so could be seenfrom Shahjahan’s personal palace in Agra Fort, further upstream.
Work on the mausoleum began in 1633 and 20,000 workerslaboured for 17 years to build it. The most skilled architects, inlaycraftsmen, calligraphers, stone-carvers and masons came from all across Indianand lands as distant as Persia and Turkey. The master mason was from Baghdab,an expert in building the double dome from Persia, and an inlay specialist fromDelhi.
Yemen sent agates, the corals came from Arabia, the garnets from Bundelkhand,onyx and amethyst from Persia. Mumtaz Mahal’s final resting-place wasornamented like a queen’s jewel-box.
