| Distinguishly the unlushed beauty of this most extravagant monument ever built for love, this sublime Mughal mausoleum speaks its history in its own speech of love. Many have tried to sum up its beauty - 'a tear drop on the face of eternity' according to Indian poet Rabindra Nath Tagore, ' the embodiment of all things pure ' according to British writer Rudyard Kipling. As an architectural masterpiece it stands alone, head and shoulders above any other contender. For centuries, the Taj Mahal has inspired poets, painters and musicians to try and capture its elusive magic in word, colour and song. It is one of the most flawless architectural creations of the world. |
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| Situated on the banks of the Yamuna river, it was built in the memory of the beautiful Arjumand Bano Begum, who won the heart of a Mughal prince. In AD 1628, Khurram became king after a bloody battle of succession: he took the name Shahjahan or “King of the World” and showered his beloved begum with the highest titles. She became Mumtaz Mahal, the exalted of the palace and Mumtaz-ul-Zamani, the exalted of the Age. But Mumtaz Mahal was not destined to be queen for long. |
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| In 1631, Shahjahan went on an expedition to the south and, as always, Mumtaz Mahal accompanied him. But she died in childbirth at Burhanpur. She gave birth to Shahjahan’s fourteen children, of whom only four sons and three daughters survived. When Mumtaz Mahal died, she was just 39 years old. Shahjahan was inconsolable and contemporary chronicles tell of the royal court mourning for two years. There was no music, no feasting, and no celebration of any kind. |
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| Shahjahan, who was a passionate builder, now decided to erect a memorial for his queen in pristine marble that the world would never forget. The site selected for the tomb was a garden by the Yamuna river, unshadowed by any other structure. The site was also chosen because it was located on a bend in the river, and so could be seen from Shahjahan’s personal palace in Agra Fort, further upstream. Work on the mausoleum began in 1633 and 20,000 workers labored for 17 years to build it. The most skilled architects, inlay craftsmen, calligraphers, stone-carvers and masons came from all across India and lands as distant as Persia and Turkey. The master mason was from Baghdad, an expert in building the double dome from Persia, and an inlay specialist from Delhi. |
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| Yemen sent agates; the corals came from Arabia, the garnets from Bundelkhand, onyx and amethyst from Persia. Mumtaz Mahal’s final resting-place was ornamented like a queen’s jewel-box. |
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