The Love Story behind Taj Mahal

As children, all draw pictures of dream houses by the river side, and ardent lovers dream to give a unique and everlasting gift to his beloved, but it was only Shah Jhan who could turn his dream into reality. Taj Mahal is the visual representation of the matchless love and adoration that Shah Jahan had for his wife Mumtaz. Love struck, when he met her at the age of 14 in a market place, love blossomed and they married at the age of 19.

Arjumand Banu Begum, as was her maiden name, accompanied the Emperor in all expeditions during wars and in peaceful time. She bore him 14 children. She is believed to have died during child birth, on one such war expeditions. Mumtaz was possibly buried is some other state, but since the king could not part with her even after her death, she was buried again in Agra, at a place near where Taj Mahal was build. After the completion of Taj Mahal, which took 22 years, she was buried in this beautiful structure at the most central part of the mausoleum preserving the symmetry of the mausoleum.

Her body was placed is a tomb that has provided a perfect symmetrical every, symmetrically her body was place in the most centric portion of the mausoleum, surrounded by the intrinsically designed carvings and designed, inspired by the architectural heritage of Islamic, Indian and Persia.

Bend on giving the best of burial ever; he brought the best of Markana marbles that reflects the changing hues of surrounding. Taj Mahal was constructed under the leadership of the great Indian architect of Persian origin, Ustad Ahmad Lahori. The massive marble mausoleum with petra dura inlays and marble lattice, show the influence of Islamic, Indian and Persian, heritage. The subtle use of natural light and the visual deceptions used is providing the symmetry of the building; make the mausoleum one of the architectural wonders of the world. The interiors are decorated by fine inlay work, incorporating semi-precious stones.

Shah Jahan, who is a great architect, had plans to build a black Taj on the opposite side of the Yamuna, that reflects the shadow of this marvel in white marbel. But, in the 20 years of building Taj Mahal, the emperor had grown weak both physically and in royal power. His son usurped the throne and imprisoned him in the Massuman Burj, at the Agra Fort. Standing at the beautifully embellished balcony at the tower, Shah Jahan spent the last seven years of his life, watching the Taj Mahal, which was 2.5 Kms away. His body was buried beside Mumtaz, inside the mosoleum. But the symmetry of the structure was destroyed by building the tomb.