The Taj Mahal
Trip Start
Sep 03, 2004
1
42
44
Trip End
Dec 22, 2004
Agra,
India
Sunday, December 19, 2004
There is so much to write about the Taj Mahal, but nothing we say, or even the pictures that you will see will ever justify the feeling of being at and admiring this great building. Reading this you might think, yeah, here they go... forget everything we've said before, this is now the best thing we've seen or done, well, yes, ok you're right! No, we can't say it was the best thing, we've done and seen so much, but it was a really special experience. You also might say, oh here we go, boke, get over it, get a room, but honestly, it's a romantic place.
The Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, a beautiful building in India made of marble. That's what most of us know about the Taj Mahal, but there's a sad beautiful and romantic story behind it:
The Story of The Taj Mahal
Shah Jahan had a few wives, like most Indian Moghuls, but his most favourite wife, the most beautiful, the one he loved and adored the most was Arjumand Bano Begum, more commonly known as the Empress Mumtaz Mahal
Agra Fort
. She was the love of his life. She fell pregnant, but while in child birth, she died and Shah Jahan was left utterly heart broken. It is said that his hair turned grey over night. He couldn't eat, drink or sleep without his love. He vowed, in her memory, to create the most beautiful building in the world, to reflect her beauty and elegance, and so that people forever would know of her beauty and of their love. He found the best and purest white marble from Italy, employed the best known architechts around, and at no cost spared, the Taj Mahal was built with great care, love and intricacy after about 30 years of workmanship.This was to be the burial place of Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan had her remains brought to the Taj Mahal through a grand procession, where he handed out jewels and money to people on the street, happy that he had created a beautiful resting place for his beautiful wife. Shah Jahan spent most days at the Taj Mahal, wandering in the gardens and admiring the great building, as he felt close to his wife there, and fearing that he too would soon die, his next plan was to create an identical building in black marble on the opposite side of the river, so that he and his love could lie alongside each other forever more.
His son, though, the one who Mumtaz Mahal had died giving birth to, had different ideas
Awed
. Outraged by his fathers extravagant plans for another costly project, and angered that Shah Jahan was spending all of his wealth on such ideas, meaning his son would be left with less, he imprisoned his father in Agra Fort, stopping this "waste" of money. Shah Jahan spent the rest of his days in a cell, unable to be close to his wife at the Taj Mahal and unable to fulfill his dream of an eternal resting place, opposite his love. The only mercy his son had given him was that from the window of his cell he could see the Taj Mahal from a distance. Poor Shah Jahan, totally heart broken again, did not live much longer after this cruel deed by his own son, whose mother he had loved so dearly. His son granted that on his death, his fathers body would lie beside Mumtaz Mahal's in the Taj Mahal, where they are now together again, forever.The story is lovely, the building truly spectacular, the artwork on every wall is so intricate and detailed. There are roses, heart shapes, writings of poetry and love, verses from the koran, all in black marble on the white marble, with some red and pink colours now and again. It is strange to say, but it is actually the most beautiful thing we have ever seen. It's size is overwhelming, and to think this was built as a tomb for the love of someone's life, aaah.
Closer Look
What made it extra special for us, was that it was so misty the morning we went to see it, and the excitement was building every milimetre the mist thinned, until the Taj Mahal was revealed so mystically. We spent about four hours just looking at it, exploring the different art and entries, walking around the building, seeing it from different angles and of course taking loads of photos. It was so beautiful just to sit together and look at it, and then to promise each other that if the debts for this trip are ever paid off, we'll do the same tribute for each other when the time comes, a much smaller scaled one, though! Sentimental saddoes, but that's the effect the Taj Mahal has on you... or is that just us???
Saved the best to last? It was the Taj Mahal!!!
A&J x
