19 noviembre, 2019

The Taj Mahal, a love story in India

Although many consider it a temple, the Taj Mahal is a mausoleum that hides a beautiful and tragic love story between an emperor and his wife.

This majestic building was built in the 17th century and is located in the vicinity of the city of Agra, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in India and is undoubtedly a must for the thousands of tourists who visit this corner of India.

But let’s get into the love story that surrounds this magical place.

I was crying a soul in love
Tears, pain, grief, crying
A heart tones its sad song
A hand, tired, behind its closed window
There from his palace, from his window
Admire that white tear
Poetry made art, art that passion starts
For you, my beloved, my wife, my soul sister.

Tal Mahal’s love story

Sha Jahan met his beloved Arjumand in a bazaar where she sold crystals.

Admired by her beauty, she was not able to speak to him at first.

Persecuted by the armies of his father the Emperor, and because of that relationship, after two wives and five years since that first meeting, they joined in marriage.

Arjumand became known as Mumtaz Mahal, «the chosen one of the palace.»

Years of joy and glory passed for the lovers, even when Prince Kurran’s father dies and he is crowned as emperor and begins to call Shah Jahan, «King of the World.»

Four years after this event the tragedy would come …

During the birth of his fourteenth son, Mumtaz Mahal, he died.

Her husband held her hand and listened carefully to her last requests in life:

To build his grave, to get married again
That he was good with his children
And to visit her every year on the anniversary of her death.

Curiosities that are said about Taj Mahal

Around 20,000 people and more than 1,000 elephants worked in its construction

It was ordered that they leave blind and cut off the hands of all the chief architects so that they could never build anything like that.

It was about to be destroyed in the 19th century by the English.

The Taj Mahal receives more than 3 million visitors a year and is one of the most photographed tourist destinations in the world.

Its architecture is based on Persian, Islamic and Indian styles. It is part of the 7 Wonders of the World since 2007.

Depending on how the sun sets, the mausoleum can be seen up to 10 different shades of color.

It took 22 years for Taj Mahal to build completely. Taj means «crown» and Mahal «first lady of the palace.»

The Taj Mahal complex has 3 access doors:

The southern entrance (Sirhi Darwaza):

The door faces south, which overlooks the ancient Mumtazabad. It is the least common access, since it is located between the network of narrow streets of Agra.

The east entrance (Fatehabad Gate):

This door faces Fatehabad and is the furthest from the center of Agra. The ticket offices are 750 meters from the entrance to the Taj Mahal in the so-called «Shilpgram».

The west entrance (Fatehpuri Gate):

It is the main entrance to the Taj Mahal and is oriented towards the center of the city of Agra.

You can get there by walking if we stay nearby, or by tuk-tuk from anywhere in the city.

Bibi Ka Maqbara (Tomb of the Lady) the small Taj Mahal

There is a small pearl of architecture in another area of India. Away from Taj Mahal himself, we find what he suggests is a small copy.

Nicknamed as the younger brother of the Taj Mahal, the Bibi Ka Maqbara also has a relationship with the former, in addition to his obvious construction and design, as the principal architect of the child was the son of the principal of the Taj Mahal, who wanted to honor his Dear mother (Dilras Banu Begum).

The Bibi Ka Maqbara was carried out by the architect Ata-Ullah, son of Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, who primarily designed the most important palace in India, one of the seven wonders of the modern world.