Celebrating 350 years of love
Sep 30, 2004
About 350 years ago, (historians cannot agree exactly when it happened) an Indian Empress died during childbirth. There was nothing really special or extraordinary about her.
By Kalungi Kabuye
About 350 years ago, (historians cannot agree exactly when it happened) an Indian Empress died during childbirth. There was nothing really special or extraordinary about her. Just one of several imperial consorts who gave birth to 15 children, seven of whom died in infancy, and the last of which killed her.
She would have remained just another one of a long line of consorts of the Moghul Empire, except for one thing — her husband, the Emperor Shah Jahan, loved her. He loved her so much that in her memory he created what is arguably the greatest mausoleum in the world, India’s Taj Mahal.
And on Monday, though other historians argue it was actually this week, India and the world will celebrate 350 years of one man’s enduring love for his wife. The actual celebrations will not take place at the Taj Mahal, however, since efforts to preserve the site means that polluting vehicles and industries are forbidden anywhere near it.
Instead, the official celebrations, which will go on for at least six months, will be held at the nearby Agra Fort, a massive 16th century palace built of limestone, where Emperor Jahan actually lived.
“It will be the start of a six-month celebration aimed at drawing tourists to Agra and the Taj Mahal,†D.K. Burman, a senior Indian government official organising the festivities was quoted by the press as saying. “Although the Taj gets many visitors, you cannot stop marketing it.â€
The Taj Mahal has been described as one of the most beautiful and beloved structures, and has been named to the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
It was built in the Northern Indian city of Agra, 200 kilometers south of New Delhi, at a time when the resources of the Mughal Empire were “... such that only the finest materials were utilised for the structure and its embellishment, and when the quality of the craftsmanship available in India was probably superior to that of any previous period,†wrote the French jeweller Tavernier, who claimed to have seen the construction from beginning to end.
It was built on a site occupied by sprawling gardens on a bend in the left bank of the Youmuna River, according to Christine Moorcroft in her book The Taj Mahal (1998). She said it was probably because of its beauty and the clear view from the imperial palace.
The poet Rabindranath described the monument as rising above the banks of the river “... like a solitary tear suspended on the cheek of time.â€
Admired for its symmetry, the Taj Mahal sits on a raised platform surrounded by four minarets. ‘Inside are delicate mosaic works and marble walls adorned with intricate patterns of inlaid precious stones.’
Construction began in 1632 and it took more than 23,000 workers at least 22 years to complete it. In the book Islamic Art, Barbara Brend writes: “The carefully balanced image, reflected in the water channel dividing the garden, is enhanced by the superb polish and detailed carving of the marbles. The mausoleum, flanked by attendant structures, stands on a terrace at the north end of the garden; it is thus seen as the culmination of a perspective, its marble surfaces changing hue as the sun crosses the sky, and being reflected in the watercourses.â€
But who was Shah Jahan, and who was the woman for whom he built the greatest monument in the world?
According to historians, Prince Khurram was 35 years old when he ascended to the Moghul throne and took the name Shah Jahan (King of the World). He was variously described as “... endowed with all the qualities required of a medieval Muslim ruler; a brave and competent commander, a generous master who treated his servants with respect, dignity and affability; and a far-sighted leader with a strict sense of justice.â€
But before he became emperor of India, he met Arjumand Banau in a shop. She was the daughter of the brother of his father’s consort. The two reportedly fell in love at first sight, although it would be five years (1612) before they could wed. He was 20 and she was 19.
The two were reportedly inseparable, and she often accompanied him when he went to war. When his father died, Khurram became Shah Jahan, and she became Mumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace).
Ends
About 350 years ago, (historians cannot agree exactly when it happened) an Indian Empress died during childbirth. There was nothing really special or extraordinary about her. Just one of several imperial consorts who gave birth to 15 children, seven of whom died in infancy, and the last of which killed her.
She would have remained just another one of a long line of consorts of the Moghul Empire, except for one thing — her husband, the Emperor Shah Jahan, loved her. He loved her so much that in her memory he created what is arguably the greatest mausoleum in the world, India’s Taj Mahal.
And on Monday, though other historians argue it was actually this week, India and the world will celebrate 350 years of one man’s enduring love for his wife. The actual celebrations will not take place at the Taj Mahal, however, since efforts to preserve the site means that polluting vehicles and industries are forbidden anywhere near it.
Instead, the official celebrations, which will go on for at least six months, will be held at the nearby Agra Fort, a massive 16th century palace built of limestone, where Emperor Jahan actually lived.
“It will be the start of a six-month celebration aimed at drawing tourists to Agra and the Taj Mahal,†D.K. Burman, a senior Indian government official organising the festivities was quoted by the press as saying. “Although the Taj gets many visitors, you cannot stop marketing it.â€
The Taj Mahal has been described as one of the most beautiful and beloved structures, and has been named to the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
It was built in the Northern Indian city of Agra, 200 kilometers south of New Delhi, at a time when the resources of the Mughal Empire were “... such that only the finest materials were utilised for the structure and its embellishment, and when the quality of the craftsmanship available in India was probably superior to that of any previous period,†wrote the French jeweller Tavernier, who claimed to have seen the construction from beginning to end.
It was built on a site occupied by sprawling gardens on a bend in the left bank of the Youmuna River, according to Christine Moorcroft in her book The Taj Mahal (1998). She said it was probably because of its beauty and the clear view from the imperial palace.
The poet Rabindranath described the monument as rising above the banks of the river “... like a solitary tear suspended on the cheek of time.â€
Admired for its symmetry, the Taj Mahal sits on a raised platform surrounded by four minarets. ‘Inside are delicate mosaic works and marble walls adorned with intricate patterns of inlaid precious stones.’
Construction began in 1632 and it took more than 23,000 workers at least 22 years to complete it. In the book Islamic Art, Barbara Brend writes: “The carefully balanced image, reflected in the water channel dividing the garden, is enhanced by the superb polish and detailed carving of the marbles. The mausoleum, flanked by attendant structures, stands on a terrace at the north end of the garden; it is thus seen as the culmination of a perspective, its marble surfaces changing hue as the sun crosses the sky, and being reflected in the watercourses.â€
But who was Shah Jahan, and who was the woman for whom he built the greatest monument in the world?
According to historians, Prince Khurram was 35 years old when he ascended to the Moghul throne and took the name Shah Jahan (King of the World). He was variously described as “... endowed with all the qualities required of a medieval Muslim ruler; a brave and competent commander, a generous master who treated his servants with respect, dignity and affability; and a far-sighted leader with a strict sense of justice.â€
But before he became emperor of India, he met Arjumand Banau in a shop. She was the daughter of the brother of his father’s consort. The two reportedly fell in love at first sight, although it would be five years (1612) before they could wed. He was 20 and she was 19.
The two were reportedly inseparable, and she often accompanied him when he went to war. When his father died, Khurram became Shah Jahan, and she became Mumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace).
Ends