Find me here:
  The Paranormal Guide
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Atlas
  • Glossary

The Taj Mahal

28/9/2013

Comments

 
Picture
People see the Taj Mahal as a beautiful piece of architecture, a wonder of the modern world, and a place to visit... but did you know that this building is actually a mausoleum?

That it was built in memory of Mumtaz Mahal – the beloved wife of the Emperor Shah Jahan?

A Wondrous Memorial

PictureThe Taj Mahal
Ask a group of people to name a wonder of the modern world, and no doubt someone would say the Taj Mahal. This stunning piece of architecture, made entirely of white marble, is situated in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Do you know why the Taj Mahal was built? Did you know it is actually a mausoleum? Well let me tell you about it... it’s a love story.

Arjumand Banu Begum was born into Persian nobility. Her connections were extremely high, with aunty’s being Empresses and sisters marrying Governors.

PictureArjumand Banu Begum - Mumtaz Mahal
In 1607, when she was just 14 years old, a political alliance was made, and she was betrothed to a 15 year old Prince, known as Shah Jahan. This boosted the families esteem even higher. Even though the Prince had two other wives before he married Arjumand, the honour was still great.

Five years later, their betrothal was finalised and they wed in 1612. The date of their wedding was selected by the court astrologers as being the most conducive to ensuring a happy marriage, and it appears those court astrologers were spot on!

Arjumand went on to become the absolute love of Shah Jahan’s life!

Loves of their Lives

PictureShah Jahan
They were not married for long before she was given the title Mumtaz Mahal – an extremely honoured title which means “Chosen One of the Palace”. Shah fell head over heels in love with Mumtaz! When he did wed again, it was said that he had no interest at all in his other two wives, and visited their bedchamber only to do the proper thing and procreate. Once one child was sired with each, he stopped visiting them. According to an official court recorder, his relationship with his earlier wives was nothing but the status of marriage. A direct quote being: “The intimacy, deep affection, attention and favour which His Majesty had for the Cradle of Excellence (Mumtaz) exceeded by a thousand times what he felt for any other.”

As their marriage continued, their love grew deeper. Poets frequently spoke of her beauty, her compassion and her grace. He trusted her so much that she was the only other person to have access to his imperial seal, and would influence him to be a better person to the poor and the unlucky in India.

Shah and Mumtaz were married for nineteen years, and chroniclers go to great lengths to speak of their love and the erotic nature of their relationship. In those nineteen years, Mumtaz gave birth to fourteen children. Sadly, seven of those children did not make it to adulthood. Even though she was frequently pregnant Mumtaz would travel with Shah and his entourage on all military campaigns.

Tragedy

PictureThe screen that covers the ground floor cenotaphs.
Sadly, while giving birth to their fourteenth child in 1631, Mumtaz died from complications of childbirth. Shah went into a deep depression at her death, and locked himself away for an entire year to mourn her passing. By all reports he was inconsolable and the only person who managed to bring him back to the world was his eldest daughter. When Shah reappeared in front of his court, his hair had turned white, his back was bent, and he had aged at least a decade. Although he lived for over 30 years following Mumtaz’s death, he never recovered from it.

Shah would think of nothing but building a fitting monument to the memory of his beloved wife, and so, a few months after her death, he began planning the construction and design of a grandiose mausoleum and funerary garden.

PictureThe two tombs underground, their final resting places.
It took twenty-two years to complete. Seventeen of those twenty-two years saw twenty thousand workmen employed on it daily. It is said that it took a fleet of 1000 elephants to transport the marble to the site.

When Shah passed away in 1666, his son Aurangazeb had him interred in the Taj Mahal, right next to his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

By Peet Banks 2013
Put together by Ashley Hall 2013
Comments
comments powered by Disqus

    The Paranormal Guide Articles

    Here you will find all of the articles written for The Paranormal Guide on all things paranormal, strange, dark, macabre, weird, strange and bizarre!

    All photos with the blog posts remain the property of their respectful owners. If one of your photos is featured here without attribution please leave a comment on the blog and full credit will be given.

    Categories

    All
    Bizarre Experiments
    Conspiracy
    Cryptozoology
    Cursed And Haunted Objects
    Curses Demons And Exorcisms
    Earth Mysteries
    Fakes Frauds And Hoaxes
    Ghosts And Hauntings
    Ghosts Ghouls And Demons
    Interesting And Inspiring People
    Investigations
    Miracles
    My Paranormal
    Paranormal Photos
    Paranormal Vocabulary
    Phobias And Philias
    Post Mortem Practices
    Psychics Predictions And Seers
    Questions And Discussions
    Reviews
    Spirituality And Miracles
    Spirituality And Miracles
    Strange And Macabre Places
    Strange And Tragic Deaths
    This Week In Dark History
    Tragedy
    True Crime And Punishment
    Ufos And Aliens
    Unsolved Mysteries
    Urban Legend Superstition And Folklore
    Weird Odd And Bizarre


    Ashley Hall -
    The Paranormal Guide

    Ashley Hall explores The Paranormal, True Crime, Strange Deaths, Dark History, The Weird, The Strange and The Bizarre! Fact or Fiction? You decide!

    Picture

    Contributors

    Picture
    Matty Sweeney
    Picture
    Peet Banks
    Picture
    Nic Hume

    Picture
    Check out The Paranormal Guide Podcast and join three paranormal investigators and researchers for honest and raw discussions on all things paranormal, strange, dark and macabre HERE!

    Archives

    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Please note that dates are from when the article was originally made.
    The Paranormal Guide does have posts all the way up to the current date.


    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.