A true love story depicting how a soul that is filled with love,loss,romance and love again

1. TAJ MAHAL: A LOVE STORY
Emperor Shah Jahan also known as
Prince Khurram.
Queen Mumtaz Mahal also known as
Arjumand Banu Begum.

2. Taj Mahal is so attractive, its workmanship is designed
by the giants and finished by jewelers.

3. Taj Mahal, a magnificent monument that stands at the heart of India has a story that
has been melting the hearts of millions of listeners since the time Taj Mahal has been
constructed. A story, that although ended back in 1631, continues to live on in the
form of Taj Mahal and is considered a living example of eternal love. It's the love story
of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, two people from the course of history who set an
example for the people living in present and the future to come.
An English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold best describes it as "Not a piece of architecture, as
other buildings are, but the proud passion of an emperor's love created in living
stones." The story that follows next will prove why the statement is true.
Shah Jahan, initially named as Prince Khurram, was born in the year 1592. He was the
son of Jehangir, the fourth Mughal emperor of India and the grandson of Akbar the
Great. In 1607 when strolling down the Meena Bazaar, Shah Jahan caught a glimpse of
a girl hawking silk and glass beads. It was love at first sight and that girl was Mumtaz
Mahal, who was known as Arjumand Banu Begum. At that time, he was 14 years old and
she, a Muslim Persian princess, was 15 years. After meeting her, Shah Jahan went back
to his father and declared that he wanted to marry her.

4. Born On: April, 1593
Born In: Agra
Died On: June 17, 1631

5. Arjumand Banu Begum born in 1953 was the daughter of Abdul Hasan Asaf Khan and a
princess from the Persian nobility. So enthralling was her beauty that Shah Jahan fell
in love with her at first sight. It was in 1607 that she was engaged to Shah Jahan and
soon became the unquestionable love of his life. Five years later in 1612, their
marriage was solemnized and from then on, started one of the most popular love
stories of the world..
Shan Jahan even bestowed her with the name Mumtaz Mahal meaning "Jewel of the
Palace", a highest honor of the land – and gave her the royal seal, Mehr Uzaz. Mumtaz
Mahal had a very deep and loving marriage with Shah Jahan. Even during her lifetime,
poets would extol her beauty, gracefulness and compassion. She was his trusted
companion and traveled with him all over the Mughal Empire.. The intimacy, deep
affection, attention and favor which His Majesty had for the Cradle of Excellence
(Mumtaz) exceeded by a thousand times what he felt for any other wives of his. It is
believed that she was the perfect wife and portrayed no aspirations of political power.
Apart from counseling, supporting and playing the role of a lovable wife to Emperor
Shah Jahan, it is believed that she also loved watching elephants and combat fights
performed for the court. Also she devoted some time at riverside garden in Agra.

6. When Mumtaz Mahal was on her deathbed, Shah Jahan promised her that he would
never remarry and will build the richest mausoleum over her grave. Finally in the year
1631, when Mumtaz Mahal was giving birth to their 14th child, she died due to some
complications.
It is said that Shah Jahan was so heartbroken after her death that he ordered the court
into mourning for two years. Sometime after her death, Shah Jahan undertook the task
of erecting the world's most beautiful monument in the memory of his beloved wife. It
took 22 years and the labor of 22,000 workers to construct the monument.
When Shah Jahan died in 1666, his body was placed in a tomb next to the tomb of
Mumtaz Mahal. This magnificent monument came to be known as "Taj Mahal" and now
counts amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. This is the true story of the Taj Mahal
of India, which has mesmerized many people with its bewitching beauty.

25. How Taj Mahal was built: A Few Facts
• Year of Construction: 1631
• Time Taken: 22 years
• Built By: Shah Jahan
• Dedicated to: Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Bano Begum), the wife of Shah Jahan
• Location: Agra (Uttar Pradesh), India
• Building Type: Islamic tomb
• Architecture: Mughal (Combination of Persian, and Indian architecture style)
• Architect: Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
• Cost of Construction: 32 crore rupees ($320 million)
• Number of workers: 20,000
• For transportation of the construction materials, more than 10,000 elephants were
employed
• Highlights: One of the Seven Wonders of the World; A UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Timings: Sunrise to Sunset

26. A brief History:
• Before his accession to the throne, Shah Jahan was popularly known as Prince Khurram.
• Shah Jahan fell in love with the beautiful Arjumand Bano Begum and married her..
• Arjumand Bano Begum was christened by Shah Jahan as Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the “Chosen One Of The
Palace” or “Jewel of the Palace”.
• Shah Jahan lost Mumtaz Mahal, when she died giving birth to their 14h child.
• Taj Mahal was built in stages, with the plinth and the tomb taking up roughly 15 years. Building of minarets,
mosque, jawab, and gateway took additional 5 years to be completed.
• Different types of marbles used in construction of Taj Mahal were brought over from many different regions &
countries: Rajasthan, Punjab, China, Tibet, Afghanistan, Srilanka, & Arabia.
• Many precious stones and Lapis Lazuli (a semi-precious stone) were ripped off from its walls by the Britishers
during the Indian rebellion of 1857.
• As many as 28 different varieties of semi-precious and precious stones were used to adorn the Taj with gorgeous
inlay work.
• Passages from Quran have been used as decorative elements throughout the complex.
• On the sides of the actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal, 99 names of Allah can be found as calligraphic inscriptions.
• Taj Mahal attracts 2-4 million visitors annually with over 200,000 from overseas.

27. Conclusion
Taj Mahal that adds a soul to its splendor: a soul that is filled with love, loss, remorse, and love
again. Because if it was not for love, the world would have been robbed of a fine example upon
which people base their relationships.
This is a living example of how deeply a man loved his wife, that even after she remained but a
memory, he made sure that this memory would never fade away. This man was the Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahan, who was head-over-heels in love with Mumtaz Mahal, his dear wife.
Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in the following words:
Should guilty seek asylum here,
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs,
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made,
To display thereby the creator's glory!