On June 17, 1631, Mumtaz Mahal, second wife of Shah Jahān, emperor of India, passed away giving birth to the couple’s 14th child. It was the loss of the Shah’s greatest love that inspired him to commission the construction of an incredibly large and ornate mausoleum to house her remains. The complex took over 20 years to build and is now the most iconic of India’s monuments: the Taj Mahal.
Prince Khurram (as Shah Jahān was known before he acceded the throne) married Arjumand Banu in 1612. Upon becoming Shah, Jahān gave his wife the title “Mumtāz Mahal,” meaning “Chosen One of the Palace.” She had 14 children, seven of whom lived until adulthood. Mumtāz Mahal died giving birth to her 14th child. Mahal was the Shah’s favorite wife, so he decided to build a monument to his love for her in the form of the Taj Mahal.
The Taj Mahal complex is made up of five main sections: the gateway, the garden, the mausoleum, the mosque, and a building that mirrors the mosque. Each element was designed in the Mughal style, which married Indian, Persian, and Muslim influences. The most iconic building in the complex, the mausoleum, is made of white marble and features and onion-shaped dome and four minarets surrounding the main building. The Taj Mahal is visited by approximately three million people per year.
Unfortunately, air pollution in the country has caused damage to the marble. In 1998, the India Supreme Court placed some protective measures in place, including banning vehicle traffic in the area and installing pollution reduction measures in nearby factories.
Learn more here:
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Taj-Mahal
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mumtaz-Mahal
- https://www.history.com/topics/asian-history/taj-mahal
