Cynthia Thanda

Love, such a beautiful word that carries so much weight. Some describe it as a feeling of butterflies, an emotion of sorts emitted by happiness. I have read so many books in an attempt to understand what love is. Even in friendships I chase that feeling and sometimes I stare at myself in the mirror and try to build that confidence to love myself.

But what does it mean to love and be loved? A question I’m always struggling to understand especially in today’s world in which love is transactional, feelings and emotions are seen as a sign of weakness. However, I found a love story that could change my perspective when I visited the Taj Mahal on the 15^th of December 2024.

The moment my feet touched the ground of the Agra City, my heart fluttered in appreciation of the city of love. The beautiful Taj stood there like an angel with light shining around it and like a moth to a flame, many people hugged it, something I have come to learn is a common occurrence, another normal day for the monument.

The pictures do not do justice to one of the best historical monuments. The texture of the building is smooth to touch. Like a lover’s kiss, the Taj draws you in the longer you look at it.

The feeling of love dressed me as my ears heard the beautiful story of a man’s love for his wife that made him build a palace in her memory. No Cinderella story beats the Taj story, a raw, sincere, true love from a man whose love continues to be experienced by people across the world who step into the building.

In the building, there are two tombs of the queen and king emphasising a hand by hand together we rest statement. The tombs are protected and have guides surrounding them who will meet you with a smile and a story to keep you engaged. Although, no photos are allowed, your memory will definitely store something so beautiful.

Taj means crown, mahal, the palace. It’s a tomb, a museum, a shrine but the Indians prefer to call it a palace. However, the original name of this building was Rose Munawwara Bibi Mumtaz Mahal. A crowned palace built by the 5th Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

She was the second wife from the four official wives, and she was supposed to be the most beautiful lady of the 16th century and the favourite one hence she got the Taj. She was not from India. She was from Iran. And her real name was Arjuman Banu Begum. And Dalsman was simply a title given by the Indian emperor.

She died in 1630 at a place called Burhanpur, which is almost 800 km from Agra. At that time, the king was busy in a war with Khan Jahangir. So after her death, she was buried there for six months. Then the king returned to Agra, the capital of India at the time. And after completion of Agra, Shah Jahan built the Red Fort in Delhi.

And then he shifted the capital from Agra to Delhi, and Delhi became the capital. So when he returned to Agra, he chose this place to build the Taj.

However, this particular land belonged to the King of Jaipur, Maharajah Jaisingh. Nonetheless, he purchased a piece of garden from Maharaja Jai Singh. And turned the Indian garden into Persian garden. What he called Bagh-e-Baisht. The garden of paradise. Within 17 years, they just built the white marble structure.

In two years, the mosque on the left and the cathedral on the right of the Taj. And then, in the first part, they put up the buildings, the walls, and the outer compounds. Altogether, it took 22 years to complete, with the help of 20,000 workers who worked around the clock in three shifts. After the building was completed, the ghost body was taken from the garden, and finally she was rested inside.

Therefore, she’s the only lady in the world who was buried three times after her death. She died at the birth of the 14th child. And she was 39 years old. She had 14 kids. 19 years of married life, she gave 14 kids, excluding four miscarriages. Out of 14, eight (8) died and six (6) survived, two (2) daughters and four (4) sons.

Aurangzeb the 6th Mughal was the 3rd son of the same king and queen, who later on confined his own father to prison where he died in 1666.

The queen is the centre. So the whole building is built only for the queen. But on the side, the larger tomb, is for the king.

I am told you have to experience love once in a lifetime and I say experience the Taj Mahal once in a lifetime, while I wait for my Prince Charming to come and build my own Taj in Botswana.

(C) TPA2024