Asian Current

Agra - A Love Story From The Mughal Times

If there’s one place on the planet that reminds you of true eternal love, it must be Agra and its most famous architectural structure, the Taj Mahal. For a memorable romantic holiday that will remain etched on your memory forever, come to the place that epitomizes true love and unflinching devotion for the whole world.

Situated by the banks of the river Yamuna, Taj Mahal is a sheer poignant poetry in marble, one of the most extravagant monuments ever built in the name of love. Over the ages, the Taj Mahal has emerged as a grand tribute to the timelessness of art and love. Built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1652 in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal has immortalized their love for posterity and now stands as an emblem for its purest form.

It is said that the main architect of this piece of marvel, Isa Khan, came all the way from Shiraz in Iran. Relive the love story as you fix your eyes upon its pure white marble shimmering silver in the soft moonlight, exuding a shell pink glow at dawn and at the close of the day, or taking on the tawny fiery hue of the majestic sun. The Taj serves as a symbol of eternal love where the heartbroken Shah Jahan was finally put to rest alongside his beloved Mumtaz. History has it that soon after its completion, Shah Jahan was deposed and put under house arrest at the nearby Agra Fort by his son Aurangzeb. According to legend, he spent the remaining days of his life gazing through the window at the Taj Mahal. At that juncture in his sad life, there were just two things - the Taj Mahal and the memories of his beloved departed wife, Mumtaz. Upon Shah Jahan’s death, Aurangzeb buried him in the Taj Mahal next to his wife, the only disruption of the otherwise perfect symmetry in the architecture.

Apart from its symbolic significance, the Taj Mahal is also considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of Persian, Indian and Islamic. It’s interesting to remember that while the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar part of the monument, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures.

The Taj Mahal is often described as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Millions of tourists have visited the site, making it one of the most popular international attractions in India. It is also popular choice among honeymooners. It has featured in countless works of art, including literature, music, paintings, cinema, fashion and more, as an emblem of eternal beauty.

Truly enough, the Taj is an embodiment of a kind of love that refuses to die with age, a perennial saga of amour that started with the Mughals and will probably continue as long as humanity will.