Whenever people think of India, they think of a bustling crowd, a diversity of religions and a diverse cultural scene, but there is another land that amazes the world: the famous Taj Mahal.
One of India's most famous tourist destinations and one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal has earned worldwide acclaim for its immaculate white marble walls and intricate décor.
There is also a touching story behind the Taj Mahal, which is the mausoleum of Shah Jahan, the fifth emperor of the Mughal dynasty in India, for his beloved wife Ajman.
In many people's minds, emperors are always amorous and affectionate, but Shah Jahan is not like this, and he only married Ajman alone in his life.
When his wife was alive, he only had her in his heart, and after his wife died, he did not appoint other queens, and truly fulfilled the love promise of "one couple for a lifetime".
Ajman's life was full of happiness but extremely difficult, giving birth to 14 children for Shah Jahan in 19 years, which shows how much the king loved her, but unfortunately she died of infection due to childbirth.
Today, let's explore the love story behind the Taj Mahal.
Beautiful love story
In 1593, Ajman Banu was born into a prominent aristocratic family in Agra, the son of Abu Hasan Assaf Khan, a prominent Mughal Empire, and his aunt, Nur Jahan, the beloved of Emperor Jahangir.
It is no exaggeration to say that since Ajman came into this world, he has been bathed in the blessings of elite education. As the years passed, she soon entered the cardamom years of 14 years old and transformed into a stunning beauty.
Ajman is not tall, but his body is relatively well-proportioned, his facial features are delicate, his eyes are shining with intelligence, and every smile and frown seems to be a fairy walking directly from the painting.
Sometime in 1607, the Mughal dynasty held a grand gathering and the entire dynasty was immersed in laughter. Ajman couldn't hide his excitement, and after some careful dressing, he went to enjoy the joy of this celebration with his friends.
At the rally, her figure attracted the attention of countless people like a bright star, and her overly outstanding beauty made many men stop for it, and even once attracted the attention of others, becoming a unique landscape.
Emperor Jahangir's third son, named Kulam, was driven by curiosity to meet a lively crowd in the court that day, and his eyes were soon firmly locked on a woman whose beauty was breathtaking, and instantly touched the heartstrings of Kulam.
And this woman is Ajman Banu, the crowd dispersed, and Kuram did not give up the opportunity, took the initiative to find the other party and frankly expressed his admiration.
Ajman, who is in the prime of his youth, is like a rabbit in the face of Kurram's sincere confession, and the boy's appearance is also handsome, so he quickly falls in love with each other and quickly falls in love.
As Ajman turned 19 years old, Khurram decided that the time was ripe and extended a hand to her to propose, and the two eventually walked hand in hand into the palace of marriage.
Married to a sweet and harmonious life, Cullam's love for Ajman is unparalleled, and he always manages to keep her with him even when he is on the battlefield.
In the Battle of the Deccan in 1616, the 24-year-old warrior won a decisive victory for his country with his fearless fighting spirit.
As the son of royalty, Khurram received a strict religious and cultural education at court from an early age, and was not only brave on the battlefield, but also culturally knowledgeable. As a result, he was given the title of "Shah Jahan", which means that he is the ruler of the world.
However, as one of Jahangir's many heirs, Shah Jahan's path to the throne was not smooth. He led the army away from the heart of power for many years, and in 1622 he failed to seize imperial power and was exiled for seven years.
During these difficult years, Ajman was always by his side, becoming the only consolation in exile.
It was even sweeter to be a king, and he died of postpartum illness
When the old king died in 1627, Shah Jahan and his brother fought a war to decide who would succeed to the throne, as was also a Mughal tradition.
Thanks to the unwavering support of his father-in-law, Assaf Khan, Shah Jahan won the throne in 1628 and became the fifth Mughal monarch after a fierce battle.
It is said that the emperor was unkind, and after ascending the throne, Shah Jahan's love for Ajman did not weaken, but became deeper.
Although he has climbed to the pinnacle of power, out of gratitude for his wife's unswerving loyalty, he does not indulge in the temptation to fill his harem, but always loves Ajman with whom he has survived.
Soon after ascending to the throne, Shah Jahan officially bestowed on her the honorific title of "Montaj Mahal", meaning the most precious jewel in the palace.
Shah Jahan's attachment to Ajman grew deeper, and as mentioned above, he always carried the queen with him even on the battlefield. At first, he just couldn't bear to leave his wife alone in the palace, but later he found that as long as he was in Ajman's company, he could always bring the dawn of victory.
In such a situation, he regards Ajman as his lucky star, and that emotion changes from the initial "unbearable" to a deep "dependence", and only Ajman can get some peace in his heart.
Even when Ajman was pregnant and in labor, Shah Jahan still led her to join the army, and his wife insisted on staying by her husband's side despite her physical discomfort during the rebellion.
In the eighteen years, I don't know how many times I have experienced such a life, and how many people can bear such hardships, and they have overcome many difficulties side by side during the journey.
After 18 years of marriage, Ajman Banu brought 14 new lives to Shah Jahan, and the love between them can be seen.
Originally, their future should be that their children and grandchildren should be around their knees and share the joy of family, but their fate took an unexpected turn in 1631.
When Shah Jahan arrived on the Deccan Plateau, this time the battle was quite fierce, and he was about to launch a decisive offensive, but Ajman suffered a sudden abdominal pain, and it was clear that the time for labor had come.
Unfortunately, due to the poor conditions during the delivery process, Ajman contracted postpartum illness. In the last moments of her life, she summoned Shah Jahan to her side and expressed her last wish in a weak but firm voice:
"I know that my time is running out, and I have two wishes, first of all, you will do your best to take care of our children and save them from suffering. Secondly, please build me a mausoleum like no other, so that our love can be celebrated for generations to come. ”
As soon as the words fell, Ajman slowly closed his eyes and passed away, Shah Jahan fell into deep grief and burst into tears, hugging Ajman tightly and unwilling to accept this cruel reality.
Shah Jahan was deeply saddened by the death of his beloved wife, his hair turned white that night, and his heart was filled with unacceptable feelings for the untimely death of his beloved wife, and then he vowed to fulfill Ajman's last wish to build an eternal memorial mausoleum.
The construction and symbolism of the Taj Mahal looks at the Taj Mahal from afar as it comes to the end of its life alone
In order to ensure that the mausoleum is a place of unparalleled beauty in the world, Shah Jahan chose the site for the Taj Mahal on the south bank of the Yamuna River, just 1.5 kilometers from the capital city of Agra Palace.
In this way, he can look at the land that is separated from his yin and yang but will always be concerned from the royal palace upstream every day.
He invited the country's most famous architect, Director Raholi, as well as many architects, mosaics, calligraphers, carvers and masons from Persia, Turkey, Baghdad and other countries to participate in the construction, totaling more than 20,000 people.
The mausoleum cost about 32 million rupees, equivalent to 6 billion yuan today, and took 22 years of meticulous construction to finally complete this magnificent structure, known as the Taj Mahal Mausoleum.
At the heart of the Taj Mahal is a majestic white marble dome that rises 73 metres into the sky and is surrounded by four minarets representing the four guardian angels of Islam.
Beneath the dome lies the resting place of the Taj Maj, and the walls of the tomb are adorned with flowers and Qur'anic verses, silently telling of her deep admiration and remembrance.
In the center of the burial chamber is an octagonal white marble openwork screen, which has been carved for ten years as if it were a gate to heaven leading to the underworld.
Inside the screen, two marble sarcophagi lie silently, inlaid with colorful gemstone flowers. Surrounding the mausoleum is a vast garden with a long waterway that leads the eye to a red gate.
The names of Shah Jahan and Taj are engraved on the door, as if to tell their immortal love story, and it can be said that every detail of the Taj Mahal reflects Shah Jahan's deep love for his beloved.
In order to build this monument of love, Shah Jahan did not hesitate to deplete the treasury to collect precious materials for the construction of the palace, and when the treasury was empty, he continued the project by raising taxes, causing the lives of the common people to be in dire straits.
Shah Jahan had also dreamed of building a new mausoleum for himself opposite the Taj Mahal, but the kingdom could no longer support such a profligacy, and his sons were eyeing the throne and plotting to usurp it, so his desire to build a mausoleum for himself was never fulfilled.
In 1657, a brutal power struggle between Shah Jahan and Ajman's heirs led to Aurangzeb's victory, with his defeated brothers becoming the new king, and Shah Jahan under house arrest in an octagonal tower at Agra Fort.
However, it was his own choice, because from there he could vaguely see the mausoleum of his beloved wife, and gaze at the Taj Mahal from the window day after day.
In 1666 A.D., Shah Jahan died in melancholy, and his son followed his last wishes to bury him with Ajman, achieving eternal companionship. Although the Taj Mahal is a cold mausoleum, it is an ode to love, and it is because of that great love that this building came about.
Nowadays, the Taj Mahal has become a famous tourist attraction in India, attracting countless tourists, many of whom are touched by the love story of Shah Jahan and Ajman, and the mausoleum has become an eternal testimony of love.
What do you think differently about this?