In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during that time, was grief-stricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their 14th child, Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632. The mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these 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.
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.
I guess now he knows all of that was a bunch of malarky.
Some exterior detail to show the intricate carving and inlaid stone work.
Interior shots
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| This is pierced, carved marble |
Tuesday we will spend the day in Delhi and then take a late flight to return home. ETA in Columbus early Thurs morning. It's been a good exploratory trip, but I'm more than ready to be home! Steak and Shake here I come!
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