The Taj Mahal was commissioned in 1631 by Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor, as a mausoleum (tomb) for one of his wife – Mumtaz Mahal. It was completed in 1643 and is a shining example of classic Mughal architecture. Mumtaz was Shah Jahan’s third and favourite wife and their love story is legendary. It is generally believed that she was a beautiful and devoted wife who was content to have lots of children with her husband – she died giving birth to their 14th child !

Like – maybe almost every traveler, visiting the Taj Mahal has long been on my bucket list. So when I was preparing the itinerary for our India trip last year, I made sure to include the Taj on the itinerary, in fact it was the first stop in our tip.

Is Taj Mahal worth visiting ? Absolutely yes, every bit of it. Taj Mahal is a touristic place, we can’t deny it. Every year, it would attracts 7 to 8 million visitors annually, yes it can be very crowded. It is one of the most-admired seven wonders in the world.

The best time to travel Agra for Taj Mahal tour is from October to December and from February to March. While we were visiting Agra in January, the peak of winter season in India, it was very cold in the morning but we had pleasant weather during the day, and lucky us it was not too crowded.

We flew in India via Jaipur and directly went to Agra because we wanted to visit the Taj during sunrise. It is well known that the best time of the day to visit Taj Mahal is during sunrise, when the building looks like a blooming flower and the sun turn it into pink color. I just can’t imagine it, it must be very beautiful.

As I approached the gate I was so nervous, I can’t wait to see the Taj. We walked quickly and when I finally in, I was amazed. It’s so magical, I was left speechless. We entered the Taj from Royal Gate and experiencing the special optical illusion of the Taj. As I walked towards the gate I could see the monument appears walking away but suddenly the Taj is there, it was so beautiful.

The exquisite marble structure is a mausoleum build by The Mughals. The Moslem empire were at the peak of their power and wealth during Shah Jahan’s reign, and India’s rich lode of precious gems yielded him much wealth and power. It is said that 20,000 stone carvers, masons, and artists from across India and as far as Turkey and Iraq were employed under a team of architects to build the Taj Mahal in the lush gardens on the banks of Agra’s Jamuna River. They completed the epic task between 1631 and 1648.

The Taj Mahal is well know as monument of love, but I found interesting fact in one of BCC article, the plot twist that actually the Taj was built out of guilt. The article was written based on the 1970’s play of the Tale of the Taj by Dilip Hiro, a London-based author.

It is generally believed that Mumtaz-Shah Jahan’s third wife and his favourite was beautiful and devoted wife. She died giving birth to their 14th child after prolonged labour. But actually there was another side that’s not well known, apparently Mumtaz was not at all the beautiful-dutiful wife.

“Mumtaz wielded considerable political power and influence and there are plenty of historical documents confirming her involvement in administrative matters and government orders,” Delhi University professor Farhat Hasan says.

It is an interesting fact, considering the women in that era were known uneducated, even they were practicing purdah system which women are secluded from the public, women should not be seen by strangers or appear in any public area.

But apparently Mumtaz plays a crucial role in the empire, she was a guide and adviser to her husband too. The play’s great surprise centres on a high-stakes game of chess played one evening, when a pregnant Mumtaz nudges the emperor to bet his throne. When he loses the game she ascends the throne, giving free rein to her ruthlessness and ambition. The emperor then realizes that his beloved queen must be stopped. A tussle over the royal seal ends with her fall from the throne, and soon Mumtaz dies in childbirth. But was it a mere accident or was she pushed?

There is no suggestion in history that she could have been murdered. I could only see the declaration of love here, true love and passion of Shah Jahan to his beloved wife.

Featured image : the view of Taj Mahal from Royal Gate – first breath taking glimpse