Mumtaj Mahal Agra

Arjumand Banu or better known as Mumtaz Mahal was the legendary woman in whose memory the striking Taj Mahal was built. Taj Mahal is perhaps the most grand and spectacular monument built in the history of human civilization dedicated to love and companionship.

Arjumand Banu was the daughter of Asaf Khan and when she married Shah Jahan at the age of 14 years, regal city of Agra was already avid with the stories of her beauty. She was supposed to be the third wife of Prince Khurram or Shahjahan and the foremost one throughout their life. She was renamed as Mumtaz Mahal in 1612 after her marriage to the Mughal Prince Shah Jahan and remained an inseparable cohort of her husband till her demise. Mumtaz Mahal was acknowledged with the highest honor of the land - the royal seal - Mehr Uzaz from Shahjahan, the emperor. According to the myths, stories of her virtue spread all over the Mughal Empire.

She breathed her final breath after delivering their 14th child (a daughter) in the city of Burhanpur on June 17, 1631. The emperor and his pregnant empress moved towards Maharashtra or Deccan in the year 1630 to restrain the Lodi Empire that was gaining power at that time. This memorable journey was the last journey of her life.

It is believed that Mumtaz Mahal on her deathbed asked Shahjahan to build an epitome of love and companionship to honor their loving and undying relation and her loyal husband accepted it immediately. Though it is whispered amongst historians that the heartbroken emperor himself who decided to build the most brilliant symbol of love in the world.

It took Shahjahan 22 years and most of his royal treasury to build a monument commemorating the memory of his beloved wife. In the name of Mumtaz Mahal stands the most gorgeous building in the universe, that monument of love, purity, companionship, bonding and unparalleled beauty called the Taj Mahal.