India’s Taj Mahal is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
The marble mausoleum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and sees millions of tourists every year.
So what is the history behind this legendary building?
Well, when the Taj Mahal was built in the 17th century, most of Northern India was ruled
by the Mughal Empire, which was a Muslim dynasty that arose out of Mongol conquests in Central
Asia.
One Mughal descendent, Shah Jahan, came to power in 1628.
According to historians, Shah Jahan had an exceptional eye for architecture and a passion
for building, earning him the nickname, “the builder of marvels”.
The Taj Mahal resulted from Shah Jahan’s love for his third wife, who was known as
Mumtaz Mahal, meaning "Jewel of the Palace".
Several years after Shah Jahan took power, Mumtaz became ill while giving birth to the
couple’s 14th child.
Legend says that on her deathbed, she asked her husband to build her the most beautiful
tomb ever known, and when she died in 1631, he immediately set out to do just that.
Over the course of the next two decades, more than 20,000 artisans and laborers were commissioned
for the project, coming from as far as Turkey and Iraq.
It is believed that more than 1000 elephants brought in materials from all over the region.
There was turquoise from Tibet, crystal and jade from China, sapphire from Sri Lanka,
carnelian from Arabia, and many other precious stones - all of which were inlaid in white
marble.
The total cost of the project was estimated to be about 32 million Indian Rupees.
In 1657, just a few years after the Taj Mahal was completed, Shah Jahan fell ill, and his
son, Dara Shikoh, took over the throne.
This created animosity among Dara’s brothers, who felt they had been cheated their share
of the Mughal empire.
One of his brothers seized the throne through a bloody battle, and placed his ill father
under house arrest in the royal palace.
According to historians, the imprisoned former king demanded to be placed in a room with
a direct view of the Taj Mahal.
Shah Jahan died in captivity in 1666, and was buried beside Mumtaz in the Taj Mahal
complex.
Although their sarcophagi cannot be accessed by the public, Shah Jahan and Mumtaz are represented
by two parallel tombs inside the building.
Shah Jahan had multiple wives throughout his life, but claimed to only have true affection
for Mumtaz.
She was his one true love and his inseparable life partner, accompanying him even on military
ventures.
The legacy of their enduring love continues to attract millions of visitors to the Taj
Mahal every year.
We can’t do episodes like this without help from our sponsors.
This episode was brought to you by Kay Jewelers.
For 100 years, every kiss begins with Kay.
The Taj Mahal is not only symbol of love, but of the wealthy and powerful empire that
ruled over India.
So how powerful is India today?
Find out in this video.
There is no centralized military authority within India's armed forces.
They don't have an equivalent to the U.S.' head of the joint chiefs.
As a result, the heads of each wing of their military act somewhat autonomously.
This is by design.
It prevents the military from assuming too much power or organizing a coup.
Thanks for watching Seeker Daily!
Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more videos every day.