Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal
Eternal love carved in marble
The Mughal emperor who, when his favorite wife died bearing their fourteenth child, built the Taj Mahal as her tomb and the grandest declaration of eternal love ever raised.
01Why it matters
There is no more recognized monument to love on the planet. The Taj Mahal turned private grief into a heritage of humanity and the world's number-one romantic destination. It is proof that love can survive four centuries in stone.
02The conflict
Mumtaz's death in childbirth, in 1631 in Burhanpur. Years later Shah Jahan himself was imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in the Agra Fort, from which he gazed at the Taj in the distance.
03The iconic moment
The aged emperor gazing at the Taj Mahal from the window of his prison in the Agra Fort, until the day he died.
04What survived
The Taj Mahal (completed c. 1648–1653; UNESCO World Heritage since 1983), called by Tagore "a teardrop on the cheek of time." The two lie buried side by side within it.
05What to watch, read & listen
06Where to travel
07Frequently asked questions
Why is the story of Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal famous?
There is no more recognized monument to love on the planet. The Taj Mahal turned private grief into a heritage of humanity and the world's number-one romantic destination. It is proof that love can survive four centuries in stone.
How does the story of Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal end?
The aged emperor gazing at the Taj Mahal from the window of his prison in the Agra Fort, until the day he died. The Taj Mahal (completed c. 1648–1653; UNESCO World Heritage since 1983), called by Tagore "a teardrop on the cheek of time." The two lie buried side by side within it.
Where can you visit the story of Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal?
You can visit Taj Mahal, in Agra. The tomb-monument where they rest together.
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