When strolling down the Meena Bazaar, Shah Jahan caught a glimpse of a girl, Arjumand Banu Begum. At that time, he was 14 years old and she, a Muslim Persian princess, was 15. After meeting her, Shah Jahan went back to his father and declared that he wanted to marry her. It was love at first sight and The match got solemnized after five years. When Shah Jahan became emperor, He bestowed her with the title of Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the “Jewel of the Palace”. Though Mumtaz was Shah Jahan’s 4th wife (out of 7); they shared a very loving relationship and Mumtaz was Shah Jahan’s trusted companion who, despite her many pregnancies, travelled with her husband around the country during his military campaigns.
Mumtaz Mahal bore Shah Jahan fourteen children, including popular historical figures such as Dara Shikoh, Shah Shuja, Roshnara Begum, Jahanara Begum and Aurangzeb, among others. On June 17th 1631 Mumtaz Mahal died while giving birth to their fourteenth child in Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh. Mumtaz’s body was initially buried in a walled garden in Burhanpur, known as Zainabad and situated on the banks of the River Tapti. Shah Jahan was visibly devastated at the death of his beloved wife and was inconsolable. It is believed that Shah Jahan went into isolated mourning for a year and when he returned, all his hair had turned white and his face was ravaged with sadness.
When he returned, he had Mumtaj’s body exhumed in the and transported back to Agra in a golden coffin which was escorted by the Emperor’s son, Shah Shuja. Back in Agra, Mumtaz Mahal’s body was buried in a small building on the banks of the River Yamuna and Shah Jahan began planning the royal mausoleum which he would build for his deceased wife. Thereafter, Shah Jahan spent more than twenty years building the Taj Mahal in memory of his beloved wife. Shah Jahan was laid to rest next to Mumtaz Mahal in the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is probably the world’s most recognized building apart from being called one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World”.
Reference:
http://www.mapsofindia.com/on-this-day/june-17-1631-mumtaz-mahal-dies-during-childbirth
http://postober.com/interesting/10-lesser-known-facts-about-taj-mahal-shah-jahan-and-mumtaz/
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