The Taj Mahal is considered a symbol of the love of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is not only one of the wonders of the world for its luxurious beauty, but the deep love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal is also hidden behind it, which attracts people. An unheard story of the Taj Mahal is that Mumtaz Mahal was not first buried in the Taj Mahal, but was buried three times in different places before that. This unheard story is one of the many stories associated with the Taj Mahal, which makes this monument even more special."text-align: justify;">Mumtaz Mahal was buried after her death
Mumtaz Mahal’s real name was Arjumand Bano Begum. She died on 17 June 1631 in Burhanpur. During Shah Jahan’s military campaign in South India, Mumtaz died while giving birth to her 14th child Gauhar Ara Begum. Disheartened by this incident, Shah Jahan decided to build a grand mausoleum in memory of Mumtaz. Mumtaz Mahal died in Burhanpur. Therefore, she was buried in a temporary grave in a garden on the banks of the Tapti River in Burhanpur itself. That was because the construction of the Taj Mahal had not started at that time.
Second burial in Agra
Shah Jahan wanted Mumtaz Mahal to rest in the Taj Mahal. So after a few months, Mumtaz’s body was brought from Burhanpur to Agra. Here she was placed in another temporary mausoleum called Rauza-e-Munawwara, because even then the construction of the Taj Mahal was not complete. Shah Jahan wanted to fulfill his promise to Mumtaz. So he wanted Mumtaz’s last burial to be in a luxurious mausoleum built on the banks of the Yamuna river, and it should become a symbol of their love.
Third and last burial in Taj Mahal
The construction of Taj Mahal was completed in 1633 at the site of Rauza-e-Munawwara mausoleum. Then Mumtaz Mahal was buried for the third time inside Taj Mahal at her final resting place. This is the mausoleum which people from all over the world come to see today. This last burial of Mumtaz Mahal is a proof of Shah Jahan’s deep love. This is the reason why today it is known as an immortal symbol of love.
Taj Mahal, such a luxurious tomb, why?
Shahjahan’s court historian Inayat Khan’s book Shahjahannama reveals that before her death, Mumtaz Mahal had mentioned to Shahjahan about a dream in which she had seen a beautiful palace and garden. Mumtaz had requested Shahjahan to bury her in a similar palace-like tomb. After Mumtaz’s death, Shahjahan was restless to fulfill this promise until the Taj Mahal was built. He deliberately chose the land on the banks of the Yamuna for the Taj Mahal, so that the gardens around the tomb could get water. This was the reason why Shahjahan buried Mumtaz Mahal three times at different places.
The immortal love of Shahjahan and Mumtaz
The love story of Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal is contained in every brick of the Taj Mahal. Shahjahan’s deep love for Mumtaz gave birth to the world’s most beautiful and luxurious mausoleum. The Taj Mahal is not just a building, but a symbol of true and deep love. This story of burying Mumtaz three times makes this symbol even more emotional and historical. This unheard story makes the history of the Taj Mahal even more interesting and unique. While on one hand the structure of the Taj Mahal is famous all over the world, on the other hand, this story of the burial of Mumtaz Mahal testifies to the immortal love of Shahjahan and Mumtaz.
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