Taj Mahal - Blogabond

The Taj Mahal is grand. Staring up at the edifice certainly inspires awe, and boggles the mind with questions of "why?" and "how?". There are a couple of different versions to answer both of these questions, so I'll encourage you to fact-check on wikipedia or someplace legitimate if interested. The story we got from our excellent guide went something like this: The ruler of an empire which stretched further than modern day India decided to build the monument as a tribute of sorts to his favorite (one of four) wife who passed away shortly after giving birth to her thirteenth child. In this way, the magnificent structure is a monument to the love he had for this woman. This is definitely the theme emphasized by the government-sponsored information, complete with a sob-story romantic ending of the ruler gazing out the window at the Taj Mahal on his deathbed, yearning to join his love in the afterlife.

An alternative version we read about claimed that the ruler died after an intense night of opiates and aphrodisiacs at the ripe old age of 74. Either way, this guy definitely had a soft spot for the female. It is also theorized that the structure was intended to transport the ruler and his wife directly to heaven, after they were both buried directly under the main dome of the building. There is some speculation that this ruler believed he was God himself. In any case, the narcissism (perhaps even solipsism) that this ruler engaged in continues to bring tremendous benefit to the people of Agra, India, 450 years after the completion of the building. I'm currently reading the book, Atlas Shrugged (the capitalists' Bible), by Ayn Rand, which apologetically states that the highest form of morality and virtue is to act in your own self-interest and produce more than you consume. I can't help but think that Rand would emphatically approve of the Taj Mahal construction as an ego-maniacal tribute to the love of wife and self which has had unmeasurable positive economic impact for this region of India.

The trip from Delhi to Agra was filled with stereotypical visions of India: A snake charmer, camels, elephants, monkeys doing tricks on sticks, an eyeball-less beggar, endless roadside trinkets for sale, etc.

Simply stated, I don't disagree with the claim that the Taj Mahal might just be the most beautiful building in the world.

written by

Katy and Mark Lewis on April 26, 2009 from Agra, India

from the travel blog: India and Nepal

Send a Compliment

comment on this...