Let’s move to India and reveal new facts tracing back to centuries. Thus, many dream of visiting the Indian city of Agra and seeing India’s pearl, the Taj Mahal. However, people have rarely asked why it is called Taj Mahal. It turns out that it is named after Shah Jahan’s beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is worth mentioning that Mumtaz Mahal was also of Armenian descent and was the daughter of Armenian official Asaf khan of the Indian royalty. However, taking into consideration the fact that the family followed the Shia Islamic religion, and the maiden name of Mahal was Arjumanad Banu Begam. Afterwards, Shah Jahan’s father, Jahangir renamed the bride Mahal, which means “jewel of a palace”. In 1612, Mumtaz Mahal got married to the emperor at the age of 19 and had 13 children. However, during the birth of the 14th child, she died at her husband’s military camp. On her deathbed, she asked her husband to build a temple on her tombstone that would be worthy of their love.
After his beloved wife’s death, Shah Jahan declares mourning for two years during which it was prohibited to celebrate Indian holidays, dance or listen to music. Later, he commands to build a large marble mausoleum on the tombstone of the woman who have moved to Agra. Construction lasts 22 years, and the mausoleum is referred to as Taj Mahal (“Palace of the Crown”) in honor of Mumtaz Mahal.
