The Love Story of the Taj Mahal

This pendant was inspired by a postcard from 1879 of The Taj Mahal in Agra, India, which is indisputably the most famous example of Mughal architecture. It is known as one of the great wonders of the world and is a supreme temple of love, still standing gracefully on the Yamuna River. Not only is it a monument of love but also entails endless curiosity and legend.

Emperor Shan Jahan built the Taj Mahal in memory of his favorite and beloved wife Arjumand Banu Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal who died giving birth to their fourteenth child. Mumtaz was not just a beautiful woman with whom Shan Jahan was in love; she was his helpmate, the anchor. He was dependant on Mumtaz and as long as she was alive, he was completely devoted to her and neglected all his other wives. Aminial Qazvini, one of his official chroniclers, writes it

“ He did not feel towards the others, one-thousand the part of the affection that he did for her late majesty, and he never allowed her to be separated from him whether at home or aboard”

Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1623 and was completed sixteen years later. Historian Peter Mundy, who visited the site in the early stages of construction writes “ gold and silver were esteemed common metal, and marble but ordinary stone,” nothing but the best was good enough for Shan Jahan, who was known for his love of perfect symmetry and meticulous design.

There have always been some beliefs and myths associated to the famous monument, legend has it that Shan Jahan wanted to build another Taj Mahal directly opposite the Yamuna for himself, it was to be an exact mirror image of the White Taj Mahal, identical in everyway, expect it would be made out of Black Marble. The two buildings were to be connected by a silver bridge across the river, allowing the lovers to be together forever. The origin of this legend is unknown and may simply be a poetic embellishment of the dramatic life of a historical figure. The concept behind the design of this necklace focuses on the love between Shan Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, completing the legend of the Black Taj Mahal. The two small round pieces are identical to the main dome of the Taj Mahal, yet split in the middle, one representing Shan Jahan in the black and Mumtaz in the white. The two pieces are made of marble from India and sterling silver wire connects them together.