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ARCHITECTURE | INDIA | HISTORY
Two Monuments That Move Me to Tears for Different Reasons
Taj Mahal’s timeless love story to India’s National War Memorial’s design story
Do you have a favourite monument? Why do you like it? If not, is there one you absolutely despise? And why? (Anu maheshwari)
At the risk of sounding clichéd, I would say the Taj Mahal. Not just because it is exquisite and one of a kind. I like it because it is also a symbol of love.
Everything else dwarfs when you stand in front of this pure elegance. Nothing else matters, not the religion, not who made it and not its place in history. However, the fact that an emperor created the mausoleum for the one he loved, while he looked on from his distant window during his life imprisonment, adds to its significance. The only thing that kept him going was the view of his beloved resting in eternal peace beneath the serene marble dome.
The monument is carved out of pure white marble, commissioned by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
I know there are detractors who would point fingers, question and make allegations about its history. But if you stand in front of this magnificent wonder made entirely by…
