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Taj: A Story of Mughal India
When his queen Arjumand Banu-Mumtaz-i-Mahal-the Chosen One of the Palace-died, Shah Jahan wanted to build a monument that was the image of his perfect love for her. For twenty-two years, twenty thousand men laboured day and night to fulfill the emperor's obsession. The result was the Taj Mahal, a marble mausoleum lined with gold, silver and precious jewels.
This powerful novel narrates the story of the Taj on two parallel levels. The first one tells the passionate love story of Shah Jahan and Arjumand. The second recounts the later years of Shah Jahan's reign, the building of the Taj Mahal and the bloody pursuit of the fabulous Peacock throne by his sons. Intertwined in the building is the story of Murthi, the Hindu master craftsman sent as a gift to the emperor to carve the famous marble jail around Arjumand's sarcophagus.
Murari has skilfully recreated the period against which the story is set, the sensual opulence of the palace, the grinding poverty of seventeenth century India, the vicissitudes of Shah Jahan's reign and the historical background of the conflict between men of different faiths.
This powerful novel narrates the story of the Taj on two parallel levels. The first one tells the passionate love story of Shah Jahan and Arjumand. The second recounts the later years of Shah Jahan's reign, the building of the Taj Mahal and the bloody pursuit of the fabulous Peacock throne by his sons. Intertwined in the building is the story of Murthi, the Hindu master craftsman sent as a gift to the emperor to carve the famous marble jail around Arjumand's sarcophagus.
Murari has skilfully recreated the period against which the story is set, the sensual opulence of the palace, the grinding poverty of seventeenth century India, the vicissitudes of Shah Jahan's reign and the historical background of the conflict between men of different faiths.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
67 people are currently reading
891 people want to read
About the author
Timeri N. Murari
36 books37 followersTimeri Murari is an award winning writer, filmmaker, and playwright, who began his career as journalist on the Kingston Whig Standard in Ontario, Canada. He writes for the Guardian, Sunday Times, and other magazines and newspapers internationally. He has published both fiction and non-fiction, and his bestselling novel, Taj, was translated into 19 lanugages and has recently been reissued by Penguin India. In 2006, he published a memoir, My Temporary Son, exploring the difficulties of adopting a desperately ill orphan. Timeri now lives with his wife in his ancestral home of Chennai, India.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
June 19, 2024
Labai, labai, labai ištemta knyga, kurią pabaigti prireikė nemažai pastangų. Mano nuomone, kai kur parašyti labai netikroviški įvykiai ir dialogai.
„Meilė yra skausmas, nenumalšinamas ilgesys. Pasaulis susitraukia ir pražūva, žmonės išnyksta, lieka tik jis. Lyg gyventum dviejose vietose: kūnas palaidotas vienoje, virpa, plasta, kenčia; širdis ir protas nublokšti į kitą. Įsimylėjėliai gyvena atskirą, jiems nepavaldų gyvenimą, šviesų, bet slegiamą baimės; kyla į dangų, paskui grimzta į tamsybes; dainuoja, paskui skęsta graudžiose išsiskyrimo ašarose.“ (p. 40)
„Meilė yra skausmas, nenumalšinamas ilgesys. Pasaulis susitraukia ir pražūva, žmonės išnyksta, lieka tik jis. Lyg gyventum dviejose vietose: kūnas palaidotas vienoje, virpa, plasta, kenčia; širdis ir protas nublokšti į kitą. Įsimylėjėliai gyvena atskirą, jiems nepavaldų gyvenimą, šviesų, bet slegiamą baimės; kyla į dangų, paskui grimzta į tamsybes; dainuoja, paskui skęsta graudžiose išsiskyrimo ašarose.“ (p. 40)
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November 27, 2016While reading this book I kept thinking “This author have an ulterior motive!”
Because really, why would an Indian author write a book about one of the best architectural buildings not only in India but the world, and about a ruling family that ruled a vast empire through generations in India, and then just write everything that is bad about it.
I mean so they were exceedingly rich and corrupted and drank like a crazy (all day long) and cared only for their pleasures. So I ask when did they have the time to rule the empire, try to keep the peace, go on campaigns and keep all those people with different languages and religions under control, if all the emperor did was spend his days unsuccessfully trying to get a widow into his bed??
It’s a historical fact (which this book was very lacking in) that they were rich and cared for their pleasure, but if the author wrote about the good points as well I would not have felt so irritated.
The book, which is divided in chapters, were the even numbered ones talk about the love story (past) and the odd numbered ones talk about the actual building of the Taj Mahal, was also divided into:
* Even numbered chapters that listed treasures, extravagance, pleasures and sometimes cruelty and totally useless events that they didn’t make any sense expect add to the treasure. I wonder why would Arjumand be allowed to visit the empire’s treasury, and with the son who turned traitor!? And why would a Muslim princess visit a Hindu Temple??! (well after googling it, I know why the author put that in the book)
* And then there are the odd numbered chapters where the extravagance and the time and people needed to build the Taj Mahal are listed and in between we see glimpses of emperor Shah Jahan who now after his wife died cares nothing for the empire and spends his days obsessing about the building.
The author has a good writing style, but I didn’t like him.
The book was full of historical errors, especially with the dates.
And really all the romantic flowery talk, meant nothing because they were 15 and 12, so they just saw each other and baam their crazy for each other, and I’m supposed to believe that. It reminded me of the old badly translated books that I read a long time ago where the heroine faints after seeing the hero because her feeling were just overwhelming.
It’s a historical fact that Shah Jahan and Arjumand were in Love, and the Taj Mahal still stands to prove it, but if anybody checks the history, they were really engaged for 5 years then they got married and fell in love, and still their story is really romantic.
There were other stuff in the book that got me all irritated, a fuss was made about Shah Jahan being married to a Persian princess and how he had to get rid of her first, well, dah, he can have more than one wife, and he actually did.
But, to be truthful, my biggest issue was how explicit the author was about “pleasures”, even if what he wrote was true I REALLY DON’T WANT TO READ ABOUT IT. (disgusting)
I wish somebody would just warn me about stuff like that in books, you know on the back cover or reviews “Warning: Explicit scenes where its not normal, read at your own risk”
And that just born baby that “chuckled with laughter” was just too creepy.
I found Indu Sundaresan books on the same period to be much more entertaining, I have really enjoyed them, (even though she got a few Islamic practices wrong).
Because really, why would an Indian author write a book about one of the best architectural buildings not only in India but the world, and about a ruling family that ruled a vast empire through generations in India, and then just write everything that is bad about it.
I mean so they were exceedingly rich and corrupted and drank like a crazy (all day long) and cared only for their pleasures. So I ask when did they have the time to rule the empire, try to keep the peace, go on campaigns and keep all those people with different languages and religions under control, if all the emperor did was spend his days unsuccessfully trying to get a widow into his bed??
It’s a historical fact (which this book was very lacking in) that they were rich and cared for their pleasure, but if the author wrote about the good points as well I would not have felt so irritated.
The book, which is divided in chapters, were the even numbered ones talk about the love story (past) and the odd numbered ones talk about the actual building of the Taj Mahal, was also divided into:
* Even numbered chapters that listed treasures, extravagance, pleasures and sometimes cruelty and totally useless events that they didn’t make any sense expect add to the treasure. I wonder why would Arjumand be allowed to visit the empire’s treasury, and with the son who turned traitor!? And why would a Muslim princess visit a Hindu Temple??! (well after googling it, I know why the author put that in the book)
* And then there are the odd numbered chapters where the extravagance and the time and people needed to build the Taj Mahal are listed and in between we see glimpses of emperor Shah Jahan who now after his wife died cares nothing for the empire and spends his days obsessing about the building.
The author has a good writing style, but I didn’t like him.
The book was full of historical errors, especially with the dates.
And really all the romantic flowery talk, meant nothing because they were 15 and 12, so they just saw each other and baam their crazy for each other, and I’m supposed to believe that. It reminded me of the old badly translated books that I read a long time ago where the heroine faints after seeing the hero because her feeling were just overwhelming.
It’s a historical fact that Shah Jahan and Arjumand were in Love, and the Taj Mahal still stands to prove it, but if anybody checks the history, they were really engaged for 5 years then they got married and fell in love, and still their story is really romantic.
There were other stuff in the book that got me all irritated, a fuss was made about Shah Jahan being married to a Persian princess and how he had to get rid of her first, well, dah, he can have more than one wife, and he actually did.
But, to be truthful, my biggest issue was how explicit the author was about “pleasures”, even if what he wrote was true I REALLY DON’T WANT TO READ ABOUT IT. (disgusting)
I wish somebody would just warn me about stuff like that in books, you know on the back cover or reviews “Warning: Explicit scenes where its not normal, read at your own risk”
And that just born baby that “chuckled with laughter” was just too creepy.
I found Indu Sundaresan books on the same period to be much more entertaining, I have really enjoyed them, (even though she got a few Islamic practices wrong).
October 9, 2011
I liked this book. It is historical fiction set in Mughal India. Made for a fascinating read. The story moves in 3 directions simultaneously. A young Shahjahan falling in love with Arjumand (Mumtaz Mahal), an older Shahjahan building his dream or obsession of a Taj Mahal and the story of a poor Hindu carver. The Hindu carver is a symbol of the way Hindus were treated during a predominantly Mughal era.
The hospitality of the famed Rajputs, the Aurangzeb angle - where the author has tried to discuss why Aurangzeb was the way he is thanks to lack of love and affection from his parents, Jahangir's exploits with women, the vast expanse and riches of the Mughal empire.
Some questions that this book raised in my mind:
1. Arjumand keeps getting pregnant thanks to Shahjahan's 'love' for her. He can't keep his hands off her mostly. There are times she is shown to be weak-willed and succumb to love making when she clearly knows her body can't take it. But mostly, it is Shahjahan's love for bodily pleasures that Arjumand can't say no to, due to her sheer love and devotion towards him. She suffers on accord of this. I wondered how things have changed over time in India. Women were like that, all forgiving and took risks with their health for the sake of their husband's joys then, and do so even now. What has changed, really?
2. An older Shahjahan's Delhi is filled with marble. The Hindu carver is asked to make a 'murti' of Goddess Durga using this - it's almost a secret because this king is trying to follow Akbar's policy of tolerance, however, isn't always strong enough to stand up to the Mullahs. Apart from that being a reflection of several Islamic countries today, I got thinking about whether North Indian temples use marble because of this reason, or is it just because there is marble in abundance in the Northern parts of the country?
3. This book was a trip down History textbooks for me and so, I did like it a lot!
The hospitality of the famed Rajputs, the Aurangzeb angle - where the author has tried to discuss why Aurangzeb was the way he is thanks to lack of love and affection from his parents, Jahangir's exploits with women, the vast expanse and riches of the Mughal empire.
Some questions that this book raised in my mind:
1. Arjumand keeps getting pregnant thanks to Shahjahan's 'love' for her. He can't keep his hands off her mostly. There are times she is shown to be weak-willed and succumb to love making when she clearly knows her body can't take it. But mostly, it is Shahjahan's love for bodily pleasures that Arjumand can't say no to, due to her sheer love and devotion towards him. She suffers on accord of this. I wondered how things have changed over time in India. Women were like that, all forgiving and took risks with their health for the sake of their husband's joys then, and do so even now. What has changed, really?
2. An older Shahjahan's Delhi is filled with marble. The Hindu carver is asked to make a 'murti' of Goddess Durga using this - it's almost a secret because this king is trying to follow Akbar's policy of tolerance, however, isn't always strong enough to stand up to the Mullahs. Apart from that being a reflection of several Islamic countries today, I got thinking about whether North Indian temples use marble because of this reason, or is it just because there is marble in abundance in the Northern parts of the country?
3. This book was a trip down History textbooks for me and so, I did like it a lot!
December 22, 2024
Indų rašytojas Timeri N. Murari istorija apie Didžiųjų Mogolų viešpatavimo laikų Indiją, visiems žinomą ir nuostabiu pastatu apvainikuotą meilės istoriją. Nors ir pretenduoja į istorinius romanus, bet knyga sukelia dvejopus jausmus. Istorinė dalis, viskas gerai, europiečiams gan egzotiška ir įdomi. Tačiau autoriaus aprašomos erotinės scenos nieko neprideda, gal net suvulgarina knygą, nors teigiama, kad " atidengiamas slaptas rūmų gyvenimas".
October 16, 2022
„Gyvenimo pradžioje mes vientisi, daugelio žmonių sankaupa: tėvo ir motinos, senelių, brolių, pusbrolių, pusseserių, seserų. Paskui jie vienas po kito miršta, ir mūsų vientisumas nyksta sulig kiekviena mirtimi. Mes mažėjame, traukiamės, džiūstame, kol po visų netekčių belieka savastis.“
Labai liūdna istorija apie didelę meilę ir didelę netektį. Pradžia nėra ta, kuri labai mane įtraukė, šįkart nebuvau ir labai didelė gerbėja dviejų linijų/laikmečių, nes viena per daug atskleidė apie kitos ateitį, dėl ko jau nuo pat pradžių žinai visos istorijos pabaigą, o tai neleidžia mėgautis meilės linija ir pačiam savo mintyse kurti ir vystyti pagrindinių veikėjų ryšį. Vis dėlto, istorija turi savo žavesio, ypatingai atsižvelgiant į tai, kad viskas sukasi aplink didingąjį Tadž Mahalį, tiek apie jo atsiradimo (sukūrimo), tiek ir statymo istoriją (pasirodo, kad į google užtenka įvesti vienintelį raktažodį "Indija", net ne "Tadž Mahalis", kad Jums iš visų kampų atsivertų šis mauzoliejus), kuri paliečia daugybę įvairių asmenų ir šeimų gyvenimų, knygoje puikiai atskleidžiama Indijos kultūra, religiniai motyvai, santuokos institutas. Aš esu visiškai istorinių romanų gerbėja, gal Indija ir nėra mano mėgstamiausia kryptis, bet Tadž Mahalio iškilimo istorija, jo, kaip meilės simbolio, įkūnijimas yra tikrai kažkas įspūdingo.
Labai liūdna istorija apie didelę meilę ir didelę netektį. Pradžia nėra ta, kuri labai mane įtraukė, šįkart nebuvau ir labai didelė gerbėja dviejų linijų/laikmečių, nes viena per daug atskleidė apie kitos ateitį, dėl ko jau nuo pat pradžių žinai visos istorijos pabaigą, o tai neleidžia mėgautis meilės linija ir pačiam savo mintyse kurti ir vystyti pagrindinių veikėjų ryšį. Vis dėlto, istorija turi savo žavesio, ypatingai atsižvelgiant į tai, kad viskas sukasi aplink didingąjį Tadž Mahalį, tiek apie jo atsiradimo (sukūrimo), tiek ir statymo istoriją (pasirodo, kad į google užtenka įvesti vienintelį raktažodį "Indija", net ne "Tadž Mahalis", kad Jums iš visų kampų atsivertų šis mauzoliejus), kuri paliečia daugybę įvairių asmenų ir šeimų gyvenimų, knygoje puikiai atskleidžiama Indijos kultūra, religiniai motyvai, santuokos institutas. Aš esu visiškai istorinių romanų gerbėja, gal Indija ir nėra mano mėgstamiausia kryptis, bet Tadž Mahalio iškilimo istorija, jo, kaip meilės simbolio, įkūnijimas yra tikrai kažkas įspūdingo.
March 17, 2016
This is one of those historic romance took me a very long time to read. However , it totally makes to the favorites category without much thought.
The intricacies with which the author has woven this saga using facts from the past is praiseworthy.
The journey of love set amidst politics , rebellion and high profile drama , this love is very close to my heart for more reasons than I can mention.
The intricacies with which the author has woven this saga using facts from the past is praiseworthy.
The journey of love set amidst politics , rebellion and high profile drama , this love is very close to my heart for more reasons than I can mention.
September 29, 2011
If I could have given ten stars for Taj, I would have for this incredible novel! After having visited the Taj Mahal this summer, and learning about the Mughal empire, I adored reading this novel about Shah Jahan and his beloved, Arjumand. At the royal bazaar of Jahanigir, the emperor, son of Akbar, the greatest of Mughal emperors, the prince, Shah Jahan, Jahanigir's son, first gazed at Arjumand, and she gazed at him. They fell in love at first site, and through many years of peace, love, war, and hate, their love never ebbed. This story is beautifully constructed - one chapter is about Shah Jahan's life with his beloved, the next chapter is about a father and son whose lives are dedicated to the discipline of stone, years later, helping to build Emperor Shah Jahan's Taj Mahal, a monument which encloses his empress' tomb. Arjumand died giving birth to her fourteenth child. Throughout their years together, they could not resist each other and loved each other with every fiber of their beings.
Shah Jahan writes, "To her I had never been a prince, nor was I an emperor now. I was her husband, her lover, my heart was still entwined with hers. Our love was trust; they were fused as if wrought of finest metal. I could not breathe beyond her presence; in it, the loneliness was dispelled."
There are many lines I underlined in this book that held the philosophies of war, peace, parenthood, dedication to one's art, betrayal, and toleration. The descriptions of Shah Jahan's and Arjumand's lovemaking also left me breathless. Here is the description of the Taj Mahal that is as accurate as my own eyes saw this beautiful structure:
"The pure white marble blazed in ethereal beauty. It was as if a beautiful woman gazed into a mirror which faithfully returned every perfection. There seemed to be in that reflection an inner light that turned the surrounding water as dark as night. They did not lift their eyes to the building itself-the dome like a gigantic pearl afloat in the night sky-they looked only upon its image. It filled the heart and eye to abundance, to silence, to prayer. When they finally lifted their gaze, the tomb looked melancholy in the cold light, seemed to radiate, through the mantle of splendour, and eternal sadness."
Shah Jahan writes, "To her I had never been a prince, nor was I an emperor now. I was her husband, her lover, my heart was still entwined with hers. Our love was trust; they were fused as if wrought of finest metal. I could not breathe beyond her presence; in it, the loneliness was dispelled."
There are many lines I underlined in this book that held the philosophies of war, peace, parenthood, dedication to one's art, betrayal, and toleration. The descriptions of Shah Jahan's and Arjumand's lovemaking also left me breathless. Here is the description of the Taj Mahal that is as accurate as my own eyes saw this beautiful structure:
"The pure white marble blazed in ethereal beauty. It was as if a beautiful woman gazed into a mirror which faithfully returned every perfection. There seemed to be in that reflection an inner light that turned the surrounding water as dark as night. They did not lift their eyes to the building itself-the dome like a gigantic pearl afloat in the night sky-they looked only upon its image. It filled the heart and eye to abundance, to silence, to prayer. When they finally lifted their gaze, the tomb looked melancholy in the cold light, seemed to radiate, through the mantle of splendour, and eternal sadness."
July 3, 2019
Title: Taj - Story of Mughal India
Author: Timeri N Murari
Length: 371 pages
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Genre: Historical, Fiction
My rating: 3.5/5
Summary:
The story as the title suggests is about building of one of the wonder of the world The Taj Mahal located in Agra India. The story about Prince and later Emperor Shah Jahan and his love and Wife Arjumand in whose memory the monument was built.
My Take:
I got this book on Amazon Prime reading. I had read Indu Sundaresan's book on Emperor Jahangir and his twentieth wife the powerful Noor Jahan / Mehrunissa. And hence reading some parts of the lives of Jahangir and Nur Jahan was a bit contradicting. The book of Indu Sundaresan had created quite an impact and hence this book in initial stages failed to create the impact.
The love story of Shah Jahan and Mehrunissa is beautifully portrayed. Their meeting, their love, their wedding. However, there are some discrepancies between the accounts mentioned on net and what's written by the author. The book required some more research.
The book also details the story of a fictional carver who was employed for building the Taj Mahal. The folklore is famous for Shah Jahan ordering the amputation of hands of all the carvers which was missing from the book.
The character of Isa (real) is lovable. The story depicts how love of Shah Jahan destroyed the love of his life. The narrative is very detailed impacting the pace of the book. The book requires editing and had lots of grammatical errors.
Overall a decent book for people eager to know the history behind building of the beautiful monument on the banks of the river Yamuna in north India.
Author: Timeri N Murari
Length: 371 pages
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Genre: Historical, Fiction
My rating: 3.5/5
Summary:
The story as the title suggests is about building of one of the wonder of the world The Taj Mahal located in Agra India. The story about Prince and later Emperor Shah Jahan and his love and Wife Arjumand in whose memory the monument was built.
My Take:
I got this book on Amazon Prime reading. I had read Indu Sundaresan's book on Emperor Jahangir and his twentieth wife the powerful Noor Jahan / Mehrunissa. And hence reading some parts of the lives of Jahangir and Nur Jahan was a bit contradicting. The book of Indu Sundaresan had created quite an impact and hence this book in initial stages failed to create the impact.
The love story of Shah Jahan and Mehrunissa is beautifully portrayed. Their meeting, their love, their wedding. However, there are some discrepancies between the accounts mentioned on net and what's written by the author. The book required some more research.
The book also details the story of a fictional carver who was employed for building the Taj Mahal. The folklore is famous for Shah Jahan ordering the amputation of hands of all the carvers which was missing from the book.
The character of Isa (real) is lovable. The story depicts how love of Shah Jahan destroyed the love of his life. The narrative is very detailed impacting the pace of the book. The book requires editing and had lots of grammatical errors.
Overall a decent book for people eager to know the history behind building of the beautiful monument on the banks of the river Yamuna in north India.
July 2, 2021
India, my eternal love. From the first moment I saw this book I did not hesitate at any moment and made it part of my library. Throughout the book there were words that were difficult to understand but I liked the fact that the author had placed at the end of the book a dictionary where he explained the meaning of the words and their origin. This made reading easier. I have always been impressed by the idea that this monument was honored as a sign of Shah Jahan's love for his wife Arjumand but I had never heard of his story. The book unfolds in two sections: The Love Story of Shah Jahan and Arjumand called (The love story) and The Construction of the Taj Mahal called (The Taj Mahal). The book treats different themes like: love, politics, faith, war, peace , hate. This era in the history of India is so interesting. An excellent book if you care for history and love story interwind together. I loved how the author described and portrayed everything with great mastery. I liked the way Shah Jahan and Arjumand faced all the challenges of life. A wonderful love story. So sad that she died after giving birth to her fourteenth child. I highly recommend this book especially for readers who are passionate about history. I hope one day I can visit India, and definitely enjoy the view of the Taj Mahal.
January 20, 2014
I don't remember the last time I read a book so poorly edited. Why put just one comma, why not two? Get to the end of a paragraph and see end quotes...but none that started. Ugh. Plus, it just wasn't as good as others I've read about the era.
July 19, 2022
It is said : With great power comes great responsibility. If you do not cater to the latter, the tide will turn against you.
Amongst all the seven wonders of the world, our very spectacular Taj Mahal stands unique because it has been symbolized as an epitome of love...
The book has two parallel stories set in alternative chapters - one that describes Arjumand Banu - Mumtaz-i-Mahal(her father being the Emperor Jahangir's chief economic advisor)and Shah Jahan, their early life, a life of a Prince born with a silver spoon in his mouth, his obsession as a lover, the hardships they faced prior to marriage because marriages were made only to extend the policy of matrimonial alliance back in those days, the conspiracies of Mehrunissa(Jahangir's most favorite Lady also known as Noor Jahan who happened to be Arjumand's aunt played an influential role in the court proceedings). Also we get to know about the luxurious life of the Mughals, the grandeur and how mighty they were with respect to the contemporary rulers in southern and Eastern fringes of the country. The decline of the Mughal might post Akbar's reign has been well depicted. Sons plotting against their father, brothers attempting to kill each other breaking the Timurid Law out of hatred and vengeance shows kingship knows no kinship. There's a clear cut difference in personality between Aurangazeb(cunning, silent, watchful) and Dara Siokh, the eldest son of Shah Jahan - extrovert, talkative and tolerant.
One fact that I did not like about the book is the author's way of introducing the principal characters. Some characters despite being very important remained elusive till one digs deep into the history(which I had to Google and know) to get a clear picture. Exaggerated depictions of court life in every chapter felt like it was dragging the story.
It was a pity knowing how women had no say over her own body and physical rights and men continued seeking 'pleasure'(as the author quotes) reducing women into mere objects of having fun with. Arjumand suffered from poor health due to successive pregnancies and miscarriages, ultimately deteriorating her condition leading to death. It was only after her death that the Emperor with his Golden Peacock Throne decides to immortalize their love! Sounds absurd....
If you are interested in knowing more about the Mughals, the Taj, read it once.
Amongst all the seven wonders of the world, our very spectacular Taj Mahal stands unique because it has been symbolized as an epitome of love...
The book has two parallel stories set in alternative chapters - one that describes Arjumand Banu - Mumtaz-i-Mahal(her father being the Emperor Jahangir's chief economic advisor)and Shah Jahan, their early life, a life of a Prince born with a silver spoon in his mouth, his obsession as a lover, the hardships they faced prior to marriage because marriages were made only to extend the policy of matrimonial alliance back in those days, the conspiracies of Mehrunissa(Jahangir's most favorite Lady also known as Noor Jahan who happened to be Arjumand's aunt played an influential role in the court proceedings). Also we get to know about the luxurious life of the Mughals, the grandeur and how mighty they were with respect to the contemporary rulers in southern and Eastern fringes of the country. The decline of the Mughal might post Akbar's reign has been well depicted. Sons plotting against their father, brothers attempting to kill each other breaking the Timurid Law out of hatred and vengeance shows kingship knows no kinship. There's a clear cut difference in personality between Aurangazeb(cunning, silent, watchful) and Dara Siokh, the eldest son of Shah Jahan - extrovert, talkative and tolerant.
One fact that I did not like about the book is the author's way of introducing the principal characters. Some characters despite being very important remained elusive till one digs deep into the history(which I had to Google and know) to get a clear picture. Exaggerated depictions of court life in every chapter felt like it was dragging the story.
It was a pity knowing how women had no say over her own body and physical rights and men continued seeking 'pleasure'(as the author quotes) reducing women into mere objects of having fun with. Arjumand suffered from poor health due to successive pregnancies and miscarriages, ultimately deteriorating her condition leading to death. It was only after her death that the Emperor with his Golden Peacock Throne decides to immortalize their love! Sounds absurd....
If you are interested in knowing more about the Mughals, the Taj, read it once.
May 14, 2023
Në bregun perëndimor të zonave të thella të Gangut, pranë qytetit Agra, gjendet Taxh Mahali, një ënderrr e mermertë, një pikë tërheqëse për mijëra turistë.
Ku tempill i mbështjellë nga gojëdhëna është përmendorja e një dashurie të zjarrtë.
Një varr, të cilin e ngriti një Mugal indian për gruan e tij të dashur.
Shah Xhahani është biri i sundtarit, Mugalit Xhahangir, Arxhumand është bija e një fisnuku të rënë nga vakti.
Takimi i tyre i parë ishte vendimtar për fatin e tyre:
Shah Xhahani e kërkoi Arxhumandin për grua dhe donte ta bënte sundimtare, por intrigat e pallatit i prishën planet e tyre.
Të dy u betuan për dashuri të përjetshme dhe i gëzoheshin takimeve të fshehta.
Për arsye shtetërore Shah Xhahani u detyrua të martohej me një priceshë persiane.
Nga dashuria që kishte për Arxhumandin, ai bëri që kjo martesë të mos funksiononte.
Kjo martesë më në fund u prish për arsye se princesha nuk ariti të bënte femijë.
Më në fund ëndrra e Shah Xhahanit dhe e Arxhumandit bëhet realitet: ata martohen.
Historia e kësaj dashurie është njëkohësisht historia e intrigave të pallatit mbretëror dhe luftërave për pushtet, e shpresës dhe e dëshpërimit, e dashurisë dhe e urrejtjes.
Romani përsmadhohet duke dhënë një panoramë të gjërë të historisë indiane.
Ku tempill i mbështjellë nga gojëdhëna është përmendorja e një dashurie të zjarrtë.
Një varr, të cilin e ngriti një Mugal indian për gruan e tij të dashur.
Shah Xhahani është biri i sundtarit, Mugalit Xhahangir, Arxhumand është bija e një fisnuku të rënë nga vakti.
Takimi i tyre i parë ishte vendimtar për fatin e tyre:
Shah Xhahani e kërkoi Arxhumandin për grua dhe donte ta bënte sundimtare, por intrigat e pallatit i prishën planet e tyre.
Të dy u betuan për dashuri të përjetshme dhe i gëzoheshin takimeve të fshehta.
Për arsye shtetërore Shah Xhahani u detyrua të martohej me një priceshë persiane.
Nga dashuria që kishte për Arxhumandin, ai bëri që kjo martesë të mos funksiononte.
Kjo martesë më në fund u prish për arsye se princesha nuk ariti të bënte femijë.
Më në fund ëndrra e Shah Xhahanit dhe e Arxhumandit bëhet realitet: ata martohen.
Historia e kësaj dashurie është njëkohësisht historia e intrigave të pallatit mbretëror dhe luftërave për pushtet, e shpresës dhe e dëshpërimit, e dashurisë dhe e urrejtjes.
Romani përsmadhohet duke dhënë një panoramë të gjërë të historisë indiane.
February 28, 2020
Murari, a novelist and filmmaker, has written a novel on the love of Shah Jahan and Arjumand Bano, her tragic death and the Emperor’s obsession with building a monument to her memory.
Mughal rule in India remains one of the most dazzling periods of Indian history.
Power, opulence, greed, lust, betrayal, war, friendship, cruelty, oppression - everything that is required for the making of an engrossing saga are there in the 190-year history of the six Great Mughals.
This history has spawned histories, novels, commentaries, paintings, films like no other period of Indian history. And it continues to hold the interest of both the academic fraternity and the lay reader nearly 150 years after the last of the Mughals died in Burma in 1862.
Murari’s novel, though not of a very high calibre, manages to hold the reader’s interest as long as it goes.
Mughal rule in India remains one of the most dazzling periods of Indian history.
Power, opulence, greed, lust, betrayal, war, friendship, cruelty, oppression - everything that is required for the making of an engrossing saga are there in the 190-year history of the six Great Mughals.
This history has spawned histories, novels, commentaries, paintings, films like no other period of Indian history. And it continues to hold the interest of both the academic fraternity and the lay reader nearly 150 years after the last of the Mughals died in Burma in 1862.
Murari’s novel, though not of a very high calibre, manages to hold the reader’s interest as long as it goes.
December 23, 2025
I’m a girl who loves lore give it to me. Loved the first 100 pages but then after they got married it felt like the longest book in the world. Arjumand getting pregnant over and over again made me depressed. I get it was a different time but girl please we gotta stand up. Also I don’t think the author had to write about everytime Mehrunissa sent them on a campaign. She was plotting we get the point. I would have been more interested in Aurangzeb’s story cause even though the book was 10000 pages he just all the sudden was in power. Also shoutout to my girl Sita. Girl you deserved so much better. While I appreciate the author not sugarcoating the hardships women had to go through, it still made me very depressed to read. I think it was also the way their pain was mentioned but then tossed aside.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved the beginning, some places were written so beautifully in such a poetic way that I was in awe. However, sex scenes sometimes were too weird, and sometimes I did not love the writing that much. It was a quick read and I still loved it but my annoyance with the king grew as the story progressed. The chapters where he was building the mausoleum for Arjumand were emotional and bittersweet. I loved the opposites of their love story and the children’s relationships and it is a good book, just maybe not something completely extraordinary. The love and pain were mingled so well, but the intrigues got a bit boring/tiring.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I loved the beginning, some places were written so beautifully in such a poetic way that I was in awe. However, sex scenes sometimes were too weird, and sometimes I did not love the writing that much. It was a quick read and I still loved it but my annoyance with the king grew as the story progressed. The chapters where he was building the mausoleum for Arjumand were emotional and bittersweet. I loved the opposites of their love story and the children’s relationships and it is a good book, just maybe not something completely extraordinary. The love and pain were mingled so well, but the intrigues got a bit boring/tiring.
January 5, 2024
Labai graži meilės istorija. Ji kitokia, senovinė, apie Indijos padišachus, jų valdymą, begalinę meilę vienai moteriai, nors buvo galimybė turėti, kad ir 100 žmonų, nes padišachai buvo musulmonai. Apie meilės simbolį - mauzoliejų mylimajai - Tadž Mahalį. Virpinanti istorija, nes apie tuos laikus ir to laikmečio gyvenimą nebuvau daug skaičiusi. Tikrai verta paskaityti. O paskaičius nukeliauti ir savo rankomis paliesti Tadž Mahalį, pamatyti jo didybę, jo lengvumą ir pajusti vis dar plevenančią begalinę dviejų žmonių meilę ore. Tikrai rekomenduoju.
May 26, 2021
Murari brings alive the aura, the passion of the great Mughals in his own engrossing way of story telling. An unputdownable till the end, Murari weaves together the stories of the Mughal court and the common place, years apart.
July 16, 2017
A fascinating fictionalized account of Shah Jahan, his love Arjumand and the making of the Taj. An easy read to understand the era without being too historical.
March 21, 2018
Bought from a book store in Varanasi, India in 2016.
Finally finished it after SCAs in San Francisco two years later!
Finally finished it after SCAs in San Francisco two years later!
June 5, 2019
I enjoy chapters alternating in time and this was well done. It’s a novel so not entirely historically accurate but that doesn’t diminish it for me.
July 21, 2021
A beautifully crafted tale of passion and politics
December 5, 2022
A stunning love story…. Lots to learn about how far ppl can go for the sake of power.
Beautifully written
Beautifully written
December 25, 2025
It took a while to get going, but i really enjoyed it. The only problem with the Lume Books Kindle version was a few typos, e.g. 'What difference docs that make?'
It looks like it been converted from pdf and not proof read, conversions often contain mistakes.
also The Epilogue is missing from the index. And the end of book. 'If You enjoyed this book' section comes up before this. if you turn the page you may not realise there is an epilogue.
Poor proof reading
It looks like it been converted from pdf and not proof read, conversions often contain mistakes.
also The Epilogue is missing from the index. And the end of book. 'If You enjoyed this book' section comes up before this. if you turn the page you may not realise there is an epilogue.
Poor proof reading
September 17, 2021
The grandeur of Red Fort, the scenic beauty of Deccan, the description of fine Nakkashi of Taj Mahal or the movement of Royal caravan on a hunting expedition, the details are impeccable, but the fact that this was a historical fiction, renders it almost dull for a sensitive Mughal nostalgic like me.
February 2, 2009
idealnya 2,5 bintang...Sebuah proporsi yang cukup besar terangkum dalam sebuah peribahasa Mughal : 'TAKTYA TAKHTA?' - Takhta atau Makam?
Ambisi dan kekuasaan. Karma yang berulang saat saudara tega membunuh saudara sekandungnya demi untuk meraih jabatan yang sangat melenakan - SULTAN. Dan dilanggarlah sudah hukum Timurid yang diciptakan leluhur mereka : 'Jangan sakiti saudaramu , meskipun mereka mungkin layak mendapatkannya' !
Gambaran tentang perang , baik itu perilaku primitif agresif-defensif yang kerap menyertainya - memperkaya cerita buku ini. Dengan hati-hati pengarang tidak terlalu tajam mengkritisi perbedaan kebudayaan , kepentingan & cara pandang (idealisme) antara Islam , Hindu dan (sedikit)kristen.
Plot yang dipisahkan dalam selang waktu beberapa tahun yang berbeda dengan penekanan pemilihan pada bab genap dan bab ganjil , tak urung menginterupsi kenikmatan membaca. Namun , bergembiralah karena dapat diakhiri dengan epilog yang baik. Meninggalkan Mumtaz-i-mahal (yang kemudian lebih populer dengan Taj Mahal)sebagai sebuah bangunan indah karya manusia yang tak lekang dimakan zaman.
Berikut untaian manis kata yang ditemukan pada sisi depan cover dari seorang penyair , filsuf dan seniman - Rabindranath Tigore :
'Hanya membiarkan setetes air mata ini jatuh. Taj Mahal, berkilau
tanpa noda , menerangi kelokan waktu untuk selamanya....
O Sultan ! Kau ingin menghentikan waktu dengan keajaiban keindahan
dan menjalin rangkaian bunga yang akan menautkan kematian tak terbentuk
dengan bentuk keabadian !
Disini , di bumi yang berdebu , makam itu merengkuh kematian dengan lembut , dan menyelubunginya dengan serpihan kenangan.'
Ambisi dan kekuasaan. Karma yang berulang saat saudara tega membunuh saudara sekandungnya demi untuk meraih jabatan yang sangat melenakan - SULTAN. Dan dilanggarlah sudah hukum Timurid yang diciptakan leluhur mereka : 'Jangan sakiti saudaramu , meskipun mereka mungkin layak mendapatkannya' !
Gambaran tentang perang , baik itu perilaku primitif agresif-defensif yang kerap menyertainya - memperkaya cerita buku ini. Dengan hati-hati pengarang tidak terlalu tajam mengkritisi perbedaan kebudayaan , kepentingan & cara pandang (idealisme) antara Islam , Hindu dan (sedikit)kristen.
Plot yang dipisahkan dalam selang waktu beberapa tahun yang berbeda dengan penekanan pemilihan pada bab genap dan bab ganjil , tak urung menginterupsi kenikmatan membaca. Namun , bergembiralah karena dapat diakhiri dengan epilog yang baik. Meninggalkan Mumtaz-i-mahal (yang kemudian lebih populer dengan Taj Mahal)sebagai sebuah bangunan indah karya manusia yang tak lekang dimakan zaman.
Berikut untaian manis kata yang ditemukan pada sisi depan cover dari seorang penyair , filsuf dan seniman - Rabindranath Tigore :
'Hanya membiarkan setetes air mata ini jatuh. Taj Mahal, berkilau
tanpa noda , menerangi kelokan waktu untuk selamanya....
O Sultan ! Kau ingin menghentikan waktu dengan keajaiban keindahan
dan menjalin rangkaian bunga yang akan menautkan kematian tak terbentuk
dengan bentuk keabadian !
Disini , di bumi yang berdebu , makam itu merengkuh kematian dengan lembut , dan menyelubunginya dengan serpihan kenangan.'
December 16, 2007
When his queen Arjumand Banu-Mumtaz-i-Mahal-the Chosen One of the Palace-died, Shah Jahan wanted to build a monument that was the image of his perfect love for her. For twenty-two years, twenty thousand men laboured day and night to fulfill the emperor's obsession. The result was the Taj Mahal, a marble mausoleum lined with gold, silver and precious jewels.
This powerful novel narrates the story of the Taj on two parallel levels. The first one tells the passionate love story of Shah Jahan and Arjumand. The second recounts the later years of Shah Jahan's reign, the building of the Taj Mahal and the bloody pursuit of the fabulous Peacock throne by his sons. Intertwined in the building is the story of Murthi, the Hindu master craftsman sent as a gift to the emperor to carve the famous marble jail around Arjumand's sarcophagus.
Murari has skilfully recreated the period against which the story is set, the sensual opulence of the palace, the grinding poverty of seventeenth century India, the vicissitudes of Shah Jahan's reign and the historical background of the conflict between men of different faiths.
This powerful novel narrates the story of the Taj on two parallel levels. The first one tells the passionate love story of Shah Jahan and Arjumand. The second recounts the later years of Shah Jahan's reign, the building of the Taj Mahal and the bloody pursuit of the fabulous Peacock throne by his sons. Intertwined in the building is the story of Murthi, the Hindu master craftsman sent as a gift to the emperor to carve the famous marble jail around Arjumand's sarcophagus.
Murari has skilfully recreated the period against which the story is set, the sensual opulence of the palace, the grinding poverty of seventeenth century India, the vicissitudes of Shah Jahan's reign and the historical background of the conflict between men of different faiths.
February 14, 2016
Fascinating story about a spectacular era in Indian history. Main reasons I did not give it more stars: typos in the text. Needed better proof reading. That is minor. More major is the multitude of voices that tell the story. Sometimes I was not sure who was talking. The book jumps back and forth, telling in bits and pieces the story of the lives of Shah Jahan and his empress, Arjumand Banu, as well as the story of the building of the Taj Mahal, after Arjumand's death in childbirth, following her 14th pregnancy. The seeds of religious discord in India were sewn during the time of building of the Taj Mahal, and the telling of this part of the tale is one of the most interesting aspects of the book. The book is published in India, and I ordered it from there. Hard to get hold of in the States.
January 30, 2009
I really cared about the characters and cried at the death of Arjumand, the woman whom the Taj was built to memorialize. However, there were numerous distracting grammatical errors and at least one historical error. Per the Encyclopaedia Britannica Online and Wikipedia, Arjumand was not Shah Jahan's only wife, but his third. Overall, I recommend it but not enthusiastically.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2011
Mungkin seleraku yang aneh atau gimana, tapi ini buku terbaik yang pernah kubaca.
Awalnya aku gak suka baca buku sejarah kayak gini, tapi karena rekomendasi teman akhirnya aku baca buku ini dan WAU! Mungkin aku lebay atau gimana kali ya gak tau juga hahaha tapi pas baca bab 1, rasanya aku gak bisa nafas saking indah dan kerennya susunan kata-kata untuk deskripsi-in cinta pandangan pertama antara Shah Jahan dan Arjumand.
Cerita dan cara penyampaiannya emang bagus dari sananya. Tapi jarang banget ada novel terjemahan yang sebagus ini nerjemahinnya.
Awalnya aku gak suka baca buku sejarah kayak gini, tapi karena rekomendasi teman akhirnya aku baca buku ini dan WAU! Mungkin aku lebay atau gimana kali ya gak tau juga hahaha tapi pas baca bab 1, rasanya aku gak bisa nafas saking indah dan kerennya susunan kata-kata untuk deskripsi-in cinta pandangan pertama antara Shah Jahan dan Arjumand.
Cerita dan cara penyampaiannya emang bagus dari sananya. Tapi jarang banget ada novel terjemahan yang sebagus ini nerjemahinnya.
Read
March 6, 2008Aku baca versi terjemahan dlm bhs Indonesia. Novel sejarah menurutku. Bagus. Ada sisi nyata yang dibahasakan kembali dan ada sisi fiksi bisa jadi sebenarnya nyata.Sisi gelap dan terang dibalik pembangunan Taj.
Ada kisah cintanya. Dan itu nyata. Nggak picisan, tapi mengharukan. Romantis. Hehe...
Sekaligus tragis. Pergulatan memperebutkan kekuasaan sampai harus mengorbankan nyawa saudara kandung sendiri.
Ada kisah cintanya. Dan itu nyata. Nggak picisan, tapi mengharukan. Romantis. Hehe...
Sekaligus tragis. Pergulatan memperebutkan kekuasaan sampai harus mengorbankan nyawa saudara kandung sendiri.
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