Mumtaz Mahal Son: The Untold Story of Her and Her Sons

 Mumtaz Mahal, the beloved wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, is best known for inspiring the construction of the Taj Mahal. However, her life and legacy extend far beyond this iconic monument. Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan had 14 children together, including four sons who played important roles in Mughal history. Let's delve into the untold story of Mumtaz Mahal and her sons.

What is the taj mahal famous for?

Mumtaz Mahal's first son, Dara Shikoh, was born in 1615. He was known for his intellectual pursuits and patronage of the arts, particularly Sufi poetry and music. Dara Shikoh commissioned translations of Hindu texts into Persian and sought to reconcile the Hindu and Muslim traditions. However, his liberal views made him a controversial figure in the Mughal court, and he was ultimately executed by his own brother, Aurangzeb.

Shah Shuja, Mumtaz Mahal's second son, was born in 1616. He served as governor of Bengal and Orissa under his father but later rebelled against Aurangzeb and was killed in battle.

Aurangzeb, Mumtaz Mahal's third son, was born in 1618 and became one of the most powerful rulers in Mughal history. He expanded the empire's territory through conquests but also implemented stricter Islamic law and faced several uprisings and rebellions during his reign.

Mumtaz Mahal's fourth son, Murad Baksh, was born in 1624 and played a minor role in Mughal politics. He was executed by Aurangzeb for his involvement in a rebellion.

Aurangzeb ultimately emerged victorious in a bloody war of succession against his brothers and became the next Mughal Emperor. His reign lasted nearly 50 years and was marked by both achievements and controversies.

Despite the tragic ends of some of Mumtaz Mahal's sons, their legacies have had a lasting impact on Indian history and culture. Dara Shikoh's efforts to bridge the divide between Hinduism and Islam are celebrated as a symbol of the Mughal Empire's pluralistic and inclusive culture. Aurangzeb's reign, while controversial, saw the expansion of the Mughal Empire's territory and the construction of several notable monuments.

Overall, Mumtaz Mahal and her sons played important roles in shaping the history and culture of the Mughal Empire and India as a whole. Their stories are a reminder of the complex political and personal rivalries that defined the Mughal court during this period. Read Full Artical 

Shah Begum - Jahangir's first wife and Shehzade Khusrau's mother

 Shah Begum was the title given to Jahangir's first wife and Shehzade Khusrau's mother, a Kachhwaha princess, Man Bai. She was also his first cousin from his maternal side. She married Jahangir when he was still a Mughal prince, at the young age of fifteen.

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History doesn't record much about Mughal queens and princesses, they were mostly behind the purdah, and not all of them were favoured by the king to have acknowledged a place in the court chronicles.

Shah Begum Tomb

While Man Bai finds mention in the Jahangirnama, she was not one of the influential women of the harem. Jahangir goes on to write about her in his memoirs after she killed herself when not able to solve the troubled relationship between her husband and son, with an overdose.

Shah Begum

He mourns her death and loss, saying, 'What shall I write of her goodness and excellence? She had a mind to perfection and she was so loyal to me that she would have sacrificed a thousand sons and brothers for one hair on my head. She constantly wrote advice to Khusrau and tried to reason with him to be loving and loyal to me.'

Shah Begum and Jahanjir

Though a Hindu by birth, she was buried after death according to Islamic culture. The construction of her tomb was entrusted to Aqa Reza, the principal artist at Allahabad court. Her tomb is located in Khusrau Bagh, Allahabad. It was completed in 1607.

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The tomb of 4th Mughal Emperor, Noor-ud-Din Muhammad Jahangir

 The tomb of 4th Mughal Emperor, Noor-ud-Din Muhammad Jahangir (1569-1627 A.D) built in the middle of an enormous garden on the right bank of River Ravi at Shahdara  town on the north- western outskirts of Lahore. Jahangir died at Rajauri on his way to Kashmir and according to his will; his dead body was brought to Lahore and buried in a beautiful garden called, Dilkusha, owned by his favorite and celebrated queen Noor Jahan. 

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The monument took ten years for complition and cost Rs.10 lakhs. The contemporary court accounts credit Shahjahan, son of Jahangir, with the construction of his father’s tomb; it is more likely to have been the result of Noor Jahan’s vision.

Jahangir Tomb in Lahore

The tomb and its garden are enclosed by a high brick wall with an imposing gateway on the western side linking the Akbari Sarai. The tomb garden is divided into four main parterres and further sub divided into sixteen equal squares by brick paved walkways with water channels. Each intersection is marked by an alternate octagonal and square cistern.  The division of garden is an attempt to follow the setting of a Chahar Bagh Rauza (paradisal garden mausoleum).

 

Jahangir's Palace in Agra

The tomb is a single-storey square building, measuring 267 feet on each side and constructed on a high platform. The most striking feature of the building is its arcaded verandah of the inner sanctuary, which runs in front of the series of rooms and four vaulted bays lead to the central burial chamber. The burial chamber contains the marble tomb stone of the Emperor marking the grave underneath. The sarcophagus and the platform are convolutedly inlaid with semi- precious and precious stones depicting floral pattern and ninety- nine attributes of Allah. 

Agra Fort India

The bay leading to the grave is profusely ornamented with fresco paintings on the ceiling and side walls at dado level, are bedecked with tile mosaic work. Designs finished with cut pieces of various stones such as Snag-e- Badal, Sang-e Abri and black and white marble on the floor making the overall aesthetic impact more enchanting. Hardly any part is left unembellished. The inner sanctuary is screened by a panel of fine marble beehive fretwork. Four octagonal minarets on each corner of the square structure are built. Each minaret is raised in four stages and crowned with cupola. 

The three stages in the middle are decorated with horizontally laid zigzag design by inlaying white, yellow, and black marble. Each stage is defined by railing supported with marble bracket. The entrance gate from Akbari Serai is double storey building, the exterior of which is decorated with inlaid geometric and floral designs registered in red sandstone panels. The half of the dome of the arched entrance bears honeycombed pendentives flanked by panels representing summit and bouquet of flowers.

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