Mumtaz Mahal

Mumtaz Mahal, born Arjumand Banu Begum, was the empress consort of the Mughal Empire from 1628 to 1631. She was married to Prince Khurram, who later became the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. He gave her the title "Mumtaz Mahal," meaning "The Exalted One of the Palace."

She was born in Agra to a family of Persian nobility. Her father was a high-ranking noble in the Mughal Empire, and she was the niece of Empress Nur Jahan, who had a lot of influence during the time. Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan had 14 children together, including Jahanara Begum, his favorite daughter, and Dara Shikoh, who was the crown prince.

Mumtaz Mahal passed away in 1631 while giving birth to their fourteenth child. In memory of her, Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in Agra, which is now famous as one of the Wonders of the World. The Taj Mahal stands as a beautiful tomb and a symbol of deep love.

Family and early life

Mumtaz Mahal was born as Arjumand Banu on 27 April 1593 in Agra. Her parents were Abu'l-Hasan Asaf Khan and his wife Diwanji Begum, whose father was a Persian noble from Qazvin. Asaf Khan was a respected noble in the Mughal Empire and the older brother of Empress Nur Jahan, who was married to Emperor Jahangir, the father of Shah Jahan.

Mumtaz was known for her learning and culture. She could read and write in Arabic and Persian, and she even wrote poems. She was modest yet confident, and her talents caught the attention of important people in the empire. This led to her marriage to Shah Jahan, who became very fond of her.

Marriage

Mumtaz Mahal was promised to Shah Jahan around 5 April 1607 when she was 14 and he was 15. They married five years later, on either 10 May or 7 June 1612, in Agra. After their wedding, Shah Jahan gave her the title Mumtaz Mahal, meaning "the exalted one of the Palace."

Shah Jahan cared deeply for Mumtaz and showed little interest in his other wives. Their marriage was loving, and she traveled with him during his military campaigns. In their 19 years together, they had 14 children.

Mughal empress

When Shah Jahan became the ruler in 1628, he named Mumtaz as his chief empress. She was called by many grand titles such as "First Lady" and "Queen of the World." Though she was empress for only three years, Shah Jahan gave her many wonderful gifts and honors. Her home, Khas Mahal in Agra Fort, was beautifully decorated with gold and precious stones.

Shah Jahan trusted Mumtaz very much and often asked for her advice on important matters. She helped him make decisions and sometimes asked him to be kinder to people he disagreed with. Mumtaz also liked to watch special fights and supported many artists and scholars. She helped poor families by giving them money and even created a lovely garden in Agra.

Death and aftermath

Mumtaz Mahal passed away on 17 June 1631 after giving birth to her fourteenth child. She was with her husband, Shah Jahan, who was fighting in the Deccan Plateau at the time. Her body was first buried in Burhanpur before being moved to Agra. Shah Jahan was very sad after her death and stayed in mourning for a year. His daughter, Jahanara Begum, helped him move forward.

Shah Jahan later built the Taj Mahal in Agra as a tomb for Mumtaz Mahal. This beautiful building is famous around the world and is seen as a symbol of a husband's love for his wife. The bodies of Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan rest in a simple room inside the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal

Main article: Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal. It is considered a wonderful example of love and devotion. Many people think the beauty of the Taj Mahal reflects the beauty of Mumtaz Mahal herself. The tomb has special inscriptions and is a very important monument. Later, Shah Jahan was also buried there next to his wife.

In popular culture

Astronomy

• A crater was named in her honour on asteroid 433 Eros, along with another one after her husband.
• A crater on the planet Venus is named after her.

Literature

• A cat named after Mumtaz Mahal ("Princess Arjumand") plays a major role in Connie Willis's 1997 novel To Say Nothing of the Dog.
• Arjumand Banu (Mumtaz Mahal) is a principal character in Indu Sundaresan's novel The Feast of Roses (2003) and its sequel, Shadow Princess (2010), begins with her death.
• Mumtaz Mahal is a main character in Sonja Chandrachud's novel Trouble at the Taj (2011). She appears in the book as a ghost.
• In John Shors' novel Beneath a Marble Sky (2013), Mahal's daughter, Princess Jahanara, tells the story of how the Taj Mahal came to be.
• Manahil Bandukwala's debut poetry collection Monument (2022) is a conversation with Mumtaz Mahal.

Films

• Mumtaz Mahal is a 1926 Indian silent film by Homi Master.
• Actress Enakshi Rama Rau played the role of Mumtaz Mahal in Shiraz (1928).
• Mumtaz Mahal, a 1944 Indian film was based on her life.
• Actress Suraiya played the role of young Mumtaz Mahal in Nanubhai Vakil's film Taj Mahal (1941).
• Mumtaz Mahal was portrayed by actress Nasreen in Abdul Rashid Kardar's film Shahjehan (1946).
• Mumtaz Mahal is a 1957 Indian Hindi-language drama film by Ram Daryani, starring Veena in the titular role.
• Bina Rai portrayed Mumtaz Mahal in M. Sadiq's film Taj Mahal (1963).
• Zeba played the role of Mumtaz Mahal in S. T. Zaidi's Taj Mahal (1968).
• Shahzadi Mumtaz, an Indian film starring Asokan and Shakuntala released in 1977.
• Purnima Patwardhan portrayed her role in the 2003 Indian historical drama film, Taj Mahal: A Monument of Love.
• Sonya Jehan portrayed Mumtaz Mahal in Akbar Khan's film Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story (2005).
• Suhani Juneja played the role of young Arjumand Banu Begum in the second season of the popular webseries Taj: Divided by Blood on Zee5.

Other

• Mumtaz Mahal was the inspiration behind the popular Guerlain perfume Shalimar (1921).

Issue

Children of Mumtaz Mahal

Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan had many children together. Their family was an important part of the Mughal Empire during their time. The children grew up to play roles in the empire and its history.

Ancestry

The Mumtaz Mahal was born Arjumand Banu Begum in Agra. She came from a family of Persian nobility.