Question

summary of the poem the Taj Mahal by Mary dobson

Answer 1

Said the king all broken-hearted for his loved and loving wife,“Since God willed that we should be parted by the woe of human life, lest the worldshould e’er forget her. This good wife so dear to me, in a fair tomb I will set her sothat she remembered be.”The king was sad because his wife died. He wanted people to remember her because she was a good wife and she was very important and close tohis heart. He loved her very much. So he decided to build a white tomb inher memory.And the king all broken-hearted sought for workmen full of skill who would raise forher, departed, a fair tomb, with brain and will. And they built it white and shining,flawless, matchless in its grace. While the king in sorrow pining, saw it raised up in itsplace.The sad king looked for workers who were skillful who could build a whitetomb for his dead wife. He wanted them to build it cleverly and with their strength. The workers built it nicely, without mistake, perfect. There was noother tomb like that in the whole world. The sad king who was missing hiswife, saw it being built.Saw it through his bitter grieving never less but ever new. For no comfort e’erreceiving in his sorrow aged he grew.While looking at the tomb…..he continued to be sad and he grew old. Till his eyes grown dim with weeping, closed for ever on this life, and they laid himthere fast sleeping; by his loved and loving wife.He kept on looking at it (maybe from his jail window) until his eyes grewweak and he became old. When he died, the people laid him next to his wifein the Taj Mahal. But the Taj, the tale still telling, stands in Agra city great, white and shining, allexcelling in its beauty and its state.The story of the Taj Mahal still goes on in the city of Agra (India). There they lie, the loving-hearted ‘neath its marble side by side, those in life so long-time parted death no longer divide.The couple, Shah Jehan and Mumtaz Mahal lie in the Taj Mahal together indeath.For though pressed from many quarters true love steadfast still abides, is notquenched by many waters, even death’s relentless tides.Eventhough they are dead, their true love for each other still stays on.All true love is never failing howsoe’er men faithless be. But o’er everythingprevailing lives to all eternity.True love never dies at all. It goes on forever and ever. The Taj is indeed the symbolic expression of the king’s love for his consort(wife). Amausoleum is a place built to remember dead people.

Answer 2

Explanation:

Taj Mahal, the magnificent monument that stands at the heart of India has a story that has been melting the hearts of millions of listeners since the time Taj has been visible. A story, that although ended back in 1631, continues to live on in the form of Taj and is considered a living example of eternal love. It's the love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, two people from the course of history who set an example for the people living in present and the future to come. An English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold best describes it as "Not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passion of an emperor's love wrought in living stones." The story that follows next will prove why the statement is true.

Shah Jahan, initially named Prince Khurram, was born in the year 1592. He was the son of Jehangir, the fourth Mughal emperor of India and the grandson of Akbar the Great. In 1607 when strolling down the Meena Bazaar, accompanied by a string of fawning courtiers, Shah Jahan caught a glimpse of a girl hawking silk and glass beads. It was love at first sight and the girl was Mumtaz Mahal, who was known as Arjumand Banu Begum at that time. At that time, he was 14 years old and she, a Muslim Persian princess, was 15. After meeting her, Shah Jahan went back to his father and declared that he wanted to marry her. The match got solemnized after five years i.e., in the year 1612.

It was in the year 1628 that Shah Jahan became the Emperor and entrusted Arjumand Banu with the royal seal. He also bestowed her with the title of Mumtaz Mahal, meaning the "Jewel of the Palace". Though Shah Jahan had other wives also, but, Mumtaz Mahal was his favorite and accompanied him everywhere, even on military campaigns. In the year 1631, when Mumtaz Mahal was giving birth to their 14th child, she died due to some complications. While Mumtaz was on her deathbed, Shah Jahan promised her that he would never remarry and will build the richest mausoleum over her grave.

It is said that Shah Jahan was so heartbroken after her death that he ordered the court into mourning for two years. Sometime after her death, Shah Jahan undertook the task of erecting the world's most beautiful monument in the memory of his beloved. It took 22 years and the labor of 22,000 workers to construct the monument. When Shah Jahan died in 1666, his body was placed in a tomb next to the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. This magnificent monument came to be known as "Taj Mahal" and now counts amongst the Seven Wonders of the World. This is the true story of the Taj Mahal of India, which has mesmerized many people with its bewitching beauty.