Taj Mahal
Its History, Its Construction, and Its Purpose

This book starts exactly where a Mughal story is supposed to start - with Babur's life. It describes the reigns of all the seven major Mughal emperors and serves as a good introduction to the entire Mughal period overall. The focus on the Taj Mahal necessarily means that the main focus of the book i......more

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted here illegally.) Regular readers know that later this fall, I'm going to be studying the ultra-complex history of Indi......more

As one can never know what lies behind Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile, just as it can never be understood what grieving ShahJahan saw in his mind's eye when he planned an eternal monument for his beloved, the wonder of the world, Taj Mahal. ShahJahan and Mumtaz lying side by side in the enchanted castl......more

This book provides a broad historical context for the building of the Taj Mahal, focusing on the few generations of Mughal emperors that led up to Shah Jahan, its builder, and ending with the death of his son, who imprisoned Shah Jahan. A few chapters are substantially dedicated to the architecture,......more

How can humans love each other so much? How does two souls intertwine to become one? What makes a love so powerful that it transcends time and space, leaving an eternal mark on the world? As we read “A Teardrop on the Cheek of Time," we are transported into a world where love is not just an emotion,......more