{"id":1092,"date":"2026-01-24T10:38:48","date_gmt":"2026-01-24T10:38:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/?p=1092"},"modified":"2026-01-24T10:38:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-24T10:38:48","slug":"taj-mahal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/taj-mahal\/","title":{"rendered":"Taj Mahal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, who were on a week-long tour of India and Bhutan, visited the Taj Mahal on the final leg of their tour on the 16<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;April 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The royal couple posed in front of the monument and this visit to Agra generated much excitement and it was cleared of tourists so as to facilitate their visit .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have been told and retold that Taj Mahal is the ultimate declaration and symbol of eternal love but what about the Love of the ordinary mortals who don\u2019t have the wherewithal to spend lavishly in memory of their loved ones ??<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This reminded me of a poem i recently heard \/ read by Sahir Ludhianwi (<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sahir_Ludhianvi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sahir_Ludhianvi<\/a>)\u00a0on Taj Mahal , where he raises concerns and questions Taj Mahal as the symbol of love in this iconic poem :<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0924\u093e\u091c \u0924\u0947\u0930\u0947 \u0932\u093f\u090f \u090f\u0915 \u092e\u091c\u093c\u0939\u0930 \u0910 \u0909\u0932\u094d\u092b\u0924 \u0939\u0940 \u0938\u0939\u0940,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0924\u0941\u091d \u0915\u094b \u0907\u0938 \u0935\u093e\u0926\u0940 \u0910 \u0930\u0902\u0917\u0940\u0928 \u0938\u0947 \u0905\u0915\u0940\u0926\u0924 \u0939\u0940 \u0938\u0939\u0940,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u092e\u0947\u0930\u0940 \u092e\u0947\u0939\u094d\u092c\u094b\u092c \u0915\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0914\u0930 \u092e\u093f\u0932\u093e \u0915\u0930 \u092e\u0941\u091d \u0938\u0947 ..<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The Taj, mayhap, to you may seem, a mark of love supreme<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>You may hold this beauteous vale in great esteem;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Yet, my love, meet me hence at some other place!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u092c\u091c\u093c\u094d\u092e \u0910 \u0936\u093e\u0939\u0940 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0917\u0930\u0940\u092c\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u093e \u0917\u0941\u091c\u093c\u0930 \u0915\u094d\u092f\u093e \u092e\u093e\u0928\u0940,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0938\u092c\u094d\u0924 \u091c\u093f\u0938 \u0930\u093e\u0939 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0939\u094b\u0902 \u0938\u0924\u0935\u0924 \u0910 \u0936\u093e\u0939\u0940 \u0915\u0947 \u0928\u093f\u0936\u093e\u0901,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0909\u0938 \u092a\u0947 \u0909\u0932\u094d\u092b\u0924 \u092d\u0930\u0940 \u0930\u0941\u0939\u0942\u0901 \u0915\u093e \u0938\u092b\u093c\u0930 \u0915\u094d\u092f\u093e \u092e\u093e\u0928\u0940<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How odd for the poor folk to frequent royal resorts;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2018Tis strange that the amorous souls should tread the regal paths<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trodden once by mighty kings and their proud consorts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u092e\u0947\u0930\u0940 \u092e\u0939\u092c\u0942\u092c \u092a\u093e\u0938-\u0910-\u092a\u0930\u094d\u0926\u093e-\u0910-\u0924\u0936-\u0939\u0940\u0930-\u0910-\u0935\u092b\u093c\u093e,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0924\u0942 \u0928\u0947 \u0938\u0924\u0935\u0924 \u0915\u0947 \u0928\u093f\u0936\u093e\u0928\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u094b \u0924\u094b \u0926\u0947\u0916\u093e \u0939\u094b\u0924\u093e,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u092e\u0941\u0930\u094d\u0926\u093e \u0936\u093e\u0939\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0947 \u092e\u0915\u093c\u093e\u092c\u093f\u0930 \u0938\u0947 \u092c\u0939\u0932\u0928\u0947 \u0935\u093e\u0932\u0940,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0905\u092a\u0928\u0947 \u0924\u093e\u0930\u0940\u0915\u093c \u092e\u0915\u093e\u0928\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u094b \u0924\u094b \u0926\u0947\u0916\u093e \u0939\u094b\u0924\u093e<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Behind the facade of love my dear, you had better seen,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The marks of imperial might that herein lie screen\u2019d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You who take delight in tombs of kings deceased,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Should have seen the hutments dark where you and I did wean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0905\u0928\u0917\u093f\u0928\u0924 \u0932\u094b\u0917\u094b\u0902 \u0928\u0947 \u0926\u0941\u0928\u093f\u092f\u093e \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u092e\u094b\u0939\u092c\u094d\u092c\u0924 \u0915\u0940 \u0939\u0948,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0915\u094c\u0928 \u0915\u0939\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u0940 \u0938\u093e\u0926\u093f\u0915\u093c \u0928 \u0925\u0947 \u091c\u091c\u093c\u094d\u092c\u0947 \u0909\u0928 \u0915\u0947,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0932\u0947\u0915\u093f\u0928 \u0909\u0928 \u0915\u0947 \u0932\u093f\u090f \u0924\u0936\u094d\u0939\u0940\u0930 \u0915\u093e \u0938\u093e\u092e\u093e\u0928 \u0928\u0939\u0940\u0902<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0915\u094d\u092f\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0940 \u0935\u094b \u0932\u094b\u0917 \u092d\u0940 \u0905\u092a\u0928\u0940 \u0924\u0930\u0939 \u092e\u0941\u092b\u0932\u093f\u0938 \u0925\u0947,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Countless men in this world must have loved and gone,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Who would say their loves weren\u2019t truthful or strong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in the name of their loves, no memorial is raised<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For they too, like you and me, belonged to the common throng.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u092f\u0947 \u0907\u092e\u093e\u0930\u0924-\u0913-\u092e\u0915\u093c\u093e\u092c\u093f\u0930, \u092f\u0947 \u092b\u093c\u0938\u0940\u0932\u0947\u0902, \u092f\u0947 \u0939\u093f\u0938\u093e\u0930,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u092e\u0941\u0924\u0932\u0915\u093c-\u0909\u0932-\u0939\u0941\u0915\u094d\u092e \u0936\u0939\u0902\u0936\u093e\u0939\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0940 \u0905\u091c\u092e\u0924 \u0915\u0947 \u0938\u0941\u0924\u0942\u0928<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0926\u093e\u092e\u0928-\u0910-\u0926\u0939\u0930 \u092a\u0947 \u0909\u0938 \u0930\u0902\u0917 \u0915\u0940 \u0917\u0941\u0932\u0915\u093e\u0930\u0940 \u0939\u0948 ,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u091c\u093f\u0938 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u0936\u093e\u092e\u093f\u0932 \u0939\u0948 \u0924\u0947\u0930\u0947 \u0914\u0930 \u092e\u0947\u0930\u0947 \u0905\u091c\u0926\u093e\u0926 \u0915\u093e \u0916\u0942\u0928,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These structures and sepulchres, these ramparts and forts,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These relics of the mighty dead are, in fact, no more<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Than the cancerous tumours on the face of earth,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fattened on our ancestor\u2019s very blood and bones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u092e\u0947\u0930\u0940 \u092e\u0939\u092c\u0942\u092c!! \u0909\u0928\u094d\u0939\u0947\u0902 \u092d\u0940 \u0924\u094b \u092e\u094b\u0939\u092c\u094d\u092c\u0924 \u0939\u094b\u0917\u0940<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u091c\u093f\u0928\u0915\u093e \u0938\u0928\u094d\u0928\u093e\u0908 \u0928\u0947 \u092c\u0916\u094d\u0936\u0940 \u0939\u0948 \u0907\u0938\u0947 \u0936\u0915\u094d\u0932-\u0910-\u091c\u093e\u092e\u0940\u0932<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0909\u0928 \u0915\u0947 \u092a\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0930\u094b\u0902 \u092e\u0947\u0902 \u092e\u0915\u093c\u093e\u092c\u093f\u0930 \u0930\u0939\u0947 \u092c\u0947\u0928\u093e\u092e-\u0913-\u0928\u093e\u092e\u0942\u0926<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0906\u091c \u0924\u0915 \u0909\u0928 \u092a\u0947 \u091c\u0932\u093e\u0908 \u0928 \u0915\u093f\u0938\u0940 \u0928\u0947 \u0915\u0902\u0926\u0940\u0932<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They too must have loved, my love, whose hands had made,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This marble monument, nicely chiselled and shaped<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But their dear ones lived and died, unhonoured, unknown,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>None burnt even a taper on their lowly graves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u092f\u0947 \u091a\u092e\u0928\u091c\u093c\u093e\u0930, \u092f\u0947 \u091c\u092e\u0941\u0928\u093e \u0915\u093e \u0915\u093f\u0928\u093e\u0930\u093e, \u092f\u0947 \u092e\u0939\u0932<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u092f\u0947 \u092e\u0941\u0928\u0915\u094d\u0915\u093c\u0936 \u0926\u0930-\u0913-\u0926\u0940\u0935\u093e\u0930, \u092f\u0947 \u092e\u0947\u0939\u0930\u093e\u092c , \u092f\u0947 \u0924\u093e\u0915\u093c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u090f\u0915 \u0936\u0939\u0902\u0936\u093e\u0939 \u0928\u0947 \u0926\u094c\u0932\u0924 \u0915\u093e \u0938\u0939\u093e\u0930\u093e \u0932\u0947 \u0915\u0930,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u0939\u092e \u0917\u0930\u0940\u092c\u094b\u0902 \u0915\u0940 \u092e\u094b\u0939\u092c\u094d\u092c\u0924 \u0915\u093e \u0909\u0921\u093c\u093e\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u092e\u091c\u093c\u093e\u0915<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u092e\u0947\u0930\u0940 \u092e\u0939\u092c\u0942\u092c \u0915\u0939\u0940\u0902 \u0914\u0930 \u092e\u093f\u0932\u093e \u0915\u0930 \u092e\u0941\u091d \u0938\u0947 \u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This bank of Jamuna, this edifice, these groves and lawns,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These carved walls and doors, arches and alcoves,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An emperor on the strength of wealth,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Has played with us a cruel joke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meet me hence, my love, at some other place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/rekhta.org\/nazms\/taaj-mahal-sahir-ludhianvi-nazms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/rekhta.org\/nazms\/taaj-mahal-sahir-ludhianvi-nazms<\/a>\u00a0This is the link to the above quoted poem and do listen to the excellent rendition of this nazm by Hamida Banu ji whose Audio CD is the reason I first came across this beautiful Gem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, who were on a week-long tour of India and Bhutan, visited the Taj Mahal on the final leg of their tour on the 16th April 2016.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1093,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mindscape"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1092"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1092\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1094,"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1092\/revisions\/1094"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ifwworld.com\/dsukhadia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}