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Why was the Taj Mahal built for Mumtaz Mahal?

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The Taj Mahal was commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a magnificent mausoleum to immortalize his empress consort, Mumtaz Mahal.12

Following their marriage in 1612, Mumtaz Mahal—whose name means "Chosen One of the Palace"—became the emperor's inseparable companion. In 1631, while accompanying Shah Jahan on a military campaign in the Deccan, she died from hemorrhaging after giving birth to their 14th child.13

Deeply grieved by her death, Shah Jahan began construction of the monument in 1632 to serve as her final resting place. The structure was envisioned as an earthly replica of her celestial abode in paradise, serving as a lasting symbol of the emperor's profound love and sorrow.321