Jon Hug shares his story from a serendipity laced October night in 1972, a memory rooted in catharsis, nostalgia, and marble luck. Tonights stop on Back Pocket, the Taj Mahal.
The cover photo for tonight's podcast is a picture of Jon walking toward the Taj Mahal with his guitar in hand. The other photo (the group photo) is of Jon, The Yogi, and some other Indians he met on his travel.
Below I have included a short summary of "The Chosen One of the Palace".
September 1, 1593. Arjumand Banu Begum was born in Agra India into a family of Persian nobility. At age 19 she was married to a prince that would later become emperor of India. His name was, Shaha Jahan. And although he had three wives he only loved one, Arjumand. Finding her in appearance and character elect among all the women of the time", gave her the title 'Mumtaz Mahal' Begum (Chosen One of the Palace). Chosen one of the palace.
According to the empowers official court chronicler, the relationship with his other wives "had nothing more than the status of marriage. The intimacy, deep affection, attention, and favor which His Majesty had for the Cradle of Excellence his wife Mumtaz exceeded by a thousand times what he felt for any other. Even when she was pregnant, he reportedly would take her on official trips around the country, unable to apart from her. She bore 14 children. And tragically durning the 30 hour birth of her 14th child she died.
In the immediate aftermath of his bereavement, the emperor was reportedly inconsolable.[9]
Apparently after her death, Shah Jahan went into secluded mourning for a year.[9] When he appeared again, "his hair had turned white, his back was bent and his face had turned worn". So what did he do to honor her life, to preserve her memory, and demonstrate his admiration for her? He built built a mausoleum , he built Mumtaz Mahal "The Chosen One of the Palace" arguably the most revered palace ever built, the Taj Mahal.