Taj is a book by Timeri N. Murari, an Indian novelist, journalist, playwright and screenwriter, born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Taj is one of Timeri N. Murari’s bestsellers.
The author tells both the love story between the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Arjumand, the future Mumtaz-I-Mahal, and the history of Agra Taj Mahal, the mausoleum Shah Jahan had built for her.
In this article, you will find:
- A quick summary.
- What I liked.
- Less liked.
- Why I recommend it to you.
- A quick review of Agra and Taj Mahal.
Taj Timeri N. Murari.
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Book summary.
Taj, by Timeri N. Murari, is the romanticized love story of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz-I-Mahal and the construction of the Taj Mahal, the latter’s mausoleum, in Agra.
The odd chapters tell the love story, alternately through Shah Jahan, Arjumand and Isa, his eunuch servant.
The even chapters take place 20 years later, Arjumand having died and the Great Mughal Shah Jahan having only one obsession left: to finish the construction of his beloved’s mausoleum before he himself dies…
What I liked.
- The originality of the narration, alternating both the times and the narrator.
- A magnificent love story.
- The story of the construction of one of the most beautiful monuments in the world.
- We are immersed in the atmosphere of Agra in the era of the Great Moghul Shah Jahan.
- A story that is easy to read.
- The era of the Great Moghuls is obviously a dream, Taj Mahal and this love story too.
- The interactions between Hindus and Muslims, both positive and full of mutual astonishment, are very interesting to observe.
- One can also notice a religious tolerance that seems more important than at present.
- Some erotic scenes are worthy of the kamasutra. Here again, the sexual freedom of the time and the notion of pleasure and desire contrast strongly with the Indian prudery displayed at the present time.
What I liked less.
- Nothing.
Verdict on Taj by Timeri Murari.
It is one of the foreign books that I read again with the most pleasure. So I can only recommend it to you!
The story is very easy to read.
For lovers of Asia, India, the Taj Mahal, history, Shah Jahan.
Should you visit Agra and Taj Mahal?
Of course, Taj Mahal is a magnificent and dreamlike monument. One can nevertheless regret the very mercantile side of Agra.
Although I was able to find a guesthouse with a terrace overlooking Taj Mahal, the welcoming was deplorable. Everything is just business in Agra.
Unless you visit the Taj Mahal during the Covid-19 pandemic, don’t expect to be able to enjoy the calm and serenity of the place: it’s crowded.
More importantly, Uttar Pradesh is one of the most dangerous states in India .
Conclusion – Taj Timeri N. Murari.
Taj is a magnificent love story and an immersion in the life of the Great Moghuls and Emperor Shah Jahan.
Have you ever read Taj? What did you think about it? Let us know your opinion in the comments below!
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