What do you think?
Rate this book
A teardrop on the cheek of time: the story of the Taj Mahal
In 1631, the heartbroken Moghul Emperor, Shah Jahan, ordered the construction of a monument of unsurpassed splendour and majesty in memory of his beloved wife. Theirs was an extraordinary story of passionate love: although almost constantly pregnant - she bore him fourteen children - Mumtaz Mahal followed her husband on every military campaign, in order that they might never be apart.
But then Mumtaz died in childbirth. Blinded by grief, Shah Jahan created an exquisite and extravagant memorial for her on the banks of the river Jumna. A gleaming mausoleum of flawless symmetry, the Taj Mahal was built from milk-white marble and rose sandstone, and studded with a fortune in precious jewels. It took twenty years to complete and involved over 20,000 labourers, depleting the Moghul treasuries. But Shah Jahan was to pay a greater price for his obsession. He ended his days imprisoned by his own son in Agra Fort, gazing across the river at the monument to his love. The building of the Taj Mahal had set brother against brother and son against father in a savage conflict that pushed the seventeenth century's most powerful empire into irreversible decline.
The story behind the Taj Mahal has the cadences of Greek tragedy, the carnage of a Jacobean revenge play and the ripe emotion of grand opera. With the storytelling skills that characterize their previous books, in this compelling narrative history Diana and Michael Preston succeed in putting a revealing human face on the famous marble masterpiece.
But then Mumtaz died in childbirth. Blinded by grief, Shah Jahan created an exquisite and extravagant memorial for her on the banks of the river Jumna. A gleaming mausoleum of flawless symmetry, the Taj Mahal was built from milk-white marble and rose sandstone, and studded with a fortune in precious jewels. It took twenty years to complete and involved over 20,000 labourers, depleting the Moghul treasuries. But Shah Jahan was to pay a greater price for his obsession. He ended his days imprisoned by his own son in Agra Fort, gazing across the river at the monument to his love. The building of the Taj Mahal had set brother against brother and son against father in a savage conflict that pushed the seventeenth century's most powerful empire into irreversible decline.
The story behind the Taj Mahal has the cadences of Greek tragedy, the carnage of a Jacobean revenge play and the ripe emotion of grand opera. With the storytelling skills that characterize their previous books, in this compelling narrative history Diana and Michael Preston succeed in putting a revealing human face on the famous marble masterpiece.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
40 people are currently reading
1542 people want to read
About the author
Diana Preston
42 books116 followersBorn and raised in London, Diana Preston studied Modern History at Oxford University, where she first became involved in journalism. After earning her degree, she became a freelance writer of feature and travel articles for national UK newspapers and magazines and has subsequently reviewed books for a number of publications, including The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times. She has also been a broadcaster for the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and has been featured in various television documentaries.
Eight years ago, her decision to write "popular" history led her to The Road to Culloden Moor: Bonnie Prince Charlie and the '45 Rebellion (Constable UK, 1995). It was followed by A First Rate Tragedy: Robert Falcon Scott and the Race to the South Pole (Houghton Mifflin, 1998), The Boxer Rebellion (Walker & Company, 2000), Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy (Walker & Company, 2002) and now, Before The Fallout: From Marie Curie to Hiroshima.
In choosing her topics, Preston looks for stories and events which are both compelling in their own right and also help readers gain a wider understanding of the past. She is fascinated by the human experience-what motivates people to think and act as they do‹and the individual stories that comprise the larger historical picture. Preston spent over two years researching Lusitania: An Epic Tragedy. She did a remarkable amount of original research for the book, and is the first author to make full use of the German archives and newly discovered papers that illuminate both the human tragedy and subsequent plots to cover up what really happened. Preston traveled to all the key locations of the tragedy, experiencing firsthand how cold the water off the Irish coast near Cobh would have been in early May when the Lusitania sank, and how eerie it was to stand inside what remains of the U-20 (now at the Strandingsmuseum in West Jutland, Denmark) where the U-boat captain watched the Lusitania through his periscope and gave the order to fire. Of the many artifacts she reviewed, it was her extensive reading of the diaries and memoirs of survivors that had the biggest impact on her. The experience of looking at photographs and touching the scraps of clothing of both survivors and those who died when the Lusitania sank provided her with chilling pictures: The heartbreaking image of a young girl whose sister's hand slipped away from her was one that kept Preston up at night.
When not writing, Preston is an avid traveler with her husband, Michael. Together, they have sojourned throughout India, Asia, Africa, and Antarctica, and have climbed Mount Kinabalu in Borneo, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and Mount Roraima in Venezuela. Their adventures have also included gorilla-tracking in Zaire and camping their way across the Namibian desert.
Diana and Michael Preston live in London, England.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
May 27, 2013
This book is the story of the family behind the Taj Mahal. If you are interested in the actual monument, its design and construction, you will have to do with about 50 pages. I got this book at the public library, so I was able to browse it, and the history was I was looking for. Otherwise, I would have been disappointed.
The Prestons give not only an understandable, but also a readable account of this brutal family history. The sketch of the love story is well known, but not how Shah Jahan lost favor of his father, in some part due to his father's love and dependence on one of this late in life wives. Most, probably, do not know the fate of the children of these famous lovers, nor that Shah Jahan died imprisoned by one of them within view of this monument.
One can only marvel on how Mumtaz Mahal traveled with her husband in war and exile constantly pregnant and bearing 14 children. Perhaps, as their family history suggests, she was the only one with whom he could confide and trust. They had a lasting sexual attraction despite his easy access to others and her continual pregnancies. They had shared extreme ups and downs. She may have been the only constant (later fulfilled by their eldest daughter) in his brutal and unstable world.
The Prestons note the other mausoleums built for and by these Moghul rulers, none of which approach this in style and size. As I write this, the Food Channel has a competition of chocolate sculptors making a model of this incredible structure.
The Prestons give not only an understandable, but also a readable account of this brutal family history. The sketch of the love story is well known, but not how Shah Jahan lost favor of his father, in some part due to his father's love and dependence on one of this late in life wives. Most, probably, do not know the fate of the children of these famous lovers, nor that Shah Jahan died imprisoned by one of them within view of this monument.
One can only marvel on how Mumtaz Mahal traveled with her husband in war and exile constantly pregnant and bearing 14 children. Perhaps, as their family history suggests, she was the only one with whom he could confide and trust. They had a lasting sexual attraction despite his easy access to others and her continual pregnancies. They had shared extreme ups and downs. She may have been the only constant (later fulfilled by their eldest daughter) in his brutal and unstable world.
The Prestons note the other mausoleums built for and by these Moghul rulers, none of which approach this in style and size. As I write this, the Food Channel has a competition of chocolate sculptors making a model of this incredible structure.
May 7, 2019
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 is Shah Jahan and Mumtaz, and thankfully, while the author provided evidence of their love, she did not make it a love story. This is a well-written history, archaeological and architecture book.
The sources used seem to take a lot from European accounts at this time, but some trouble has been taken to consult Mughal and contemporary Indian sources as well. Sadly, plenty of Mughal sources remain untranslated and hence, unavailable, to this day.
There have been a few minor mistakes, especially with names. Sambhaji is called Shambuji. I am unaware if European or Mughal documents changed his name, though.
Overall, it is a fantastic book and describes not only the entire Mughal reign, but also the Taj Mahal and its various archaeological and historical associations in detail. The architecture and materials is also discussed.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in the period or just in the Taj.
The focus on the Taj Mahal necessarily means that the main focus of the book is Shah Jahan and Mumtaz, and thankfully, while the author provided evidence of their love, she did not make it a love story. This is a well-written history, archaeological and architecture book.
The sources used seem to take a lot from European accounts at this time, but some trouble has been taken to consult Mughal and contemporary Indian sources as well. Sadly, plenty of Mughal sources remain untranslated and hence, unavailable, to this day.
There have been a few minor mistakes, especially with names. Sambhaji is called Shambuji. I am unaware if European or Mughal documents changed his name, though.
Overall, it is a fantastic book and describes not only the entire Mughal reign, but also the Taj Mahal and its various archaeological and historical associations in detail. The architecture and materials is also discussed.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in the period or just in the Taj.
February 27, 2009
(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 India for the first time in my life, and that I'm slowly easing myself into it this year whenever I have an excuse; for example, last November during the terrible attacks in Mumbai, I became curious as to whether the historic Taj Mahal hotel there had anything to do with the actual Taj Mahal, which prompted my dad of all people to loan me Diana and Michael Preston's recent overview on the subject, Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. And it turned out to be a great medium-sized guide, although I don't have too terribly much to actually say about it, because there's nothing especially unusual about it; it's simply a well-researched, well-written account of the late Moghul Empire, the collection of central-Asian war-obsessed royals (descendants of Ghengis Khan, actually) who ruled most of the subcontinent now known as India and Pakistan during roughly the same period as the European Renaissance (AD 1400 to 1700, that is).
In fact, for Westerners who don't know, there were a whole series of uncanny similarities between various Eastern and Western societies in those years, despite the almost complete lack of communication between these far-scattered empires and nation-states; for example, like Italy during the Renaissance, Moghul India saw an explosive growth in the arts, culture and sensuality in those years, with just a ridiculous percentage of the empire's annual revenue (maybe as much as 30 percent by some estimates) devoted to the building of glittering new architectural masterpieces, simply for the sake of "classying up the joint." It was within such an environment, then, that Moghul leader Shah Jahan (second-to-last emperor before their downfall) unexpectedly fell into a deeply empathetic love with his arranged wife Mumtaz Mahal, even more unusual at the time because of Moghul emperors actually having something like 50 or 60 wives, nearly all of them political appointees chosen in order to broker truces among the dozens of regional tribal leaders (or rajas) still left in India, and that emperors weren't ever expected to actually "click" with any of these wives in a serious way.
Shah Jahan did, though, even to the extent of seeking regular political advice from Mahal, an almost unheard-of thing back then; and so when she died unexpectedly in 1631, the man ended up really falling apart, deciding to spend what some think might've been up to half of the empire's entire extra fortune on her mausoleum, the "Taj Mahal" that we now acknowledge as one of the greatest edifices in human history. It was this folly, and Shah Jahan's descent into alcoholic madness afterwards, that made serious cracks first appear in the once unstoppable Moghul Empire; it was his cavalier, competitive attitude towards his children, then, that made them erupt into a bloody Shakespearean civil war after Shah Jahan's death, which then split the empire into a series of constantly fighting resource-poor territories, ripe for conquest by first the French in the 1700s and then the British in the 1800s, leading us to the Victorian "Raj" period that for most of us Westerners is our first introduction to the subject of Indian history.
What the Prestons present us in this book, then, is a look not only at the building of the tomb itself, but the 50 years that led up to it and the 50 years after, a tightly-knit century-long dysfunctional-family saga that could roughly be compared in the West to, say, a general history of Great Britain's Georgian Era or Tudor Period; and like all good general histories, the Prestons tell us this story not just by examining the history and politics and war campaigns of the time, but the artistic and cultural trends, the clothes they wore and food they ate, the strata of social classes that existed in this literal hothouse environment, even a detailed look at how such infamous details as the royal harem worked. (In fact, this turns out to be one of the most fascinating digressions of the entire book -- turns out that the several hundred women making up the emperor's wives and their servants all lived in this big complex together on the royal grounds [which is what's actually called the 'harem,' not the group of women themselves:], hardly ever allowed outside and with no males besides the emperor allowed in [and with a whole series of secret passages for him too, so that he could magically appear in various bedchambers like a god would:], with an entire all-female staff down to the soldiers and guards themselves, and with this insanely elaborate matriarchal socio-political system existing just within the walls of the harem complex itself, for smooth daily life among all these essentially pampered sex slaves. Fascinating, I tell you.)
Make no mistake, this is nothing but a well-done overview, one of those mainstream-friendly projects they're always talking about on NPR, the literary equivalent of those cable documentaries you always catch yourself watching on Sunday afternoons; but I happen to love such projects, and don't need them to be anything more than this for me to find them highly satisfying. For all those interested in learning more about the Taj Mahal itself, as well as the last great days of the once all-powerful empire that produced it, this brisk and dryly entertaining guide comes highly recommended.
Out of 10: 8.7
Regular readers know that later this fall, I'm going to be studying the ultra-complex history of India for the first time in my life, and that I'm slowly easing myself into it this year whenever I have an excuse; for example, last November during the terrible attacks in Mumbai, I became curious as to whether the historic Taj Mahal hotel there had anything to do with the actual Taj Mahal, which prompted my dad of all people to loan me Diana and Michael Preston's recent overview on the subject, Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. And it turned out to be a great medium-sized guide, although I don't have too terribly much to actually say about it, because there's nothing especially unusual about it; it's simply a well-researched, well-written account of the late Moghul Empire, the collection of central-Asian war-obsessed royals (descendants of Ghengis Khan, actually) who ruled most of the subcontinent now known as India and Pakistan during roughly the same period as the European Renaissance (AD 1400 to 1700, that is).
In fact, for Westerners who don't know, there were a whole series of uncanny similarities between various Eastern and Western societies in those years, despite the almost complete lack of communication between these far-scattered empires and nation-states; for example, like Italy during the Renaissance, Moghul India saw an explosive growth in the arts, culture and sensuality in those years, with just a ridiculous percentage of the empire's annual revenue (maybe as much as 30 percent by some estimates) devoted to the building of glittering new architectural masterpieces, simply for the sake of "classying up the joint." It was within such an environment, then, that Moghul leader Shah Jahan (second-to-last emperor before their downfall) unexpectedly fell into a deeply empathetic love with his arranged wife Mumtaz Mahal, even more unusual at the time because of Moghul emperors actually having something like 50 or 60 wives, nearly all of them political appointees chosen in order to broker truces among the dozens of regional tribal leaders (or rajas) still left in India, and that emperors weren't ever expected to actually "click" with any of these wives in a serious way.
Shah Jahan did, though, even to the extent of seeking regular political advice from Mahal, an almost unheard-of thing back then; and so when she died unexpectedly in 1631, the man ended up really falling apart, deciding to spend what some think might've been up to half of the empire's entire extra fortune on her mausoleum, the "Taj Mahal" that we now acknowledge as one of the greatest edifices in human history. It was this folly, and Shah Jahan's descent into alcoholic madness afterwards, that made serious cracks first appear in the once unstoppable Moghul Empire; it was his cavalier, competitive attitude towards his children, then, that made them erupt into a bloody Shakespearean civil war after Shah Jahan's death, which then split the empire into a series of constantly fighting resource-poor territories, ripe for conquest by first the French in the 1700s and then the British in the 1800s, leading us to the Victorian "Raj" period that for most of us Westerners is our first introduction to the subject of Indian history.
What the Prestons present us in this book, then, is a look not only at the building of the tomb itself, but the 50 years that led up to it and the 50 years after, a tightly-knit century-long dysfunctional-family saga that could roughly be compared in the West to, say, a general history of Great Britain's Georgian Era or Tudor Period; and like all good general histories, the Prestons tell us this story not just by examining the history and politics and war campaigns of the time, but the artistic and cultural trends, the clothes they wore and food they ate, the strata of social classes that existed in this literal hothouse environment, even a detailed look at how such infamous details as the royal harem worked. (In fact, this turns out to be one of the most fascinating digressions of the entire book -- turns out that the several hundred women making up the emperor's wives and their servants all lived in this big complex together on the royal grounds [which is what's actually called the 'harem,' not the group of women themselves:], hardly ever allowed outside and with no males besides the emperor allowed in [and with a whole series of secret passages for him too, so that he could magically appear in various bedchambers like a god would:], with an entire all-female staff down to the soldiers and guards themselves, and with this insanely elaborate matriarchal socio-political system existing just within the walls of the harem complex itself, for smooth daily life among all these essentially pampered sex slaves. Fascinating, I tell you.)
Make no mistake, this is nothing but a well-done overview, one of those mainstream-friendly projects they're always talking about on NPR, the literary equivalent of those cable documentaries you always catch yourself watching on Sunday afternoons; but I happen to love such projects, and don't need them to be anything more than this for me to find them highly satisfying. For all those interested in learning more about the Taj Mahal itself, as well as the last great days of the once all-powerful empire that produced it, this brisk and dryly entertaining guide comes highly recommended.
Out of 10: 8.7
July 31, 2020
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 castle, we only understand that Taj Mahal was the product of deep emotion. At the heart of all the eloquence and magnificence, lie two human beings who loved each other.
Not Architecture, as all others are,
But the proud passion of an emperor's love,
Wrought into living stone which gleams and soars,
With body of beauty, shining soul and thought .
Only two or three chapters from this book are wholly dedicated to Taj Mahal; it's foundation, the structure and materials used, architects, finances. The rest is Mughal history, particularly focusing on ShahJahan and Mumtaz Mahal, their journey, their children, the royal life.
Not Architecture, as all others are,
But the proud passion of an emperor's love,
Wrought into living stone which gleams and soars,
With body of beauty, shining soul and thought .
Only two or three chapters from this book are wholly dedicated to Taj Mahal; it's foundation, the structure and materials used, architects, finances. The rest is Mughal history, particularly focusing on ShahJahan and Mumtaz Mahal, their journey, their children, the royal life.
February 10, 2008
after reading the twentieth wife and feast of roses, I succumbed to the spell of the moghul empire. i spent days, weeks, and months of free time checking out and reading moghul books from the library. the authentic tapestries, the memoirs, the stories of betrayal, love, ambition, royalty, sexual indiscretions, jealousy, hatred, family . . pretty much just fascinating tales of history. and what pulled me in and kept me entangled with the moghuls is that it is all true and corroborated . . . it is all non-fiction.
October 6, 2009
A fascinating history of the Moghuls who invaded India and beautified the area with their stunning mausoleums and gardens -- the Taj Mahal being their most impressive. I was drawn to the story by the authors' descriptive writing and thorough research. Although nearly 400 pages, I could have read more.
November 2, 2009
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, design and construction of the Taj itself. So, if you're looking for a hyper-detailed physical examination of the structure alone, this book is not for you. On the other hand, it is impossible to understand the place the Taj holds in Indian history and in India's society today without its historical context. The questions of why Shah Jahan built it, what motivated him, what his life experiences and his relationship with his queen were leading up to the day the decision to build was made are all addressed by the authors. The book, written by two British historians, does present the fascinating story of the Mughals from a stubbornly western and British experience, which has both its pluses and minuses. But I confess fascination with the contemporary descriptions of various events and experiences the Prestons included, that came from a few European travelers who had access to their royal hosts' official lives. The authors also did an excellent job of presenting both sides of the evidence when it came to factually contested questions, suggesting their own conclusions but ultimately leaving the analysis for the reader to decide.
As someone whose ancestral home is a mere 20 kilometers from the site of the Taj Mahal, I thoroughly enjoyed using this book to plug in the gaps in knowledge from my numerous visits to the monument, and the gaps in stories often recited to me by my Indian relatives. I highly recommend this read for anyone who wants to visit the Taj (and if you are a westerner traveling to India, you almost certainly will be), or who wants an introduction to the history of the Mughal empire in India.
As someone whose ancestral home is a mere 20 kilometers from the site of the Taj Mahal, I thoroughly enjoyed using this book to plug in the gaps in knowledge from my numerous visits to the monument, and the gaps in stories often recited to me by my Indian relatives. I highly recommend this read for anyone who wants to visit the Taj (and if you are a westerner traveling to India, you almost certainly will be), or who wants an introduction to the history of the Mughal empire in India.
June 5, 2018
I knew I wasn't going to love this book right away but I was reading it as vague, optional background research for a show I'm working on in a non-research capacity so I pushed through because it was short. Unfortunately, I really, really dislike imperial histories, where the focus is exclusively on the ruling class, or in this case, family. The callousness with which the rest of humanity are treated under this method is really horrible - one of the things I found... entertaining? is not the right word but... about this book is that it treats British crimes against humanity, in its last chapter, equivalently to Mughal crimes against humanity throughout, which really, really calls them up as terrible people who caused millions of unnecessary deaths.
Also, despite being titled "Taj Mahal" only one chapter, two thirds of the way through the book, is actually about the architecture, construction, and decoration of the Taj Mahal, so it didn't even come through there. The rest was a sweeping imperial history of the entire Mughal empire, for some reason. So. Oops.
Also, despite being titled "Taj Mahal" only one chapter, two thirds of the way through the book, is actually about the architecture, construction, and decoration of the Taj Mahal, so it didn't even come through there. The rest was a sweeping imperial history of the entire Mughal empire, for some reason. So. Oops.
June 13, 2024
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, but a force that shapes destinies and creates timeless legacies. Khurram and Arjumand’s story is one that resonates through the ages, a testament to the power of devotion and the human heart's capacity for deep, enduring connection.
Their relationship was a symphony of souls, each note harmonizing with the other to create a melody that still echoes in the corridors of history. Shah Jahan, a powerful emperor, and Mumtaz Mahal, his beloved queen, shared a bond that went beyond the physical realm. It was a love that was spiritual, a union of minds and hearts that inspired the creation of one of the most magnificent structures the world has ever seen.
The Prestons capture this essence beautifully, painting a picture of two people whose lives were so intertwined that they became one. Shah Jahan's love for Mumtaz was like the mighty Yamuna River, constant and unwavering, flowing with a force that could not be contained. Mumtaz, in turn, was his guiding star, her presence a beacon of light in the emperor’s life, illuminating his path with her grace and wisdom.
Their love was not without its trials. The Prestons reveal the intimate moments of joy and sorrow, triumph and tragedy, that marked their journey together. Each smile they shared, each tear they shed, added to the rich tapestry of their relationship, making it all the more profound and unforgettable.
And then came the moment when the cruel hand of fate took Mumtaz away from Shah Jahan. His grief was immeasurable, but from this profound sorrow was born a resolve to honor her memory in the most extraordinary way. The Taj Mahal, often described as a "teardrop on the cheek of time," stands as a symbol of Shah Jahan's undying love for Mumtaz, a love so deep that it transcended the mortal realm and found expression in the eternal beauty of marble and precious stones.
The Prestons’ narrative is not just a recounting of historical events but a poetic tribute to a love that knew no bounds. They delve into the heart of Shah Jahan's devotion, the painstaking detail and passion he poured into creating a monument that would forever enshrine the love of his life.
"A Teardrop on the Cheek of Time" is more than a book; it is a love letter to the power of human connection. It reminds us that true love is immortal, leaving an indelible mark on the world, much like the Taj Mahal itself. Through the pages of this book, the Prestons allow us to witness a love story for the ages, one that will continue to inspire and move hearts for generations to come.
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, but a force that shapes destinies and creates timeless legacies. Khurram and Arjumand’s story is one that resonates through the ages, a testament to the power of devotion and the human heart's capacity for deep, enduring connection.
Their relationship was a symphony of souls, each note harmonizing with the other to create a melody that still echoes in the corridors of history. Shah Jahan, a powerful emperor, and Mumtaz Mahal, his beloved queen, shared a bond that went beyond the physical realm. It was a love that was spiritual, a union of minds and hearts that inspired the creation of one of the most magnificent structures the world has ever seen.
The Prestons capture this essence beautifully, painting a picture of two people whose lives were so intertwined that they became one. Shah Jahan's love for Mumtaz was like the mighty Yamuna River, constant and unwavering, flowing with a force that could not be contained. Mumtaz, in turn, was his guiding star, her presence a beacon of light in the emperor’s life, illuminating his path with her grace and wisdom.
Their love was not without its trials. The Prestons reveal the intimate moments of joy and sorrow, triumph and tragedy, that marked their journey together. Each smile they shared, each tear they shed, added to the rich tapestry of their relationship, making it all the more profound and unforgettable.
And then came the moment when the cruel hand of fate took Mumtaz away from Shah Jahan. His grief was immeasurable, but from this profound sorrow was born a resolve to honor her memory in the most extraordinary way. The Taj Mahal, often described as a "teardrop on the cheek of time," stands as a symbol of Shah Jahan's undying love for Mumtaz, a love so deep that it transcended the mortal realm and found expression in the eternal beauty of marble and precious stones.
The Prestons’ narrative is not just a recounting of historical events but a poetic tribute to a love that knew no bounds. They delve into the heart of Shah Jahan's devotion, the painstaking detail and passion he poured into creating a monument that would forever enshrine the love of his life.
"A Teardrop on the Cheek of Time" is more than a book; it is a love letter to the power of human connection. It reminds us that true love is immortal, leaving an indelible mark on the world, much like the Taj Mahal itself. Through the pages of this book, the Prestons allow us to witness a love story for the ages, one that will continue to inspire and move hearts for generations to come.
April 13, 2023
I have read very little of Indian history and had no idea how far back the Hindu/Islam divide went. This book provided a great first look into, what I am sure, is an incredible history. I learned of the Mogul empire, derived in some form from Genghis Khan and Muslim by confession. I learned of the great love that led to the Taj Mahal being built. I learned of Indian culture and its development. The history was told from a Western perspective, I would be interested in reading the history through Indian eyes, at some point.
For me, the whole book hung on a section the authors quoted from a piece by Salman Rushdie on his first visit to the Taj Mahal:
For me, the whole book hung on a section the authors quoted from a piece by Salman Rushdie on his first visit to the Taj Mahal:
And this, finally, is why the Taj Mahal must be seen: to remind us that the world is real, that the sound is truer than the echo, the original more forceful than its image in a mirror. The beauty of beautiful things is still able, in these image-saturated times, to transcend imitations. And the Taj Mahal is, beyond the power of words to say it, a lovely thing, perhaps the loveliest of things.
October 9, 2022
Although I skim read some bits, this was a nice dive into Moghul history, the dynastic horror, the love, the beauty, the conquest and so much death. I would love to read more about the women in this family line, all the way from Babur’s mother (a direct descendant of Ghengis Khan) to, and especially, Mumtaz Muhal’s (Taj Mahal) daughter, Jahanara.
Some gems from this book (for me) tulips are from Central Asia, the word “shampoo” is Hindi in origin and means “massage”, and this quote from Aurangzeb, “lighten the neck of the burden of his head”.
Some gems from this book (for me) tulips are from Central Asia, the word “shampoo” is Hindi in origin and means “massage”, and this quote from Aurangzeb, “lighten the neck of the burden of his head”.
June 25, 2013
Definitive book on the history of the Taj Mahal, with a fair bit of context of the great Mughuls of Indian subcontinent. This is the my second reading of this wondrous tale of romance and intrigues of the mighty Mughuls starting from Babur till the last great Aurengzeb. The authors have done a great service by evaluating all angles of various historical questions like the relationship between Shah Jehan and Jehanara, the architect of Taj Mahal, about the possibility of a black Taj and many more. All in all the book makes a great reading for every Indian and Pakistani interested in the greatest building of the subcontinent.
July 25, 2015
Wonderful account of the history of the Mughal dynasty. The name is very misleading. Although the book gives a lot of details on the Taj Mahal, it provides a rich and fascinating account of the history of the Mughal dynasty stretching from Babur all the way to Aurangzeb. Must read for anyone interested in this history
March 26, 2015
This book is really a history of the Moghul Empire from rise to fall with a focus on the lives and love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Extravagance, excess, greed, and hunger for power causes grief and the downfall of the great.
August 2, 2014
Couldn’t finish it. Too much minutiae about the Moghul dynasties. The authors really didn’t differentiate well between the many historical characters and I found myself frequently lost, as to whom they were writing about.
August 12, 2010
This book was a fun, breezy look into a very dangerous and opulent time. So well written! I love when history makes you question the need to read fiction.
Read
January 28, 2013Just couldn't get into. Names of people and places kept running together since i have no reference to place or time. The book was recommended from a friend, but just not for me.
September 9, 2015
Richly informative, deeply scholarly, and unremittingly stiff.
January 6, 2019
very interesting background and insight into the moghul royalty, and the details behind the construction of the Taj Mahal and history of Agra.
An easy read but a little lengthy.
An easy read but a little lengthy.
September 25, 2016
In the Epilogue of the book the Prestons have quoted Salman Rushdie: “The building itself left my skepticism in shreds … insisting with absolute force on its sovereign authority, it simply obliterated the million counterfeits of it and glowingly filled, once and forever, the place in the mind previously occupied by its simulacra and this, finally, is why the Taj Mahal must be seen; to remind us that the world is real, that the sound is truer than the echo, the original more forceful than its image in a mirror. The beauty of beautiful things is still able, in these image-saturated times, to transcend imitations. And the Taj Mahal is beyond the power of words to say it, a lovely thing, perhaps the loveliest of things.”
Nothing much remains to be said after this.
Diana and Michael Preston have written the story of Taj Mahal – its conception, its creation, its beauty and the controversies. And the story is told in the background of the Mughal Empire – from the steppes of Central Asia to the marshland of the Arakans.
This is a story well told.
At the end of the book it leaves – as any account of the Mughal empire possibly does – a sense of lingering sadness. Sadness for what could have been. An empire built by the large-hearted Akbar was set – less than a century later - on the sure path of decline by his hateful and bigoted great grandson.
Today, when there is competitive chest-thumping by India and Pakistan over Kashmir, when Islamic hardliners have Pakistan firmly in their stranglehold, when Hindu-Muslim relationship in India is on a sharp decline, it is so difficult to remember that only seven decades ago we were one nation.
And Aurangzeb can justifiably claim to be one of the principal authors of that decline and fall.
By the authors who in pseudonym wrote the popular Empire of the Moghul series Taj Mahal is a very informative and well-written book.
In the Epilogue of the book the Prestons have quoted Salman Rushdie: “The building itself left my skepticism in shreds … insisting with absolute force on its sovereign authority, it simply obliterated the million counterfeits of it and glowingly filled, once and forever, the place in the mind previously occupied by its simulacra and this, finally, is why the Taj Mahal must be seen; to remind us that the world is real, that the sound is truer than the echo, the original more forceful than its image in a mirror. The beauty of beautiful things is still able, in these image-saturated times, to transcend imitations. And the Taj Mahal is beyond the power of words to say it, a lovely thing, perhaps the loveliest of things.”
Nothing much remains to be said after this.
Diana and Michael Preston have written the story of Taj Mahal – its conception, its creation, its beauty and the controversies. And the story is told in the background of the Mughal Empire – from the steppes of Central Asia to the marshland of the Arakans.
This is a story well told.
At the end of the book it leaves – as any account of the Mughal empire possibly does – a sense of lingering sadness. Sadness for what could have been. An empire built by the large-hearted Akbar was set – less than a century later - on the sure path of decline by his hateful and bigoted great grandson.
Today, when there is competitive chest-thumping by India and Pakistan over Kashmir, when Islamic hardliners have Pakistan firmly in their stranglehold, when Hindu-Muslim relationship in India is on a sharp decline, it is so difficult to remember that only seven decades ago we were one nation.
And Aurangzeb can justifiably claim to be one of the principal authors of that decline and fall.
By the authors who in pseudonym wrote the popular Empire of the Moghul series Taj Mahal is a very informative and well-written book.
Nothing much remains to be said after this.
Diana and Michael Preston have written the story of Taj Mahal – its conception, its creation, its beauty and the controversies. And the story is told in the background of the Mughal Empire – from the steppes of Central Asia to the marshland of the Arakans.
This is a story well told.
At the end of the book it leaves – as any account of the Mughal empire possibly does – a sense of lingering sadness. Sadness for what could have been. An empire built by the large-hearted Akbar was set – less than a century later - on the sure path of decline by his hateful and bigoted great grandson.
Today, when there is competitive chest-thumping by India and Pakistan over Kashmir, when Islamic hardliners have Pakistan firmly in their stranglehold, when Hindu-Muslim relationship in India is on a sharp decline, it is so difficult to remember that only seven decades ago we were one nation.
And Aurangzeb can justifiably claim to be one of the principal authors of that decline and fall.
By the authors who in pseudonym wrote the popular Empire of the Moghul series Taj Mahal is a very informative and well-written book.
In the Epilogue of the book the Prestons have quoted Salman Rushdie: “The building itself left my skepticism in shreds … insisting with absolute force on its sovereign authority, it simply obliterated the million counterfeits of it and glowingly filled, once and forever, the place in the mind previously occupied by its simulacra and this, finally, is why the Taj Mahal must be seen; to remind us that the world is real, that the sound is truer than the echo, the original more forceful than its image in a mirror. The beauty of beautiful things is still able, in these image-saturated times, to transcend imitations. And the Taj Mahal is beyond the power of words to say it, a lovely thing, perhaps the loveliest of things.”
Nothing much remains to be said after this.
Diana and Michael Preston have written the story of Taj Mahal – its conception, its creation, its beauty and the controversies. And the story is told in the background of the Mughal Empire – from the steppes of Central Asia to the marshland of the Arakans.
This is a story well told.
At the end of the book it leaves – as any account of the Mughal empire possibly does – a sense of lingering sadness. Sadness for what could have been. An empire built by the large-hearted Akbar was set – less than a century later - on the sure path of decline by his hateful and bigoted great grandson.
Today, when there is competitive chest-thumping by India and Pakistan over Kashmir, when Islamic hardliners have Pakistan firmly in their stranglehold, when Hindu-Muslim relationship in India is on a sharp decline, it is so difficult to remember that only seven decades ago we were one nation.
And Aurangzeb can justifiably claim to be one of the principal authors of that decline and fall.
By the authors who in pseudonym wrote the popular Empire of the Moghul series Taj Mahal is a very informative and well-written book.
March 15, 2019
3.5 stars. Not the most compelling non-fiction I have read, but interesting and thorough. It took me quite a while to get into this book, but really, I think the fault lies mainly with my very western-centric education. As I began the book, I had very few points of reference for places, names, and middle eastern history and cultures, even though I have been trying to remedy that. In the end, I enjoyed the book and the thorough and balanaced treatment of the Moghuls, and especially of Shah Jahan. And now I cannot wait to visit this amazing piece of architecture!
January 23, 2023
Very readable history about the Mughals with extra attention to Shah Jahan, Mumtaz Mahal and the Taj Mahal. I expected the whole book to be about them and the Taj. There is a very helpful index and sources at the end of the book. The Mughals were short lived so it is really easy to digest this book. The empire itself was interesting with all the family drama, especially between father and son. And the development of the empire and it's religious views. I enjoyed reading it and it was worth every minute.
June 23, 2018
Shah Jahan is the most recognized member of the Moghul Empire because of the Taj Mahal, the incredible mausoleum he built for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Taj Mahal covers several generations of the Moghul Empire. It is much more about the people than the Taj Mahal, though it does spend a few chapters on it. I found most of the book to be quite interesting and learned a whole lot. I recommend this book to adults interested in the Taj Mahal or the Moghul Empire.
August 8, 2018
The substance of this book is beyond my expectation. Once opening the first page of the book I expected to directly read a history of a building, but it is beyond that. It tells us the whole royal history of Moghul empire. The writing is very detail, I can see the writer's passion on delivering such informations. Thank you to the writers for providing me abundant insight to one of the most Influential human civilization.
March 10, 2019
A delightful read that tells the story of the intense and violent lives of the rulers of Mughal empire. It is not merely about how the splendid Taj Mahal came about, but also a tale of the well known love of Shah Jahan for his bride Mumtaz Mahal.
More so also, an indepth research into the Mughal empire and their grandeur lives and also their architecture which became an integral identity of Islamic India and its history.
More so also, an indepth research into the Mughal empire and their grandeur lives and also their architecture which became an integral identity of Islamic India and its history.
August 12, 2019
While the narrative of this wonder of the world holds the listener's interest, I don't feel it quite lived up to the "dazzling" description from the publisher's blurb. Yes, there is a wealth of information here, with titillating bits about the sex lives of the powerful and the goings-on in the harem, and some description of the difficulties of identifying the architect. A nice effort, but falls somewhat short.
July 25, 2021
A wonderful book that discussed the history of the empire that built the Taj Mahal. Starting with Babur and ending with Aurangzeb, this book is a detailed account of the lives of several powerful emperors and the society they led. This book detailed several interesting aspects of the empire I did not expect to learn about, such as how the harem worked and the Mughal love of gardens. A wonderful read for anyone with an interest in Indian history.
August 6, 2025
It gets a bit bogged down in warfare and battle tactics on occasion, but this book is just as much a concise and effective history of the height of Moghul rule in the subcontinent as it is about the Taj itself. They are impossibly intertwined, and this history offers an ages-old lesson about how disparate cultural and religious practices can fuse into a loving synthesis...one that seems to be especially ignored in our modern age.
May 23, 2017
A rather broad and sweeping approach to the building of the Taj Mahal and the context under which it existed at the time and since. True to their past work, the Prestons have captured its context with thoroughness and style. I highly recommend this work and will certainly seek more about the Moghuls and this powerful force in South Asian history and culture. Enjoyed the work immensely.
August 1, 2017
There is so much more to the story than the love that inspired this magnificent building. The generations of family and regal history that preceeded its building. The difference between the western and eastern calendars always surprises me. With this remarkable, fully realized biography of the building, the authors put the story in the greater world context which was very helpful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews