The Moghul monarchs’ way of life was an extravaganza of such breathtaking splendour that in comparison the Sun King’s Versailles seems understated. Both Shah Jahan and Louis XIV came to the throne in 1643 and their courts had much in common: architectural grandeur, luxury, a love of jewels and a flair for excess. What was unique to the Muslim emperor was his devotion to a consort throughout their long marriage. Her death in childbirth and his desire to create a worthy mausoleum resulted in what many consider the most beautiful building in the world — the Taj Mahal.
A Teardrop on the Cheek of Time (a syrupy phrase from Rabindranath Tagore) gives us not only the story of the Taj, but palace intrigues, marriages and assassinations; military campaigns, the rise and fall of emperors. The authors take the reader at a brisk trot from Tamerlaine to the present day, their considerable research leavened by colourful story-telling.
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