Monuments of Love: Have You Seen Them Lately?

We’ve all got the five senses. The senses of sight, smell, speech, sound and touch to enjoy the beauty of the world. But what about memories?

Your memories, my memories, our memories.

When it comes to memories, can there really be any bigger reminders than monuments (literally and figuratively), whether from 1500 BC or 1800 AD?

Some of these monuments can serve as an excellent backdrop for getting your pre-wedding shoot done. Recite your story of love to these monuments, but before you do so, give their stories a read:

5) Gurjari Mahal, Gwalior Fort: Boy meets girl and they fall in love. Despite intense opposition from their families and circumstances, love wins over all in the end. That’s what happened here too. Maharaja Mansingh Tomar of Tomar dynasty built this palace for his beloved Gurjari queen Mriganayani. Mriganayani was from a simple tribe and hence, was not accepted by the other queens. But due to their shared interests, Mriganayani and the Maharaja enjoyed a special closeness. With her assistance, the king built many temples, buildings, structures inside the Gwalior fort.

Above all, the separate Gurjari Mahal was a signature of love between them. Upon his queen’s wish, the Maharaj even brought the river Rai to this palace because this river brought back the memory of the queen’s girlhood. After all, what is love without a few grand gestures thrown in?

4) Hyderabad: This is one love story of grand proportions. When Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah met Bhagmati, a village girl, he fell head over heels and built a city around her village. When she married him, she changed her name to Hyder Mahal and hence, the city came to be known as Hyderabad. 

3) Hawa Mahal: Never let it be said that love cannot be jealous and possessive. Hawa Mahal was essentially a very large screen made to shield the women of the royal household could observe street festivals while remaining unseen from the outside. 

2) Jodha Bai’s Palace in the Agra Fort: Jodha Bai Ka Rauza is an excellent example of the fusion of Hindu and Muslim architectures. More so, for a mix of two cultures.

As the story goes, after Akbar conquered Malwa he faced strong resistances from the Rajput kings. Not wanting to make enemies of them, Akbar dealt with the problem diplomatically, allowing them to keep their kingdoms and forming marriage alliances with the princesses of the Rajput clans. And so, he married Jodha Bai, sister of Man Singh, the powerful ruler of Jaipur. She became his favorite queen and was permitted to worship in the Hindu way in her palace.

1) Taj Mahal: Need we even say anything? We’ve all grown up to the tales of Shah Jahan’s epic love. It was commissioned by the emperor to house the tomb of his beloved queen, Mumtaz Mahal. Described by Rabindranath Tagore as “the tear-drop on the cheek of time”, the monument is universally regarded as a symbol of love.

While all this is very interesting, how do these tales concern us? These monuments all had a tale that spoke about someone’s love for someone who died some time ago. But while the identities of these people may not be important, these stories are lessons. They ring with truths. We have a rich history, but our nation is young; our stories are not yet legends, but in them, our bonds were struck.

And so, let’s make our stories so that when we’re long gone, they remain behind to serve our descendants as a reminder of what was and what can be again. So, go ahead. Make some memories. Spend some time with your beloved at a monument. Laugh and capture these moments in time forever so that your love can be truly eternal. We can help!

Also Read: Do You Need A Pre-Wedding Photoshoot?