The most famous narrative of the Taj Mahal, India's transcendent tourist attraction, is the love story that prompted its construction: the death of queen Mumtaz during the birth of her 14th child the grief of her emperor-husband, Shah Jahan and his vow to build the world's greatest monument to love.īut after more than 350 years, there are other narratives worth exploring as well, including In-dia's own complicated relationship with the monument, and with the Islamic emperors who built it and many of this country's architectural treasures.

Federal Tourism and Culture Minister Jagmohan, who visited the white-marble Taj Mahal on Sunday, said the new structure could divert the flow of the Jamuna River waters during monsoon rains, flooding a sprawling garden in the area and causing damage to the monument. A state-run company pulled back massive cranes and earth filling equipment Sunday June 22, 2003, following federal government orders to stop building a tourist complex near the Taj Mahal, in violation of laws protecting the 17th century monument. Facebook Twitter Email **FILE** The Taj Mahal is seen in Agra, India in in this 1982.