On our quest for India’s King of Fruit, the mango, Rob and I decided to stop and check out the Taj Mahal. Although the large gardens surrounding the Taj Mahal were once a proud mango and fruit orchard, mangoes are no longer permitted inside the walls. Ours were confiscated by a bemused guard. More photos of the Taj Mahal below.
Shah Jahan was a grieving Mughol emperor who had the Taj Mahal built to hold the body of his favorite wife, who died in childbirth. Like many Mughol emperors, Shah Jahan was proud of his mango orchards and his prize mango varieties. He had orchards at many of the famous tourist sites, like the Red Fort in Delhi.
A famous anecdote about the Shah’s love of mangoes is about an argument he had with his son. In the heat of the disagreement, Shah Jahan accused his son of eating all the mangoes from the Shah’s favorite tree.
The current garden at the Taj Mahal was reconstructed by the British, who chose not to include fruit trees. I guess the British didn’t have a passion for mangoes!
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| A man sweeps at the mosque at the Taj Mahal complex |
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