I can’t wait to see this beautiful monument as my clients and I visit it during our 2011 Silver Legends Himalayan Tour next month.
Emperor Shah Jehan commissioned the building of the Taj Mahal, a final resting place and mausoleum for his beloved bride and wife Mumtaz Mahal, starting one year after she died. The building started in 1632, took twenty-two years to build and twenty thousand laborers. It is spread over forty-two acres on the banks of the River Yamuna near the city of Agra and was designed in such a way that no further addition or alteration to it would be possible.
On my Himalayan tours, I can go from a very hot to a very cold climate in a matter of hours and being from North America I am used to thinking of temperatures in Fahrenheit.
However Fahrenheit is becoming obsolete in many parts of the world, so I have learned to understand Celsius and be comfortable with conversions.
So I thought it might be useful to do a short little blog post on temperature conversions so you know exactly how comfortable you will be once you step into your new surroundings.
I am starting first with the actual temperature conversion formulas, just in case you want to know how the numbers came about (although there are tons of apps you can download to do this for you in a jiffy). I will also be providing my favorite app later in this post.
To convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius use (F – 32) x 5/9 = C
Example: If it is 100 degrees Fahrenheit in Bali, Indonesia, (100 – 32) x 5/9, it is 37.7 degrees Celsius.
To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit use (C x 1.8) + 32 = F
Example: If it is 20 degrees Celsius in Kathmandu, Nepal, (20 X 1.8) + 32, it is 68 degrees Fahrenheit.
The ConvertMeApp is my personal favorite for temperature conversions without having to do the math.
What are some of your experiences? Is there a process or conversion app that you use and like very much that you can share?
In part 2 of our Himalayan adventures, as we finally got to the Living Root bridge, we saw a strange and surreal looking structure suspended above a stream (which turns into a rushing swirling river during the monsoons). I will never forget the multi-colored hues of the afternoon sun streaming through the trees onto the bridge that afternoon.
The bridge “building” starts when the trunk of a betel nut tree is sliced down the middle and hollowed out and the young roots of the Ficus Elastica Rubber Tree are placed inside and guided to grow to the other side of the river, taking root in the soil and thriving into these natural, eco-friendly, living root bridges.
This process takes between fifteen and twenty years before the bridge is ready for people to cross.
Some of these bridges are over five hundred years old, over one hundred feet long and can support the weight of about fifty people at a time, and have been used by the local mountain tribes to cross swift thundering rivers and streams during the heavy monsoons.
As we crossed one of these bridges, we noticed the path was embedded (apparently many generations ago) with large stones between the growing roots, the vines eventually absorbing the stones into a completely natural walkway.
The picture above is of a double decker root bridge. Interestingly, the rest of the world had never even heard of these bridges until fairly recently. They were discovered by Denis P. Rayen of the Cherrapunji Holiday resort as he explored these remote forest regions looking for hiking trails for his guests.
And as we rested for a picnic lunch by a waterfall, we felt peace in the quiet serenity and earthy fragrance of the forest around us, the gentle echo of the waterfall, the warm afternoon sun and the grateful sensation of being so blessed and alive. This is truly what a vacation should be!
What were some of your unique vacation experiences? Did they rejuvenate your mind, body and soul?
This is Part 2. (Part 1 posted Feb 11).
When we finally got to the bridge, we saw a surreal structure that appeared to be set amidst a fairyland forest of colorful hues, suspended above a little stream (which I was told becomes a torrent of water during the monsoons), the sun’s rays streaming through the trees as the afternoon mist quietly floated in. It was an unforgettable sight.
According to the locals, the bridge “building” starts when the trunk of a betel nut tree is sliced down the middle and hollowed out, then the young roots of the Ficus Elastica Rubber Tree are placed inside and guided to grow to the other side of the river, taking root in the soil as they continue to thrive into these natural, eco-friendly, living root bridges. This process takes between fifteen and twenty years before the bridge is ready for people to cross.
Some of these bridges are over one hundred feet long, can support the weight of about fifty people at a time, and have been used by the local mountain tribes for hundreds of years to cross swift thundering rivers and streams during the heavy monsoons.
As we crossed one of these bridges, we noticed the path was embedded (apparently many generations ago) with large stones between the growing roots, the vines eventually absorbing the stones into a completely natural walkway.
The picture above is of a double decker root bridge. Interestingly, the rest of the world had never even heard of these bridges until fairly recently. They were discovered by Denis P. Rayen of the Cherrapunji Holiday resort as he explored these remote forest regions looking for hiking trails for his guests. I myself grew up about 50 miles away from these bridges and my family and I never even knew they existed until just a few years ago!
On our return back up the trail, we stopped by a beautiful waterfall for a picnic and to give our legs a much needed break. What a wonderful day – we had just encountered a time and place where man and nature co-created and co-existed in extraordi
When we finally got to the bridge, we saw a surreal structure that appeared to be set amidst a fairyland forest of colorful hues, suspended above a little stream (which I was told becomes a torrent of water during the monsoons), the sun’s rays streaming through the trees as the afternoon mist quietly floated in. It was an unforgettable sight.
According to the locals, the bridge “building” starts when the trunk of a betel nut tree is sliced down the middle and hollowed out, then the young roots of the Ficus Elastica Rubber Tree are placed inside and guided to grow to the other side of the river, taking root in the soil as they continue to thrive into these natural, eco-friendly, living root bridges. This process takes between fifteen and twenty years before the bridge is ready for people to cross.
Some of these bridges are over one hundred feet long, can support the weight of about fifty people at a time, and have been used by the local mountain tribes for hundreds of years to cross swift thundering rivers and streams during the heavy monsoons.
As we crossed one of these bridges, we noticed the path was embedded (apparently many generations ago) with large stones between the growing roots, the vines eventually absorbing the stones into a completely natural walkway.
The picture above is of a double decker root bridge. Interestingly, the rest of the world had never even heard of these bridges until fairly recently. They were discovered by Denis P. Rayen of the Cherrapunji Holiday resort as he explored these remote forest regions looking for hiking trails for his guests. I myself grew up about 50 miles away from these bridges and my family and I never even knew they existed until just a few years ago!
On our return back up the trail, we stopped by a beautiful waterfall for a picnic and to give our legs a much needed break. What a wonderful day – we had just encountered a time and place where man and nature co-created and co-existed in extraordinary harmony for hundreds of years.
And as we rested for a picnic lunch, we felt rejuvenated by the serenity and earthy fragrance of the forest around us, the gentle echo of the waterfall and the warm afternoon sun, we felt blessed, exhilarated and grateful to be alive. This is truly what a vacation should be!
What were some of your unique vacation experiences? Did they rejuvenate your mind, body and soul?
nary harmony for hundreds of years.
And as we rested, we were gently rejuvenated by the serenity and earthy fragrance of the forest around us, the gentle echo of the waterfall and the warm afternoon sun, immersed in the grateful sensation of being truly blessed and the exhilaration of bring alive. This is what a vacation should be!
What were some of your unique vacation experiences? Did they rejuvenate your mind, body and soul?
My husband and I went on an amazing adventure a couple of years ago…
It started deep in the rain forests of the Northeastern Himalayan foothills when we decided to visit some local living root bridges.
Talk about ecological consciousness…
Contrary to bridges constructed with man-made materials, these natural “living” bridges are made from the roots of the Ficus Elastica, also known as the the Indian Rubber Tree, and most are over 500 years while continuing to get stronger over time.
In an era of growing environmental consciousness, it is so refreshing to find a place where man has harnessed nature to survive and live in such harmony together for hundreds of years.
The start of the trek…
Together with a few friends, we traveled about 50 miles away from the city of Shillong. After a long drive through windy mountain roads, we finally met our local guide who would take us on our hike. As we left the paved road behind, we started descending further into the mountain and pretty soon the stone path disappeared completely and we were hiking down a sturdy but sometimes slippery forest trail.
Our survival instincts took over as we picked up some wooden branches to help us keep our balance because our legs were starting to feel like Jello at this point. I was also getting a little concerned about our return journey going back “up” this trail.
The set of Avatar?
Onward we descended as we trekked deeper into the forest with the bizarre feeling that we had just stepped into the set of Avatar, into a quiet magical jungle of deep green, lush foliage where any moment we would see Neytiri and the Na’vi people coming out to greet us.
In my next post (Part 2), I will share the unexpected scene we saw when we got there. Stay tuned.
My husband and I went on an amazing adventure a few years ago that I would like to share with you today.
This particular adventure started deep in the rain forests of the Northeastern Himalayan foothills when we decided to visit some local ecological marvels – living root bridges that are part of nature itself. Contrary to bridges constructed with man-made materials, these natural “living” bridges are made from the roots of the Ficus Elastica, also known as the the Indian Rubber Tree, and most are over 500 years while continuing to get stronger over time. In an era of growing environmental consciousness, it is so refreshing to find a place where man has harnessed nature to survive and live in such harmony together for hundreds of years.
Together with a few friends, we traveled about 50 miles away from the city of Shillong. After a long drive through windy mountain roads, we finally met our local guide who would take us on our hike. As we left the paved road behind, we started descending further into the mountain and pretty soon the stone path disappeared completely and we were hiking down a sturdy but sometimes slippery forest trail. Our survival instincts took over as we picked up some wooden branches to help us keep our balance because our legs were starting to feel like Jello at this point. I was also getting a little concerned about our return journey going back “up” this trail. Onward we descended as we trekked deeper into the forest with the bizarre feeling that we had just stepped into the set of Avatar, into a quiet magical jungle of deep green, lush foliage where any moment we would see Neytiri and the Na’vi people coming out to greet us.
When we finally got to the bridge we just stared at this surreal structure before us, set in a fairyland forest above the gentle rippling sounds of the stream below. By the way, the water was gentle because we were visiting during the dry months. During the monsoons, this gentle stream turns into a rushing, swirling, swift river. As we continued to gazed at this bio-engineering wonder in front of us, I could almost imagine the stories it could tell us – hundreds of years worth! I wondered what the original people were like who built these bridges centuries ago, what were they doing in this remote part of the jungle and how did they live?
According to the local Khasi people, the bridge “building” started when the trunk of a betel nut tree is sliced down the middle and hollowed out, then the young roots of the Ficus Elastica Rubber Tree are placed inside and these roots are then guided to grow across the swift rushing rivers and streams. When these roots get to the other side, they then take root in the soil and continue to thrive into natural, eco-friendly, living root bridges. This process takes between fifteen and twenty years before the bridge is ready for people to cross.
As we were walking on this bridge to the other side of the stream, we noticed the path on the bridge embedded with large stones which we were told were put there generations ago to cover the holes between the roots, the vines eventually absorbing the stones, growing around them as they became a part of this living bridge. Imagine that – a natural stone walkway across a bridge.
Some of these bridges are over one hundred feet long and can support the weight of about fifty people at a time. The local tribes of these mountain villages have used these bridges for hundreds of years to cross swift thundering rivers and streams during the heavy monsoons, as they travel to the local markets and so on. You can check out a picture of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge here – we were not able to see this particular bridge but from what I have heard, this is the most aggressive hike of them all. Yikes!!! Because I am not a fainthearted traveler, one of my goals this October 2011 is to go and see this one in person!
Interestingly, until just recently, the rest of the world had never even heard of these bridges. They were discovered by Denis P. Rayen of the Cherrapunji Holiday resort as he explored these remote forest regions looking for hiking trails for his guests. I grew up about 50 miles away from these bridges and my family and I never even knew these bridges existed until just a few years ago!
On our return back up the trail, we stopped by a beautiful waterfall for a picnic and to give our legs a much needed break. Although we were pretty sore the next day (this is not a trek for the faint of heart) it was so worth it – a discovery of something trul
My husband and I went on an amazing adventure a few years ago that I would like to share with you today.
This particular adventure started deep in the rain forests of the Northeastern Himalayan foothills when we decided to visit some local ecological marvels – living root bridges that are part of nature itself. Contrary to bridges constructed with man-made materials, these natural “living” bridges are made from the roots of the Ficus Elastica, also known as the the Indian Rubber Tree, and most are over 500 years while continuing to get stronger over time. In an era of growing environmental consciousness, it is so refreshing to find a place where man has harnessed nature to survive and live in such harmony together for hundreds of years.
Together with a few friends, we traveled about 50 miles away from the city of Shillong. After a long drive through windy mountain roads, we finally met our local guide who would take us on our hike. As we left the paved road behind, we started descending further into the mountain and pretty soon the stone path disappeared completely and we were hiking down a sturdy but sometimes slippery forest trail. Our survival instincts took over as we picked up some wooden branches to help us keep our balance because our legs were starting to feel like Jello at this point. I was also getting a little concerned about our return journey going back “up” this trail. Onward we descended as we trekked deeper into the forest with the bizarre feeling that we had just stepped into the set of Avatar, into a quiet magical jungle of deep green, lush foliage where any moment we would see Neytiri and the Na’vi people coming out to greet us.
When we finally got to the bridge we just stared at this surreal structure before us, set in a fairyland forest above the gentle rippling sounds of the stream below. By the way, the water was gentle because we were visiting during the dry months. During the monsoons, this gentle stream turns into a rushing, swirling, swift river. As we continued to gazed at this bio-engineering wonder in front of us, I could almost imagine the stories it could tell us – hundreds of years worth! I wondered what the original people were like who built these bridges centuries ago, what were they doing in this remote part of the jungle and how did they live?
According to the local Khasi people, the bridge “building” started when the trunk of a betel nut tree is sliced down the middle and hollowed out, then the young roots of the Ficus Elastica Rubber Tree are placed inside and these roots are then guided to grow across the swift rushing rivers and streams. When these roots get to the other side, they then take root in the soil and continue to thrive into natural, eco-friendly, living root bridges. This process takes between fifteen and twenty years before the bridge is ready for people to cross.
As we were walking on this bridge to the other side of the stream, we noticed the path on the bridge embedded with large stones which we were told were put there generations ago to cover the holes between the roots, the vines eventually absorbing the stones, growing around them as they became a part of this living bridge. Imagine that – a natural stone walkway across a bridge.
Some of these bridges are over one hundred feet long and can support the weight of about fifty people at a time. The local tribes of these mountain villages have used these bridges for hundreds of years to cross swift thundering rivers and streams during the heavy monsoons, as they travel to the local markets and so on. You can check out a picture of the Double Decker Living Root Bridge here – we were not able to see this particular bridge but from what I have heard, this is the most aggressive hike of them all. Yikes!!! Because I am not a fainthearted traveler, one of my goals this October 2011 is to go and see this one in person!
Interestingly, until just recently, the rest of the world had never even heard of these bridges. They were discovered by Denis P. Rayen of the Cherrapunji Holiday resort as he explored these remote forest regions looking for hiking trails for his guests. I grew up about 50 miles away from these bridges and my family and I never even knew these bridges existed until just a few years ago!
On our return back up the trail, we stopped by a beautiful waterfall for a picnic and to give our legs a much needed break. Although we were pretty sore the next day (this is not a trek for the faint of heart) it was so worth it – a discovery of something truly unique and magical, worlds away from reality. You see, we had arrived at an enchanting place that encouraged soft whispers so as not to disturb the silence of the forest or the serenity of the gentle, soothing sounds of the waterfall, beckoning us to bask luxuriously in the warm afternoon sunshine, to relax on the surrounding rocks as we dipped our feet in the cool waters, immersed in the grateful sensation of being truly blessed and the exhilaration of bring alive.
y unique and magical, worlds away from reality. You see, we had arrived at an enchanting place that encouraged soft whispers so as not to disturb the silence of the forest or the serenity of the gentle, soothing sounds of the waterfall, beckoning us to bask luxuriously in the warm afternoon sunshine, to relax on the surrounding rocks as we dipped our feet in the cool waters, immersed in the grateful sensation of being truly blessed and the exhilaration of bring alive.
Whether you are planning to book a Himalayan adventure or simply fly across the state you live in, did you know that internet airline tickets are usually discounted between 15% and 25% by Monday night?
By Tuesday, competitors match or exceed these prices so you may be able to purchase them for an even lower price – so Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually the best days to purchase your online tickets.
For example, according to Smart Moneydated Jan 28, 2011, a Chicago-Atlanta round-trip ticket for April travel dates cost $209 on Tuesday and Wednesday on American and Delta, but then $301 for the next four days.
When Tuesday rolled around last week, the fare dropped to $219 at both airlines for the April 8-15 itinerary. By Friday it was up to $307 at both American and Delta. Come Tuesday this week, the fare was down to $229”. This is a 33% savings.
And what are worst days to buy airline tickets?
Well, it looks like Saturdays and Sundays are the worst times to purchase because airlines don’t manage their inventory as actively until they come back to work on Mondays.
AlthoughSocial Mediamay change this trend as it appears some airlines are tweeting special fares that are only valid for an hour, or they send messages on their discounts to customers who sign up for fare alerts. By the way, you can get alerted on fares by signing up withAirfareWatchdog.com
On any alerts for online airfares you are thinking of purchasing, you might want to first go to that airline’s website and check – they might have discounted that exact flight for even less.
How do you get the best price for your airline tickets? Do you have any special programs or tools that you use to save money? I would love to hear back from you.
Statistics indicate more and more of us women are vacationing or taking business trips alone. You may or may not be heading off on a Himalayan tour, but you may indeed find yourself traveling alone in a new and unknown place. I myself have been on many trips by myself in unfamiliar cities when I was still working in the corporate world. This led me to write my travel ebook on information, tips and tricks that I have either researched or personally come up with that I have found useful. So I decided to post a few of them here and hope they come in handy for you ladies out there when you go on your next trip – be it to the wilds of Kenya, a Himalayan adventure, or to your client meeting in Toronto.
Some of these tips were added to the travel checklists through the years.
Pack some toothache medicine. Depending on where you are, you may not want a local dentist as instruments may not be properly sterilized.
Take a small container of Vaseline. It is a great anti-friction ointment and can be used on feet to prevent calluses and blisters, or as lip balm.
Carry some baby wipes to freshen up your face and any other parts of your body when you do not have access to water.
Depending on where you are, flowing skirts conveniently cover your legs when you are sightseeing in churches and temples, and are a perfect coverage for emergency bathroom breaks out in nature.
To counteract jet lag, once you get to your destination, expose yourself to as much sunlight as possible as natural sunshine will sync your circadian rhythm to your new environment.
Take a door stopper to lodge under your hotel room door for extra safety. This is very handy for hotels without safety latches.
Looping your money belt around the belt loops of your pants make it harder for thieves to run off with it.
Hotel reception should not say your room name aloud. If they do, ask for a different room.
Take a pedometer and track how many miles you walk during your vacation. You may log thousands of miles as you are sightseeing and give you a great sense of accomplishment you can brag about when you get back and it will motivate you to walk more, which is good for your health.
In my last blog post I discussed the withering process of tea after the leaves are initially plucked.
In this 2nd part of my three part blog post, I will discuss fermentation and oxidation process, and the differences between green tea, oohlong, black and white teas.
Once the withering process is completed and the essential oils and enzymes are released, the next stage is the fermentation process, which involves oxidization of the leaves in a humid atmosphere for up to four hours. During the fermentation process oxidation takes place, and the leaves change from dark green to a rusty brown color. After this, the tea is ready for drying and hot air is again passed over the leaves.
The black tea is marked and ready for testing by an expert tea taster, who describes the tea, documents it, and issues a certificate of release. The manufacturing process for black tea is now complete: it is ready for storage and transportation to the marketplace.
Green tea does NOT go through the fermentation process however. The veins in the leaves are not broken; instead, the leaves are steamed to destroy the enzymes that would otherwise lead to oxidation. This is why green tea retains its green color and delicate flavor.
Oolong (which means “black dragon” in Chinese) tea, manufactured in the Fujian province of China, is fermented for a much shorter span of time than black tea, ending at about the halfway point. Oolong teas are a cross between black and green teas, with a shorter fermentation process than black, but longer than the green.
White tea is a relatively new type of tea. It is the rarest of teas, as there is only a small window of time when the leaves can be picked – just a few weeks each year. The processing method for white tea involves raising the small silvery hairs on the leaves and buds. White tea is known for its anti-oxidant and detoxifying properties.
In my next blog post I will conclude with Part 3 which highlights different studies and research into the health benefits of the different types of teas.
If you are in the New Delhi area of India and would like to participate in an unusual experience – you may want to take an inner city walk with the Salaam Baalak Trust.
This organization works with street children in Delhi, providing them with a caring, secure environment which includes five 24-hour full care shelters for children, while providing them with a means to an education, and ultimately the opportunity to live full, enriched, meaningful lives.
Some of these children such as Shamsul, due to poverty and family problems, boarded a train from his home state at the age of 11 to New Delhi where he spent one a and half years picking rags in and around the railway station before being picked up by one of the trust staff. Shamsul received an education and is now a young man earning a good salary at a media company.
This is not a slum tour, this is a walk through the backstreets of New Delhi led by your young, fully trained guide who was once living and working on the streets, where you will view the world through their eyes as they share with you their life journeys. This tour is also one of the services that we offer as part of our Himalayan Boot Camp vacations.
On March 11, I had the pleasure of meeting Pete Carcione, president of the Golden Gate Produce Terminal and owner of Carcione’s Fresh Produce, and experienced a wonderful visit and glimpse into the busy activities of the wholesale produce warehouses at the Golden Gate Produce Terminal.
Pete’s family has been in the produce business for over 90 years, starting with his grandfather who came to America as a teenager and opened a small produce store in San Francisco. You may also remember Pete’s father Joe Carcione, who hosted snippets of advice and tips for fruits and vegetables on television in the 1980′s. Joe also wrote a newspaper column, published two books, and was syndicated on about 80 television stations nationwide for his television and radio spots.
The family legacy continues through Pete Carcione, whose wholesale produce business has been supplying fresh, high quality fruits and vegetables for 35 years to over 400 stores and restaurants throughout northern California.
Pete is currently in the process of re-publishing one of his father’s books, The Greengrocer Cookbookwhich is currently out of print but appears to still be in popular demand, and I am so honored that some of the recipes from my book The Deity Diet are going to be featured in the upcoming release of The Greengrocer Cookbook.
As I drove through the gates of the Golden Gate Produce Terminal, I was absolutely amazed at the size of it – multiple wholesale produce distributors in huge warehouses spread out over 17 acres and 200,000 square feet – filled with farm fresh produce of fruits and vegetables, literally from floor to ceiling, spread out into the street – boxes and boxes of delicious, colorful oranges, apples, Swiss chard, rhubarb, crates of beans, avocados, pineapples, and mangoes from local farms and countries as far away as France and Chile.
It was an art just dodging the forklifts beeping and moving about while they load the shipments on trucks destined for local grocery stores and restaurants. By 9:30 AM most of the activity had slowed down as trucks took off for their deliveries.
I tasted succulent, crunchy baby cucumbers, and sampled fragrant, juicy Mandarin oranges that were dripping with sweetness. I learned about the Name, (pronounced “Nami”) a tuber which looks like an oversized potato but filled with antioxidants and vitamins, and how to pick the best mangoes (but that is another blog post).
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the produce terminal is not just for business customers but is open to the general public as well. It is located near the San Francisco International airport at 131 Terminal Ct, South San Francisco, CA.
So the next time you are out and about you may want to drop in – maybe you will be lucky enough to pick up a fresh box of sweet, juicy Mandarin oranges for a lot less than what you will pay at your local grocery chain.
(My apologies for this long blog post, but I did not want to break it up into more than two parts. Perhaps it is more of a short story, but I so wanted to share with you the beautiful story and history behind the Taj Mahal, and if you should one day see this amazing monument, understand and imagine in your mind the lives of the two people who were the reason for its existence)
Though only fourteen years of age, Arjumand was stunning, and it was clear she could not lack for suitors. Arjumand’s thick hair was the color of the midnight sky and reached down to her waist. Her charcoal-colored eyes mesmerized him with unimagined and unspoken promises in their depths. Her golden skin was smooth and her lips red and full. She moved with such grace that she seemed to float about. And when she met his eyes ever so briefly, the prince was sure that her small smile that followed was meant for him alone. He was right. Arjumand herself was captivated by the attractive young prince and knew in her heart that they were destined for each other.
Though Prince Khurram was temporarily rendered speechless with Arjumand’s beauty and grace, upon his recovery he inquired as to Arjumand’s name and family. He learned that Arjumand was born to one of the noble houses of his court, and to his amazement, was not yet engaged to any man.
As the days and weeks passed, Prince Khurram could not stop thinking about Arjumand. At this time, he was already betrothed to two other princesses in arranged marriages by his father the Emperor, but the prince did not love or even know either of these princesses. On the other hand, he was completely besotted with Arjumand.
Upon much reflection, he requested permission from his father, Emperor Jehangir, to marry Arjumand. His father agreed, and with the proper review and recommendations of the astrologers and the correct alignment of the stars, Prince Khurram was betrothed to Arjumand in 1607 and their wedding date was set.
Finally, the happy day approached, and on March 27, 1612, five years later, handsome Prince Khurram, at the age of twenty, married the beautiful nineteen-year old Arjumand.
Prince Khurram favored Arjumand above all others, including his two other wives, and he showered her with love and affection. To the great delight of their subjects, Arjumand was just as in love with him as he was with her. The prince broke all tradition by being with her as much as possible, and the two were inseparable. The prince loved to bestow upon his bride unusual and beautiful gifts from all over the kingdom, but one gift he gave her was more than a mere object, more than even just a symbol of his love for her. Rather, it represented not only the special place she held in his heart, but also her place in their kingdom, and the love of the Court and its subjects for her – a new name. From now on she would be known as Mumtaz Mahal, which meant “Chosen One of the Palace.”
The years passed and eventually Emperor Jehangir died. Prince Khurram became the new emperor on February 4, 1628 and from that time became known as Shah Jehan.
Shah Jehan ruled withMumtaz Mahalby his side. Mumtaz was renowned for the major role she played in her husband’s monarchy. Her wisdom was legendary and she became his counselor, companion and partner and it was said, a critical advisor as he ruled his kingdom. Their combined intelligence and astute judgment created a monarchy at this time that was comparable to no other.
Mumtaz Mahal was the only one of Shah Jehan’s wives to bear him children. During their nineteen-year marriage, she bore him fourteen children. However, only seven of their children survived infancy.
In 1631, Shah Jehan readied himself for battle against the warlord of a neighboring kingdom; a battle that he guessed would last for many months as the enemy was a fierce one. Normally, Mumtaz accompanied the emperor to his battles, staying at a nearby palace, but she was pregnant with her fourteenth child at the time and the palace physicians did not recommend travelling in her condition. Despite the circumstances however, Mumtaz, who was strong in body and in mind, insisted on going along as she normally would and Shah Jehan was unable to deny her request.
While Shah Jehan led his army into battle, his wife Mumtaz stayed at a royal harem a few hours away. When her time came, she went into labor and gave birth to a baby girl at the harem. A messenger brought word to the emperor that he had a healthy daughter and that the queen was tired but doing well. Since the news was good, the shah decided he would wait until morning, when he would leave his troops and set out for the harem to visit Mumtaz and their new daughter.
After an exhausting but triumphant day on the battlefield, the emperor was readying himself for a few hours sleep before his journey to see his queen, when he received some disturbing news. It looked like Mumtaz had taken a turn for the worse and was in very serious condition. The harem physicians recommended that he get there as quickly as possible to see his wife.
Immediately, Shah Jehan left the camp with his bodyguards, riding as fast as they could into the early hours of the morning. When he arrived at Mumtaz’s bedside, he was shocked and terrified to see her so weak and pale, and deep in his heart he feared that she would not make it past morning. This fear was worse than anything he ever encountered, even during his most fierce battles. How would he make it without her by his side?
For the next few hours, Shah Jehan held his beloved Mumtaz in his arms until, in the early hour of dawn, she breathed her last faint breath. As he lay by her side, his heart heavy and breaking, his world turned dark with sorrow and pain, only the gods knew that Shah Jehan would never be the same man again. His spirit and love of life had died along with Mumtaz. She was all of 38 years old.
It was said that following his wife’s death, Shah Jehan was so heartbroken, that he locked himself in his private chambers where all the people in the palace heard were cries of anguish. When he finally emerged days later, he declared a mourning period throughout the kingdom.
After his first year of sorrow and pain, Shah Jehan commissioned the building of the mausoleum – the Taj Mahal – for his beloved bride and wife. The building of Mumtaz’s tomb started in 1632, one year after her death. It took twenty-two years to build and twenty thousand laborers. It is spread over forty-two acres on the banks of the River Yamuna near the city of Agra and was designed in such a way that no further addition or alteration to it would be possible.
The Taj Mahal was built on a raised square platform of 186 feet by 186 feet. The central dome was fifty-eight feet in diameter and 213 feet in height. There are four minarets, one at each corner of the Taj at a height of 162.5 feet each.
Deep inside the mausoleum are the actual crypts containing the bodies of the emperor and the queen, while the two marble tombs above them are the two false tombs viewable to the general public.
Enormous quantities of white marble and sandstone were brought in from different areas of the Munhall empire. Precious stones from different parts of the emperor’s kingdom and beyond were brought in to adorn the walls and ceilings – pearls, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, jade and more.
According to art historian Shobita Punja, “as you walk closer to [the Taj Mahal], its magnificence just takes over. Reflected in a long pool is the mausoleum in all its majesty. The dome floats two hundred and fifty feet into the sky, its simplicity and proportions perfect, subtle variations in the veined marble creating changes in color with every mood of the heavens. Four minarets frame the space like the setting of a jewel”
“The sky forms a curtain to the Taj,” Shobita further adds. “It’s the backdrop. At night, when the sky is black, this little marble jewel box stands glistening in the moonlight; in the early morning, when the sky is pink and orange, the white marble reflects those colors; and at sunset it has a completely different look. So the sky is as important as any other physical detail around the Taj. And the way it’s set on that platform, standing up against the huge expanse of sky, it seems as though they were evoking a sort of heavenly curtain to play a part in the scheme of things…. That’s why it’s so perfect. It’s a symbol of perfect love and of great beauty.”
The years went by and Shah Jehan never took on another wife but continued to rule his kingdom in peace for another 26 years until he became seriously ill in the year 1657. At that time, he had five sons, the youngest of which wasAurangzeb. Aurangzeb wanted the throne and for almost two years he fought his four brothers until he had eliminated all of them. In 1658, Aurangzeb declared himself emperor and imprisoned his father at the Jasmine tower of the Red Fort in Agra. Aurangzeb imprisoned Shah Jehan for eight years at that tower.
From the shah’s chambers there, he would gaze daily at Mumtaz’s beautiful tomb across theriver Yamuna. He would remember the love they shared, the love which he knew even death could not contain.
After he died in 1666, he was buried in the inner crypt of the Taj Mahal, next to his beloved Mumtaz, the two lovers together at last for all eternity.
The information in this blog is for educational purposes only. For diagnosis or treatment of any medical problem, please consult your licensed health care practitioner.
On my Himalayan tours, I can go from a very hot to a very cold climate in a matter of hours and being from North America I am used to thinking of temperatures in Fahrenheit. 
uring the monsoons). I will never forget the multi-colored hues of the afternoon sun streaming through the trees onto the bridge that afternoon.
root bridges.
explored these remote forest regions looking for hiking trails for his guests.
finally met our local guide who would take us on our hike. As we left the paved road behind, we started descending further into the mountain and pretty soon the stone path disappeared completely and we were hiking down a sturdy but sometimes slippery forest trail. 
which is currently out of print but appears to still be in popular demand, and I am so honored that some of the recipes from my book 
After his first year of sorrow and pain, Shah Jehan commissioned the building of the mausoleum – the Taj Mahal – for his beloved bride and wife. The building of Mumtaz’s tomb started in 1632, one year after her death. It took twenty-two years to build and twenty thousand laborers. It is spread over forty-two acres on the banks of the River Yamuna near the city of Agra and was designed in such a way that no further addition or alteration to it would be possible.
