Do you remember that night at the Minah Bazaar?

You were meant to be mine, you were meant to be mine...

So, I've really been digging on the Sam Roberts song "Taj Mahal" for the last few days. I looked up the lyrics the other day and was surprised to find out that I had absolutely no clue what it's about. Here they are:

I'm Shah Jahan you're Taj Mahal
Do you remember that night at the Minah Bazaar?
You were meant to be mine
You were meant to be mine

I saw fourteen children in your lovely brown eyes
To be king and queen was just a disguise
You were meant to be mine
You were meant to be mine

Keep on keep on keep on singin' baby
Keep on keep on singin'
Taj Mahal

Sitting with you on the banks of the Ganges
Stealing a kiss on the streets of Bombay
Caressing your hair like the wind through the palm trees
I never dreamed that anyone could take you away

I'm building a beautiful statue
To make sure that no one forgets you
Taj Mahal

I mean, I knew enough to recognize the words "Taj Mahal," but was curious as to why I'd never heard of Shah Jahan, or that Taj Mahal was actually a person that the beautiful structure was built for. I guess that I suffer the same as many or most Americans when it comes to our recognition of famous, important, or otherwise notable figures from cultures other than our own.

So, I did what you do nowadays when you want to know more about something: I looked it up on the internet. As it turns out, Shah Jahan was a successful king of the Mughal empire for about 30 years in the 17th century; his reign is referred to as his people's "Golden Age".

The story told in this song is that of he and his favorite wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, whom he dubbed Mumtaz Mahal, meaning "Jewel of the Palace".

Apparently, Jahan was so smitten by this woman, that he basically forfeited all of his polygamous rights with his previous wives, and the right to take others after her. He fathered jsut one child to each of the wives he'd had before Mumtaz, showed them little or no interest after taking her.

The two went on to have fourteen children together. Unfortunately, Mumtaz died while bearing the fourteenth, prompting Jahan to erect to amazingly beautiful Taj Mahal (meaning the distinguised palace) that still stands today.

So I got to thinking--why don't I know this story? Where's Hollywood?!  I mean, come on! This is a perfect plot for a Hollywood love story. King falls so in love with woman that he ignores his other wives, thus facing persecution from everyone around him for breaking the tradition of polygamy...this is good stuff... I'm talking Titanic type shit.

Well, there you have it, Hollywood. If you can see past the fact that these folks had brown skin there's an incredible love story waiting to be written for the silver screen.