The" Black" Taj Mahal

For hundreds of years a legend existed of a black Taj Mahal.
It was said that Shah Jahan, who has the Taj Mahal built
as a memorial to his beloved Queen, Mumtaz, had planned
to have an identical black one built across the Yamura River.
But he was overthrown by his son before he could proceed
and that is why it wasn't built, some said.

The Taj Mahal sits in an enclosed garden overlooking the river.
On the far side, there was nothing, just scrub land, essentially.
But some years ago, archeologists found the remains of a huge
basin, which once contained water. It's about 100 yards long
and shaped a bit like a an oblong. It's just up the river bank.

This ornamental pool was built at the same time as the Taj.
It was positioned to be in a formal garden, of course, since
the Mughals so loved their gardens and flowers. This pool
was placed so that, each month, the full moon would reflect
the Taj in its waters, but it would appear to be black, of course.

And so, there it is- the legendary black Taj Mahal- constructed
not out of marble, but of moonlight and water.