A Teardrop on the Cheek of Time
by Diana and Michael Preston
Corgi, HK$170
Those who take the subtitle of this book literally will be disappointed. It is not until halfway through A Teardrop on the Cheek of Time that Diana and Michael Preston start the 'Story of the Taj Mahal'. By that time they have entertainingly covered history from the first Moghul emperor Babur to his great-great-grandson, Shah Jahan. Only after the death of Shah Jahan's favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal - who left the world giving birth to their 14th child - do we learn about the Taj's building. Then it is only a few chapters specifically about the tomb complex, construction of which began in 1631, took 20 years and involved 20,000 labourers. We know the name of the superintendent of construction, but his architects, who were considered of a lower status, remain anonymous. That Shah Jahan was extravagant is without question. His love for his deceased wife was reflected in the jade, lapis lazuli, turquoise and other gems used as inlay in the Taj Mahal. He may have depleted Moghul treasuries to build the majestic monument but he also pinched pennies, the Prestons say: what many believe is marble is, in some places, polished white plaster.
