History, the Two-Faced Monster

        The tactics of humanitarian studies is something interesting, yet to be researched to its fullest. Out of all the fields of humanities, the course of history has proven to be yet the biggest challenge. All details of historical studies- of historical figures, historical events- cannot be perceived in solely one direction, but should be touched upon through several dimensions. It is exactly this variety of opinions and perspectives that structures the excitement of history studies.

        To illustrate, take 17^th century India as a bright example. In the early 1600s, the great Mughal era devoted a great percentage of its affluence to the construction of the Taj Majal, the tomb of Jahan Jir and his beloved wife. Now, in our era Taj Majal may be considered one of the seven wonders of the world, and its majectic beauty, unparelell, has attracted a great many visitors from across the globe to witness the acme of Indian ancient civilization. As stunning and unmatched as the Taj Mahal may be, history reveals two different sides of the story, and sadly most people have been only beguiled by the beautiful side of it. In fact, though the Taj Mahal continues to bring visitors and create life for India’s tourism, few people know the actual agony behind the construction of this wonderous palace. 20,000 innocent people were exploited and tortured throughout the process, and under the king Jahan Jir’s orders no one was free from affliction. The kingdom ran out of funds, with no resources left because of the Taj Mahal. In addition, with the king’s decision to lock his father up in a tower, the great powers of India’s most flourished era started to decline. The great architects of Taj Mahal had their arms chopped off after twenty years of sweat and efforts, ending up as the king’s greatest contributors- and slaves. India went from affluent, to the state where it is today, with half a billion people starving and struggling in poverty. India’s most breath-taking palace may have left behind a great anthropological wonder, but the nation, four hundred years later, continues to live in the shades of avarice. This is the two-sided reality that almost every part of history conveys.