The music embedded into this post (and originally in thread header) is Jai's Flower from the soundtrack Kama Sutra (beautiful Mira Nair film set in the time period of the Taj Mahal, and I found fitting!) I hope it gets you in the mood to enjoy these stories.

To save our festival board from housing 800 event theads *laughs* we are reusing our threads as much as possible. This thread was originally created to house the Take the Taj! creative writing event, and was so fabulous and fun that we have decided to designate this thread as permenantly housing the work of Orient inspired writers!

The basis for this event: What more Indian story, and what more romantic intriguing setting can there be but the creation of the Taj Mahal? We posted the beginnings of the tale of how the Taj Mahal came to be such an icon in India, how it all began.. We linked to sites with the full story so the authors could add in bits that are real or just to inspire.. but where the story went from there was entirely up to the storyteller. The ending could be changed, the facts skewed, invented or tossed, each writer was encouraged to spin their tale their own way and to Take the Taj wherever they wished!

Love, death, betrayal and even a cat or two thrown in *laughs* This theme sure did seem to inspire! Please take the time to enjoy the beautiful body of work these writers created by reading the posts linked below. Each of the writers, though playing off each other often, concluded their segment of the story with their last as noted. There are not too many that it'll take too long, and most played off each other's writing so it's best to start at the beginning..

Complete list of posts made and stories told:

~ The birth of the Taj Mahal... post designating event beginning
~ The Story Begins written by Heraklia Aelius
~ The Gardens of Ahoo Khana written by Heraklia Aelius
~ They're building this thing in white marble written by Miw Meritamen
~"As the King approached written by Lilja Harfagri
~The Shah's despair written by Lalita Ashoka
~ The Butterfly's Tale written by Heraklia Aelius
~ The Fear in the Quiet written by Heraklia Aelius
~ The Last Nightfall written by Miw Meritamen
~ The King's burden written by Lalita Ashoka
~ A Cry in the Night written by Heraklia Aelius
~Red written by Diantha Livius (*written as pt 1 of a trilogy with Maria Marius)
~ Light without, dark within written by Diantha Livius
~ Wheels Within Wheels written by Maria Marius (*trilogy concluded)
~ The miracle written by Lilja Harfagri
~A Death written by Miw Meritamen
~A King's end (pt3 end) written by Lalita Ashoka
~ Ah, such sorrow (last post) written by Miw Meritamun
~The Butterfly and the Mountain: THE END written by Heraklia Aelius

At the end, we had a fascinating collection of suprisingly moving stories to read, enjoy and look back on. It was a memorable experience for me, both in participating in it and discovering how much writing talent we have from members of this site. I will never forget it! I hope you take the time to read the posts linked above, I promise you they will leave an imprint on you as well. After the event, participants were handed out this plaque to take home: