What If Shah Jahan Built Canals Instead of the Taj Mahal?
What If Shah Jahan Built Canals Instead of the Taj Mahal? Imagine a world where the ₹32 million spent on the Taj Mahal—roughly $1 billion in today’s money —was diverted to irrigation canals and village schools . In just 20–30 years , this could have transformed the lives of 12 to 16 million people across Mughal India. That’s 10–15% of the empire’s population —a public works revolution that would have fed families, prevented famines, and seeded literacy for generations. The Cost of Eternal Love Shah Jahan spent ₹32 million rupees (1632–1653) to build the Taj Mahal, a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Adjusted for long-term purchasing power, this equals ~$1 billion in 2025 USD (basis: Mughal silver rupee parity + 400-year inflation via global commodity baskets; see Habib, 1999; Moosvi, 2015). For context: this was 25–30% of the empire’s annual land revenue (~₹100–120 million). A massive one-time capital surge . Estimating the NPV of the Taj Mah...