Poor Man's Taj Mahal, Aurangabad, India
This structure known as Bibi Ka Maqbara (meaning - 'Tomb of the Lady') is a replica of the famous Taj Mahal. It is nicknamed as Poor Man's Taj Mahal because unlike the original which is made entirely of white marble, it is made of sand stone, except for its dome which is of white marble. Being smaller in size it is also known as Mini Taj Mahal.
Located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India it was built in 1660 by Prince Azam Shah, grand son of Emperor Shahjahan, who had built the marvellous Taj Mahal.
The Tomb is in memory of Dilrus Bano Bagum, wife of Emperor Auregzeb and mother of Azam Shah who became a Mughal emperor for a brief period between February and June 1707. Upon the death of his father Aurangzeb on February 21, 1707, Azam Shah proclaimed himself emperor and attempted to seize the throne. His venture met with failure and he was killed on June 13th the same year, in the struggles following the disputed succession.
Surprisingly the tomb is not very well known although Aurangabad is a famous tourist place because of nearby Ajanta and Ellora Caves. To be honest even I was not aware of this and found it only by serendipity.
0 comments:
Post a Comment