Dakkhani Taj

Tripoto

Taj Mahal, who hasn't heard of it. But have you ever heard of the Dakkhani Taj, or the Taj of the Deccan? 

Photo of Dakkhani Taj 1/5 by Kangkan Thakuria
Isn't it a replica of the Taj Mahal ?

The actual name of this replica of Taj Mahal is "Bibi-ka-Maqbara". Commissioned by Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor, in memory of his wife Dilras Banu Begum, it bears a striking resemblance with the Taj Mahal.

Photo of Dakkhani Taj 2/5 by Kangkan Thakuria
The entrance to the Bibi-ka-Maqbara

An inscription on the main entrance door mentions that Bibi Ka Maqbara was designed and erected by Ata-Ullah, an architect and Hanspat Rai, an engineer respectively. Ata-ullah was the son of Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, the main designer of the Taj Mahal.

Photo of Dakkhani Taj 3/5 by Kangkan Thakuria
The maqbara inside
Photo of Dakkhani Taj 4/5 by Kangkan Thakuria
Photo of Dakkhani Taj 5/5 by Kangkan Thakuria

The architecture, however, fails to replicate the grandeur the Taj produces. Because of this, it has been infamously known as "The Poor Man's Taj".