Bibi Ka Maqbara, Not Just A Poor Man’s Taj

After having boarded my cab from Aurangabad railway station, I couldn’t wait to lay my eyes on Bibi Ka Maqbara. Also known as the Taj of the Deccan or Dakkhani Taj, I was curious to see if the monument was really that similar to the Taj Mahal or not. I was told that along with other similarities in design and structure, Bibi Ka Maqbara also has an imposing gateway that offers a glimpse of the main monument in the distance – just like the Taj Mahal. The interAesting thing is that I had even noticed this in many Bibi Ka Maqbara photos.

An archetype of later Mughal architecture, Bibi Ka Maqbara is the burial place of Aurangzeb's wife, Rabia-ul-Daurani, and was built by their son Azam Shah. It is also known as Mini Taj or Poor Man’s Taj courtesy the sandstone, plaster and other alternatives of marble used to build it (which is difficult to identify in any Bibi Ka Maqbara photos we come across.) My vision was clouded with this knowledge before I ventured to discover for myself that the mausoleum is more than just a reflection of the Taj Mahal. Another thing I discovered on my trip is that the Taj Mahal is itself inspired by the brilliant Humanyun's Tomb.

The first glimpse of Bibi Ka Maqbara intrigued me – it did look a lot like the Taj Mahal. My excitement to see what was inside increased.

As I entered, the perfectly symmetrical patterns on the ceiling of the Maqbara’s gateway left me awestruck. This was just the beginning.

I walked through one of the passages inside to approach the octagonal enclosure where the tomb of Rabia-ul-Daurani lies.

Every wall I saw had beautiful designs set in stone, each one displaying brilliant workmanship. Each marble tile was carved out in the most gorgeous way possible.

The marble screens that surrounded the octagonal tomb enclosure were no less fascinating and managed to amaze everyone who was present inside the mausoleum with me.

After my up close encounter with the mausoleum of Rabia-ul-Daurani, I found myself a place in the surrounding lawns and couldn’t help but capture its reflection in the waters.

And then I saw something which left a lasting impression on me - the sunset view of the mausoleum. It was simply magical; nothing more, nothing less.

I left Bibi Ka Maqbara with a new worldview of what the monument is and what it stands for. However, for everyone else, it continues to live in the shadow of the Taj Mahal, which takes away its own glamour. With these Bibi Ka Maqbara photos, I urge each one of you to go and see for yourself the wonders that are hidden in this quaint mausoleum in Aurangabad.

Photo Credit (from top to bottom): Anushka14, Danial Chitnis, Niranjan R. Upasani, Shaikh Munir/wikimedia