Bibi ka Maqbara : The Taj of Deccan

Bibi Ka Maqbara, Front view  I  Image by Tejaswee

Many of the rulers that emerged in India, built various historical structures in the contemporary style of architecture. But, due to some reasons, a lot of those structures were away from fame. The tale of Bibi Ka Maqbara in Aurangabad is somewhat similar. Created a few centuries ago, this building bears witness to the artifacts of the past.

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Aurangabad, a city in Maharashtra is blessed with a rich heritage. Well-known Ajanta-Ellora Caves are located near this city. Many tourists come to Aurangabad and visit these fascinating artworks.

Bibi Ka Maqbara is one of those tourist places that play an important role in the tourism industry of Aurangabad. Maqbara is located at a distance of almost 3 km from the core area of Aurangabad city. Right now Maqbara seems to be on arid land but it was built on the bank of Khamb river.

This monument was built following the Mughal Architecture technique and has a heritage of over 350 years. It is believed that Maqbara was built around 1665 C.E. Maqbara followed the rich tradition and boosted the reputation of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. 

Mughals were one of the prime rulers in the central area of India during the 14th to 18th century. After the noticeable era of Tughlaqs, Mughals ruled Aurangabad and surrounding lands. Aurangzeb, the last powerful ruler of Mughals, chose Aurangabad as the capital of the Deccan region of the Mughal Empire. Bibi Ka Maqbara is the only one structure built by Mughals in the Deccan region which was indestructible during that period.

Considering the main motive or the tale behind this Monument, there is nothing wrong with saying that this monument is a symbol of love. This structure was built as the memorabilia of Dilras-Banu-Begum. She was the very first and favorite wife of Aurangzeb. After she passed away, Aurangzeb decided to build a monument that resembles the Taj Mahal, in the prime state of Dakkhan.

After the commencement of construction for this monument, Aurangzeb and Dilras-Banu-Begum's son Azam Shah took the responsibility for the construction. Indeed, there are still conflicts between Historians and experts about the actual implementer of the monument. Some believe that Aurangzeb was the one who commissioned the monument and others believe that Azam Shah did it. Few researchers identify the monument as 'The Monument built by son for his beloved mother', and it seems convincing as well.

Maqbara can be spotted from a distance as there are no high-rise buildings or skyscrapers or any clustered trees around the monument. 

It can be seen that during the old days the main door and bulwark were the only source of protection, but now considering the rising number of tourists, there's an additional door at the front side.

The moment one enters the structure, the Maqbara monument can be seen at the center along with a garden on both sides of it. There is a beautiful fountain right in the middle of the path that leads to the main monument. Bushes and shrubs on both sides of that path add beauty to the view. As the main monument is elevated, one can easily get an idea about the huge spread of the Maqbara once climbed. 

A spectacular view can be seen after climbing the narrow stairs up the main structure of Maqbara. The Garden spread on all four sides, distant wanderers and the mountainous part at the backside of the Maqbara contribute to this fantastic view. 

There is an ample amount of space for the tourists to roam around the main structure of Maqbara. The Minars on the four sides never fail to grab your attention while taking a walk around the square-shaped elevated space. There are various informative notes for those who want to learn more about the Maqbara. 

When admiring the beauty of this monument one might not notice the fact that Marble stone is used to build the core area of Maqbara while the rest of the part is built using limestone and Red sandstone. The marble used in the construction of the monument was transported from the mines of Jaipur.

Intricate Jali work on the door  I  Image by Tejaswee

The Maqbara is built in a hexagonal shape and has huge forged windows. One cannot take their eyes off the carved door and windows with the Mughal structure. The light emerging from these windows makes the carved walls look even bolder. The Rhythmic Construction of the indoors, finely carved walls, and unique dome crafted till the end, reminds us of the exceptional piece of art created by ancestors.

Picture Courtesy: Nupur Goyal

Some of the breathtaking features of Bibi Ka Maqbara that can be found in Mughal architecture include a circular dome, high-quality stones excavated straight from mines, symmetrical construction, use of Persian motives, fountains, and Special Char Bagh Gardens.

A tale highlighting the beauty of Bibi ka Maqbara can be found in the history of Nizamshahi. In 1803 C.E., Nizam Sikandar Shah decided to relocate the monument from Aurangabad to their capital Hyderabad. But due to some problems and the risk that was involved during the process, he dismissed the decision. 

This incident tells us about the fame of Mughal Architecture. Even though the monument, which was built as memorabilia of the Mughal Queen is a part of the heritage, the fine as well as the firm structure is ignored because of constant comparison with the Taj Mahal. One should not overlook the fact that even though the architecture of this monument seems quite alike to the Taj Mahal, Bibi ka Maqbara has its own features. 

Aesthetes from central India, especially from the Deccan region see the reflection of the Taj Mahal in this monument. Conserving its richness, this monument will always make the Mughal Architectures feel proud.

References:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/29757393?seq=1

https://www.sahapedia.org/bibi-ka-maqbara-overview

https://nupurgoyal.blogspot.com/2016/02/aurangabad-in-around.html