| Bibi Ka Maqbara | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerlyAurangabad),Maharashtra, India |
| Coordinates | 19°54′05″N75°19′13″E / 19.90151°N 75.320195°E /19.90151; 75.320195 |
| Founder | Azam Shah (Son ofAurangzeb, grandson ofShah Jahan) |
| Built | 1668 (358 years ago) (1668) |
| Built for | Dilras Banu Begum |
| Architect | Ata-ullah, Hanspat Rai |
| Architectural style | Mughal architecture |
  Location in Maharashtra, India Show map of Maharashtra Bibi Ka Maqbara (India) Show map of India | |
TheBibi Ka Maqbara (English: "Tomb of the Lady"[1][2]) is a tomb located in the city ofChhatrapati Sambhajinagar, formerlyAurangabad in the Indian state ofMaharashtra. It was commissioned in 1660 by theMughal emperorAurangzeb's son, PrinceAzam Shah, in the memory of his motherDilras Banu Begum (posthumously known as Rabia-ul-Durrani).[3][4][5] It bears a striking resemblance to theTaj Mahal, the mausoleum of Aurangzeb's mother,Mumtaz Mahal, which is why it is also called theTaj of the Deccan or theDakkhani Taj.[6] Bibi Ka Maqbara is the second largest structure built by Aurangzeb, the largest being theBadshahi Mosque.[7] The monument is currently maintained by theArchaeological Survey of India.
The comparison to theTaj Mahal has often obscured its very own considerable charm.[8] Bibi Ka Maqbara is the "principal monument" of Chhatrapatisambhajinagar and its historic city.[9][10] An inscription found on the main entrance door mentions that this mausoleum was designed and erected byAta-ullah, an architect and Hanspat Rai, an engineer respectively.[11] Ata-ullah was the son ofUstad Ahmad Lahauri, the principal designer of the Taj Mahal.[12] Aurangzeb's son, Muhammad Azam Shah was in later years put in charge of overseeing the repair-work of the mausoleum by Shah Jahan.
Dilras Banu Begum was born a princess of the prominentSafavid dynasty of Iran (Persia)[13] and was the daughter ofMirza Badi-uz-Zaman Safavi (titled Shahnawaz Khan),[14] who was the viceroy ofGujarat.[15] She married Prince Muhi-ud-din (later known as Aurangzeb upon his accession) on 8 May 1637 inAgra.[16] Dilras was his first wife and chief consort, as well as his favourite.[17][18][9][19] They had five children –Zeb-un-Nissa,Zinat-un-Nissa,Zubdat-un-Nissa,Muhammad Azam Shah andSultan Muhammad Akbar.
After giving birth to her fifth child, Muhammad Akbar, Dilras Banu Begum possibly suffered frompuerperal fever, due to complications caused by the delivery and died a month after the birth of her son on 8 October 1657. Upon her death, Aurangzeb's pain was extreme and their eldest son,Azam Shah, was so grieved that he had a nervous breakdown.[20] It became Dilras' eldest daughter, Princess Zeb-un-Nissa's responsibility to take charge of her newborn brother.[14] Zeb-un-Nissa doted on her brother a lot, and at the same time, Aurangzeb greatly indulged his motherless son and the prince soon became his best-loved son.[21]
In 1660, Aurangzeb commissioned a mausoleum at Aurangabad to act as Dilras' final resting place, known as Bibi Ka Maqbara ("Tomb of the Lady"). Here, Dilras was buried under the posthumous title of 'Rabia-ud-Daurani' ("Rabia of the Age"). In the following years, her tomb was repaired by her son Azam Shah under Aurangzeb's orders. Bibi Ka Maqbara was the largest structure that Aurangzeb had to his credit and bears a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum of Dilras' mother-in-law, Empress Mumtaz Mahal, who herself died in childbirth. Aurangzeb, himself, is buried a few kilometres away from her mausoleum inKhuldabad.
Bibi Ka Maqbara is believed to have been built between 1668 and 1669 C.E. According to the "Tarikh Namah" of Ghulam Mustafa, the cost of construction of the mausoleum was Rs. 668,203-7 (rupees six lakh, sixty-eight thousand, two hundred three and seven annas) – Aurangzeb allocated only Rs. 700,000 for its construction.[22] An inscription found on the main entrance door mentions that this mausoleum was designed and erected byAta-ullah, an architect and Hanspat Rai, an engineer, respectively. The marble for this mausoleum was brought from mines near Jaipur. According toTavernier, around three hundred carts laden with marble, drawn by at least 12 oxen, were seen by him during his journey from Surat to Golconda. The mausoleum was intended to rival the Taj Mahal, but the decline in architecture and proportions of the structure (both due to the severe budgetary constraints imposed by Aurangzeb) had resulted in a different and particular monument with its own significant beauty.[11]
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The mausoleum is laid out in acharbagh formal garden. It stands at the centre of a huge enclosure measuring approximately 458 m. N–S X 275 m. E-W.Baradaris or pillared pavilions are located at the center of the north, east, and western parts of the enclosure wall. The high enclosure wall is crenellated with pointed arched recesses and bastions at regular intervals. The recesses are divided bypilasters, crowned with small minarets. The mausoleum is built on a high square platform with four minarets at its corners, which is approached by a flight of steps from three sides. A mosque is found to the west of the main structure, a later addition by theNizam of Hyderabad, resulting in the closure of the west entrance.
Entry to the mausoleum is through a main entrance gate on its south, which has foliage designs on brass plate on wood covering from the exterior. After passing through the entrance a small tank is provided and a low-profile screen wall leads to the main structure. The screened pathway has a series of fountains at its center.
The mausoleum is encased with marble up to the dado level. Above the dado level, it is constructed ofbasaltic trap up to the base of the dome; the latter is again built of marble. A fine plaster covers the basaltic trap and given a fine polished finish and adorned with finestucco decorations. The mortal remains of Rabia Daurani are placed below the ground level surrounded by an octagonaljali pierced marble screen with exquisite designs, which can be approached by a descending flight of steps. The roof of this chamber that corresponds to the ground level of the mausoleum is pierced by an octagonal opening and given a low barricaded marble screen. This makes the tomb viewable from the ground level through this octagonal opening. The mausoleum is crowned by a dome pierced with trellis works and accompanying panels decorated withflower designs.[11] The structure is in the form of a hexagon, its angles ornamented with minarets.[23]
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