BIBI KA MAQBARA - AURANGABAD, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

The Bibi Ka Maqbara (English:"Tomb of the Lady") is a maqbara located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India. It was built by Aurangzeb between 1651 and 1661 in memory of his wife, Dilras Banu Begum (posthumously known as Rabia-ud-Daurani). It bears a striking resemblance to the famous Taj Mahal, the mausoleum of his mother, Mumtaz Mahal. Aurangzeb was not very interested in architecture, though he had built the small, but elegant, Pearl Mosque at Delhi. The Bibi Ka Maqbara was the largest structure that he had to his credit.

The comparison to the Taj Mahal has often obscured its very own considerable charm. Due to its strong resemblance to the Taj Mahal, it is also called the Dakkhani Taj (Taj of the Deccan). Bibi Ka Maqbara is the principal monument of Aurangabad and its historic city. An inscription found on the main entrance door mentions that this mausoleum 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 principal designer of the Taj Mahal