India: Aurangabad – Bibi Ka Maqbara Mausoleum
Bibi ka Maqbara mausoleum is an almost exact replica of Taj Mahal. It was built by the last Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb for his first wife. The original Taj Mahal was built by Aurangzeb’s father for his wife and consequently Aurangzeb’s mother. What’s more, the architect who designed (or more like copied) Bibi ka Maqbara was the son of the architect who built the original Taj Mahal. Bibi was built in 1660 in Aurangabad, thousands of kilometers south of Agra, where Aurangzeb tried moving his capital unsuccessfully. The mausoleum lies in the middle of the large gardens with an ornate entrance gate, the white marble is perhaps less polished and upkept compared led to Taj, but the overall similarities are striking. And the crowds are small and mostly local worshippers and visitors, and you can have spectacular views of the complex from many different sides. And finally, one can drive to the hills above Aurangabad for a panorama of the city and the Bibi mausoleum proudly shining in the center of the old city.
