The water channel
A long approach to the tomb.
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Bibi Ka Maqbara, meaning «Tomb of the Lady», is a mausoleum in Aurangabad in Maharashtra, officially Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar today. Prince Azam Shah, son of Emperor Aurangzeb, commissioned it in memory of his mother Dilras Banu Begum, and its strong likeness to the Taj Mahal has earned it the name «Taj of the Deccan». An inscription on the main door names Ataullah Rashidi as designer and Hanspat Rai as engineer. Ataullah was the son of Ustad Ahmad Lahori, principal designer of the Taj Mahal. Sources differ on the date, from 1660 to 1669, and the marble came from mines near Jaipur. It is the city's leading monument, maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. You enter by a carved white gateway overlooking a long water channel that leads to the tomb, with four minarets and a broad garden. It is smaller and simpler than the Taj Mahal, with a charm of its own. A small mosque stands beside it, and fine floral carving appears on panels and doors. It is 3.7 km in a straight line from the city centre, and the morning or the hours before sunset give the best light. It pairs well with Daulatabad Fort in a half day before heading to Ellora. Remove your shoes at the tomb if asked, dress modestly out of respect for the place, and do not sit on the gravestones.
A long approach to the tomb.
A decorated white entrance.
Finely worked panels.
Begumpura, Aurangabad, Maharashtra
It closely resembles it and was designed by the son of the Taj's designer, though it is smaller and simpler.
It is still widely used. The official name today is Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.