<p class="bodytext">Bibi-ka-Maqbara — Urdu for ‘tomb of the lady’ — is a 17th-century mausoleum commissioned by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (1658–1707) in honour of his wife, Dilras Banu Begum, who died in 1657. Located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, this mausoleum bears an uncanny resemblance to the Taj Mahal built by Aurangzeb’s father, Shah Jahan, in Agra.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Like the Taj Mahal, Bibi-ka-Maqbara is built on a square base with imposing minarets, a central domed structure, and sits amidst riverine surroundings. However, it is smaller and more austere, constructed largely in lime and stucco plaster, unlike the expensive white marble of the Taj. Its central dome is also less bulbous, and the overall form is compact with smaller domes and minarets. Surveyors over the centuries have dismissed the tomb as a ‘weak imitation’ and ‘poor man’s version’ of the Taj.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The tomb’s dissimilarity with the Taj, however, may have been a conscious choice. Unlike the Agra mausoleum, which is situated at one end of a char bagh — a rectangular garden split into four quarters — Dilras Banu’s tomb follows the earlier, established Timurid style of a central podium located at the intersection of the char bagh axes, like Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi. The tall appearance of Bibi-ka-Maqbara, which is in stark contrast to the harmonious proportionality of the Taj, also marks an architectural shift towards local traditions in the Deccan — in this case, towering structures that were used to inform locals, travellers and newer arrivals, particularly Europeans, to Mughal political control in the region.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The choice of Aurangabad as the site for this monument is also significant. This part of the Deccan had been under Aurangzeb’s governorship for years by the time of Dilras Banu’s death; this city was his parallel capital, a court of dissent, in direct opposition to the court of his father in Delhi.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Aurangzeb himself led several military campaigns to the surrounding principalities of Bijapur and Golconda, in present-day Karnataka and Telangana, during which he encountered their architectural traditions. The verticality of Dilras Banu’s mausoleum, as well as the multi-cusped arches adorning it, are inspired by Bijapuri architecture. The four octagonal minarets that surround the main building are reminiscent of Deccani minarets, such as those of Ibrahim Rouza in Vijayapura (then Bijapur), and not the smooth cylindrical minarets of the Taj. The stucco ornamentation of florals and intricate arabesques in place of fine parchinkari, or pietra-dura inlaying, is also influenced by Deccani architecture, particularly the mausoleums at present-day Kalburgi (then Gulbarga) in Karnataka.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bibi-ka-Maqbara is not an imitation of the Taj Mahal; it was designed as a landmark of Mughal imperial presence in the Deccan. With architectural features and embellishments inspired by local building traditions, this iconic mausoleum was a ‘victory monument’ for Aurangzeb’s recently annexed southern territories — the landscapes that his forerunners had long coveted. Beyond its association with the Taj Mahal, the tomb of Dilras Banu Begum is symbolic of a new era of Mughal political domination in the late 17th century, and remains worthy of independent inquiry.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><span class="bold">Discover Indian Art</span> <span class="italic">is a monthly column that delves into fascinating stories on art from across the subcontinent, curated by the editors of the MAP Academy. Find them on Instagram as @map_academy</span></p>
<p class="bodytext">Bibi-ka-Maqbara — Urdu for ‘tomb of the lady’ — is a 17th-century mausoleum commissioned by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (1658–1707) in honour of his wife, Dilras Banu Begum, who died in 1657. Located in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, this mausoleum bears an uncanny resemblance to the Taj Mahal built by Aurangzeb’s father, Shah Jahan, in Agra.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Like the Taj Mahal, Bibi-ka-Maqbara is built on a square base with imposing minarets, a central domed structure, and sits amidst riverine surroundings. However, it is smaller and more austere, constructed largely in lime and stucco plaster, unlike the expensive white marble of the Taj. Its central dome is also less bulbous, and the overall form is compact with smaller domes and minarets. Surveyors over the centuries have dismissed the tomb as a ‘weak imitation’ and ‘poor man’s version’ of the Taj.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The tomb’s dissimilarity with the Taj, however, may have been a conscious choice. Unlike the Agra mausoleum, which is situated at one end of a char bagh — a rectangular garden split into four quarters — Dilras Banu’s tomb follows the earlier, established Timurid style of a central podium located at the intersection of the char bagh axes, like Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi. The tall appearance of Bibi-ka-Maqbara, which is in stark contrast to the harmonious proportionality of the Taj, also marks an architectural shift towards local traditions in the Deccan — in this case, towering structures that were used to inform locals, travellers and newer arrivals, particularly Europeans, to Mughal political control in the region.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The choice of Aurangabad as the site for this monument is also significant. This part of the Deccan had been under Aurangzeb’s governorship for years by the time of Dilras Banu’s death; this city was his parallel capital, a court of dissent, in direct opposition to the court of his father in Delhi.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Aurangzeb himself led several military campaigns to the surrounding principalities of Bijapur and Golconda, in present-day Karnataka and Telangana, during which he encountered their architectural traditions. The verticality of Dilras Banu’s mausoleum, as well as the multi-cusped arches adorning it, are inspired by Bijapuri architecture. The four octagonal minarets that surround the main building are reminiscent of Deccani minarets, such as those of Ibrahim Rouza in Vijayapura (then Bijapur), and not the smooth cylindrical minarets of the Taj. The stucco ornamentation of florals and intricate arabesques in place of fine parchinkari, or pietra-dura inlaying, is also influenced by Deccani architecture, particularly the mausoleums at present-day Kalburgi (then Gulbarga) in Karnataka.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Bibi-ka-Maqbara is not an imitation of the Taj Mahal; it was designed as a landmark of Mughal imperial presence in the Deccan. With architectural features and embellishments inspired by local building traditions, this iconic mausoleum was a ‘victory monument’ for Aurangzeb’s recently annexed southern territories — the landscapes that his forerunners had long coveted. Beyond its association with the Taj Mahal, the tomb of Dilras Banu Begum is symbolic of a new era of Mughal political domination in the late 17th century, and remains worthy of independent inquiry.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><span class="bold">Discover Indian Art</span> <span class="italic">is a monthly column that delves into fascinating stories on art from across the subcontinent, curated by the editors of the MAP Academy. Find them on Instagram as @map_academy</span></p>