Why Taj Mahal's lookalike in Bihar Sharif has sparked a debate

An AI-generated image of the Taj Mahal, but redrawn in the comically dismal style of Bihar Sharif’s newly inaugurated ₹40 lakh clock tower, has gone viral on the internet. The image, posted on X (formerly Twitter), was captioned: “Taj Mahal but it’s in the style of Bihar Sharif’s new architectural marvel.” It didn’t take long before the post went viral, with users declaring it the ultimate roast of Bihar’s latest infrastructural embarrassment.

For context, the infamous clock tower in Bihar Sharif — constructed as part of the ‘Smart City’ project and reportedly costing ₹40 lakh — stopped working less than 24 hours after its grand inauguration. According to Dainik Bhaskar, the tower was hurriedly made functional for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Pragati Yatra, but thieves allegedly pulled out copper wires the very next day, rendering the structure useless.

As if the timing weren’t ironic enough, photos of the clock tower began circulating on social media, drawing mockery not just for its rapid malfunction but also for its patchy paint job and boxy, concrete-heavy design.

“This shabbily painted, poorly finished, concrete clock tower in Bihar Sharif, built under the ‘Smart City’ project, had its clock stop working within 24 hours of inauguration. Guess the production cost? Only ₹40 lakh! Just 40 lakhs for this architectural marvel! Hats off!" one user posted, alongside the photo of the clock tower.
In the comment section of the now-viral post, people didn’t mince their words and expressed their feelings upfront. One user wrote, “Looks like a minecraft version of Bibi ka maqbara.”

Someone else even pointed out something amiss with the AI-generated image. They said, “One wrong thing in the image -The time doesn't show as in the original masterpiece - 4:20.” Why 4:20? Because when the clock tower came to a halt, the time it froze on was reportedly 4:20 — a number that carries its own legacy in India. Under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code, it refers to cheating and dishonesty in business — a number now forever etched into the saga of Bihar’s "Smart City" spectacle.
A third user hilariously commented, “While Taj was called A teardrop on the cheek of time, this will bring tears to anyone who looks at the time.”
But as mentioned earlier, the clock tower stopped working because some individuals stole the cable, making the clock defunct. So while the memes might have outpaced the facts, the core issue remains: Bihar continues to struggle with a reputation it just can’t shake off. Whether it's poorly executed public projects or viral internet ridicule, the state often finds itself on the receiving end of national jokes — regardless of the full story.