Do you know there is another 'Taj Mahal' that Aurangzeb built?

Enough has been written and said about the majestic Taj Mahal, known as the New 7 Wonders of the World , along with being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The monument was commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1658) to house the tomb of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal; it also houses the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. However, do you know that there is another 'Taj Mahal' that was in fact commissioned by another Mughal leader Aurangzeb, roughly three decades after Taj Mahal? Yes, we are talking about the Bibi Ka Maqbara, situated in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, erstwhile known as Aurangabad in Maharashtra? Here we tell you more about this majestic monument...

When was it constructed?
The Bibi Ka Maqbara, also known as the Taj of the Deccan, was commissioned in 1660 by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's son, Prince Azam Shah, in the memory of his wife Dilras Banu Begum, who passed away in childbirth. The principal monument of the city, the monument bears its distinct charm despite comparisons with the Taj Mahal.

More about the structure
An inscription on the main entrance door of Bibi Ka Maqbara notes that the mausoleum was designed and constructed by Ata-ullah, an architect, and Hanspat Rai, an engineer. Ata-ullah was the son of Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, the chief architect of the Taj Mahal. Later, Muhammad Azam Shah, the son of Aurangzeb, was tasked by Shah Jahan with overseeing the repair work of the mausoleum. However, it is worth correcting that Muhammad Azam Shah was actually the one who commissioned the construction of Bibi Ka Maqbara in memory of his mother, Dilras Banu Begum, between 1651 and 1661 AD.

Additionally, there seems to be a mix-up in the roles and timelines. Shah Jahan did not assign Azam Shah to oversee repairs; instead, Azam Shah was involved in the initial construction of the mausoleum. The confusion might arise from the fact that Aurangzeb, not Shah Jahan, was involved in decisions related to the monument during his reign.
Who was Dilras Banu Begum?
Dilras Banu Begum was a princess of the Safavid dynasty of Iran, Persia. She married Prince Muhi-ud-din (later known as Aurangzeb), on 8 May 1637. Together, the couple had five children, namely Zeb-un-Nissa, Zinat-un-Nissa, Zubdat-un-Nissa, Muhammad Azam Shah and Sultan Muhammad Akbar. After giving birth to her youngest, Dilras probably suffered from puerperal fever and passed away soon after. It is said that Aurangzeb was deeply affected by her death, and it was princess Zeb-un-Nissa who took over the responsibility of her new born brother.

The Bibi Ka Maqbara, despite comparisons with Taj Mahal remains a major tourist attraction, and attracts lakhs of visitors each year.