Bibi Ka Maqbara - Duplicate Taj Mahal Bibi Ka Maqbara is a tomb built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's son Azam Shah in the memory of his mother Rabia-ud-Durrani who reportedly died in October 1657. This memorial tomb is located in the city of Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India. We visited Bibi Ka Maqbara in September 2018. This is must see for tourists especially those who are already in Aurangabad to see the famous Ajanta and Ellora Caves. Plan to spend at least an hour to explore this site. Bibi Ka Maqbara looks similar to the popular Taj Mahal located in Agra, India and is often referred to as the Taj of the Deccan. See the posted photographs for the similarity of these two monuments. The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a memorial to his wife Mumtaz Begum and Bibi Ka Maqbara was built by Emperor Shah Jahan’s grandson in memory of his mother Rabia-ud-Durrani Bibi means mother and Maqbara refers to tomb. Inside Bibi Ka Maqbara is the tomb of Azam Shah’s mother which can be viewed from the top gallery. There are gardens around the monument with lush green lawns that appeared to be well maintained.

Difference between the Taj Mahal and

Bibi Ka Maqbara

While the design of Bibi Ka Maqbara is similar in many ways to that of the Taj Mahal, there some differences. • The cost of the making the Taj Mahal is said to be over 3 crore Rupees but Bibi Ka Maqbara supposedly has a budget and cost is reported as around 68 lakh Rupees. [ One crore = 100 lakhs] • The main difference visitors will note is that whereas the Taj Mahal is made of pure white marble, Bibi Ka Maqbara has a mixture of marble and plaster. The main dome at Bibi Ka Maqbara is made of marble but the rest of the monument is made of plaster.

Bibi Ka Maqbara – Getting there

By Air: The nearest airport is in Aurangabad, at a distance of around 10 Kilometers. By Train: Nearest railway station is in Aurangabad which is approximately 5.5 Kilometers away. By Road: Bibi Ka Maqbara is about 4 km from Aurangabad and can be visited by taxi, bus or private car. There is parking available at this location in front of the main gate.

Bibi Ka Maqbara Timings and Entry Fees

Visiting Timings – Mausoleum remains open between 8 am to 8 pm on all week-days. Festival days may affect the timings Entry Fees – Entry Fees for Indian’s is Rs.25 per person. While foreigners have to pay Rs. 300 per person. Ticket counter is outside the main gate.