Second Taj Mahal in India
Contributor December 16th, 2010
Did you know there is a second Taj Mahal in India?
Nawab Shah Jahan Begum, Bhopal’s 11th ruler, was a connoisseur of art. Reigning between 1868 and 1901, the Begum built several buildings in the city, the Taj Mahal included.
However, unlike Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the Taj Mahal of Bhopal was built as the Begum’s residence, not as a mausoleum for her spouse.
The huge palace took 13 years to come up, from 1871 to 1884, at a cost of Rs.70 lakh.
Situated besides Taj-ul-Masajid, one of Asia’s largest mosques, the Begum was so overwhelmed after its completion that she ordered a three-year-long celebration Jasha-e-Taj Mahal.
The palace’s architecture is a unique combination of British, French, Mughal, Arabic and Hindu influences. It has 120 rooms, including a Sheesh Mahal and a Sawan Bhado pavilion.