Aurangabad Sub Circle (Tomb of Rabia Daurani [Bibi-ka-Maqbara])

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The beautiful mausoleum of Aurangzeb’s wife, is believed to have been constructed by Prince Azam Shah in memory of his mother Rabia-ul-Durrani Alias DilrasBanu Begum between circa 1651-1661 CE(19°54'6.52"N; 75°19'12.86"E). An inscription of the main entrance door mentions that this mausoleum was designed and erected by Ata-ulla, an Architect and Hanspat Rai, an Engineer. As the mausoleum architecturally resembles the Taj-Mahal on Agra (1631-1653), it is known as “Taj of Deccan”. The mausoleum stands within an enclosed area measuring 458 x 275 meters approximately. The main entrance is on the southern side of the outer wall, and at the centre of the three remaining walls are open pavilions, which were used as Mosque, Diwan-e-Aam, and Diwan-e-Khas. These buildings contain beautiful paintings of Mughal and Nizam periods. The mausoleum is built at the centre of a high platform, with four minarets at its corners. The lower body and the dome of the building are made up of pure marble, decorated with beautiful carvings, whereas the middle portion is of basaltic trap covered with fine plaster, rendered with a marble finish and adorned with stucco work. The grave is simple, devoid of any ornamentation, surrounded with marble screens of exquisite design. The Mughal garden, Living Water Management System. Pavements which are ornamented with little kiosks, finely worked brass doors Stucco floral motifs on the shell lime plaster, rank Maqbara among the best of the ‘Beautiful Mughal buildings of Deccan’

TOMB OF RABIA DAURANI (BIBI-KA-MAQBARA)
(1) Brown, Percy.Indian Architecture (Islamic Period), D. B. Taraporevala Sons and CO. Private Ltd., Treasure House of Books, 210, Dr. DadabhaiNaoroji Road, Bombay 1(1968) Page No.: - 111. (2) Edited by Government of Maharashtra, Maharashtra State Gazetteers (Government of Maharashtra) – AURANGABAD District (Revised Edition)., Bombay, Gazetteers Department Government of Maharashtra (1977) Page No.: - 951-952. (3) Hyderabad- A guide to Art and Architecture. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Page No.: -50.

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