A smitten and historically oriented Indian husband has built a duplicate of the Taj Mahal for his wife, emulating the world’s most iconic gesture of marital devotion. A besotted Madhya Pradesh schoolteacher has built a replica of the Taj Mahal. In the 17th century, the original “Monument to Love” was built on the instructions of grieving Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to contain the burial of his lovable wife, Mumtaz.
Anand Prakash Chouksey’s beloved is still alive and well, even assisting with the project and his version of the world’s marble wonder, which is roughly one-third the size of the original.
“The only thing my wife wanted was a meditation room.” The 52-year-old businessman told AFP, “She’s a spiritual woman.”
He went on to explain, “She feels the dome provides a distinct environment and there is a lot of wonderful energy.” Chouksey took three years to construct his new home, a dozen less than the tomb that inspired it. Anand Prakash Chouksey’s gift to his wife, Manjusha, who is also a teacher, is this four-bedroom “home.”
It’s about one-third the size of the original monument, with a 29-foot-high dome. It’s made of Makrana marble, which was also used to construct the Taj Mahal.
Chouksey now intends to raise an Indian flag on the main dome and decorate the four minarets around his new manor with symbols from India’s most prominent religions. “We’d like to transmit a message of religious cooperation and peace.” There is a great deal of animosity in the air. “Love is the answer to all of life’s difficulties, and the Taj Mahal is a symbol of that,” he explained.
In the 17th century, grieving Mughal ruler Shah Jahan ordered the original “Monument to Love” – one of the world’s seven wonders – to house the tomb of his lovable wife, Mumtaz.
Rabindranath Tagore described it as a “teardrop on the face of time,” and it stands tall in Agra.
The new duplicate, however, is located 800 kilometres (500 miles) from Burhanpur, the country’s capital.
The important fact to notice is that this central Indian city is where Mumtaz died in June 1632 while giving birth to her 14th child after accompanying Shah Jahan to quash a local insurrection.
Mumtaz’s body was buried there as well, and locals claim that Shah Jahan intended to build the Taj Mahal for her on the banks of the river Tapti.
The soil structure at the time did not allow for the construction of the Taj, so it was decided to be built in Agra,” Chouksey added.
The decaying remains of the royal palace, including a once-beautiful hammam or spa built by Shah Jahan for his wife to relax in before she died, may still be found in the city.
