Bibi Ka Maqbara is the mausoleum of the first and chief wife of the sixth Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. This Maqbara is situated on the right bank of Kham River, at Aurangabad in Maharashtra state, India. The Hindi words Bibi means wife and Maqbara means the grave.

Bibi-Ka-Maqbara at Aurangabad.

This maqbara is a mausoleum in memory of Dilras Banu Begum, posthumously known as Rabia-ud-Daurani. This mausoleum is commonly known as the Tomb of Rabia Durani.

Unlike his father, Emperor Aurangzeb never built any monumental structures during his reign, spanning 49 years (from 1658 until he died in 1707). The only exceptions were Bibi-Ka-Maqbara and the Pearl Mosque.  Bibi Ka Maqbar was built in 1660, during the reign of Aurangzeb, by his son Prince Azam Shah.  Inscriptions found on the main entrance of the tomb says that Ata-Ullah and Hanspat Rai were the architect and engineer of this marvelous monument.

Pearl Mosque alias Moti Masjid inside the Red Fort at New Delhi was the other major structure that Aurangzeb constructed. It was built during 1659-1660, for his 2nd wife, Nawab Bai.

Prince Azam Shah was the eldest son of Aurangzeb and Dilras Banu Begum. Prince Azam Shah was crowned the Sixth Mughal emperor on his father’s demise. He reigned from 14 March 1707 to 8 June 1707 and was defeated and killed by his elder step-brother, Prince Shah Alam. (Prince Shah Alam was crowned as the seventh Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah I, on 8 June 1707. He reigned for five years till his death.)

The Tomb of Rabia Durani resembles the famous Taj Mahal of Agra. This is the largest structure that Aurangzeb built during his lifetime. Due to its resemblance to the Taj Mahal, Bibi-Ka-Maqbara is also known as Dakkhani Taj in Hindi, which means Taj of the Deccan. (Deccan is the region’s name, Deccan Plateau is where this structure is located.)

The Taj of the Deccan or Tomb of Rabia Durani is hexagonal and is mostly encased with Jaipur marble. Its angles are ornamented with minarets. It is the principal monument in the historic city of Aurangabad.

How Do I Go to Bibi-Ka-Maqbara alias Taj of the Deccan?

The Taj of the Deccan is located at Aurangabad. Aurangabad is well-connected by roads to other parts of the country.

Aurangabad railway station is the nearest major railway station to the Taj of the Deccan or Dakkhani Taj, at around nine kilometers distance.

Aurangabad Airport is the nearest airport to Bibi-Ka-Maqbara.