THE world famous Taj Mahal at Agra has a poor cousin by the same name. What’s more, it is also built by a Shah Jahan! Sadly the similarity ends there! While millions visit Agra to bask in the glory of the Taj, its namesake in Bhopal is a forgotten destination, being in dire need of restoration.
The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj as a mausoleum in the memory of his wife, whereas the Bhopal edifice was a royal residence. It was built in the late 19th century by Shah Jahan, the begum of the erstwhile princely state of Bhopal who was a connoisseur of art. The begum is said to have ordered the construction of the palace to express her love and gratitude for the city.
The palace was hailed as one of the biggest of its time and was much admired for its beauty. Its architecture drew from the British, French, Mughal, Arabic and Hindu styles. It took 13 years to complete the grand structure containing 120 rooms including a sheesh mahal. The most exquisite feature of the palace was the sawan badho pavilion, a fountain that replicated the effect of rain. The numerous exquisitely carved courtyards, halls and passages, albeit in a dilapidated state, bear testimony to the glorious past.
The palace was originally named Raj Mahal, but was later renamed Taj Mahal on the insistence of the British who were smitten by its grandeur. The begum too was quite charmed by the beauty of the palace and is said to have ordered a three-year-long celebration, Jashn-e-Taj Mahal! After Independence, the last ruler of Bhopal offered the palace to the Partition refugees which marked its slow decline. With no one to look after the huge property, it languished in utter neglect until the Madhya Pradesh government carried out some repairs after 2005. There is a plan to convert the property into a heritage hotel to bring back its lost sheen.