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Journalism of Courage
Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of world, was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Now, centuries later, another man has built an intricate replica of the mesmerizing monument as a gift to his spouse in Madhya Pradesh. Photos and videos of the breathtaking structure have taken the internet by storm.
In an extravagant show of love, Anand Prakash Chouksey, a school teacher from Burhanpur, built the house which is about one-third the size of the original monument. The 52-year-old dedicated the two-storeyed residence, which also includes a 29-foot high dome, to his wife Manjusha, also a teacher.
Asked why he decided to build his house like the famous tomb, he said it was because of Taj Mahal’s historic association with his town. Although the iconic mausoleum now stands on the banks of the Yamuna in Agra, it could have actually been in Burhanpur, where Mumtaz breathed her last centuries ago.
“After the queen died in Burhanpur while giving birth, her body rested here for several months, and originally the monument in her honour was supposed to be built in MP. However, it was later shifted to the Mughal court of Agra and this town never got the honour to be the place of an iconic monument. So, I decided to make one of my own,” he told indianexpress.com over the phone.
It took three years to complete the lavish house which has four bedrooms, kitchen and a library, among other rooms, and four minarets surrounding it on the outside. “I visited the monument many times to study it in detail and the engineers studied 3D visuals of the structure to replicate it,” he said.
Thanks to the expertise of his chief architect Praveen Chouksey and guided by experienced contractor Mushtaq Bhai, artisans from Burhanpur and many other parts of India brought to life his dream project for which work began in 2018.
“It looks so real because he has not only used the same marble, but had also invited artisans from Agra and parts of Rajasthan to create all the works that you see on the walls. For the furniture to match the Mughal style, we even involved expert artisans from Surat,” he explained.
While his new house has attracted much attention, the teacher confessed he had never anticipated that it would go viral or make headlines abroad. “I’m just happy to know that my efforts are being appreciated,” he said. Chouksey hopes his house might bring some joy to locals who can’t always visit the one in Agra and now thinks the structure may even bring some tourists to Burhanpur.
Asked what his wife had to say about his grand ‘symbol of love’, the man chuckled, saying, “Manjusha is just happy it has her medication room.” Saying his wife isn’t very excited about the elaborate fanfare, Chouksey explained that she just wanted a room to read in peace and quiet, but is also enjoying the mansion.
At the moment, the teacher hopes his efforts wouldn’t be in vain, but will become a part of the town’s history so people will come to know of Burhanpur’s association with the original Taj Mahal.
