An Indian rice merchant, Amrudeen Sheikh Dawood, has constructed a magnificent replica of the Taj Mahal as a tribute to his late mother.
Dawood, aged 49, spent over £500,000 on the two-year project to honour the memory of his mother, Jailani Biwi at Ammaiyappa, who raised him and his brother amid challenging circumstances, The Telegraph reported.
The replica, situated on a sprawling five-acre plot in the Tiruvaru district in south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, closely mirrors the original Taj Mahal in design and materials.
Built with the finest white marble sourced from Rajasthan, the replica stands 12 metres tall on a 1.2-metres platform, with four minarets reaching a height of 14 meters each.
Inside the mausoleum which measures nearly 33 metres in width, rests a portrait and the tomb of Jailani Biwi.
Dawood's mother devoted her life to her children after the family faced financial hardships following the death of Dawood's father when he was 14.
Despite their struggles, Jailani Biwi selflessly supported her children and even extended aid to the less fortunate by providing food to the poor on a regular basis.
Dawood intended to immortalize his mother's love and convey it to the world through this grand monument, aiming to highlight the deep bond shared between his mother and her children.
The construction of the replica Taj Mahal serves as a poignant parallel to the original, which was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a symbol of his love for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
The iconic Taj Mahal, located in Agra, in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, stands as an architectural marvel and enduring testament to their profound love.
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