Replica of Taj Mahal in Bangladesh is located 10 miles east
of the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka in Sonargaon. It is a scaled copy of the
original Taj Mahal Unlike the original work on the building took only five
years. A rich Bangladeshi film-maker, Ahsanullah Moni has announced his
“Copycat version of Taj Mahal” project at a cost of about USD$ 56 Million in
December 2008. It was built 20 miles
northeast of Capital Dhaka. The Replica of Taj Mahal caused bit complaints by
some Indian officials. They believe copying Taj Mahal is unethical, and detract
visitor from original one. The replica was unlikely to detract from the
magnificence of the original and visitors were unlikely to mix up one with the
other. A copy is a form of flattery for copyright infringement of the original
350 year old building; however, the Indian High Commission later accepted that
the replica was unlikely to detract visitors from the original.
However Ahsanullah Moni said, how he built a replica of the
Taj Mahal so that the poor of his nation can realize their dream of seeing
neighboring India's famed monument. Therefore, construction work began in 2003,
and he said that he came up with the idea in 1980 when he first visited the
real Taj in Agra, northern India. He said that his homage had been built
because most people living in Bangladesh where nearly half of the population
exists below the poverty line and cannot afford to travel to India to see the
real Taj Mahal. Everyone dreams about seeing the Taj Mahal but very few
Bangladeshis can make the trip because it's too expensive for them.
Mr Ahsanullah Moni first visited the original Taj Mahal in
Agra, India in 1980 and after that he has made six return trips. Therefore, he
hired a group of architects and sent them to India to get the measurements.
However, same marble and stone has used in Replica of Taj Mahal as same in the
original Taj. The Replica was made with latest machinery, took less time.
Otherwise it would have taken more than 20 years. More interestingly few people
visit this site to compare the original Taj Mahal with the artificial one. That
intention is to comparing would have very odd and irrational. It is suggested to
enjoy & observe the Architectural property of this building rather
comparing.