Taj Mahal Bangladesh
Encyclopedia
Taj Mahal Bangladesh (Bengali
: তাজ মহল বাংলাদেশ) is a copy of the original Taj Mahal
(a Mughal
mausoleum
located in Agra
, India) located 10 miles east of the Bangladesh
i capital, Dhaka
in Sonargaon
. Unlike the original, work on the building took only five years and reportedly cost its wealthy owner USD $58 million. Ahsanullah Moni, a wealthy Bangladeshi film-maker, has told how he built a replica of the Taj Mahal so that the poor of his nation can realise their dream of seeing neighbouring India's famed monument.
The construction of the replica raised anger in India. The Indian High Commission in Bangladesh says it will sue Ahsanullah Moni for copyright infringement
of the original building; however, the original Taj Mahal is over 300 years old.
Moni has claimed that he has imported marble
from Italy
, diamonds from Belgium
, and some 160 kilograms of bronze
for the dome, but some people claim that it is not a complete replica
and was not made with the materials claimed.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
: তাজ মহল বাংলাদেশ) is a copy of the original Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal
The Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
(a Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
located in Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, India) located 10 miles east of the Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
i capital, Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
in Sonargaon
Sonargaon
Sonargaon is the ancient capital of Isa Khan's kingdom in Bengal. It is located near the current-day city of Narayanganj, Bangladesh....
. Unlike the original, work on the building took only five years and reportedly cost its wealthy owner USD $58 million. Ahsanullah Moni, a wealthy Bangladeshi film-maker, has told how he built a replica of the Taj Mahal so that the poor of his nation can realise their dream of seeing neighbouring India's famed monument.
The construction of the replica raised anger in India. The Indian High Commission in Bangladesh says it will sue Ahsanullah Moni for copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
of the original building; however, the original Taj Mahal is over 300 years old.
Moni has claimed that he has imported marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, diamonds from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and some 160 kilograms of bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
for the dome, but some people claim that it is not a complete replica
Replica
A replica is a copy closely resembling the original concerning its shape and appearance. An inverted replica complements the original by filling its gaps. It can be a copy used for historical purposes, such as being placed in a museum. Sometimes the original never existed. For example, Difference...
and was not made with the materials claimed.