Burhanpur the City where Taj Mahal was originally supposed to Build

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Burhanpur is located in south-west of Madhya Pradesh state in Central India. It is a historical town on the north bank of the Tapti River, barely 20 km from the Maharashtra border. Mostly it is visited by those tourists who are travelings from Ajanta-Ellora to Indore/Mandu/Maheshwar or vice-versa. The historical city of Burhanpur was once the capital of the Mughal Kingdom Ruled by Shah Jahan for a very long period, it is one of the most beautiful symbols of Mughal architecture and Mughal grandeur

The magnificent mosques, tombs and palaces give you a sense of what Mughal life at its peak was like.

Burhanpur is still a city of great architectural importance, but its fame rests largely as a pilgrimage for Bohra Muslims and Sikhs. The most interesting fact about this little town is that it was originally supposed to be home to the Taj Mahal. Mumtaz Mahal, in whose memory the Taj Mahal was built, died in Burhanpur while giving birth to her 14th child and the queen’s body rested here for several months until it was moved with the Mughal court to Agra where the Taj now stands! The site originally chosen for the Taj Mahal along the Tapti river still lies vacant, a silent reminder of the time that Burhanpur almost had a brush with history.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

There are number of places to visit in Burhanpur town. Most of them are historical monuments, mausoleums and buildings built during Farukhi dynasty and Mughal dynasty. They depicts Muslim architecture in design and pattern.

Gurduwara Bari Sangat Shaheb

The Sikh connection to Burhanpur dates to the early 16th century when Guru Nanak visited the town. His visit is commemorated by the Gurudwara Sangat Rajghat Patshali Pahili. The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, halted at Burhanpur while accompanying the Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah I, to the Deccan in 1708. It is said that the Guru spent 20 days preaching to the sangat. Gurudwara Bari Sangat is built on the site, and enshrines a hand-written copy of the Guru Granth Sahib, with an inscription by Guru Gobind himself.

Dargah-e-Hakimi

Syedi Abdul Qadir Hakimuddin is the holy dawoodi bohra saint who is buried in Burhanpur, India. His grave is visited by pilgrims from all over the world. The tomb complex 'Dargah-e-Hakimi' includes mosques, gardens, and international class accommodation facilities for visitors. Dargah-e-Hakimi, is one of the holiest places for the Dawoodi Bohra Muslims in the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is located about 3 km from Gadhi Chowk in Burhanpur. It is very well maintained and it is constructed in pure white marble making it an outstanding example of Mughal architecture. The entire vicinity is so well maintained that the locals refer to it as 'Chota Amreeka (America)'

Jama Masjid Burhanpur

Jama Masjid in Burhanpur is one of the major mosques built in the area during the Faroqui rule. The initial Jama Masjid was built to the north of the city. It is later during 1590 that the present Jama Masjid was constructed in the heart of Burhanpur

During 1421, when most of the population of Burhanpur lived to the north, Azam Humayum built the Jama Masjid in Etwara called the Bibi Ki masjid. But soon with the growth of the city, ruler Adil Shah built the present Jama Masjid in the centre of the town, easily accessible to all the people living in Burhanpur. The construction of the Jama Masjid was started in 1590 and completed 5 years later.

Shahi Qila, Burhanpur

The Shahi Qila is one majestic palace in Burhanpur, located to the east of the Tapti River Litle of it remains today as the Shahi Qila is mostly in ruins now. However, the parts of the Palace that still stands displays amazing works of sculpture and exquisite carvings.

History of the Shahi Qila states that it was originally built by the Farooqui rulers and resided by Shah Jahan, at a time when he was the governor of Burhanpur

The main attraction at the palace is the hamam or the royal bath. It was specifically built for Shah Jahan's wife, Begum Mumtaz , so that she could enjoy a luxurious bath in water scented with khus, saffron and rose petals. Hammam Khana was constructed during Mughal Period. The baths bear an inscription of Khan Khana Mirza Abdul Rahim Khana, the famous minister of Akbar and Jahangir. One of the amazing facts is that the Taj Mahal was originally supposed to have been built at Burhanpur. The site chosen for it still lies vacant near the tapti river.

How to Reach Burhanpur

By AIR: Indore airport, about 163 km away, is well connected to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Pune and Jabalpur.

By Train: Burhanpur Railway Station is well connected to major cities like Mumbai, Pune and Varanasi via different routes.

By Road: Being close to Maharashtra state border. Burhanpur is connected by regular bus services to cities like Indore, Jalgaon, Khandwa, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Ujjain and Bhopal.

Near By Destination from Burhanpur

Spiritual Omkareshwar: 121 KM

Ajanta Ellora Caves: 142 KM

Aurangabad: 221 KM

Indore: 181 KM