On the northern side of the Taj Mahal is the Tomb of I'timd-ud-Daulah by the bank of the Yamuna, which was founded in 1622 and completed in 1628 after six years of work. Because the exterior style is very similar to the Taj Mahal, it derives a laudatory title of ‘Baby Taj’.

I didn’t expect a high imitation to appear more than 400 years ago, which also aroused my curiosity to observe clearly. So, I directed my way to the north of the Taj Mahal and then caught sight of the Baby Taj just cross a bridge. A monument and tourist attraction as it is, the site seemed a bit deserted with only a few tourists. Because of that, however, I was able to tour around this place in a leisurely manner.

The introductory information before the tomb told me that the owner of this tomb was not of ordinary origin at all! It is the mausoleum constructed by Nur Jahan, the rani of Mughal Empire’s fourth maharaja Jahangir (Shah Jahan’s father), for her parents. Nur Jahan’s father Mirza Ghiyath Beg was a Persian nobleman, the prime minister of Jahangir and a powerful figure at that time.

The mausoleum is an architecture of the distinct Mughal touch, and the red sandstone gates of all sides varying from one to the other in style are very similar to the Taj Mahal’s front gate. Behind the front gate are a straight channel and a sink without water, flower beds lying on both sides of the channel in symmetry. The square chamber in the center is built of marble with a dome-roofed pavilion standing on each corner. Despite the fact that its height and size are nothing compared with the Taj Mahal, its impeccable marble facing on exterior walls, embellished by a remarkable use of exquisite lattice design, is delicately carved through fretwork. In addition to the massive employment of gemstone-inlaid skill in decorating the interior chamber for the first time, the whole building is built as a sublime marble jewel case carved with great care and precision.

In fact, the Baby Taj was built earlier than the Taj Mahal. In light of the Mughal architectural history, it is proven that the Baby Taj can be regarded as the inspiration of the Taj Mahal. The latter finally excelled its master, more elegant and ornate. These Taj Mahals of two generations, varying in scale, are a splendid showcase for the refined construction aesthetic and techniques that reached the height of the Mughal Empire.