Bahu Begum ka Maqbara, Faizabad (Ayodhya): The Taj Mahal of the East, Timings and Visit Guide

ॐEssential info at a glance

ॐBahu Begum ka Maqbara timings and entry

The mausoleum is open every day from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and entry is free. It takes an hour or two to enjoy the great tomb, its grounds and the wonderful view from the top. Being a tall, white monument, it is at its most beautiful in the soft light of the morning and the late afternoon, and, they say, magical in the moonlight.

ॐThe Taj Mahal of the East

Rising tall and white above the old city of Faizabad, the twin city of Ayodhya, stands one of the most magnificent buildings in the whole region: the Bahu Begum ka Maqbara, the mausoleum of the great queen Bahu Begum. It soars to some forty-two metres, among the tallest monuments in Faizabad, a stately structure of gleaming marble crowned with three domes, its interiors intricately worked and its walls and ceilings finely wrought. The marble, two hundred years old, still holds its sheen, and in the moonlight, it is said, the tomb takes on an air of immortality. For its beauty and its grandeur, and for the love and honour it represents, it is fondly called the Taj Mahal of the East, the Poorab ka Taj Mahal, and it is indeed one of the finest tombs of its kind in all of Awadh. And there is a further reward: from the top of the mausoleum, a magnificent panoramic view opens out over Faizabad and Ayodhya and the country around, one of the loveliest vistas in the region.

ॐBahu Begum, the great queen of Faizabad

The tomb honours a remarkable woman. Begum Unmatuzzohra Bano, known to history as Bahu Begum, was the chief consort, the queen, of Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula, the third Nawab of Awadh. Born in 1727 into a distinguished noble family of the Mughal court, she married the Nawab in the 1740s and made her home in Faizabad, in her palace, the Moti Mahal. She was a woman of the greatest distinction, rank and dignity, immensely wealthy and influential, and deeply concerned for the welfare of the people; and she is remembered above all as the great builder of Faizabad, for most of the fine Muslim buildings of the city are attributed to her patronage. In her long life she saw Faizabad rise to its golden age and, in her last years, begin to fade as the capital passed to Lucknow; and when she died, in 1816, she left behind not only her monuments but a memory of grace and greatness.

ॐThe tomb built in her honour

There is a lovely and often-repeated notion that this grand tomb was built by a devoted husband in memory of his wife, as the Taj Mahal was; but the true story is different, and in its way even finer. For the Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula had died long before, in 1775, more than forty years before his queen; and it was Bahu Begum herself, in her own greatness, who provided for this monument. After her death in 1816, her grand mausoleum was raised by her faithful chief steward, Darab Ali Khan, from the queen's own vast wealth, at the enormous cost of some three lakh rupees, a fortune in that age, and the work was carried on with the utmost care over the following years. So this is not a husband's tribute but a queen's own legacy, the memorial of a powerful, dignified woman, built by her devoted servant from the riches she herself commanded, a fitting and moving thing.

ॐThe architecture and the view

Bahu Begum ka Maqbara is a masterpiece of Awadhi architecture, a notable example of the graceful non-Mughal Muslim style that flowered under the Nawabs, and it is admired for the creative brilliance of its design. The great white structure, with its three domes and its finely carved interiors, is approached through an imposing gateway and set within its grounds, and every detail, the marble, the mouldings, the ceilings, was executed with loving care. And the crowning delight, quite literally, is the climb to the top, from where the whole of Faizabad and Ayodhya spreads out below, the domes and lanes and the far country, a view that visitors treasure and photographers love. As with many old monuments, the tomb bears the marks of the passing years and deserves the care of a great heritage; but its grandeur is undimmed, and it remains one of the proudest and most beautiful buildings of the region.

ॐThe two tombs of Faizabad's golden age

Bahu Begum ka Maqbara is best understood alongside its companion, the Gulab Bari, the tomb of her husband Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula, for together these two great tombs are the crowning monuments of Faizabad's golden age. Under Shuja-ud-Daula, Faizabad became the flourishing capital of Awadh, and he and his queen adorned it with gardens, palaces and fine buildings; his tomb lies in its rose garden, hers rises tall across the city, the king and the queen each honoured in stone. After Bahu Begum's death, the city gradually declined, its glory passing to Lucknow, so that these tombs stand also as the last, splendid flowering of an age. To see the two together is to feel the whole arc of that Nawabi story, and the rich, composite, Indo-Islamic heritage of this region, where the culture of Awadh has long stood beside the sanctity of Ayodhya.

ॐA queen's own memorial, in my own words

By Rajeev Sharma, guide with Experience My India

Bahu Begum ka Maqbara is one of my favourite heritage stops around Ayodhya, and I always enjoy correcting a lovely mistake for my guests. Most people, seeing this beautiful tomb called the Taj Mahal of the East, assume a king built it for his beloved wife. But I tell them the truer, better story: that the Nawab had died forty years before his queen, and that this magnificent tomb was built for Bahu Begum, after her own death, by her faithful steward, from her own great fortune. She was a powerful, dignified, generous queen, who built much of Faizabad, and this is her own legacy, not a husband's gift. People find that far more moving.

Then I take them up to the top, because the view over Faizabad and Ayodhya from up there is one of the finest anywhere around, the domes and the city and the green country all laid out. I show them the beautiful old marble, still shining after two hundred years. And I tell them to see it together with the Gulab Bari, the husband's tomb in its rose garden, so they get the whole story of Faizabad's golden age, the king and the queen. After the temples, this white marble tomb and its wide view are a beautiful, dignified change, and my guests are always glad I brought them.

In more than forty years of guiding, this is the monument whose true story most surprises and delights the travellers I bring.

ॐWhat to see and do

• Admire the tall white three-domed mausoleum, the Taj Mahal of the East, and its fine Awadhi architecture.
• Climb to the top for the magnificent panoramic view over Faizabad and Ayodhya.
• See the intricately worked interiors, marble and ceilings, two hundred years old and still shining.
• Learn the true story of the great queen Bahu Begum and her own legacy.
• See it together with the Gulab Bari, the companion tomb of her husband.

ॐHow to reach Bahu Begum ka Maqbara

The mausoleum is at Fatehganj, in the Murawantola and Ram Nagar area of Faizabad, the twin city of Ayodhya, about 8 km from Ayodhya Junction and close to Faizabad. It is easily reached by road.

It pairs naturally with the Gulab Bari for a lovely Faizabad Nawabi heritage half-day.

ॐBest time to visit and how to plan it

• Pair it with the Gulab Bari and the Faizabad Nawabi heritage.
• Allow 1 to 2 hours, including the climb to the top for the view.

For Ayodhya and Faizabad, or a combined Kashi and Ayodhya pilgrimage, planned end to end, see our tour packages.

ॐEtiquette for visiting

• This is a heritage monument and the tomb of a revered queen; be respectful, keep your voice low, and follow any guidance.
• Dress modestly and remove footwear where required.
• Treat the old marble and the monument with care; do not touch, scratch or climb the structure except where allowed.
• Take the climb to the top gently, and mind your footing on the old steps.

ॐAccessibility for elderly and mobility limited visitors

• The grounds are largely level and reachable by road, but the climb to the top of the tomb is by old steps and can be hard for the frail; the monument can be admired and enjoyed from the ground.
• Come in the cooler morning or afternoon for the easiest visit.
• It is usually calm and uncrowded, which suits a slow, restful visit.
• We arrange transport and plan a gentle heritage visit within your Ayodhya day.

ॐNearby sites in Ayodhya and Faizabad

Bahu Begum ka Maqbara sits among the Nawabi heritage of Faizabad, the twin city of Ayodhya.

For the Ram Mandir darshan and its free Sugam booking, see our Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir guide.

ॐOur guided heritage visits and Ayodhya tours

We are a Varanasi and Ayodhya based operator, a unit of Experience My India, with more than forty years of guiding travellers across Kashi, Ayodhya, and Prayagraj. Entry is free, so what we arrange is a rich heritage visit: a guide who tells the true and moving story of the great queen Bahu Begum and the golden age of Faizabad, and pairs this tomb with the Gulab Bari for a lovely Nawabi heritage half-day within a fuller day of Ayodhya.

Inclusions and exclusions are stated up front, with any taxes and conditions, and no charge appears later that was not named. Entry is free; our charge is only for guiding and services. See all our tour packages for the full range.

Experience My India is a travel operator, not the monument authority. Entry is free; our charge is only for our guiding and services. Timings and access are set by the authorities and can change.