Ex-postman to be buried in 'mini-Taj' with late wife

MEERUT: Faizul Hasan Qadri, an 82-year-old retired postman in Bulandshahr, who came to be known as 'modern-day Shah Jahan' for building a replica of Taj Mahal for his late wife from his life's savings, died in a hospital in Aligarh early morning on Friday after he was hit by a motorcycle. The man will now be buried next to his beloved 'begum' in the monument he built as a testimony to their love.

Constructed on 5,500 sq ft in the once-obscure village of Kaser Kalan in Dibai tehsil, the cement and brick structure built by Qadri may boast none of the grandeur of its white marble counterpart, but the lack of lustre is made up for in intent. The love story that inspired it is no less tragic than the one behind the original mausoleum, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal who died in childbirth.

Qadri, who lost his wife of 57 years, Tajamulli Begum, to throat cancer in 2011, spent his entire life's savings and sold some of his land to build the Taj replica on her grave. The village residents, at first amused by the grand announcement by the frail, old man who could barely walk without the support of a stick, later fondly nicknamed him 'Shah Jahan of the poor' as they saw the monument take shape.



Imitating the architecture of Taj Mahal, Qadri's Taj also features rounded ceiling and archways. Tajamulli's tomb lies inside the main building and next to it Qadri had dug his own grave where he will now be laid to rest.

Mohd Aslam, Qadri's neighbour, told TOI, "Qadri will be remembered as a modern-day Shah Jahan. He wanted to be buried next to his wife and the village will fulfill his last wish on Saturday. He brought good name to our village, we owe him that."

The octogenarian, who had no children of his own, had donated four bighas to UP government for construction of a girl's college near his mini Taj. He was once offered financial assistance by then UP CM Akhilesh Yadav to complete his monument which he had refused. Speaking to TOI in 2015, he had said, "I am scripting a poor man's love story. I don't know whether my Taj Mahal will be as famous as Shah Jahan's but I know that people can see it for free."

According to Qadri's nephew, Junaid Akhtar, Qadri had entrusted the mini Taj to the care of Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board along with some land he had left. Waqf board chairman Z A Farooqui, however, did not confirm whether the body would now be responsible for upkeep of the mausoleum. "I cannot confirm that the building is registered with the board. We will go through the records," Farooqui said.