The Indian embassy in Bangladesh is fuming mad that film director Ahsanullah Moni has built what he calls an exact replica of the Taj Mahal about 20 miles from Dhaka for $56 million. The idea, says the director, is to give Bangladeshis who might not be able to afford a trip to Agra a chance to see the Taj. Entrance to the mocked-up Mahal is 75 cents.
But an Indian official tells Sky News:
You can't just go and copy historical monuments.
From the look of the marble, granite and bronze replica, though, you can. Thousands of tourists have already visited to recreated Taj, though in a suspiciously one-sided article, the Times of India reports many people leave disappointed:
"The whole project is done in a shoddy manner. It is nothing compared to the real Taj," another visitor, Sohana Parvin, told the paper. "There is no sign of the valuable stones, tiles and diamonds the owner has spoken of using."
Related Stories:
· India Angry Over Bangladeshi Plans for Taj Mahal [Sky News]
· Bangladesh Taj Invites Visitors' Criticism [Times of India]
· Tourist Traps coverage [Jaunted]]]>