2nd winner / July Call for Drawings

The illustration captures the complex interplay between power, ambition, and the enduring pursuit of immortality through architectural feats during the Mughal Era in India. Circa 1658; Aurangzeb declares himself emperor after his father Emperor Shah Jahan falls ill. Shah Jahan is strictly confined to the Agra Fort until his death. It is at that point in time that we re-imagine an alternative history where Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ‘Alamgir’ (Persian for 'Conqueror of the World') builds a tomb for himself in black marble, mirroring the Taj Mahal on the opposite bank of the Yamuna river. While the Taj Mahal represents love and bereavement, the Black Taj symbolises power and authority, reflecting Aurangzeb’s desire to showcase his might and rule to be far superior to that of his father Shah Jahan. Given Aurangzeb's reputation for his alleged strong-handed rule and contentious policies, the massive brutalist black tomb immortalizes his ambition to create an enduring legacy after his death.