Sunday, May 1 2005 17:01 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Mughal Emperor Shahjehan's unfulfilled last wish of building a black Taj Mahal, facing the white one at Agra is all set to come true, albeit after 350 years, thanks to Sudarshan Patnaik, a sand artist of international repute from Orissa.

"I have been asked by the Uttar Pradesh Government to create a Taj Mahal in black sand in front of the white marbled monument of love as part of the celebrations commemorating 350th year of Taj," Patnaik said in New Delhi, on his return from Houston in USA, where he exhibited his skills in erecting a 15-feet-tall white sand replica of Taj Mahal much to the delight of the Americans and NRIs.

Shahjehan's desire to build a black Taj Mahal to house his tomb was recorded by French traveller Travernier, who wrote, "Shahjehan began to build his own tomb on the other side of Yamuna but the war with his sons interrupted his plans and Aurangazeb who reins at present is not disposed to complete it".

Mehtab Burj and the wall adjoining it opposite the Taj Mahal is generally believed by historians, as the foundations and remains of Shahjehan's proposed plan.

Patnaik is elated at the invitation, albeit orally, from the Uttar Pradesh Government and said, "It is a great honour for me as an artist that the art of sand sculpting is gaining ground in India."

The artist, who started his career on the beaches of Puri more famous for the Jagannath temple, is preparing for the international sand sculpting championships at Berlin and Denmark and hopes to add to his medal tally of seven bagged at various such competitions across the globe.