
An Indian pensioner who wanted to pay tribute to his late wife with a giant replica of the Taj Mahal in his back garden fears the project may never be finished because he is running out of money.

Faizul Hasan Quadri, 80, has spent three years painstakingly building a scaled-down version of the Taj Mahal in his tiny village of Kaser Kalan in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

To date the £110,000 project has cost him the majority of his life savings. But he remains determined to press on with the building, determined to spend the rest of his days constructing the elaborate tribute to his beloved wife of 53 years Tajamulli, who died of throat cancer in 2012.

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Tribute: Faizul Hasan Quadri, 80, has spent three years painstakingly building a scaled-down version of the Taj Mahal in his tiny village of Kaser Kalan in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh

The widower has so far devoted all his finances to setting up the structure in order to build a permanent display of his love for Tajamulli.

Hard at work: To date the £110,000 project has cost 80-year-old Faizul Hasan Quadri the majority of his life savings

Inspiration: With no children to carry on their family name Mr Quadri decided to follow in the ancient footstep of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who famously created the white marbled Taj Mahal as a monument of love for his wife in 1632

With no children to carry on their family name Mr Quadri decided to follow in the ancient footstep of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who famously created the white marbled Taj Mahal as a monument of love for his wife in 1632.

The widower has so far devoted all his finances to setting up the structure in order to build a permanent display of his love for Tajamulli.

But now after three years of the construction, Mr Quadri is facing severe financial challenges that are putting the future of structure in serious doubt.

'Initially, I sold a piece of land for £60,000 and my wife's gold and silver jewellery for £15,000 and got the mausoleum constructed with the help of a local mason,' he said.

'But now I have to get marble studded on the monument and also to build a lush green park around it, both of which is likely to cost me another £70,000,' the widower added.

Replica: The elderly former stonemason prepared the dome for the elaborate tomb himself. He also constructed the four towers around the central building, which is a little more than 27-feet in height

Running out of money: Mr Quadri was even approached by the state government for help but the old man politely rejected it saying he is planning the finances on his own and would not like to take money from the government

Devoted: Mr Quadri remains determined to press on with the building, determined to spend the rest of his days constructing the elaborate tribute to his beloved wife of 53 year Tajamulli, who died of throat cancer in 2012

After three years of the construction, Mr Quadri is facing severe financial challenges that are putting the future of structure in doubt

After his wife's death, Mr Quadri buried Tajamulli on land he'd previously used for agriculture. He then began building the structure around her grave.

The elderly former stonemason prepared the dome for the elaborate tomb himself. He also constructed the four towers around the central building, which is a little more than 27-feet in height.

'The structure is built on my own land and I have also tried to plant some trees around it and have a small body of water at the back side of the building,' Mr Quadri said.

'However, work has mostly been held up due to finances as marble costs are high...A number of people have offered me financial help but I have refused to accept so far. This is my personal endeavour for my late wife so I should do this on my own,' he added.

Mr Quadri was even approached by the state government for help but the old man politely rejected it saying he is planning the finances on his own and would not like to take money from the government.

'I would rather request the government to get my village school recognised by the education board,' he said.

Visiting the tombs: After his wife's death, Mr Quadri buried Tajamulli on land he'd previously used for agriculture. He then began building the structure around her grave

Mr Quadri based the structure on the Taj Mahal, which Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan famously created as a monument of love for his wife

Passers-by: Mr Quadri's half-finished monument is already popular among the people in the village and neighbourhood

Paying a visit: Mr Quadri has already told his brother to bury him next to his beloved wife Tajamulli side when he dies

Mr Quadri's half-finished monument is already popular among the people in the village and neighbourhood.

'People flock from far off places to catch a glimpse of the monument. I am glad people will remember this Taj Mahal as my tribute to my wife,' he said.

He claimed to have got the idea for the building monument after speaking to his wife about whether anyone would remember them after their deaths.

Shortly afterwards Tajamulli was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

'The doctors initially treated my wife for an ear ailment and could not find any traces of throat cancer,' he said.

'Later, I took her to a bigger medical college where the doctors told me that she was suffering from throat cancer and had no strength to bear the effects of chemotherapy,' Mr Quadri added.

'We moved in to a plot of agricultural land outside the village. I got a new house constructed for her,' he went on to say.

Mr Quadri has already told his brother to bury him by Tajamulli side when he dies.