Watch: Mini Burj Khalifa On A Rooftop In Punjab Wins Hearts, Goes Viral

These days, when people in Jagraon, Punjab look up, they see more than just mustard fields and farmhouses. They also notice a familiar silhouette from Dubai's skyline: a 14-foot Burj Khalifa replica perched on the roof of a modest home, crowned with a UAE flag.

Sukhvir Dhillon, 28, who works as ground staff at Dubai International Airport, was the first to commission one of these rooftop mini-towers.

“It's my tribute to the city that changed my life,” he told Khaleej Times.“I came to Dubai in 2018 as a construction worker. Step by step, I worked my way up. Today I have a steady job, and I've managed to build a home for my family back in Jagraon.”

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He said the miniature feels personal, calling it“a reminder of where I started and what the UAE made possible.” Sukhvir now plans to add lights to the structure.“I want it to shine at night, proper Dubai style. It should be visible from far away,” he laughed.

The man who built the tower is Ravinder Singh Devgan, 41, a father of two from Jagraon whose handmade homage to Dubai's most famous landmark has turned him into a local celebrity and a viral favourite.

“I've never been to Dubai,” Ravinder said over the phone, amused at the contrast with his client.“But I've seen enough photos and videos from every angle to feel like I've walked around the Burj Khalifa myself.”

He built the model as a tribute to the“city of dreams,” which attracts thousands of Punjabi workers each year. The structure rises in clear, familiar tiers and is held together with iron rods. Made from lightweight fibre and resin, Ravinder says it is strong enough to withstand strong winds on his rooftop.

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Ravinder says the skill runs in the family.“My father, Sohan Singh, drives for a living, but he's always been good with his hands (to construct). Whatever I can make today is because of him.”

In many rural areas of Punjab, families use their rooftops to show their identity. Some display kangaroo cut-outs for sons in Australia or maple leaves for Canada. Ravinder looked at his neighbours' terraces and smiled.“Kangaroos are fine, but they look odd above a Punjabi house. Nothing beats the Burj Khalifa.”

The first replica Ravinder made was for Sukhvir. It took him almost six weeks, starting with a clay mold and ending with a fibre-resin casting.

After he shared some photos online, Ravinder started getting many messages.“I didn't expect this kind of response,” he said.“After the first Dubai model, more people contacted me. The latest order came from Firozpur.”

Each model costs Rs55,000 (about Dh2,245). Now that Ravinder has perfected the mold, it takes much less time to make each one.

Ravinder chuckled as he looked at his rooftop creation.“Dubai hasn't seen me yet, but my Burj Khalifa has already made its mark.”

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