Amidst the Gyanvapi Masjid-Kashi Vishwanath Temple dispute of Varanasi, now the Taj Mahal of Agra is also in discussion. A petition was filed in the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court regarding the Taj Mahal, in which it was said that 22 rooms of the Taj Mahal should be opened so that it can be known whether there are idols and inscriptions of gods and goddesses inside it.
The Taj Mahal, made of a unique style of Persian, Indian and Islamic architecture, is said to be a sign of love. It is claimed that Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built it in white marble on the banks of the Yamuna in the memory of his wife, Mumtaz. As beautiful as the Taj Mahal is, many controversies have been lying in its shadow.
Shah Jahan died in 1666, but the controversy remained alive. Sometimes there were voices that the Taj Mahal is Tejo Mahalaya and is the centre of faith of Hindus. A similar voice has arisen again. In the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court, BJP’s media in-charge Rajneesh Singh has filed a petition in Ayodhya.
Mansingh’s Palace Logic
The petitioner has demanded that the Archaeological Survey of India should be allowed to open 22 rooms inside the Taj Mahal so that it can be known whether Hindu sculptures and inscriptions are hidden there or not. Rajneesh Singh’s lawyer Rudra Vikram Singh argues that all the travellers who came in 1600 AD have mentioned Mansingh’s palace in their travel descriptions.
Lawyer Rudra Vikram Singh said that the Taj Mahal was built in 1653; a letter from Aurangzeb of 1651 appeared in which he wrote that Ammi’s tomb needs to be repaired; based on all such facts, now it needs to be ascertained that the Taj Mahal What’s in these 22 rooms closed?
Demand has been made from the High Court that the government should form a fact-finding committee consisting of ASI and historians and file a report on this matter. But as soon as this petition was filed, politics smouldered. Congress alleged that the BJP was deliberately trying to divert the issues.
Let us tell you that a few days ago, the Peethadheeshwar Acharya Paramhans of the ascetic camp in Ayodhya were also stopped from going to Ayodhya. The controversy deepened when some Hindu party activists read Hanuman Chalisa inside the Taj Mahal.
Where did the controversy begin
The controversy over the Taj Mahal started with the book ‘True Story of Taj’ by historian PN Oak. In this book, many claims were made related to the Taj Mahal being a Shiva temple. Some historians claim that there are 22 rooms under the main mausoleum and jasmine floor in the Taj Mahal, which have been closed.
Historians believe that there are stairs at two places on the jasmine floor to go down to the basement on the side of Yamuna. They have been closed by putting an iron net over them. Till about 45 years ago, the way to go down the stairs was open. A petition has been filed to open these 22 rooms.
