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India
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Tourism

Controversy in India regarding the origin of the Taj Mahal

  • Controversy in India regarding the origin of the Taj Mahal
    Controversy in India regarding the origin of the Taj Mahal
Region:
India
Category:
Tourism
Author/s:
By Pablo Pla @pablitopla
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The Delhi High Court issued an order to the Archaeological Survey of India to clarify doubts regarding its construction

The Delhi High Court issued an order to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to pronounce on the representation of a petitioner seeking to investigate the origins of the Taj Mahal amid controversy over its true historical origins. The court issued the order in response to a petition filed under the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to eliminate alleged "erroneous historical facts" related to the construction of the iconic monument by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.

Surjit Singh Yadav, the president of 'Hindu Sena', argued that the 17th-century monument was originally the mansion of Raja Man Singh, which was later renovated by the Mughal emperor. However, the court noted that Yadav had already filed a similar plea before the Supreme Court, which allowed him to withdraw it after suggesting that he present a representation before the ASI. In December 2022, the High Court declined to consider the plea, arguing that PILs were not meant to initiate a "fishing expedition" and that the courts were not there to rewrite history.

On Friday, Yadav informed the High Court that he had filed a claim with the ASI but had not yet received any response. Consequently, the court requested the ASI to examine the claim and make a decision on the matter.

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In his plea, the president of Hindu Sena claimed that several official chroniclers of Shah Jahan had not mentioned the name of the architect of the Taj Mahal, a site declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The petitioner argued that this indicated that Raja Man Singh's mansion was not demolished but was only modified and renovated to create the current appearance of the Taj Mahal.

Furthermore, the book titled 'Taj Museum' was cited, mentioning that the body of Mumtaz Mahal was buried under a temporary domed structure on the grounds of Raja Jai Singh. It was argued that there are no records indicating that Raja Man Singh's mansion was demolished to build the Taj Mahal.

The plea also pointed out contradictions in the information provided by the ASI regarding the Taj Mahal. According to the submitted document, the ASI provided conflicting information about the duration of the monument's construction, raising doubts about the official chronology provided by the entity.

The dispute over the origin of the Taj Mahal has generated a historical and archaeological debate that will undoubtedly require further investigation by the relevant authorities to arrive at a clear and precise conclusion.