Taj Mahal: The Biggest Whitewash in Indian History?
I originally penned this essay in January ’05 and it was included in one of the newsletters earlier this year. I am posting it separately here since it has evoked some interest:
“TAJ MAHAL – THE BIGGEST WHITEWASH IN INDIAN HISTORY?
Several issues back, I had included a piece on Taj Mahal where I had suggested that there is a lot that is unexplained about Taj Mahal and wondered whether we would ever know the truth?
Some weeks ago, I finished reading “Taj Mahal and the Great British Conspiracy” by Shri V S Godbole. www.hindunet.org/hindu_history/modern/godbole_taj1.html
My first reaction, after reading the book, was of disbelief and dismay. Disbelief that not one of our worthy historians and scholars had considered digging beneath the surface to uncover the truth. Dismayed at how little attention has been paid to discussing this issue in the mainstream media.
After reading the book, I decide to summarise the evidence that seems to suggest that the existing history of Taj Mahal is not entirely accurate. In his painstakingly done research, Shri Godbole makes the following points:
1. Architect: On the question of who built the Taj Mahal, there is very little agreement amongst various writers and travellers. Even the origin of the person (whether he was Farsi, Indian, Italian(!)) is disputed. The names that comes up most frequently though is that of Ustad Isa � but as Shri Godbole points out, it is certainly a fabrication; there is no mention of him prior to the 19th century.
2. Time Taken and People Involved: Almost all the accounts quote Tavernier who says that the building took 20,000 people and was 22 years in the making. NB: This account differs considerably from Manrique (a Portuguese preacher) who was in India during the same time and only noticed 1000 people working there. Although Manrique�s testimony is not completely reliable either, the difference in numbers is too stark to ignore
One way of resolving the contradiction is that 22 years were taken and 20,000 people were employed to build the original Taj – NOT by Shahjahan but by Raja Mansingh. What Manrique saw (1000 people) was the “embellishment” that was ordered by Shahjahan to (i) formally complete the acquisition of the property and (ii) to change the character of the building by including Islamic motifs and style – e.g. by inscribing 14 chapters of Koran on it.
3. Badshahnama: Another mysterious omission in almost all the accounts of the Taj is the references that one finds in “Badshahnama” -the official chronicle of Shah Jahan’s reign. Not only are references to it scant, the record makes no mention of any grand building newly constructed by Shahjahan during his reign – the two most significant pages of the chronicles are often ignored by historians – I presume because they are unable to verify the authenticity of the actual document itself. However, similar doubts about authenticity and accuracy can be raised about ALL historical records of that time – this argument cannot therefore be the true reason to ignore the passages. Amongst other things, the passage clearly state that Raja Mansingh’s “manzil” (not “zamin” as mistakenly quoted by some scholars) was acquired by Shahjahan
4. Architecture: The architecture of the building, when examined in detail and without bias, clearly reveals a number of features that are unmistakably “Hindu”. The points are too numerous to be listed and for the avid readers amongst you, I would suggest a read through the relevant chapters in the book.
5. Unexplained structures and underground chambers: Other than long corridors and rooms at several levels, these include moorings for pleasure boats (what purpose could they conceivably have in a building meant for mourning?). Several photographs, drawings and reports about the Taj are either still classified or are untraceable. No one quite knows when was the last time (or indeed the first time) that the monument was “surveyed” by the ASI (Archeological Survey of India).
Finally, a couple of minor points to round up the summary.
6. No extant blueprints or scale models of the building have been found to date – there is no mention about these at all except for a “story” about a wooden model that was supposedly built.
7. The only signature on the tomb is that of the calligrapher – was he the only person of note or the only important contributor to the structure? How is it that there is no mention of the designer or the architect or indeed even of Shahjahan? Is that realistic if a building of such grandeur was being constructed from scratch?
As far as I am aware, the government has not publicly responded to either Shri Godbole or Shri P N Oak’s research (In fact, the Supreme Court in July ’00 summarily dismissed a PIL petition by Shri Oak “to reestablish the truth and cultural heritage of our country”) http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000714/nation.htm [PTI News item dated Jul 13, 2000]
To me, continued silence by the ASI and the government does not inspire confidence.
Either there is no mystery in which case there is no need for classifying material related to one of the finest buildings in the world OR – the “story” of the Taj is lot more complex and far less “romantic” than we all have been led to believe.
Is it that the Government is willing to remain silent for the sake of “communal harmony” (read Muslim appeasement) and for the sake of continued tourist interest (which might possibly wane if it turned out that the Taj was actually not a monument to true love but a building usurped by force)?
Or is the government fearful about the Muslim backlash if the building that has been proudly trumpeted as representing the best of Islamic art not only turns out to be Hindu but also with a dirty history of lies and forceful occupation behind it (far removed form the romance and mystery that has come to be associated with it)?
Finally, a link to another excellent analysis:Â http://www.stephen-knapp.com/question_of_the_taj_mahal.htm
Related Links: SatyaShodh.com and Shah Jahan’s Firmaans explained
Related Posts: Was the Taj Mahal a Vedic Temple? and The Taj’s Other Story…
Hi,
That article was good. Even I am interested in delving deep into these stuff. Could u suggest me some links and more specificalle any links with RSS feeds.
Thanks. I intend to put a list of links to some interesting sites but havent got around to doing it. Chk this around December ’05
hello.
your comments regarding the fact that there were no scale models built id wrong..ihav in my possion the worlds seconed biggest scale model of the taj mahal.it is in australia..i hav pictures.. my email address is sahirsingh@hotmail.com
can u explain who then made islamic scriptures on taj mahal if it was supposedly hindus temple???
Here is some more, With images & documents:
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/true_story_of_the_taj_mahal.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/was_the_taj_mahal_a_vedic_temple.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/question_of_the_taj_mahal.htm
This will tell you Taj Mahal was exist before Shah Jahan existed.
Who encarved the Kuaran or other sits, Just google for SarJahan purchaing & remodeling.
My comments:
Remove the question mark from the title. We want to assert that it is the biggest whitewash in Indian History.
Taj Mahal and the Great British Conspiracy: Please add – this book lists all the information on Taj Mahal available during 1784 to 1984. Godbole concludes that the British knew the truth about Taj Mahal for a long time but suppressed the truth for their political reasons.
The seven points
1 Architect: I did not say that the name Ustad Isa is a fabrication. This remark was made in 1965 by Sir Mortimer Wheeler, former Director General of Archaeological Survey of India. (Splendours of the East, pp 154-165)
2 Time taken and people involved: Your argument suggests that in your opinion, one has to make sense of Tavernier’s statement – 20,000 men worked for 22 years. – why? Because he was a European!
We should have the courage to say that this sentence is meaningless.
Please emphasise the dates.
Until 1889 no one had been specific about the dates of various voyages of Tavernier.
In 1889 Dr translated Tavernier’s book from original French into English and studying in depth gave the details of all the voyages of Tavernier. From this it is clear that Tavernier came to Agra only twice, in the winter of 1640-41 and in 1665.
Now, Historians tell us that Mumtaz, the lady of Taj died in 1631 and construction of Taj began immediately. But then Tavernier could not have seen the commencement of Taj Mahal.
Shahjahan was dethroned and imprisoned in Red Fort by his son Aurangzeb in 1658.
Tavernier came to Agra in 1665. He could not have therefore seen the completion of Taj Mahal.
THIS truth is being deliberately ignored by ALL historians.
3 Badshahnama: Persian text of this document was published by Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1867.
It was compiled by two Muslim Maulavis. During the British Raj some British officers translated from Persian into English, Babur-nama, Humayun-nama, Akbar-nama and Ain-e-Akabari and Tazuk-e-Jehangiri. Why did their curiosity stop there?
So, why has Badshahnama not been translated into English for 141 years. Even Pakistanis have not dared to do this. How can they? Badshahnama clearly states that Shahjahan grabbed Raja Mansingh’s palace for burial of his wife.
4. Architecture: Way back in 1934, Prof Claude Batley of J J School of Arts, Mumbai had remarked, ” The fact that such planning is certainly indigenous to India can be traced in the layout of the simplest temple, in the magnificent temple-town plans of South India and in the various Indian mediaeval town layouts as reflected in the design of such a comparatively modern Indian town as Jaipur.”
A tomb does not fit in the layout of a temple. It is out of place.
5 Unexplained structures and underground chambers: Please make this simpler. There are two huge basements under the Main terrace. These cannot be seen from the garden, but can be seen from the riverside. They were noted by the English painters Thomas and William Daniells in 1789 when they visited Taj Mahal.
These are seen in the book of Sleeman in 1844, In Vincent Smith’s book of 1911. And yet NOT ONE historian has questioned the purpose of these? And why are they still blocked today?
No 6 and 7: Please delete these. There are more important points you can add.
Please please DELETE this paragraph: “Either there is no mystery ……. in the world.”
Other paras also need to be deleted.
One additional point.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) confesses
We understand that the ASI are under political pressure to keep quiet. But even then they had made a confession. In 1982 they published a booklet called Taj Museum.
On page 4 they say – “ The site selected for the burial was an extremely pleasant and lofty land situated to the south of the city on which till then stood the mansion (Manzil) of Raja Mansingh which was at that time in possession of the latter’s grandson Raja Jaisingh.”
Common sense should tell us that what is being paraded as Taj Mahal today is nothing but Raja Mansingh’s Palace being misused as a tomb of Mumtaz.
Nothing can be clearer.
And who are the authors of this booklet? Dr Zia-uddin Ahmad Desai and H K Kaul
That my friends, is in short, the biggest whitewash in Indian History.
If you want to know more please read my book “Taj Mahal : Simple Analysis of a Great deception”.
My E mail I.D. is v.godbole3@ntlworld.com
Relitix: Abuse of religious faith for political agenda / gain / interest:
The controversies on origins of Taj, Qutub can be resolved easily once we understand the global phenomenon of religious vandalism, [Relitix] – that is, ‘usurping other faith’s buildings and constructions’, practised by Muslims, or Mohammedans; and some retaliation in Spain-Portugal by the Catholics –who also copied it in Qusko (Inca Capital, in Peru, S America).
Mohammedans’ religious vandalism started from the beginning of Islam in Pagan Arabia with Qaba, spreading to East mainly in Hinnd (India) & to West in Turkey (Istanbul) & Spain-Portugal.
Examples: Qa’ba, Hagia Sophia, Marttand-Kashmir, Taj Rajput-mahal, ‘Babri-Ram-Temple-mosque, Ayodhya, Mathura, Kashi & 100s of temples in Hinnd (India). Starting with Bhadresvar, Dhruv-stambha-Jain Temple in present-day called Qutub, Jaunnpur, Ahmedabad, Sirkej, Butwa, Madu, Gaur, Kalburga, Gwalior, Futtehpur Sikri, Adhai-din-ke-Zompra, Ajmer & so on.
It is a total myth that Mohamedan’s built mosques at the place where Hindu temples stood before. A mosque does not need much ‘building construction’, just creation, or ‘hacking out’ of an open space! It would be obviously a very illogical and wasteful endeavour for any of Mohammedan conqueror-by-force to pull down the whole temple and re-build it using the same material;as it would have been much simpler and straightforward to plunder the gold and other ornaments of the temple’s sanctum-sanctorum, level it into a court-yard, and you have a mosque!, 100s of mosques made –not ‘built’—out of plundering existing temples, or cathedral bear testimony to this religious vandalism by Mohamedans.
This ‘myth’ or ludicrous idea of ‘pulling down a temple and re-building a mosque by reusing the same material’ was conceived and perpetuated by gullible-and-cunning “experts” on Architecture of the ‘Imperial British’, who had dynamited marble bath tubs from palaces –and had once put ‘Taj Mahal’ on auction at a reserve price of Rs 1.25 lakh –to be broken down and quarried away to Europe by the successful bidder’! Lucky for Hinnd that there was no bidder.
In his book “History & Indian Architecture” [I have its 1876 edition] James Fergusson has gone to great trouble to deny Hindus the credit of their Architecture, design and sculpture, sympathetically awarding credit to their Semitic-brother Moslems from whom the Englishh East India Company had stolen the “Raj”! He makes ludicrous claims like, Mohammedans “dismantled Hindu temples and re-erected –like Lego bricks,”– and what a tremendous prodigious skill the Hindu architects-stonemasons-sculptors-builders must have– they all fitted perfectly!
Also by searching ‘Kuwwat-al-Islam Mosque’ on Google (use the same spelling) one can preview –for FREE– pp 689-693 in an Annual Yearbook [1989] on Islamic Art & Architecture “Supplement to Muqarnas” to Ayyubid Metalwork with Christian Images. [ISBN 1090 04 08962 4].
Titles “MASDJID” on page 689, column 1 you will find the stark admission: [observations in brackets supplied]
“The continuous history of the Mosque (M.) begins with M. ‘Kuwwat-al-Islam’ in Dihli [Dutch publisher!], founded immediately after the Muslim conquest in 587/1191. There are however records of mosques founded earlier e.g. under the ‘Abbasid Caliphate in Sind’ by small communities [suggesting their ‘powerless’ minority status and ‘creative construction’, as against use of violence, or destructive force. This only proves that the Hindu hosts afforded religious freedom to minorities in the secular tradition or way of life that is Hinduism!], of Muslim Traders especially in Gudjerat [phonetic ‘D’ for Dutch!] and the Malabar coast [what a tragic disaster that turned out to be!]; and by individual Sufi pirs who gathered small communities around them [Hindu hosts also patronised ‘alien beggars’!]. The remains of these are mostly too exiguous to be of value in a general statement. Recent explorations by M Shokoohy, not [then] published [see links to ‘Bhadresvar’ below], have revealed a few structures [!] a century or two before the conquest, at Bhadreshwar in Gudjerat. These, in common with the first structures of any fresh conquest of expansion, are constructed from the remains of Hindu Buldings [read ‘temples’, the same ‘myth’ of ‘construction’ recurs!],; in the case of mosques built after a conquest [‘small communities of Muslim Traders’ suddenly becoming conquerors 200 years in advance of any conquest’?!] there has been deliberate pillaging of Hindu or Djayn temples [the correct word surfaces] as an assertion of superiority as well as for the expediency of the use of material already quarried [temple-rubble?]
And of local ‘impressed’ [exploited under threat of death] labour before the arrival of ‘Muslin Artisans’ [another ‘myth’: the same Hindu artisans could be converted’ by force under threat of death to convert the vandalised temple!]. Examples of this are cited for different regions of India s. v. Hind, vii, Architecture, in Vol III. P441 above. (It should be pointed out that the practice of pillaging the ‘buildings’ of conquered is known in India in the case of Rival Hindu kings also)[What a ludicrous claim! In any event the basis of such ‘pillaging’ can’t be religious vandalism, perhaps ‘digging the palaces the conquered to search for concealed wealth and treasures may be the limit.]
“Where a mosque is actually constructed on the plinth of a destroyed Hindu building, (e.g. M Kuwwat-al-Islam at Dihli, Atala M. at Djawnpur) the kibla (prayer-direction to Mecca) will probably not be accurately located and the original cardinal West made to serve the purpose”
Myth # 1. There was no construction, only destruction and defacement.
Myth # 2. There were no ‘Muslim Artisans’, as thinking of anything but Allah is taboo in Islam!
Fact # 1. All ‘vandalised-Hindu-temple-mosques’ can not be used by Mohammedans for prayer, because the don’t face Mecca, –although very few actually CAN do so, as the ‘facing Mecca concept was based on the idiom of flat earth! This is probably why lateer the Mughals started burying their dead in such vandalised places: temples-or-palaces, the glowing example being Taj-Rajput-Mahal.
So there is no dispute that Qutb complex was Jain temple.
See how Mohammedans squeamishly describe Bhadresvar: (Bhadreshwar) ‘Sola Khamba Mosque’ at https://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=7604 and a bogus Shrine of Ibrahim at http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=7603
Moahammedanism has never claimed much creativity other than breeding more Mohammedans!
The Spanish solution to Islamic religious Vandalism!!!
But the Mohammedans [“Moors”] also got the taste of their own medicine in Spain where all mosques have been re-converted back to cathedrals or churches, without much pseudo-‘secular’ fuss. [Read the ‘Reconquista’ below]
Mezquita de Córdoba: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezquita
Built over the remains of a Roman Temple from 600 A.D. as a Christian Visigothic church, the Mezquita (“Aljama Mosque”) was refashioned as a mosque, 784-987 A.D. In 1236, Cordoba was recaptured from the Muslim army by King Ferdinand III of Castile and the mosque was reconsecrated as Christian church. Alfonso X constructed Villaviciosa Chapel and the Royal Chapel & Enrique II rebuilt the chapel in the 14th century.
Similarities between the Mohammedan-vandalism of Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), Istanbul, Turkey; –and Taj Mahal:
This church of the Divine Wisdom, the first church of Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) was planned by Constantine the Great and its construction was begun during the reign of Constantius, his son and successor, who built it between the years 337-361 A.D.
On the Turkish Conquest of Constantinople (now Istanbul), Sultan Mehmet The Conqueror entered the city on 29 May 1453 and lead the first Friday prayers and ordered it be converted into a mosque. Four minarets of the building were placed at different times after the Conquest. For almost five hundred years after the Turkish Conquest the church Hagia Sophia was used as the imperial mosque of Istanbul, until 24 October 1934, when by the order of Kemal Atatuk, Hagia Sophia was declared a national monument and converted into a museum.
In a secular “world’s largest” democracy in 21st century, this should be the just & proper fate of all monuments identified as ‘Mohammedan religious vandalism’ up and down the country that is INDIA TODAY! And a religion claiming to be ‘peace’ should have no objection to that!
The alternative would be ‘The Spanish solution’ of the majority in any socialist democracy!
*** COMMENT COMBINED ***
shantanu, controversy is created by people who have some vested interest or power seekers.i was the biggest critic of the ‘taj mahal’. i felt that shahjahan had wasted public welfare funds and money on a wasteful monument and even my brother shared the same feelings. my brother after his marriage visited the taj mahal at agra on a honeymoon. there he discussed his views with a number of tourist guides who were mostly hindus. they were angry with him and scolded him for being stupid . they said †because of taj mahal agra is getting a lot of employment ,we can make two ends meet in agra because of the monument.otherwise what does this barren piece of land have to create employment. this monument is like a temple for us though we r hindusâ€
***
shantanu,creating a controversy is easy but seeking truth is a bit tough for the human mind.we easily write a blog about various monuments built in delhi on hindu temples.how will we react if a story comes up about how the red fort in delhi was built after capturing the ashram of a great hindu saint ??the fact that we have celebrated all our independence day from that monument. we voted as indians to get taj mahal as seven wonders even if it was rumoured by a small section to have been built on a hindu temple. they say â€faith is the most powerful fictionâ€
Tarique: Pl. read all the comments above (and the original post) whenever you have the time.
I would be really interested in your response…
*** COMMENT COMBINED ***
shantanu i think i have already covered all aspects even before i have read these posts.i think creating a controversy on taj mahal or qutub minar will harm hindu employment in the same way as muslims got affected due to hurriyat fundamentalism in kashmir valley.besides nobody is exactly sure about what exactly transpired during that part in history. yet i m a born optimist and can say that invasions however bloody or wrong brought new ideas and techniques.even in destruction or reconstruction they laid the foundation for a new world order.lets not get carried away here by religious sentiments. it will lead us nowhere and leave us with a deep pain in our heads.
***
â€religion is the opium of the massesâ€- karl marx
Shantanu,
I honestly think that you should do a lot of introspection as to what you really want to achieve through this blog site of yours (Satyameva Jayate). Be ruthlessly honest and sincere with yourself.
Is your objective really to improve things, relationships, atmosphere in a constructive way around the people in India (which for sure I fail to see how through any, yes any, of your blogposts)?
However one thing that VERY CLEARLY stands out in all your Posts as well as your Comments is that they mostly help only to create rift, disharmony and issues.
You deliberately create issues where there are none. You don’t encourage love and forgiveness, instead you justify revenge and hate. You only write things that kind of defends and justifies the wrongs of some.
Aren’t such posts only destructive in nature? Are they not fomenting hate and creating only ill feelings one against the other.
I don’t want to judge you, but can’t help being tempted very strongly to believe that this is exactly what you want through this Blog site.
@ Conscience: You came late to the party (in a figurative sense) so let me share with you why I started this effort…
I started the blog to understand a bit about Hinduism, about Indian culture, religion, history and politics. All of these are contentious issues and have no easy answers…
So one has two choices: Not to ask the hard questions and pretend everything is hunky-dory…or ask the hard questions and try and find the answers through discussion and debate..
To some this activity might look an utter waste of time…to others, it may look like a deliberate attempt to “create rift, disharmony and issues.”
I dont think it is worthless and I certainly don’t do this to create trouble (unless you consider seeking truth as leading to trouble)
But we as a society cannot progress unless we understand each other…and to understand each other, one does – at least occassionally – have to ask hard questions…and a sign of maturity is to address those hard questions without descending to the level of gutter-politics. Would you disagree with that?
Trying to ask hard questions may not appear to be “constructive” but only to those who are afraid of what they might unearth…I am not afraid of the “truth” – however unsettling it might be….which is why for example, I do not hesitate for a moment to admit that the way Hinduism is interpreted and practiced leaves much to be desired…
But in any case why should the “truth” scare or upset people? Why should a discussion about Taj Mahal and its history sour things and create hatred?
Why should a discussion about Jamia Nagar anger make someone angry? and why should an attempt at understanding aggressive Christian evangelism in India create “rift”?
“Conscience”: The “rift”, “disharmony” and “issues” that you talk about are already there…I did not create them…and I don’t want to pretend that they don’t exist…
I dont have to write this blog…I have a family and a job and enough other occupations to keep me busy…but somewhere deep inside, it troubles me that people do not want to ask questions and/or discuss “issues” openly…
I strongly feel an open discussion and freedom to air discordant views is your best guarantee against deep social divisions, alienation and social unrest…
But you don’t have to agree with any of this…
I respect your right to disagree…Likewise, I expect you to respect my right to express my opinions freely…You of course have a choice of not reading this blog or the comments.
Finally, here is a list of my last 15 posts….Please help me understand how they have helped “create rift, disharmony and issues” or how they are “fomenting hate and creating…ill feelings one against the other”
*** Last 15 Posts ***
What is stopping you from joining active politics?
“Biharnomics†Examined
“Three Hundred Ramayanas†& “The Jewel of Medinaâ€
The amazing story of pointReturn
The painless way to build a 125×125 banner ad
W’end Reading: Truth about Gujarat, Contacting Voters & an Unusual Call-Centre
Jamia Nagar: A dangerous cocktail…
Excerpts from “Art of Warâ€
Are politicians irrelevant in the post-modern era?
Alaskonomics and Bihar – Part I
This is how China treats its religious minorities
A tribute to Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma
Why are Christian Missionaries targeting India – III
Comment moderation policy relaxed
The “right†and the “left†– Shaping the debate
To Shantanu:
I don’t think you really need to justify anyone your stand. Especially the use of words “disrupting harmony” etc only come into picture when a Hindu tries to speak out loud, but when someone exposes ‘misdeeds’ by Hindus in Kandhmal, Karnataka – it becomes exposing the fundamentalism in Majority Hindus!
I know this is irrelevant to the article, but is certainly relevent to few comments I have seen here.
I want to site an example how words “peaceful” “communalize” are misused by media and majority of people, 2-3 days back I was watching Times Now where Arnab (Times Now person) said to BJD guy “100s of christians are killed in kandhamal” when BJD guy interrupted saying “people from other religions have died too” Arnab said “let’s not communalize this issue”
I find few comments in same shape here.
I agree Hemant
Hindus were kind and good enough accomadating and adjusting with most of the religion of the world. When Hindus ask for their rights and accomodation in their country,is troubling all over the world. Its always easy suggesting calming down to good people rather than locking horns with fanatics. That is what Conscious Matter is doing here, suggesting us to put down our rights, culture and religion. Some people have adjusted with us because of our silence,now they cannot tolerate when we ask, complain and protest. They want us to be mute spectators.
I wonder what kind of advice he has for other than this site. why is he so unrest? Hmmm.. When some ones start criticising, its a hint we are getting stronger. They will start preventig us from examining the evidences. That is what I can understand.
Readers please understand its time for examining the issues, we dont want tomorrow thing runs down over head, and someone says, ” hey! you never paid attention!”
We have become alert, conscious and concerned. We have all rights to do that for preserving our culture, traditions and religion.
*** COMMENT COMBINED ***
shantanu , talking about hinduism, i sincerely feel that it is one of the best religions in the world. a hope for the future humanity in many aspects.hinduism has the right base to show the world the true path.yet i feel hinduism has been badly let down by the brahminical caste politics. the ‘caste system’ is the ghost haunting india for many centuries. it is no hidden fact that most muslims and christians and buddhists were hindus at one time. what we r thinking as a religion divide today has its deep roots in the ancient caste system. first came the aryan dravidian divide as a curse. then came the muslim, christian , buddhist conversions in our country. it happened in the past and continues to happen even today.why ?because upper caste hindu politics were only interested in maintaining their status quo and not how much they were hurting many sections of deprived hindu society. hindutva in india needs a deep introspection on the caste system.the new generation hindus will have to stand up and explore it honestly. rabble rousing brigades like VHP or bajrang dal are not a solution. infact they are creating more rigid rebels within indian society.i feel the new generation hindus will have to learn to sacrifice their previlages and comforts and share it with deprived class hindus. the best way to counter conversions is to do one more better than the missionaries.and it can be done because ‘governance’ in india is mostly hindu. try it. believe me it will set an example for the rest of the world to follow.india has more resources than the rest of the world.with all my heart ,i want to see this sacrifice aspect in upper caste proud hindu youths.if this happens some day , my true heartly feelings say ‘hinduism’ will have the most positive influence on the world scenario.
***
shantanu, if u closely follow the map of india u will notice that the areas where ‘hindusism’ is at its weakest or where hindus face the maximum threat from terrorists,maoists and other rebel groups,u will notice they are regions where agriculture is very scarce or it is a barren hilly region. for example kashmir, north east,the tribal dry forest regions of orissa and chattisgadh,and even neighbouring nepal.it shows a deep ancient connection between fertile agricultural land and hindu religion. my study of indian geopolitics reveals that hinduism’s strongest survival depends on a strong agricultural base and land reforms that do justice to weaker sections of hindu society. more than concentrating on conversions a proud hindu must raise his voice against farmer suicide, which is the single biggest threat to hinduism.i think all industrialisation taking place on fertile agricultural lands must be strongly opposed if u want to save hindu culture and religion.multinational taking over this land will only be interested in profit making and not bother about the large damage to hindu culture.i may be grossly wrong in my assesment about the dangers but this is what i found in my opinion.look at the gross amount of heavy industries put up in western europe to compensate for lack of agricultural land closely. today u will find most churches empty and family values almost non existent.mind u i m not against heavy industrialisation of india, but against the use of agricultural lands in industry and special economic zones being set up today. if u take a probing note most industries and ‘SEZ’s’ are eyeing our agricultural lands. there is danger lurking and we are being diverted to other smaller issues.
Shantanu, thanks for clarifying. I sincerely wanted to caution so that one doesnot go overboard, as Hindu radicals and fundamentalists have always done.
@ Hemant
Lets be honest. When did anyone suggest that Hindus shouldn’t speak out loud. The question is in which manner is this speaking out loud done… by raping women?… by burning down houses?… by hacking people to death. Since when did Hindus get this right to take law into their own hands.
I myself had watched that program on ‘Times Now’ in which the BJD MP Jay Panda said that Hindus had also been killed. And Arnab had to say not to ‘communalise’ only because earlier Jay Panda himself was asserting that it is not a communal issue rather an ethnic problem.
Secondly, Jay Panda did not elaborate how that Hindu (only one actually) got killed. Very conviniently he chose not to mention that the Hindu caretaker of the Christian orphange was killed by the Hindu mobs themselves.
How selective are we in our writings and talking.
a hindu farmer commits suicide but u rarely hear about him converting to other faiths.i think it proves to a large extent my study and opinion about fertile agricultural lands being the biggest safeguard of hinduism.a tribal with no stakes in land gets easily attracted to missionary activities.
religion is not about invasions or destroying temples or conversions. i describe religion as ‘ a social system among humans that replaces a ‘failed’ social system’.the more u try to assert ur religion by false pride the more harm u will do to ur existing social system.
@Conscience
See how easily you got it wrong? That exactly was my point. You say “And Arnab had to say not to ‘communalise’ only because earlier Jay Panda himself was asserting that it is not a communal issue rather an ethnic problem” but it was Arnab who first said “100s of christians are killed in kandhamal”. If Arnab really was so concerned as he said “let’s not communalize this issue” he should not have first said “christians are killed”.
You see, when a Hindu says “I believe in Ram’s existence and I won’t allow you to tamper with Ram Sethu” it easily becomes “Hindu Fundamentalism”. Similarly when a mob attacks Ganesha Visarjan or Durga puja, we say a local political act and nothing to do with “peace loving” minority around that region, then why don’t we say same in Kandhmal context? For example why don’t the media say “some miscreants attacked poor christians to cash in tribal votes” why do all of you (you also implied same in your comment) say “Hindu fundamentalists are killing people” ? why not say “Hinduism religion doesn’t teach these, people who are doing such grave acts are not Hindus”
Its very easy to forget agony of us Hindus and keep blaming us in the name of (p)secularism….
http://vedicdharma.rahejas.org/
More material about Taj Mahal. It seems by the same author but something in detail.
Sorry above link is not maintained properly.
Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam, Govindam bhaja moodhamate,
Samprapte sannihite kaale, nahi nahi rakshati du kr gn karane.
This is what Shankara (Adi) told a grammarian (vayyakarana) and this is what a Mallu has to say now. Concentrate on the essentials.
All glories of the ancient world were built by poor artisans, funded by money taken away from starving peasants, by megalomaniacs who thought, like Ozymandias, that their glory would live for ever. Be it pleasure palace or tomb, should we not leave this to the tender mercies of Mr. P.N.Oak and his club? How does it concern us if Raja Mansingh planned the palace for his dalliances with courtesans or Shah Jahan planned it as a memorial for his favourite. (Sorry, wife.) These were all brigands and thieves, all their glory built on the suffering of us commoners.
The real marvel is all around us, that in spite of all this hate-speech and poison being poured into our years for centuries, we still find humans responding to each other as humans. And it behooves us to nurture the positive thoughts instead of recounting all the wrongs that were ever done to us over the ages in order to find justification for visiting the sins of the fathers on their sons. When our rulers and oppressors allied themselves with the priestly class, it was for their own gains. We never benefited from them except that some were less cruel, rather, believed in the tenets of good animal husbandry and never drove the animals beyond breaking point. India, or Akhand Bharat if you will have it so, was never a democracy. (Even the so-called democracies of Greece did not have universal suffrage.) We never counted for anything, except as hewers and carriers. So how am I the beneficiary or legatee of some long dead tyrant?
Leave the Taj to the ASI, it signifies nothing to us except as a place to go for a holiday, or a couple of old film songs. Myth adds to the beauty and romance of our existence, but we should learn to draw limits and not live them out. The provenance of the Taj is a good topic for academic discussion, but unfortunately, the discussion is veering round to the “Your kettle blacker than my pot” direction as always.
J., so the same argument stands for the issue of Ram Sethu too, no? Or in that case, would you want the pot to be stirred and boundaries crossed? Can you be expected to lend your voice and speak up for the Ram Sethu to not be destroyed? Just curious.
The issue is not so much about the truth of the history of Taj Mahal, as it is about different standards and an attempt (successful in many ways) to blatantly whitewash certain truths about our history, and avoid an open and honest discussion, for fear of causing offense, or some other vague fear.
@ Indian: Thanks for the link. I will have a look.
***
@ Jayadevan: Thanks for joining the debate…Unfortunately (and whether we like it or not), this discussion, I am afraid, has ramifications beyond the academic sphere…
Would you agree with that? If you agree, what would your suggestion be about re-examining the history of Taj Mahal – keeping the national interest at heart?
Look forward to your response. Thanks.
***
@ Kaffir: Good point about the differing standards…and half-hearted history
Jayadevan wrote:
“Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam, Govindam bhaja moodhamate,
Samprapte sannihite kaale, nahi nahi rakshati du kr gn karane.
This is what Shankara (Adi) told a grammarian (vayyakarana) and this is what a Mallu has to say now. Concentrate on the essentials.â€
Reena’s take:
“Adi Sankara Bhagavadpada sang this “Bhaja Govindam†hymn when he observed an old grammarian spending his old-age worrying more about the nitty-gritty of grammar/syntax, instead of concentrating on the essentials (i.e. chanting the name of God).
How ironic that you should mention this, Jayadevan!!!
You, of all people, who threw a hissy fit and tried to browbeat me when I missed out on a mere apostrophe in my previous comment on ‘Was Rahul Gandhi really arrested at Boston in 2001?’
You, of all people, who should have concentrated on the essentials of my comment.
Huh! Speak of an old man foaming at the mouth over the nitty-gritty of grammar/syntax and missing out on the essentials….and then suddenly turning around and quoting Adi Sankara’s famous hymn.
How delicious the irony … how stinking the hypocrisy.
Reenaji,
Aur maine socha tha ki aapne is buddhe ko maaf kar di! Pointless comment, pointless remark. Bad pun intended. Mein aapka point dhoondtha reh gaya. By the way, don’t insult the old vayyakarana by comparing him with me. Vyakarana was and is a form of philosophy and Shankara was referring to this. After all, it is a mirror of human behaviour.
Kaffirji, my reply is too long, so I am busy chopping off its head and feet. The answer, of course, is, that the dredging should not take place. The reasons are different. But does the color of the oxen matter, if the cart moves?
Shantanu, one truth is very evident. The “disputed structure” was built by Hindu and Muslim craftsmen, the marble mined by adivasi labour. You should have a look at the mines in Makrana, then you will appreciate the human cost. These people had no time for religion and God unless he came to them as a morsel of food. It was irrelevant to them as to who was getting the jalsaghar or the qabar built – they knew only their mukkadam. How then is it relevant to us for what purpose it was built? Raja or Shahenshah shines only in the reflected glory of these half-starved artisans and peasants who actually built and paid for the building.
National interest – Shantanu, you might have heard of Popovism. Much before your time, sorry. This is an old Cold War term describing the Soviet mania for having all the inventions made by Russians. I remember that even Goldilocks and The Three Bears was eventually written by Leo Tolstoy. Oak Saheb must have gone to aamchi Russia once where he contracted this disease. It is harmless.
By all means, we have a duty to know our past. The truth has never hurt anyone, rather, sunlight chases away cockroaches. Free and frank discussions are what India needs. It depends on how much baggage we can shed before we come to the table. And on how much we dare to question ourselves. All social reform in India can be stopped by the mere fact that a person from another religion passes a comment about a practice prevalent among ourselves that we ourselves abhor. And there are people in all camps busy boning up on the scriptures and culture of the others with a sharp eye for the dirt.
It was after I read Lajja three times that I understood the real meaning of the word “jahil”. Jahil is THE correct description for the literate but uneducated goons who banned the book, which is nothing more than a small human tragedy with the background of the rioting in Bangla Desh. She expressed the lajja she felt as a Bengali Muslim. They thought she was a westernized media-walli or, horror of horrors, Teesta Setalwad! Off with her head! Luckily, our saffron brethren do not pronounce fatwas – till now. Could Mama Varerkar write now? We know what happened to Vijay Tendulkar.
http://www.deccanherald.com/DeccanHerald.com/Content/May192008/national2008051968841.asp?section=updatenews
What price truth? Truth is just an object. We can look at it from different angles, at different times, in different lights. It shows each of us just what we want to see.
Dear Sir,
Just like history. When it comes to Modi it is True and current History as it is Hindu!! When it comes to others it is Story, Truth, baggage, and other Mumbo jumbo!
Heil History.
I Underline the HEIL, Gobbels!
Regards,
vck
Just one quote from memory “There is no time better than present and there is no one important than your neighbour”
Hope, neighbour understand this simple things.
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Marvin Mills web site is missing.
See the video below.
http://video.google.com.au/videosearch?hl=en&q=utube&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv#q=Marvin+Mills+&hl=en&emb=0
Thanks Suhas…I will have a look…Looks very interesting.
Marvin Mills had a website in which more details were given. There was document pdf file by Dr Godbole, who has written above.
@ Jayadevan: congratulations, you’ve managed to subvert the discussion while appearing erudite and paternal.
Let us get to the essentials of what you have said: That, history is inconsequential. That, what matters is the now and the future defined in terms of continued material well being. You turn out to be not only avowedly materialistic (nothing wrong with it), but opportunistic as well.
Kunjan Nambiar, the famous Keralan poet said mocking the other poets of the court: “Deepasthambham mahaaschharyam, enikkum kittaNam paNam!”.
Jayadevan also dangles his age prominently to hide behind it. “Vruddha” is one who is grown, not just a “Vayaska” (aged one). Some vayaskas can be truly vile.
Even Karl Marx (a firm fixture in the pantheon of Kerala materialists) wouldn’t say that history is inconsequential. You’ve said it in essence. You seem to stand for plastering over everything, history and truth included, for narrow considerations.
Readers: know what trolls are; they abound.
@Anamika,
The essence of my post can also be condensed by you as
“Pandacchanaanappurameriyennal undakumo makanooorayilathazhambu?”. For the open forum this translates as “If the father once sat on an elephant, will the son have that callous on his behind”? It is very easy to be heroic when other people who would rather be left alone have to pay the price for our stances. If you analyse internecine strife in any country, you will see that it is the diaspora that takes extreme positions and expects the locals to carry on the good fight. Ireland, Israel, Khalistan, Somalia – I guess if I say India most of you guys would feel personally insulted.
Rather than fighting over the ownership of rotting offal, would it not be better if we could go ahead? Do you have children? Would it not be more essential for us to build them a future which does not repeat the blunders of the past? Or do we want them to wander in the same maze of ignorance and hatred?
Looking at what goes on around us, it seems Indians only need an excuse for showing their incapacity to co-exist. If it is not colour, or the shape of a nose, or clothes, or the namam/gopi/kuri (collectively known to the goras as caste-mark), or caste, we’ll find something else. The Hindus and Muslims have a well-documented history of visceral hatred, the Hindus have disputes with Jains and Buddhists, the Sunnis and the Shias consider it their religious duty to exterminate the heretics (heretics first, infidels next), the churches have enough infighting that quite a few churches have separate services, priests are accompanied by cops. Of course, all the trouble is started by the other guys. At this rate, India should have ceased to exist a very long time back.
That it has not, hints at the fact that all these schisms and this intolerance is just a froth on the surface, given more than its due importance because it is spouted by us people on the top, who, we think, matter. And none of the atrocities perpetrated so far would have happened without overt/covert aid and encouragement from the establishment. But, as a matter of fact, the top layer does not matter. We are ephemeral creatures who have our day in the sun, but who will never be able to influence the way India lives. Just ponder the fates of all the pre-election polls done by self-styled psephologists – the unwashed millions had never read the results, so they disappointed. Waves of communal frenzy (instigated by us)sweep the land, yet people continue to live together. The caste system, which held Indians in thrall for centuries is slowly and inexorably dying. The small and inconsequential are slowly getting to have their own voice. And to recognize their inter-dependence. We can hold this back for a short time, we have the police, the entire establishment, religion, goons, to put out each flame as it erupts. But if you remember, the Britishers, who had a much more efficient governance / oppression machinery, left in the end because they found India unputdownable. And these are the only people in the world who have been able to put down an insurgency. (Sri Lanka is not over, it is only starting over again).
So, would we want to want a place on the new boat, or would we want to hang on to the boat of historical wrongs – each community has its share of shameful deeds and denial/transference of responsibility for these acts to the present generations is not the course here, dispassionate research and analysis is called for – and deny ourselves the chance to move forward? I still believe there is scope for improvement. Just one example. In 2001, the Muslim and Hindu volunteers (referring to people who worked under the banner of religious organizations, not individuals) in Gujarat worked shoulder to shoulder in earthquake relief. So, impressed by their new friends, the Hindus whitewashed an old, unused mosque in Khadia (a no go area for Muslims at any time) and invited them to perform namaaz there. This, in Ahmedabad. I don’t suppose our netas were enamoured of the situation. The same people were at each other’s throats in 2002, less than a year later.
The religious right complements itself. The organizations on each side use the others to keep its flock in its fold, just like the slumlords used the police to make the poor come to them for protection. I remember talking to SIMI workers ages back, when they were still a fledgeling student’s organization, and noting the admiration they had for the RSS and its ways. They explicitly told us that our place, as Hindus, belonged under the shade of the RSS and all Muslims would be under their shade. In well-ordered pens like sheep, no dialogue, no conflict. And our leaders would speak for us. This is where these people think they are leading us. Unfortunately, history does not bear them out. The Catholic Church, the Soviet Union, the caste systems, patriarchy, all once thought invincible are dead or tottering. And all this started because people talked. You think the Saudi export brand of Islam has a chance? Quick come, quick go. So, dialogue is necessary. We try to find points we can agree on, like unemployment, illiteracy, poverty, rather than trying to find sore points that exacerbate our differences. The wrongs in each community are better redressed by the communities themselves, and the best way the other communities can help the reformers is by giving them a good example to point to. This does not give the rabid a chance to raise the cry of “Faith in peril!” and go into Kurma-vyooha again. Our communities and religions have borrowed from each other in the past, both good and bad. And this will continue, as long as we are visible and audible to each other, and try to improve ourselves.
Reminder to myself to read and analyse: AN ARCHITECT LOOKS AT THE TAJ MAHAL LEGEND
Also read: New insights on the modular planning of the Taj Mahal‘ by Prof R Balasubramaniam that explores the link between Taj Mahal and Harappa [ pdf download ]
A report in Nature on Prof Balasubramaniam’s work: In same measures: Harappa to Taj
I would like to add my 2 cents. Though the structure conforms to Hindu temple layout it cannot be said that it was a Hindu Temple. Because according to Vastu Sastra the layout used for temples and houses/palaces are the same.
As said in the Badshahanama it could have been the mansion of Raja Man Singh. To propagate the myth that it could have been a Hindu temple would only damage the image of Hinduism because even though the layout may conform to Hindu temple layouts the architecture is distinctly Moghul.
Raja Man Singh like many other kings who have built structures in Indo-Moghul and Indo-European architecture, may have built it in the architecture in vogue at the time. Please understand that propagating false claims will make Hindus a laughing stock.
Shaan: I have not seeyou here before..Welcome.
A quick response. You wrote: “To propagate the myth that it could have been a Hindu temple would only damage the image of Hinduism …Please understand that propagating false claims will make Hindus a laughing stock.
Who is propogating this? Not me nor Dr Godbole (author of the book quoted above). I think you mis-read the article…
I am of the view that it is(was) most likely a palace, with perhaps a few deva-sthaan(s) within its precints.
What is odd is the Orwellian response of the government in terms of suppressing facts, holding back further research and dismissing other studies off-hand.
yes, you are not propagating but you have linked to stephen knapp’s article titled ‘Was Taj Mahal a Vedic temple?’. Such titles need to be avoided.
Dear B Shantanu,
I personally think there are many other issues of importance greater than this to be looked into.
Huge research, preceded as well as followed by great amount of debate, and opportunities for the media to sensationalize this issue, and it dominating over huge amount of our chatting time, etc..
are not worth for something that would hardly make any difference to the country as a whole even if it ultimately gets proven that the Taj Mahal was a palace or temple or anything else for that matter.
Yes truth should triumph, but shouldn’t we be concentrating on grave issues more?
@ Prashant: I personally think there are many other issues of importance greater than this to be looked into.
Of course. I never said that this matter must be top-priority. I hope to see your comments on some of the other issues covered on this blog.
As for your point about, “…something that would hardly make any difference to the country as a whole..” are you suggesting we stop bothering with history and historical research? I hope not.
about other issues on the blog.. presently, i am just reading, and trying to understand various things..
about, history and historical research,
yes, we need to carry out historical research,
and false notions should not prevail about the past..
but the point is not about giving it lower priority,
but about the cost it will come at..
it is about the negatives that will come along with it,
the sensitive nature that the issue has, it could create tension between groups,
it would take up huge amount of ‘resources’,
(media attention, thinking & reading time of people)
is it worth sacrificing so much for an outcome that would make little difference fundamentally ,
(i am not arguing on either side about loss of value due to it being discarded from the tag of monument of love, etc.)
in my opinion, no..
yes, you may talk about accountability of the supreme court, if they say that the factual arguments about taj are baseless, and there fore it is not worth researching upon..
in such cases it is possible that,
there are some vested interests,
maybe some corrupt or illegal things happening,
for which under pressure, investigation has been denied..
in which case, we must pressurize for the investigation to be carried out, so that the malpractices, or whatever get uncovered..
but here,
i feel that the reason for the supreme court rejecting research into it, is more because of the sensitive nature of the issue..
the issue of “sensitivity”:-
whose sensitivity is being hinted at.the hindus or the mulla’s.
this arguement of sensitivity lies at the root of the rot that engulfs our country at the moment.the fear that mullah’s being enraged on exposure of truth shall create mayhem drives these apologists to push these issues under the carpet.the hindu even after knowing that temples were desecrated, women raped/enslaved and so on .. has never exhibited such behaviour,so they are an insensitive lot and need not be bothered about.but mullas on learning of a statement of robert spencer in america are sensitive enough to kill the first hindu who comes their way are to be respectfully bothered about.
the issue of “priority”:-
these issues are low priority since they entail heavy damages due to the reason of “sensitivity” of the mullas. so let them lay dorment or best be buried.
thus the real argument stands out and is rooted in “fear of muslims”.
it is upto us to decide if we want our nation to continue in this state of perpetual fear/stupor for generations or NOT.
ashwani,
(assume everthing as in my opinion)
skipping lots of possible arguments,
if this is avoided due fear of possible muslim anger,
(i am not talking of the past where ridiculous things may have been done for muslim ‘appeasement’, i have not studied much)
muslims are also indians..
and its not that for avoiding their anger and possible repurcussions of that,
we are paying a price very big..
“the hindu even after knowing that temples were desecrated, women raped/enslaved and so on .. has never exhibited such behaviour,so they are an insensitive lot and need not be bothered about”
why not be more concerned about the government bothering about the hindus, than it not bothering about the muslims..
about priority,
thats not the reason i cited,
the thing was that meda will blow this issue out of proportion, every minor development, finding, etc. will be discussed deeply..
better, if priority is given to the north east, and other grave things subsequently,
attention of people, media, and hence politicians will be focussed on those things and rightly so..
personal note:
you seem to have a particular disconnect with muslims, looks like the seeds of division sown by the british 150 years back are still persistent..
Prashant,
you seem to have a particular disconnect with muslims, looks like the seeds of division sown by the british 150 years back are still persistent..I would like you to cite the instances of good connection, well-meaning intention, deep love and respect between these two communities before British arrived. British merely used the divide that already existed. The bridge can not exist, when one community continuously tolerated treachery, violence and malice of the other community and gave back in equal proportion when ever they got the opportunity. Bridges get built when both sides are willing. Trust deficit? Huh, more like the lack of trustworthiness.
... i have not studied muchIf that is your winning argument, please do not bother replying.
dear prashant,
if after knowing:-
“the hindu even after knowing that temples were desecrated, women raped/enslaved and so on .. has never exhibited such behaviour,so they are an insensitive lot and need not be bothered aboutâ€
you say:-
“muslims are also indians..
and its not that for avoiding their anger and possible repurcussions of that,
we are paying a price very big..”
then i wonder what prices are you wiiling to pay.
your arguement rgrdng media outcry /wastage of time:-
it seems that this is a very big price for you to pay for reclaiming truth.
then we are on different planes and have to find matching partners for dialogue.
ashwani,
if after knowing:-
“the hindu even after knowing that temples were desecrated, women raped/enslaved and so on .. has never exhibited such behaviour,so they are an insensitive lot and need not be bothered aboutâ€
you say:-
“muslims are also indians..
and its not that for avoiding their anger and possible repurcussions of that,
we are paying a price very big..â€
i am sorry if it was not clear that what i was (and am)talking about is only the present scenario..
like you are iterating, no price may be high for reclaiming truth
(it is possible reclaiming of truth, price is invariable anyways, and even after research it is likely that, only probabilities of the taj being a palace, temple, tomb, etc. will change, and counter arguments will remain to all things),
i am saying that, equally important is also the happiness and peace of people, reiterating that it is better if we the people and the media focusses on north east, exposing corruption, etc. than this issue..
still possible, that you dont agree to this, and we may not be on the same plane to discuss this..
in general,
the resistance on the arguments about muslims being one of us, part of us,
this has convinced me that we are definitely on different planes for dialogue..
expressing my personal view as a person nineteen year old, who hasnt witnessed the ugly things that may have happened in the past,
i dont have and would not ever have any disconnect with any person who is a muslim,
and AT LEAST my peers who are muslims are very good people, and i have not seen elements of things like them being unjust, lack of trustworthiness, and all the other things that you have talked about..
when i view a person, his/her religion doesnt taint my view, and i observe the same attitude at least in my peers of whichever religion they may be..
dear prashant,
how is reclaiming the truth related to happiness/unhappiness of the people.so i wish that you may put this question to the good muslim connects of yours and find out how by keeping the taj under secrecy by not answering the questions as presented on this site & elsewhere by the authorities that be, the happiness of your connections is ensured.it is good that being a 19 yr old you are on a path of self exploration of reality.
being a 55 year old i would only say keep your mind really open to all sides.
may your journey lead to the truth.
bye
i understand the point you wish to make as an ending note..
i cannot deny the possibility..
and, thanks for your wishes..
“how is reclaiming the truth related to happiness/unhappiness of the people.so i wish that you may put this question to the good muslim connects of yours and find out how by keeping the taj under secrecy by not answering the questions as presented on this site & elsewhere by the authorities that be, the happiness of your connections is ensured.”
looking at the situation, it being a historical issue, no “clear proofs” will be available, and the truth would retain ambiguity even after the proposed research into it..
what i am saying is that, when this research will be done, as certain things emerge out, they will be discussed in detail in the media, and under such scrutiny, there will be certain evidences that will suggest otherwise, and these will be available to those who will want to misuse..
yes, there are many muslims, who are mature enough to not get disturbed the slightest, even if the taj is officially labelled a hindu temple (the extreme case),
but there are innocent ones, who believe in hearsay, and some of them may get easily manipulated by knowing only part of the facts/evidences of the matter..
just clearing my view..
thanks for responding, and once again thanks for your wishes..
bye
Buttressing the argument in favour of Taj Mahal being an extant structure that was “adopted/”usurped”(?) by Shah Jahan, Please read:
“New insights on the modular planning of the Taj Mahal” by R. Balasubramaniam from Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur
“Dimensional analysis has revealed that the modular planning of the Taj Mahal complex was executed using the traditional measurement units mentioned in the Arthasastra, and, in particular, the vitasti measuring 12 angulams of 1.763 cm. The riverfront terrace and garden sections of the complex were planned using square grids of 90 vitasti to the side, while the forecourt and caravanserai section using square grids of 60 vitasti to the side. The logical numbers that result for the dimensions have been analysed to show the ease of division of these numbers into symmetric elements to understand quadratic division of space of the garden area and the triadic division of space of the mausoleum, including decimal divisions. A novel approach to understand the metrology of historical architectural structures of the Indian subcontinent is revealed.
Read the full paper here: https://www.box.net/shared/0fdb6a2fc135d2a98db1
A Sanskrit inscription too supports the conclusion that the Taj originated as a Shiva temple. Wrongly termed as the Bateshwar inscription (currently preserved on the top floor of the Lucknow museum), it refers to the raising of a
“crystal white Shiva temple so alluring that Lord Shiva once enshrined in it decided never to return to Mount Kailash his usual abodeâ€.
That inscription dated 1155 A.D. was removed from the Tajmahal garden at Shahjahan’s orders. Historians and Archaeologists have blundered in terming the inscription the `Bateshwar inscription’ when the record doesn’t say that it was found by Bateshwar.
The Taj may have passed to Jai Singh from previous lineage or acquisition by other means.
We don’t even have to look too far and assert this fact about Taj Mahal, posting a link from Govt of India website Indo Islamic Architecture. It would take a PIL to challenge this
Dear Shantanu,
Forward this to our SECULARIST Girish Karnad , he will know more about history and Naipaul better.
vck
Placing this link here for the record: http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/open-taj-mahal-for-structural.html