The Greasiest Historical Discovery of

Mode

THE TAJ MAHAL

A TEMPLE PLACE
RN.

OAK

"H

t
i
i

111

hi Ati-Ki

Historical Discoviry Oi
S

MoiH-LKN TlM!

THE TAJ MAHAL

ISA

TEMPLE PALACE

P.N,

OAK

President, Institute
for

Rewriting World History

HINDI SAH1TYASADAN

New

Delhi-5

Thf book
to

la

dedicated
UiU*

in

grateful

memory particularly
part

Hur Hitfhne&a the

\jo

Maharani ClmndrawaU Hoi far

of Fndon?.

whrtse munificence the author owes

the*

of his academic education, and generally to

gmii

Kshalriyn community of India which defended Lhe faith

end cut Lure of the country against foreign invasions for milUmiums wkh exempts ry devotion to duty, courage,
sacrifice

and a very high standard of magnanimity and

moral

purity
in

which distinguish

it

from

all

soldiery

nywhere

the world

P.N.Oak
Plot No.IO.

Goodwill Society.

Auridh, Pune 41 1007 (INDIA)

*
Price:
360.

Q
New
Delhi-5,
11
(

Publishers:

Hindi Sattitya Sad an

2 B.D. Chambers, 10/54 D.B. Gupta Road.

Kara! Bagh,
Tel- 01

INDIA

1-51545969, 981

15461

ind iaboo ksf^red iffrnail ,eom

Edition;

2003
Sanjeev
Oflfsel Printers,

Primers:

Shadara. Delhi

CONTENTS
XIV
Preface to

SHAHJAHAN WAS INNOCENT OF

SOFT FEKTJNGS

129

TAJ MAHAL WAS A RAJPUT PALACE

XV
XVI
XVfl
1,

Introduction to the Second Edition

SHAHJAHAN'S REIGN NEITHER GOLDEN NOR PEACEFUL

137

Preface to the Third Edition

Introduction to this Edition

BABUR LIVED IN THE TAJ MAHAL

THE FALSITY OF MEDIAEVAL MUSLIM CHRONICLES

152

Photocopy of Badshahnama, Vol,

Pages 402-403

XVTfl

THE LADY OF THE TAJ

THE ANCIENT HINDU TAJ
IS

\m
EDIFICE
1S6

Photocopy of Aurangzebs Letter

Chapters

XDt

INTACT
169

XX
I

THE TAJ MAHAL HAS HINDU

DIMENSIONS

THE NEED TO RE-EXAMINE ANTECEDENTS

ADMISSION IN SHAHJAHAN'S

XXt

OWN

w
32 64

BADSHAHNAMA
HI

XXH
XXIH
XXIV

THE MUSLIM OVERWRITING CARBON 14 DATING OF THE TAJ MAHAL

180

183

TAVERNTER

IV

AURANGZEBS LETTER AND

RECENT EXCAVATION
PETER MUNDY'S EVIDENCE

SHAHJAHAN'S OWN ANCESTOR ADMIRED THE TAJ

I9i

V
VI
VII

72

SOME ENCYCLOPAEDIC VERSIONS

A RECENT CONCOCTION OF THE

XXV
80
87

SHAHJAHAN LEGEND
VDl

XXVI

THE TAJ MAHAL ORIGINATED AS A TEMPLE THE FAMOUS PEACOCK THRONE WAS HINDU INCONSISTENCIES IN THE LEGEND
BALANCE SHEET OF EVIDENCE METHODOLOGY THAT LED TO THE
DISCOVERY

m
213
238

YET ANOTHER CONFUSED ACCOUNT

XXVH
9i
XXVTI1

K
X

THE BADSHAHNAMA VERSION

ANALYSED
TAJ MAHAL CONSTRUCTION PERIOD TAJ MAHAL COST

99

XXIX
103

SOME CLARIFICATIONS
A PICTORIAL ANALYSIS

m
265

XXX
Index

XI

108

XII

WHO
TAJ
?

DESIGNED.

WHO

BUILT

THE

11*

Xm

THE TAJ

BUILT TO HINDU SPECIFICATIONS

IS

122

preface

that far

namriy, from originating as a mediaeval tomb the Taj ** bum by powerful Rajput king as his palace in pre-Musfim U met.

To my amazement it led me to an unexpected conclusion

PREFACE

TO
Taj

Mahal was a Rajput Pa/ace

research has also led to an incidental bui nooethefe* [mporuuit finding, that the Peacock Throne loo h perhaps as ano the Taj Mahal, and that it used to be placed in as the chamber which encloses the cenotaphs of Siahjahan and Mumta*.

My

conclusions are based on a number of historical work, both mediaeval and modem. A Uat of them appears at the end of this book. I have quoted from those authorities

My

extensively

The serene beauty, majesty and grandeur or the Taj Mahal have made it known all over the world. But what is not so well

The extracts, accompanied by the relevant details about the name of the book, ahthor and page number, have been included in

the

known
from

ia

the true story of its origin, that its magnificence stems

its

having originated as a palace.

narrative itself instead of appearing as footnotes at the bottom each page. of

It ia

a pity that the Taj Mahal

is

believed to have originated

a sombre

tomb

in

the 17th century

when

it

was perhaps

built

book might unsettle some mediaeval history as currently taught important portions of and
in

The conclusions reached

all

this

in the 4th century to serve as a palace.

presented. But since

education
all

is

a relentless search for the

Truth

it

is

hoped that
scholars

readers, whether lay admirers of the

officials

The suddenness with which

converted into a

his gay

and magnificent palace got

Taj.

prying

or researchers, archaeological

or

tomb must have

life.

constituted a very unfortunate

teachers of history, will neither shy away nor be scared

in facing

occurrence of Jaisingh's

the truth about the Taj.

lay

The changeover has proved a shroud deluding everybody from visitors to researchers and history scholars that the Taj was

built

a sepulchre.

February. 1965

P. N.

Oak

Popular nostalgia for legendary love has helped fan the flame of flush jaha n's mythical attachment to Mum tax into a raging fire,
enveloping the Taj in the dazzle of leaping flames and blinding
of imaginary accounts, discouraging
.

smoke

any cool dispassionate research

about

its origin.

The

utter incompatibility and inconsistency of the loose bits

of information mouthed and written about the Taj Mahal, clanking to a erwcendo of jarnng notes my subconscious mind, impelled m* to attempt sorting them out from a tangled mass and piecing

them together to
account.

find oul

whether they made a coherent and plausible

April

Ififib,

forerunner to the preeent volume.

jm
liitralueUoa
11

Taj Mahal being suapoct,

it

was but natural

ihr-

that attempts ateompilinK

irvraoDUCTiON To
The Second Edition

an authoritative account of miserably fail Nobody wcr succeeded were bound to

Sar1ing with
since they were

origin of the Taj

in

Mahal thoakl

or hoped to say the but

All

convincing word cm the origin of thu Tnj Mahal.

foil

previous attempts

all

based on a wrong notlonarrivm at the right

wrong premises they could not

conclusion

We
Unlike this

are going to prove

in

the following pages that the Taj Mahal

book and

ill

forerunner, titled
all

75?/

Mahal

tvas

other books and account^ of l&e Tj Mahal written dunng the last 300 years are based on
surprised to learn after meticulous inquiry ihai despite the plethora of printed hocus-pocus churned out
all

Rajput Palace, which are research works,

meaning "the Very Crown Among Residences" is an ancient Hindu building and not a Muslim tomb. Wo shall also show bow
-

all

the loose hits of information

whether factual or concocted

fall

pure fantasy.

We were

dished out on the platter of the Shahjahan legend

in place

on not a single book containing a well-documented, comprehensive account of the origin of the Taj Mihal quoting exhaustively only contemporary
the Taj Mahal

and fully support our research. Just as the solution to a mathematical

problem

the world over there

is

may be tested forila accuracy by various methods,

all

similarly,

sound

historical research

provide a consistent and coherent story

reconciling
In this

apparent inconsistencies.

authorities.

Subsequent hearsay account* are hardly worth

atorical

any notice

for

research, since one writer 'a opinion is as

good aa any

book we have produced in photostat a passage from Shahjahan 's court chronicle, the Badshahnama, which disarming^
admits that the Taj Mahal
is

other's,

a commandeered Hindu

palace.

We

building complex of world renown ^ce of a single coherent and unquestionably authentic account *deed surprising. Flow and why have universities and research * the world over bypassed such
i*

face the Taj Mahal

have also quoted the French merchant Tavernier, who

visited TndJa

during Shah>ahon'a reign, to say that the cost of the scaffolding mausoleum. exceeded that of the entire work done regarding the engrave Koranic This proves that all that Shahjahan had to do was
texts

**U*

T.} Mahal ?

Why do

all

*W*
aunal

W
it.

******

a stupendous and attractive accounts of the Taj Mahal

on the walla of a Hindu

palace; that is

why

the cost of the

scaffolding

was much more than the

value of the entire

work done.

with merely lisping the self -same, confused.

*P*od.

We

have

staling that the Taj cited the Encyclopaedia Britannia as

imaginary detaib about

its origin,

vb,

or oonatrucUon, the

expend

incurred, the source of

and every other face* ?

guest and gun Mahal building-complex comprises stables and Sddiqui's book admitting rooms. We have quoted Mr. Nurul Hasan palace was commandeered as the Badshahnrnms docs, that a Hindu ShanjiHan'i fifth -#**** to bury Muntaz in. We have cited T*J <*U Oar Babur to prove that he lived in what

ancestor

Mahal"

Ualy fr 100 years before the death of the

**o
In

tnf

** -ubJ

Wh**ver
!

^npW
f
in

to
J

**,

i^TZTu T"
m^^ rf

* **"l d contradictory

do any research on

is

believed to have

tan

bunt as a mau

died Vincent Smith to show that Rabur u proofs we have scotched

^"^J"* ^**T ad**Ma>uh

in the Taj

to these

deUQ
on fvy pojoj aj

conclus^ei evidence proving and riled other voluminous

is

"^ *

^
th

"* Wld contradictory versions

the Taj Mahal

an ancient Hindu building

Swhjahnn legend regarding

the

Tb# Taj Mahal

If

A Trmpte
in

py^
Introduction

** men
ilitoty.

book doubters of the correctness *f 0l|p touM oner for ihero that the whole world can go wrong where Haling and wince happened Lime and again in human prove* right. This has

'The

awnrMminK

l"" f

lhjrt

w<?

hw

Pdu<*d

lhf

1> ^fvc- flH

GaWw

and ElnaiWn. for example, shocked contemporary

but eminent scholars of history. Most or them expressed nothing vehement contempt either audibly or through various acta of

humanity nut Of

iWf

rustled

dogma-shells.

com mission and omission- The lay public looked on, dattd as nnd looked up to history tenchom and professors,
oracles for cues whether to laud or
tt is

in dfstataf,
If

they are

by sheer luck thai wc happened to find corroboration on the Taj Mahal, in Ihe Badshahnama, for oat mrlkv finding SWdJqufs hook, Tavemier's travel account and Rabur's |fr

to

condemn

us.
to iht

juiinful to

note that scholars,

who fed committed

Ifanote Put ** wkh to fc** thi9 opportonily to alert posterity and wr eonUmporarle* interested in research and tell them thai thf proofs set out in our earlier book (Taj Mahal v/w a Rajput
friarr 1 were
in judicial

authored book* Shahjahan legend of the Taj Mahal, either by basing along the beaten on the topic or piidod post-graduate students academic standing, and track, or by virtue of their bureaucratic

showed a marked tendency to remain

strait -Jacketed In their beliefs.

more than enough

to convince

nil

those well versed

procedure and logic that the Taj Mahal existed

it is

much

*L us. Many Obstructionist and obscurantist objections were flung case. Rut that was angrily asserted that wo hod not prwvi our

before

MumLtz's death whose tomb

ir

supposed to be.
(the

a most unscholarly
of
the

attitude.

true devotion to academic research

Even

Mulla

Abdul
others

Hamid
had

Ijihori

author

uj ihe matter. should hsve urged them to give a second thought would have worked to their own If they were right, the region

Rmittfahmma)

and

prevaricated,

the evidence

we

advantage, because
belief

it

would have bolstered up

their

own

earlier

marshalled in our earlier book

was enough

to question their veracity

end impel us to seek their motives. This

is

a lesson worth imbibing

to

by the lay public and by researchers

mire of
falsified
in

who have

wade through

up the holes which by giving them an opportunity to fill wrong their holding on we had pointed out. If they were In the They thus failed to be their earlier dogmas was unwarranted.
lo

and distorted accounts.

guided by the
hilt

maxim

Wt

hive

this
its

book proved to the

that the Taj Mahal

to keep your it."

can afford that. "If you are in the right you afford to lose temper; if in the wrong you cannot

has been built to

minutest detail according to the ancient Hindu

ocnee of architecture of the Hindus, for the Hindus and by the Hindus. Now thai we have firmly established it in this and in the
book, the topic should encourage farther research to trace Malory of the Taj Mahal prior to Mansfngh's and Babur's
ion or
It

There

is

another

maxim

loopholes painted out in an hate against one research rather than anger and

that any for the genuine researcher, immeduu existing belief annul* t-d K>

InUMiM
question,

who

questions traditional beliefs

rds in

get to Lhe original Hindu builder. Jaipur the Rajasthan Archives at Bikaner or in the possession

until

we

hackneyed

Trying to find good beliefs is neither

the method scholarship. Finding fault with

Jaipur ruling house might possess valuable clues. have provided some clues in this book indicating that the Taj L have originate as Tejo Mahalayo

We

has been arrived at

Is

worse. For

all

we know

\*"

"^*^ ,*
ethio

the method employed

'

completed

in

1155-56

about

Ita

M*

P*l* "

I "

'

""*" *"*

II.

Z mmi d.

face .

fc

}mn&

of swjffa

jetton* when we
"haken
,

fnwra

md

conclusion by envMIng "I

"* " "*** " ""**

from

.11

Huarur.

first published our finding. Rut our conviction. Those per. nnd sneers came Particularly |Mifl ful were those emanating from

w. nnt mootol
upon.

finding.

*>d

**> **
-

tart by *.

''" tte

'","I ,,C -

***

^^ ^

 M
cnauvW**^
The Ta) Mahal
I.

A Tp|

p^
InirwIiHsJon in historical research, should

\%

The matter doe* nol end with merely n<f milling th* Hindu pauice. Thai finding has a very far-reaching Tj Uhji) 10 be a and world histories. bearing on bolh Indian

be altogether .voided
all

1 Their objection

amounts
logic

arrived at by deductive to assorting thut the conclusions

TV Ti Mahal has all along been wrongly believed to be the wry flower of the mythical Indo- Saracenic architeclure, Now thai
we
be
Iwvr proved
difficult
ii

are or by the adhidicaUvo process

wrong

We

then ask whether

man

to be an ancient

Hindu building
little

ii

should not
respect and

for reader* to regard with a

finding explained in the

more

branch of of Knowledge in every of How elae did he progress? Take the casa his logical faculty?
,

state did not arrive at hi. present the help of human inquiry with

iwtuon our
Historical

book

Sbmt Blwdmy cflndkn

and
temples.

"^

Re&arch

that

all

mediaeval mosques and tombs in India

palaces

are conquered

and misused Hindu

in

that the did ho not correctly conclude lo photograph the earth logic? This should thoroughly expose earth was round, by sheer

^wlsnitoorswteoreMancouM

tt

PJf*J

Thus

Mohammad Ghous's tomb

in

Gwalfor,

SaHm

Cbfsti*s

mausoleum

Fiiepur Kkri. Nisamuddin's kabar

in

En Delhi.

Moinuddin ChistTs

lh objection. I*gic is justly called the hollowness of the which is the basis of it treate of reasoning of fences because exemption rrom which history can claim no Bit knowledge,

rtiMkimm

Ajmer are

all

erstwhile Hindu buildings lost to Muslim

conquest and use.

The other corollary to our finding on the Taj Mahal

the

is

that

Mo-Saracenic theory of architeclure

It

is

figment of the

such objectors that leading lights Moreover, we may remind tol like CoUingwood, of historical methodology precisely and repeatedly l-ord Sankcy have Sc.gnbos, Berkley and investigation lawyer like

w^'

^J**Si

stress

that

deU^ve-type

imagination

should be deleted forthwith from history books and

engineering and
ii

and deduct!*

*****

- * *

textbooks of

civil

architecture.

Hut the actual

amendment needed

minor, namely, that what has been termed

Methodology, and that a ire, seemingly even on longstanding and

"In do- Saracenic architecture" should henceforth be understood to mean "ancient Indian architecture,**

ST

print

Tom, we have

ebapur on included in this book a

^^fj^ ZZ "* ^
%

beart and soul of

* tatan*

^founded

A third corollary is that the dome is a Hindu form of architecture. A

fourth corollary is that buildings in India and

7SSS why
th. reason

thinking should

know on

their finding on the oriipn

, of

T * """ >
"

West Asia
find

b^TwideTff

Ml

have a resemblance to the Taj Mahal arc products of Hindu

CShilpasbmrtrs)- Just as In
in

oTL^d

architecture

our own limes we

been waring. by whoso names they have

t ,*.
0*

the truth
for

P^ise., because

d,

Hf - *"*
d. vc*
acholare

down by

Western architecture to be
in anciwil

vogue

all

over the world, similarly

Umm
oil

Incident*
eonccpu
been B.
in

tad- U.

ancillary conctoion.

w***

prevalent

was only Hindu (VedJc) architecture which was over the world no matter where a building was built
it

,* n and worid

hiatorie. have

precisely

and for what purpose.

taring

Mtari* mng

our

discussions

with

univeniEly

teachers

and

-f^^creWttcvmeioQMttmecujiM^
nrrmc read the earlier

nH.nl

methodology. The is on Iho o our methodology. Tta bo* ahould antediluvian .tUtude,

ta -*" -* 77*"' I. <.***;

m_hav^
d
taj'

been .addled

**""

IM

Uwg

book they objected to our methodology as aryumtfiUiUve, deductive and lawyer-like.

i

wry

und world hiaory, thai after hundreds of yean, about genen-fiona of aludent,

V*

interesting point.

Do they mean

to say that
in history

logic

and lawyvftlfct arguments hove no place

India and

Mr allied benewtenl

or being diArimi-nuil to arriving at correct conclusions

ihe diffem.1 Ita need lo re-examine

^>J^5Z* .-* " H*M M.*-^ ^^

'I

*'

.^lecture

>

tult.

ha*

wrfona

of the

The Taj
I1

MfltuJ la

Introduction

Tfn.pl* Pri**

tT

jtlh*J

Taj Mahal arises because the world deserve u> fc, enchanting mansion, namely that the T^j mid thr truth boul tn 9 not bom out of the death of Shahjahan 'a consort Mumtag,

discovery, proving the whole world wronj

lywd of

Uw

la

rar# ootumnc*.

AH

the

lame we claim no
are

personal crcdlL or victory taeniae

'

discoveries

impossible

ww

without

supra natural

guidance.

and Mumtai have haunted the The ghosts of Saabjahjin the people for 30Q long years, story in the minds of were exorcised. lime lhat people's minds

opportunity and inspiration.

Taj Mahal
It is

high
real

But to those who would want to underrate or pooh-pooh the

antecedenta of the Taj Mahal as being of no consequence for a
appraisal of its delicate contours,
majestic dimensions nod

Another very important purpose we have in mind in unravelling to expose Lbe unmethodical and the Taj Mahal creation -riddle la far-reaching concepts have been slipshod manner in which many
gullible, unsuspecting lay grafted on [ndinn history, and foisted on contemporaries and on posterity. Reconstructing the story of the

enchanting embellishment

we would

like to

address a few words

Looking at the Taj Mahal as a tomb or

of difference.

a palace

makes a world

palace

is

the residence of the proapcroua. wealthy

a

and powerful, and therefore on the other hand,

given
is

down-to-earth buidling.

A tomb,

the weird, eerie abode of those who have

Visitors or students labouring under the
is

Origin of the Taj

methodology

Mahal should serve as a practice- lesson in research exposing lapses committed so far and highlighting

up

the

ghost.

misapprehension thai the Taj Mahal

graves inside
it

mausoleum regard the

to be kept in view by history the principles and safeguards that need

raswchers and
This book

teachers.
is

as the focal object of admiration and thereby miss On the other hand the real beauty of that vast building-complex. students of history studied the Taj Mahal as a palace
if

also intended to impress

on every reader

that

visitors

and

should monopolize his or her attention it Is not the cenotaphs which ita long The visitor must go round the entire premises, walk along storeys and its arched corridors, run up the Taj Mahal's many

many vaulted marble and redslone lowers and minutely examine its cenotaphs above doorways. The two tombs in the basement and the
them on the ground
floor are,
if

rewarding. In the they would find their observation rapturously content with peeping into the latter case they would no longer be calling it a day. as many have burial chamber and walking out, would insist on roaming around hitherto been prone to do. but around its periphery, ambling along its spacious grounds, going chambers stumbling through ite dark basement its spacious terraces,

anything, but obstructions in

Hindu palace. the spadous. octagonal chambers or this ancient Peacock Throne which of these rooms housed the ancient Hindu
too wis grabbed by Shahjahan along with the palace.

One

end climbing

its

towers and upper stereys-

Among

the

many

difficulties

one encounter*

in driving

an*,

startling discovery deep

down

into the

bufc convictions

of

tfaa

^eoLvolous object^
irrevocably

but nonetheless that Taj MthaJ committal, academically or communally, to the view
Thoughtful
readers unwittingly
is

sometimes,

tn all

into honesty, refuse to look

**

a Muslim

monument

hurt by the revelation in this

disturbed and are likely to feel perturbed, welcome book. Some others are likely to
origin as a coveted
is

on the ground that -original" two This attitude of theirs has

Whatever
their

judge of the supercilious role of .

the discovery of the Taj Mahal's ancient Hindu us Truth truth To both such we would like to say that to
like
.

academic or bureaucrat*

water

tasteless and colourless, divine,

bitter,

pure and

We

g^ing

a sense of belonging and after thcmaelves as humble seekers

^ ^f^'^^J.
"^* *

^"^2* <\^**^Z J^
"**"* ~*

Mather sweet nor

p,
car.
if

in

fact,

it

soma

feel

discovery a mere object of We hardy should be in all creative endeavour. u of ^ Hin elated or dejected by the discovery

For us Truth

is

pioneer atake in the rebuttal as the -chosen role of sftUng point of view .heir self

blowing the whistle Uke a

antecedent* of the Taj Mahal.

In

The other

fault

in

their

^^^^
peculiar

*, * ^ *s himse^ ^

^^ ^

.uk* on

H-"

"

U*

epoch-making fidd of histmy such s breath -taking and

in

Ttw
altitude
is

Tii]

Mahal

la

A IVmpIv

Pal*;, Introduction

a
many towers, the upper storeys of ttwmarbW iubtcmmaui passage leading to the fori will all

pmmiunring
quoted
is

irrmporwible way

the very mechanical, nonchalant and even in which they roJae an objection, that the sourc
feel

barred basements, the

structure snd the

only "secondary" and not "original"- They

in

they

or* therefore- justified

ignoring

my

research

findings. They

have lo bo well cleaned end thrown open to public view.

In browsing through the subsequent pages the reader should

dutch

at

this to

eose the qualms of their academic conscience.

*uch we would like to say that the technical objection of the source being "original" or "secondary" is relevant only if the forts cited are not admitted Even a court of taw and justice

To

oil

be conscious of the very far

reaching bearing thai our finding

has on both Indian end world

history.

One very
it

devastating effect of this book

all

lhat at one stroke

lakes judicinl notice of age-old facts. SbnQariy. scholars of history and for that matter other branches of study, have got to take
"historical notice" of facts which are not disputed.

renders obsolete

the romantic end pseudo -historic hodge-podge

written in prose or poetry about the Taj Mahal throughout toe

world during the

hurt.

300 years.
as historians,

For instance,

in

the following pages

it

when we quote Vincent

Architects, aa

much

may

find

much

to leara

Smith or

Elliot

and Dowson

is

only to produce before the reader

and unlearn

in

reading through the following pages.

quick, cut and dry. capsule- form, well -digested, translated and

Professional historians ond architects would do well to get over

their initial shock, consternation and disbeUef. prepare themselves jettison their traditional belief in the mythical Indo* Saracenic

summarised evidence from readily available volumes. So long as facts quoted by them are not doubted the objection that the original
source has not been quoted
mischievous.
originals?
If is

to

absolutely unjustified

if

not downright

How many people can gel access to the hand -written so many people do in fact handle those originals,
those originals be available Tor posterity ?
if

architecture theory, and instead learn to view extant mediaeval monuments aa products of pure .ancient, indigenous architecture.
Suitable

amendments

in historical

and architectural textbooks

will

how long

will

And what

have to be made sooner or

later.

research could proceed to any appreciable degree

at every stage

Historians, architects and visitors to

monuments should now

the researcher's footsteps are dogged with the argument that he has not produced all original sources, all over the world, in all
languages, on every point? This
write even a word.
in the

be prepared to shed some of

so-called

based on fallacious tutoring and

their carefully nursed assumptions motivated brainwashing about the

way

it

would be impossible to
tried
it

Muslim Muslim contribution to mediaeval arehlUclure.

Have Lhe objectors themselves ever

tomes they have written I

Before the scholarly reader thinks of raising any such objection, therefore, we would request him to consider whether he disputes
the quoUxl facts or words.
If

India and all over the work contribution to mediaeval architecture in Son* misappropriating Hindu. Christum or is severely limited to outside or lmplant.n buildings by inscribing Arabic lettering

Mahal, to* Red Forts cenotaphs inside. The world -famous Taj
Delhi and Agra, the so-called

ui

Jams

so-called Masjid in Agra, the

in c

the facts or words quoted are not

artificial

disputed Ihey do not need any

props or authority, whether

FaUjhpuri Mosque
like

Ahmedabad.

monuments and the innumerable Jaunpur. Allahabad. Mandavgadh,

in Delhi

W.WJ|
^
lls

primary or secondary.

Futchpur Sikri ond Aurangobnd

The discovery Lhat the Taj Mahal

to change the perspective of even impression Archaeological IJepartnwnt, So far they had been under the
that that
If

a Hindu pal nee should serve the Government or India a

of such wholesale misappropriation and and writers would come It is hoped that researchers
write books on individual townships the India and the world to expose what

graphic in* are glaring and deception of the enure

lhe two pair* of cenotaphs were

was being generoua enough. But once it mercy wfll not be enough. The Ta) Mahal is a palace, that small

kept open to public inspection the is admitted that

^^""^ ^ 1* "
lsl4
all

*< M "the impudent and interest*! fraud' happy to give them of the present book will be

^^,^
'

X^

_
guidance and duos*

1Tw Taj Mahal

la

Ttmipfa PaUc*

Lgymsn
before
.

mrtJm wk

thai

If

the Taj Mahal oxfetod centuries

UumUofi

dflrth in 1630-31, could

not the radioactive carbon

14 it be Applied to determine its

expert* to jtiuwcr. \(

ok*? This is a question for they have an infallible method they would
Out for any

rutnly detect
audi
l*rt to

Uw

difference tn bjjo of tho material used In the

omotapta and in mart other parts of the Taj Mahul

be useful
its

PREFACE

manjifl of error

must be

precisely

known.
but
if

TO
The Third
Edition

A
It

five lo ten

yearn * margin would not matter very

much

extends to several centuries the tests would be unsuitable to

svrify the accuracy of the conclusion

drawn from

histories] evidence

that the Taj

Mahal

is

a Hindu building commandeered for use as

a Muslim tomb.

In presenting tbe third edition to the reader It gives n thai the earlier universally held blind (jreat satisfaction lo record

Our government should now address itself to the task of amending

ila tourist literature, histories,

the Taj Mahal hu boon notion about Stanhjohsn'a authorship of adduced in the preceding considerably eroded because of the evidence
editions. This edition

archaeological shibboleths

and

official

embodies three new chapter* and acme other

dossiers on the Taj Mahal and other mediaeval buildings.

major changes*
were two chapters on Tavmuer In the earlier edition there chapter. have trimmed and consolidated into a singit

And the

entire dtizeory should gear itself

in iis historical

up

to bring about

a complete change

outlook and perspective.

which
N-128. Greater KjuIu
1

we

New

P.

Oak

Delhi - 110048.

Maharaabtriys two separate chapters on the British and and made up into one. encyclopaedias have abo been trimmed
Sfanflorly,

two adduce Out of the three new chapters added

editions have at times asked.
fated February

" """
e*u

question* which reader* of while the third answers specific

I9ffl

am

grateful to Br. A.

W.

Two unendawnt* to the bov* introduction now called for are aa under r*p P ilhutnn muuA that the terra Taj Mahal meuia (as PT Mualim pa/W), u .t HI. 'The Vry Oown Amans Residences.' ww traupr* that Shabja&an-er* Murium write bav ,,^ d *, u-nK * e !^ * | J^^ ? I*, Thirdly Ta Mahal. Moreover Mahal b "** MuiUm even U Taj Mahrt had been Mualta
J

Meant

University. Meerut, for aupervis^,

of Phswta. total. Department th* the publication of

E^

P. H>

Oek

N-I28, Greater Kailas-l

TUl

wSJ^

JTJ*??f?5

*"* been lbh9t 1 bf*n

'

1
'

^^
-

"* Ta) Mahal wl ^ " Nw

New

Delhi

110WS

York-bssed

February, 1974

*.Vt^LSV d U,0t !J i U^"

"

^ Tmf
tta,b

riv'W.

^^ l"'** **l*

northout doorway

TnlrcxlueUftrv

INTRODUCTION
To
This Edition

had lo resign myself to my book on the TJ Mahal ransinktf out of print though a had a unique acnlincMike rale Lo pirrfnrm of (awakening and warning too world communiLy of btfnu;

Wiff*i

and cheated by the concocted Shahjohan- Mumtaz legend

Taj.

of tht

In fact the research methodology expounded

origin of the TnJ

tn tracing

th* Hindu

Mahal

in this
itafilf

hook deserves Lo be ranked aa a

since
It

valuable contribution in

wfll help genuine,

honest

rcsoarchors rid history of a lot of chauvinistic

Thin edition

sham ind

cant which

WW

THE TAJ MAHAL

11770,

IS

A TEMPLE PALACE

dogs

history because of long, alien rule and under alien -minded

native rule.

has been out of print sine*

Earlier

In 1990 a sincere friend, Mr. Arvind Ghosh settled in Houston,

two editions bearing the same

title

were published

in

Texas,
titled

1568 and 196S respectively.

USA published a paperback American edition TAJ MAHAL - THE TRUE STORY which is sULI

of

my

book

available

Those were preceded by three other editions. The

titled

first

one
1

am

grateful to

Mr. Shanand Setyadeva

like

of Stanger. Natal.

THE MAHAL WAS A RAJPUT PALACE

appeared in 1965.

South Africa who too.

Mr. Ghosh,

realizing the necessity of

Thereafter a commercial establishment

M /S In dia Rook House brought

made
the book widely
five alar hotels,

making the book available to serious and honest

the TAJ

scholari and tourists

of this edition

out two sleek, paperback editions of 5000 copies each in quick

tuoccssion. Their worldwide salp channels

has generously offered to finance the publication

MAHAL IS A TEMPLE PAIACE through his charitable trout.

titled

known throuuh

display in

London book shops,

Starting from the first edition

THE TAJ MAHAL WAS

railway stations and airports in

many

parts of the world

it

Thm
through

something happened and tbey dropped

in India

tike

an hot

brick.

more A RAJPUT PALACE every subsequent edition has included chapters and more evidence The present edition too has two additional
,

Perhaps the Congress party in power

its

dropped dark hints

one indicates that 230 years

accession to the throne his

prior to

Mogul Emperor ShahjabiaVi

ancestor, Tamcrlain had

secret service of dire consequences to the publishers.

If

own remote

Therf war* two possible reasons. One was the fear that
disclosure of tht Hindu origin of the Taj MahaJ

the

was not

throttled

Mahal that ha wanted been so overcome by the beauty of the Taj his native place. Like awry a similar building raised for himseir in
chronicler who rewr4 other mediaeval Muslim source the Arab of the Taj Mahal Tamerlatn'a longing for the attractive contours

lbs enbVock Muslim vote, which enabled the Indian National Congress
to rule India would be lost.

The other

factor

was the pressure

of the academic block comprising professors or history, architecture

and archaeology, bureaucrats manning related departments, tourist officials and publicity media representatives who felt threatened that
lbs un- verified sepulchral legend of the Ta) Mahal that they had

name Tbj Mahal with I*lamJ also severely shuns mentioning the for Um that Islamic hatred disdain for a Vedic term. Incidentally
an Wcntk term Taj Mahal and TamerhtuVs longing for
also prove that the Taj

Mahd is not

the deadly'

MusUm monum**

sponsoring with great flourish and aplomb for ovr a century photos, articles, books and exhibits would be exposed as
'opegmdistic and bombastic sham.

that

it is

made out

lo be.
the Carbon
-

The other added chapter ccmcerns

the Taj Mahal.

dating

Stoos

lacked enough financial resources mid wide sale outlets

The Taj Mahal

also being

la

Tlaapte

ft^
IfrtnxtUFtl""

n
Rrfiuan of

This Ution
failing

i)

pn>fdy

flluatnitol

(rocti tying

because of

my

meagre personal

financial resources)

When

wrote to the chalrmui of iho Board of

1

a*

IJhiTiJ financial backing to the unflinching

an kindly nod Satyadovn from hi* trust. volunteered by Mr, Shanand

encyclopaedia the surprising reply

received

*u

tbat they bad

referred the matter to their axpen. and ha hud opined that no correction was called for. That amounted to placing npron* fanh
in

ibe concocted

had on a romantic moonlit night entreated The belief that Mumta* spouse Shahjahan to bury her in a dreamland hn- much- shared fraudulent canals set afoot to bedec* monument is one of the many Taj mahnl landed triangle. Shahiahan - Mumlai

the assertion of the accused himself that he

All

la

not guilty.

news media loo have been

equally guilty not only in falling

in actively

to publicise this history -shaking discovery but

going out

Enure Islamic history

which need to be

if full

of such unverified, motivated myths

number of occasion! of their way" to suppress St. For instance on when any news items concerning the Taj Mahal published in European
,

critically

examined and determinedly exposed.

evidence produced That In spile of the overwhelming available chapter proving that the Taj Mahal in thla book to chapter after existed centuries before lias Tcjomohalaya temple palace complex has
Shabjahan, generations of

fta or American newspapers letter* to the editors of Sunday Times, London; originator I addressed

routinely recalled that Sbahjahm una

Christian Science Monitor. Wanhlngton Pout,

New York Tlmca and

yean been blandly Mumtax myth with

modern scholars have for the last 150 and blindly passing on the unverified Shahjahan

Time magazine all of USA who carried the ivewa, informing tbam nearly 120 proofs that I have of some salient points among the
discovered about the pre- Shahiahan existence of

On

Taj Mahal, ytt

great gusto and glamour. That is a measure of the mediocrity, gullibuRy, academic dishonesty and intellectual inertia of modern scholarship. As with dozing sentries anything

they never allowed any of

This
la

my letters to get published in their papers.

journalistic propriety but

a question not only of

ewn

tmpwtapl editors go out of their way to Wot out of ethics. Should

with a Muslim label passes their muster unquestioned.

news even from

often claim that the readers' column 7 Journalist

modern historical scholarship is its total insensitivity and insincerity. Though I have written book after book proving that renowned monuments from Kashmir to
The second serious
failing of

atari* As such the above-named fiapera they have a nose for news. ta in New Ddhi to rqs* have asked their correspondents
.

on

the Is, Mahal and revolutionary discovery that India (ami afcrs* u> historic monument* in tf other spectacular

my

Mi.

&

Cape Comorin are

all

Hindu though they are being tom-tommed

aa Muslim that has not disturbed the sonorus snoring slumber of

any professional historian,

historical

body or university. have convened

re-examine

important seen Far from following that news media have

l"

Had tbey been true

to their job they should

special sessions of regional

and world

historical bodies to

theory which amounto

the entire doctrine of historical Islamic architecture and either hauled

TOe B
the so-

B .c.

me up

before the bar of world historical scholarship or confessed

^^^J^^^** -r"^ >^EE

^ * .^"- ^J Hid
A.

to the professional ineptitude of their entire fraternity

and started

a compulsory refresher course to purge their minds of ths sediments

of the cooked- up Islamic architecture theory.

by a though he was informed

A
theory

practical

instance of the total unconcern of the scholastic

own yOdaK had been UIB ' claim to that buildin go**"* * i* f mother the edifice was a .Ivcrii^
around by the Muslims
Historians and

* * **^"??^m ** ^^T^t m ^ ^ j^ MnmMt

world to

my revolutionary finding that the entire lulamic architecture

bawekaa was provided by the Kncytiopaedia Rrilannica.

ia

"* **<**** wuSt

^
..

**

cbum- to

IV
_
.

T| MaruiJ I*

A TVmpIr p^t**
IntrodueUrtm
2?

They must how .^r f* vatue.

the sagacity

Therefore

prestfgeoue

tmivcrshJes

auch

as

Harvarti

tnd

nwouro* u, Princeton, research in promininn unconwiuoual direction* ought u> sponsor architecture theory to a thorough acmUny njbjoct the Islamic

who

believed to have the heart and

to^tm^
^LLJr,
bdHH0
3

tn

Now

WW

<* Interview

m* on my

gmd

Far from that the architectural faculty of the Harvard University the MBSsachusseta Institute of Technology art foinUy

rM feu*"*Uk
si H

miihondilp of historic ^rationing the Muslim p,pyod * r r ta,rn<>d th-L

mw

published had ridiculed writ* -up thry

administering a

programme of

so -called Islamic Architecture niodod

dollars by the Arb Khun.

vy a munificent donation of million* of

my

discovery

Money makco
mentioned
Islamic

the mare go runs a well- known adage. Truo to

*vJ poked fun

,,

not only a total apathy out even a U^tf seems to be

lo media end historical Bnpol world news falsity of Lhe Islamic 0* news a* much as tbey can of the
circles

scholars of the two venerable American acadenuaa ihat architectureabove hold a lecture or two per year dilating on to-called
architecture.

This

is

academics

in

the

rcwrss gear

instead of uprooting It consolidating a falsehood

tuUliCtDTT concept
ft

was

thiii

notorious mentality which

homed Joan

of Arc

two

that programme the academic worthies of those In administering establishments have not wen bothered to august educational
is at all

an abject apology from Galileo witch at the stake and extracted and asserting that the earth a aonuar fate for discovering
round the sun and not vice versa.

ascertain whether there

any Islamic

archilectura.

Tbey ought to know that

all

renowned bltfork toOfe*. and

:

The earth has turned many full circles since and brought about a ojuaKtativt change in punishment in as much as it is not the author who b any more thrown into the fire but his dicoveries
ar* ezruinly thrown into the raging Tire of journalistic

and scholastic

ie.

a global gang -up under which far reaching historical discoveries

all

aim are dcnM

9- media

serious debate

and

publicity

by bureaucrats.

bosses sod professional historians.

it

pity that tourist officiate, licensed guides, professional

met,

pflcW

uunperio, *b,cl.

n*W
**,*.

arc&MecU. archaeologist^, journalists and a host of others

continue to lustily describe the Taj Mahal as having
'

Severs

In

I** ***

bA b

aepukhre are allowed to $i<

^^
'

owny with

their

dogmatic

pro ftshjsban assertions, with Impunity.

f

Muslim invaders lo misrepresent all conquered as thor own creaUona and the imbecile altitude
to accept those claims at face
1

ded

.W< *

IUC",tB

value lying

down

***** rchklurs

theory to strike deep roots

The Taj Mahal

Is

A Tempt* PtUc

!"!'

'

BJ

don't ofimir*" "They *xsl have ny Thirdly Islam

compromise with and

architectural

measuring unit*

tftfom
Fourthly did they

^ve *V h |tac,u,El a**** "* *here

reticence about patent fraud* y/ B pluiiiy of evidence in the following page, to mdiaiUs lh>t lhe complex consists of several seven- storied edifices of which only Harden level noors are open to the public what tha oibrn
.

&*

r^a^i

tre either

ncartcd

with brick and

Ume by

Shahlahjm or are kepi Sntrlguingly

Archaeoloidral Survey of India
life

TheamrwirJ*
Fifthly

'nil-'

locked by the Indian

Government!

the Hindu*

hereditary mnamry professionals as do they have any none. Contrarily Muslim h*ve In India ? There are

CASH- Why should not

to force
it

the world hound the

out of tha

to open

all

the sealed or locked stories 1 Is lb*

A3 AS

invader* such as

Mohammed Ghamavi and Tamerhun have

recorded

^n

ihcy were so

Hindu forts, they perpetrated of the general massacres which

took
care
ti>

overwhelmed by the beauty and grandeur of river ghats that in palaces, temples, townships and
all

mere deceptive ornament 7 Is it not supposed to pry Into bidden evidence ? Had the AS1 beat honest to its job it would have dredged
a

even the water In the seven -storied well to see whether important
articles, idols

or inscriptions

lie

Jettisoned there.

Hindus they

separate

and

spare Hindus

with mesormry and

in

fnit the

ASl being t limb of the pro-Muslim Ctagrea Govt.

employees are shrewd and
position .
careful

architectural skills to

be driven at sword point to lend historic

In their

power

its

enough

to safeguard

buildings or raise

new ones

own

lands. Therefore, far

it

from

their

own

salary and

That

is

why they refrein from

,

probing

Muslims

raising historic buildings in

in lands

India

is

the Hindus

who

have raised historic edifices

It

now occupied by
it

Islam.

anything which is likely to exacerbate Muslim feelings expose Mu slim canards and thereby antagonize the Government.
Professional
historians

needs to be realized that Tslam originated in

is

Mecca only 1370

Is

too

find

themselves

ki

similar

years ago. In other lands swept by Islam

not even that ancient.

neither
style of

Such a short duration steeped

architecture.

in flliceracy.

rape and rapine

sdequtte nor conducive to conjure

and develop a new

reluctant to predicament. An average Muslim professor would be Muilima so baDdta concede that the worldwide credit that attaches to professor too having great buildings is misplaced. Tt Hindu

of

learned the

same falsified history is reluctant (even tbwu^

convinced

Moreover Invasions are undertaken to misappropriate victim

countries' temples

and palaces. The aim of

all

Invasions

is

to captrue

ra*ly resources and not

mere open

tracts of land to raise

mere

untrustworthy declare that history to be in the heart of his heart) to of hb non-Hindu celtaaguss for fear of attracting the fertility erruni duties as papcr-setter*. rince they all share alternating

mosque* and tombs at

desert stretches,

that, of

which there was no dearth

in Islamic

members, and staff selection committee

How
in the

is it

that for generations

it

didn't strike

any scholar that

AU professors. muscologis*. history because refrain from disowning false

^^^^^^^ ^J^T^
all

Muslim world most historic edifices are tombs and tombs and mosque, and mosques without any corresponding palaces 7 Did
Muslim corpses need
muiU-atorii.il polnlJal

and degrees, their published hooka history they have on the presumption that the
truth.

^ "T^X 5
tan* b
the

mansions with hundreds

rooms and scores of ibrirways while the aame potentates when alive needed no roof over their heads ? The absence of such qmsjUaning and cross checking bares the
-

professor* The minds of Christian

vaumad modern

flaws of the

much

by tha above mundane and excuse to trot out . further

interested in

"Jj^JJ "*^-^ -dhJoosa

research methods.

the dispute whether

^ -^JJ^,
historic building.

Hindu <r

Y*

another faffing of

^^ ^^ ^.^

Muslim.

Tm

Taj Mnhai li

A Tempi* Pala^
IHindaflUda
si

^'

"T^sT^ScfOUSly

bureaucrat* wbo deriv* their academicians snd llM1 r, of P*rna] ones *>"> ,JTpublJt fund. are the betray the prtheOc trust plncod in them

to bu

Muslim aepulchre

3>

The absence

of the

Uam

Taj Mahal in

Muaum

S^Mipd* "d
rtrfjfiri'

Btta,,e

diJih

Ul

"* d0CU>rGd
all

court ptpen

'

frnUdu]cnt

would have to be properly explnincd,

4)
If

history.

any government

in the world

Thi, it an

appalling

*Ui^n. While
telling

elder,

consul

an edifice rivalling the Taj Mahal would

would ever want to r*b* it have u> approach traa

J^s*
to

lis* wards on

the truth they themselves .pond

hisU>ncaI falseh00d ab0ul
for instance.

T^Tpmfosrion-I

* h P^*^

for the marble and architectural eapprUne If If a dom Iran would excuse itaclf confessing that it has neither Um splendid atone nor

historical orvitml buDdcra 0'

monuments

the expert workmen.

fi)

wbo started niising tt was Shabjahan Tnr conclusion whether or it was some Hindu 1631 A.D, as a sepulchre the Taj Mahal in centuries earlier is not to be considered Maharaii who had built it and therefore to be severely shunned. Hindu-Muslim dispute competence and arriving scientific academic II l* a question of between brass being able U> distinguish at a correct judgment as

Somnolent
in

journalists often lend to publidie the repair of

etc.

Inlay

work
is

the Taj Mahal, Red Fort

bring done by Muslim

origin.

craftsmen, hinting thereby that they must bt of Iranian

That

the result of the faulty history taught to them, The artisans

religion today

may be Muslim by
Muslim
rule.

but their architectural

alalia

devohw

from their Hindu forefathers wbo were farced

to convert during

and

Efoitd.

Our research has

ila size

firmly established that the term Taj Mnhnl

of

and decor also get smudged nt-random. Bureaucrats building gets ascribed to anyone when to disown historical end acailcmidans must have the courage such dedication to the moment they are exposed. But The age of the structure,
falsehoods

is

popular

malpronunciatioii
it

the

anrienl

Hindu

name

Tejomahfllaya and that

was

built centuries before &anjnban.

W*

have died relevant evidence auggesling

that the Tsj Mahal could

(bt historical truth

of

is

considerations hardly ever seen. These days

fling

be the crystal -white Shiva temple paramardidev as evidenced by a Sanskrit

Yet

built during the reqjn of Bajs

inscription.

mundane

the truth

makes academicians and bureaucrats out through the rear windows of their offices.
self-interest

we

feel

that

more

qjeatag research needs to be done by

up the thousand* of

sealed chambers of the several

deep comprehensive thinking often igponmUy or out of prejudice lend to dismiss the issue about the years real creator of the Taj Mahal. They argue that as over 350
Persons

not given

to

edifice* buildings and other multi-sloried yield a number contents since they could to probe their hidden document* etc. or Wols. inscriptions, coins,

(todna U*NigarlUuu>

haw
was

elapsed since Snahjahan's death

iia real builder.

it

matters

little

as to

who

The name Temple

the Fhlsea' Included in

title

iw term Tejomabalayi rhas a spcial connotation. The

* this - (* Tsj Hal

<

It

certainly

maka

lot

of difference not only in one but in

that fa. survived generetlons of

BUiiMi uus wayi.

I )

ahupe and the Vedic emblems Uisl

that the Taj Mahal

was

originally

^TT^^jSSm ^^^?^?7* b^H

plann^
railing.

actajonsl

Firstly tsAJmatc* of the

age of the building and

its durability

odd dinar.
it*

temple concreting Shiva's

aurrounded by a

cctagonal Tejoling in H*

***"" m

gem

studded gold
raider*
It

dmr displaying

cobras, tridunl*,
foil***,

'Om* -shaped flowers,

the Taj were taken

UHr

when Muslim

fcvuia

buda,

concbaheDLypo

the coconut -topped pinnacle

If

ranawlaxl and

derated

f U .nagrJficcnt T*w*

^ "*&,**

^^

and ocucooat features would be inexplicable

*i&Xk^~

a
to b

-n 1VJ Mahal

I,

A TVn,^

***

U* explanation MM'nRh' ^jMtaWJjm " * 'Manale-Rnja

Thus
Bajfl

who8oevttr ru,c,! A ra * I** "* by why Shah/ahan's court chronicle iba

1 -

p^ That ^a
.

on iniro*"^'
U-Irt

Badsbanam,

must
in

aluo put

preaaum on the Government

of India

iM
their

<i. o.

Raja

Hindu owner IM ^rrT Mahal. history of the Taj dataiicred and scarred
lost

Maiutogh was the

Menh gh

3001!

mCdis
history-

their respective countries to mnirc ihst

in the

bureaucrato are no longer dlihed out falsified Indian "^efnicsan* and

Anyway
ArthMotogical

lhat

hfatory

must be

InJd
is

bane.

And

tibo,

the
Society lO Goodwill *** " P pune 411 037, in<U

F.KQea
itasdar-Vfetitest,

not only sitting tfgbt ov r world of tourists and academics through but i* also misleading- tha H entrance to Ibo Taj Mahal ascribing its creation ,l notices at the
of India

Sumy

(AS)

Insututa lor Vswrluns. Wortd mmorj.

Tdepbone tSTTO eods

Cttlfl 338441,

Mogul cemetery to Shahjahan, world lourista who are charged Mahal, would do well to sue the an entrance fee to see that Taj
is

ASI and the Govt, of India** Tourist Department loo. Any citizen or tody of dtiiens also must seek similar legal redress. The relief
to be asked for

from the court should be as under

I)

The ASI
All the

and the Tourist Department should be ordered to desist from

attributing the origin of the Taj

Mahal to Shahjahan 2)

locked

rooms

in all

the multi -storied buildings in the Taj Mahal

complex should be open to visitors (3) The ASI should be directed

to

open up

all

the rooms in

all

the stories of

all

the buildings

barred by Shahjahan with brick and lime and study the evidence
that

may he discovered M) Free entry on Fridays causing a revenue

Government should be discontinued because there
in
is

loss to the

no mosque
in the

the Tejomahalaya premises (5) Recitation of

it is

namax
to be

west -flank buMxig should be banned because

(6)
If

the reception
is

pavflfoe of a Shiva temple.

free entry

on Fridays

continued Mondays should also be free -entry days because

Mondays

h*v* special spiritual significance for Shiv worship,

I

believe

such

legal

redress could be sought by residents of

other countries too in their respective courts of low. Because their

chokri and tourists lured to tour India are misinformed about the real origin of the Tsj Mahal and other historic buildings for

the time

and

travel expenses they

spend and the entry fees

they pay.

people in India and abroad take such determined steps putlfc cheating and fooling by Govt, agencies in India (n the
I

ory wco'i

.top.

Envoy, W(| ford(m mfaialriM of

^cr

I.C

v^^v.s*^'j t>j/-.
!*!*>

**^K

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v
^/ jV ^J^ ^/* >** c!>J

lf

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iji

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u f*

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i*^* 1

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'

^* /** *T hi

^j^ d

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*; ,J

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9*

*****

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^** jJ J

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JiJji $ tS A'ji\
Jo*"*!! *jl

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-

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dA id*

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jU_,. iUj

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st*+&h**&**
i

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A J~ ***** ^ru ;> * j^J&jh"* ^

:

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I.

the Badskahnamo* Pagfl 403 of

Vol.

Page 402 of tht Badshahnwfia, Vol,

CHAPTER

THE NEED TO REEXAMINE

ANTECEDENTS

on the bank* of the Yamuna, stands a beautiful, majestic building- complex known as the Taj
India,

IN the city of Agra in North

Mahal.
of the

It is

by far the biggest

in

tourist attraction in India and ona

moat renowned

the world. Three centuries of misinformed

pressure-publicity has resulted In focusing visitor attention only

on two cenotaphs inside the Taj Mahal to the exclusion of ita other dtiukd remarkable features. The result has been disastrous to study of both ita history and architectureUntil

we

alerted the public and governments the world over

titled

through our book

in 19BR,
it

Taj

MaMI Was

A Rajput

Palace, published

had been universally believed that the Taj Mahal

originatw!

as a
lay

Muslim tomb. The traditional universal belief of the uninformed that the Tai Mahal visitor, based on mere hearsay, has been
Its

owes
fifth

creation

to

the great amorous attachment that the

to his wife generation Moghul ruler of India, Shahjahan, bare believe, rawed Mumtez. On her death the disconsolate Emperor, they

monument to the massive and spacious Taj Mahal as a

History
students,
teachers,
scholars,

hta to*t-

rtsearcheri

and

and archwclogy teen government-officials connected with history lay Hsiter, At best to be bardlv better informed than the be Tn spurious details about teachers an'd officials carry a few r^tfory are.ll con Mahal story in their memory. That thosedrtail*
counterfeit, mutually inconsistent and

proved

if

and placed aide oy they are collected together

the

^^^
m
f for

comparison.

So
AuriDjzcb'i

many

concocted

accounts

of

Lemr

(Sec Chapter 4)

the afloat authorship of the Taj Mahal have been aroused anyway that one wonders how they from of Indian hatory
I-

^J^ Wj^
-

new

Thus we have scholar after scholar

im

The TsJ MihaJ

It

A Ismpk

Psltee

TJ H*-4 to Re
_
U

Ewnlm

Arttaqetania

could be anything between four lo ninety million of lb* Taj Mshal * the dessjner could be anybody from Turk. Peman or of construction could bo anywhere H^aa u> a Frenchman, the period d MumUi. the so* called Lady of the between 1 end Z* y" * have been buried in its basement or upper floor Taj Mahal, could months to nine yearn after her death. TTiea* at my time from six anomalies and inconsistencies of the are only rtm s^au^^8*' y Uain) story- There are many more whkfa we propose to expose

WT

p^

of t*

"W*

rapturoulsy recounting to us

how

the coat

n*d at least 5.000 consort*

in hi.

h^ rt
w
aDowad

command
R
for

outside.

He had

hardly the time

ih,

^^
ban
to

m
**

only one of hia several thousand contort*.

L,

a pity that in the mistake batef

historical acholanhfp

of

Mumtaa.

il*rtf

in the

foDmring page*.

300 years, conjuring up fantastic detallt. In the pnM it , forgot to check upon ha fads and see that thCTare*| tfa rpl one another, The result, therefore, ha* been that hmory baa with been loaded with a mass of imnogruent detaila.

ShahkhiD ' j^, to 90 bwte* for

We
to

would

like to

record at the very outset our wonder as

EtoeethefictiUousaccounUoftheTijMibalare

how for 350 Jong years people the world over believed the arrant poft^n, thai t itupendous and fabulous monument like tbc Taj commemorate Mahal could at all be raised, at least In India, to
carnal
love.

and compiling all of them is an impossible task. Any number qf such accounts could have been conjured tip in any part of the
world by anyone enamoured by the mythical Shfthjehsn kgeod. durksj the last 350 years. But we propose to present in ink vohnne s
select

Such

puerile

credulity
fiction

may
is

be

all

right

in

the

murobo-jumbo of romantic

but

hardly Justified in the

assortment of those

fictitious

accounts and prove bow bogus

mediaeval India, context of the hard facta of Muslim courts in

Before believing in the
questions
describing
*

and mutually inconsistent they

sre-

'fabulous

mausoleum"

theory, two

may be

asked. Firstly, where are the historical records Sahjahan's romantic attachment to MumUi - one of

bis 5.000 oonsorta, prior to her death ? Secondly,

bow many

palaces

&d Shrift*"

buDd for

his

sweetheart Murntaa while the was alive

before he built one over her dead

Histories are silent
first i

body?

on both these points- The answer to the romance that there are no accounts of the Sbahjahan Mumtaz there never was any. That so called romantic attachment as graft to justify the mythical creation of the Taj Mahal
is

wonder tomb. The answer to the second question

did not build

that Shahjahan

any palace for Mumtai

alive

or dead.

We would commend this method

to oneself at every stage

of asking challenging questions

w ensure that one's

premises are flawless

before proceeding with one's research.

We
it

would

fike

to record emphatically here that however

much

Is
is

may ptease Western sentiment, the notion that the Taj Mahal a marUe phantom of the love that Shahjahan bore for Mumtaz.
simply sOy.
It

never happened in mediaeval India and probably

efsa in the world.

happens am/were

Every Mogbul monarch

Admikwion In anb)ahttn'ii

Own

Badihahnjuiu

CHAPTER n

P**ian script snd

script *ujy follow th.

Unt^-lb,
rwdoinu

later tbe line-by -lino

I*** in ^
l"

En^ob,
IN

^
BfttfAM

ADMISSION IN SHAIUAHAN'S

TRANSCRIPT OF THE PERSIAN PASSAGE CHARACTERS (PAGE 402)

1
.

OWN BADSHAHNAMA

Har <lo ra az ham juda mee aakht wa ha hwnfn becmur shudah

Pas az chanda dsr rindatf

j^w

^
nmh
bood

%
admission that the Taj A CLEAR, unequivocal and disarming for use as a Muslim tomb Mahal it a Hindu palace commandeered
in

e pidar ainar? thud, nabiqp chun

FalehKban
3.

Pisare
djiaht

Ambar ba wa webe Ynminaddoidah

mehlnwc bar
firistadah

Aslf

Khan

omUimd

courtier

own court chronicle written by a named Mulla Abdul Hamid Laborl

fa

Siahjahan's

paki

A.

Dowlat khwahi wa bawa jooee

maarooi

dmhu

keb
5.

ein

to Effiol

and Dowaon

we

are told,

"Badshahn&ma of Abdu,
in his preface, that the

Khidmatguzar
shaqawnt

ikhlaa ahiaar

benbamra kch

m kotah

Uni n

Humid Uhori

is a history

of the first twenty years of the reign

6.

of Shofajahan... Abdul

Hamid himself says

Guzeenee bad

sagsali

wa

mukhalLfote uwljya-e-dcwtoi-e*y8id

Emperor
of

dxsired to

Ma

reign in

fmd an author who could writ* the memories the style of Abul Fazl's Akbaumma* He was

mocaad mee namood

7.

Muqavyad sukbLeb ummldwari-i marahmi-i

dar Jawabe aan farman
aadoor yatob

bodshahi art,

wa

recommended
Fata*,

to tbe

Emperor
living

for the
in

work, and was

to

called

from
g.

where he was

retirement,

undertake the

composition.
Lahori
ait

" From thit passage It to clear that Mulla Abdul Hamid wrote tbe Badsh&hn&ms (In Persian) as an official chronicle
in its

Qazah

jiriyan

tsic)

izze

bwad

afar

guftare-oo faroogho raatee darad

9.

Emperor Shahjahan'a own command. The Persian text

form
is
.

besawaiidew Jahan ra az aalaaiahe wajoode

chun Fateh Khan
jahan-mutah Baad az waroode hukme farjam ra kbufah namoodoh

pk prdatwd
tod

original

published by the Asiatic Society of Bengal Reproduced

1

eteewbere in this book are pagea 402 and 400 of Vol.

of this

burhanf^-aiam

10.

Bsdahahnama?
Ibsre are 22 lines on page 402 and 19 on page 403.

We haw
read
the

11

**** daad keb ba

nam
pisare Parsaliw

ajal* tabeeyee dar

ptrtl.

Huaadn

numbered them

aerially

ao

that

those

who cannot

Oora^bm-e-aanbadaayeen^l-n^.Wa^hdashy.
IS.
P. 3 Ths History of hd9 ss Totd by lis Own Historians, Vol. Tht Poathuintw Ftpen of the late 8tr H. M. EMot. K-C.B. edited by FrahMor John Bcnraon, M.fLA.S., published by Kitab Mahai (Private) Lad 68 A Zen? Road, AilahaUhl
I

mebneo az
nowkiinine moatamade oo

VII.

_Wrt Mi
*

aa

v*-j mU

irriilwl

F*r*n loo, of Mull* Abdul Ham[d" Bsdshohnsma. In two volume*, bg tita AjuUc ttoairty of Bengal in the Bibtiothecu fndiat scrimT obUiiuri tht pboUnUt from the copy In the National Archive*, Government
T India, to
all

Dmnbtr IMS

Coplaa of thai publication arc available In

deailnjc

15.

tqbalo

n.

U.

ba

damon*

W W*

important IrntiUttkmjJ Kbrmrin Uirrjuxbout lha world,

with [ndlm

Unary.

Hw

TiJ Moihol

A Tcmpto PaUu*

Admlnim

In Shnh]ohfln"

Qwq Mihaban^

**+* *** khWBhflnd i*******

Stodm****
***** * wfih "r

anmab
' h *" nl

wa nisseh

a,fll

"
l

j^
iriff"

Khood

ba

n*m* P*M*

numaynd

t*

34.

tw&n 401'
ft
Ttoriu*

fc*d az nuiidan* naaah ba dahun Jamadi Uaaanieb

wm

.hahar-a karam.L bthar

r- **"

WMr

ta

^**' mulJllM

"

n^h^be

35.

^aayandehpiuTuiren^^
pak sipurdeh aarn&d

SbuknjTIih Arab

wa

Fitch

Khan
36.

j)

Oodajirom ba benam-echihal Hi frrv buhftwJ fWsbtadand. hear roojaab wrfHra* gardeedeh

Broze-jurni'

Wa

mulAsaddiyan * e danil

khllafah ba

bukm* mudla*

viuiainl

waqt lurbat-e-falak martabat*

37.

a. 2L

bafdahum

JwnndP

awal

neashe

muqaddase

Aan j&han iffalra as nauir poahidand. wa wh gumbaze

Rafi

tmiwttc-e-HtlitnhMan

muatfirt iqlflOT*

Twjnddui faaxaraL metad

alia

Mumufcsuraamaneera

keb

ba

3fl.

bunyan keb

la rastakb-ee? dar batondw yodyare

himmib

Urmpr

a arnaanal mudiiToon

gardoor* rifaat
39.
:

(PAGE 403)
Bood

Hazrate

Sahib

Qareh-e-saml

baibod

wa

dar

tutwmt

narnoodare isllpmat

mmhoobe

Rndshchasdae namadaar

Muhammad Shah
40,

Shujv Rahikiur h
3d.

Waar Khan.

Aiayam banee

tarah aTgandand

wa muhandiaani doorbow a

nuBmsmi
Wa
S*ti

c saanat

{c> Urmira Khanum kch ba mijai shanasi

dftrisr

wa

kwdaanrc- ba
St.

ool&ee pesh

Dm toe

we waqanLst

elaan MaalEke Jahan ynnliWai* Jahaaniyaan

nwb
n*

bood. rmwiinp-e

4L AafrewchihallakhTwpiahakharaj^ nmoodand RENDHUNC HEREUNDER IS THE TJNE-BY-UNE ENGU^

(PAGE
1

402)

Band khaUfao Akbarabad namoodand wahukm shud keb bar

dir nth

auh

e bisiyar

Both were sepanH*l

atrocities fell
ill

mm

on. *>U*r

"d

liftl.

UW !-*

W* tjarahtm wa dananaere be ihumar bo fuqm wa nayazmadaan

bfothand.

wa lamine

d&r

2.

After

me

Um. ton* during hia f-h*'.

M f ^
thta

FatebJchan prior to this alnce

rlkat

wa nuaahat toh jtmoobrooe

asn mJar jaama'

^ SonofAmbart^hY^ud^^A^r^M^'^
a petition

fc

I.oyB]

rv*nl

^"^

"^

** J*** inmk tin diwtalfi fo a^m

C.

lUwnJ^op^Uonofth.^omd.1

danitbl

TV
**

ThJ Mflhal la A TVmpto fklac*

AdmMoft
lad

In

wXU*
order

"'

tniFriarnirii^if un,Jc,r riKrw,i

ami

MMhliMiun^ Own

hap*

Bort^,^

JJg7Soyai mcwy
has

ml
lhfl

in

"Wily

of

thM

dnitfi -Inflicting
if

Khnn?A.

*
Khamm
bUmaMfy

honour of bring issued and

it

that

And Satiun Nta

the (deceased) no

iwumwrt
Xbi
this

has any

truth in

'""Perammt

.4

of too existence of such world shootd be relieved

2.

And was

well veraod in th B k>h an*

qii

parson store fatchkhnn

of the queen of

_ "V*"***
**

otc.

the

vl^,

obeyed by the world he AfUr rcdving the royal order his bad administration dvawed arguments and excuses for
1 1

20.

Waa

was Imiad that vry day

27.

brought to th capiui Aktamdad (Aim.1 ] ,wl no ordar

And publicised

it

to appaa- as a natural death and Hussein

namn)
13. 11,

ton of DiirsaJch was...

a petition far

During the journey countka. fakirs and needy, Thn site

**

^^

man*

the

Made wweessor finally and

Rartiiy of this event

from the

28.

(was) sent through

Mohammad

Ibrahim
29.

Covered with a majestic magninemt luah garden, of that griwt city and

in ih -"tB

wh

one of h
H
15.

trusted

anployws
issued mi order

Amidst which (garden) thn budding known at

lh.

(M snail)
strictly

p^c,

And the court of the Protector of Kings

which had to bo
complied with

of Raja Mansingh. el present owned by Rn| a

UnoA

30.

Grnndaon (of Manalngh). was

selected for the burfnl of tht

Queen whose abode

31 .

ia in

heaven
it

That the confessor be taken inside Puulalabod Tort and starved

Although Raja Jaisingh valued

to death.

greatly oa his ancestral herltaaa

to part with

and property
16-

yet.

he would have been agreasbl*

And he with
by bit aon

all

the splendou r and glory and fanfare accompanied

32.

it

gratia for the

Emperor Shahjahnn
essential in nutters
It

(Still)

out of sheer scrupulousness bo

17,

Eldest
hit

(son)

per tradition be given a send off, so that

of bereavement and religious sanctity (thinking to lake his palace gratis) 33.

improper

requests were accepted

18.

And equipped with the gracious charter (order} and with two

In exchange of that (aali Mnnzfl) grand pu!x*> ha (JaUbtb)

home

one fcaqui with golden saddle

Turkish with an ornamental golden saddle through
34

wna granted a

piece of government land

The other

diy (Agra) After the arrival or the dead body in that grait

SbukuruUuh Arab and Fatehkhtw

on loth .lamadul Saniya

3fi,

Wf

sent to llaulaijtbed
4/\ t

a reward of

tm

rupee*

and Uda)ahnn was honoured with

Next year that

laid

Illustrious

was body of the heavenly Queen

to rest
officials

15th Jarnodi-ul-awwal the sacred drod towrftar to the kingdom of heaven. Her

body of the

a& The
87

to the wyal ordw of the capital, according

mwuofouin the day. under the sky-high tofty

buried

hazm MumUaul temporarily, u *,,i _

Hdinaaa,

Zamanl

who was

from Hid (the body of ) that pious lady so inaK*^^ and Una Palace (Imaral-e-Aidishan) wllh
dor*

the aye. of lb.>

1

(PACE 403)
^paiund **

"** Mohammad Shah Shuja

38.

Bahadur, Waafr

So

l lofty that In ft* stature (it)

mw^rlal

to II.

**

of sky -dimension!

TT* T*| Mahal

1*

Tn|p*i. Pniae,

AdmMon
of

hi

Sh.hj.We

Q^ n*,,^^
.

* firm

the

foundation

waa tad tnd

dcent. Such manafona hand by tnmafer. wlo

time to time that

From
loo as

^ mt m
<i
it

fko

bands Iu1 dwaattun eundc^thec^M^

*<* y * ttrtto^ Hk^ZukT"*

,

^^
lnlo

we

shell explain her^furr.

0nrf"l^^!

'"^

*^**fo***mn
^h^ ******
**

To m* *

(* * UtU* "" **"**

m<l d0ar ""

""""

On arrival in Agra. Mum1a%*i body * dome of Mamringh'a palatial mansion

the

a,.hilii'j wife

Arjumand Brno died

Burhimpyr

a**b*om.. *rihr

tab

the Uke-over of his highly valued

^ ^T*' "* an***

y*
out
tarn

Unfcr

"""

'

Awn. Even

ihis single

deuil shooM

as a matter of great honour dona to him. acruplca it waa considered fit to give

^j^Z JT"
pJK*
r

land in exchange.

mTsfU c^ ^ht" 72* r^TuL-r* "^

n^Teta

-made by a handy ready remove a body well kud lo rest would be disturb and * miles away ! He wouldn't want

J.
-

not known whether ih* * open plot of land or rocky waste or an . mere phantom nam. to adorn the record U> make naked usurpation look
It Sa

u Tw2

nfwm
that

U> Agra.

Zot

\*
tf

.thtt. very 'beloved' one and believed to be a the To, Mahal ta Shahjahan had radly communed
,

from one open commoner', body

g*v *
is

another wuhout

SQm *

on paper. Actually aucb [ice* of land doaa not to have been handed over to Jaialngb. Making ennfuaksi
at least

not so trifled with, lot alone

confounded

historians

have further assumed,

baxlaaahi,

Shahjahan too obtained an open

plot of lind In ciehange.

for

Why
ir

should Shahjahan exchange one plot of land

did

mother?

ha

stage, so essential Such careful checking at every lacking in the field of historical research baa been

for

accural
history,

why would he not mention the location of Jgjsingh ? What is worse is that histonnna cite

the plot given to

aorn# ipurious or

Man

misinterpreted documents to say (hut Shahjahan Mchungid a gnwp

of mansions to obluin an open plot of land from
Jaiainijh lo

nuaa

The body of

Mumuo

waa removed

only beeauae Jaiaingbs palace

for her re-burial En Agra

from Burnanpur had by that time been commandeered

Cif at all)

the Taj Mahal. Would

a stingy, haughty Shahjahan ataop to making

The

sit*

chosen for her burial in Agra

such an inequitable barter? Moreover the BiAxhahnam dasrljr Shabjshan asserts that it was Jaisingh who was ghwi land whfls
got Mansingh's garden palace
in

- as the Badshshnama bad immenae verdant grounds (Suhz Zamini lush planted royal terms it). Tbia shows that the place had alao a

cschange Thla

proving

how

the entire Shahjahan

man detail wh^ legend of tb* Taj Mahal k

it

one

prden around Mansingh'a

lianaiagb't mansion

palace.

Inside

those
in

grounds was
the possession

fictitious

from beginning to end.

la

(mamiV which was

-

then

Obviously thia exchange

a mere eyewaah

Wh-^J h"'

of hut grandson Jusingh

It

saya the

Badshahmma.

not abould be noted that Raja Manaingh'a mansion does

being aaahaniw with any equanimity a fabutoua building exchange of land? Secondly, the

open

piL

oaoaaaaruy

moan one built by him. tt only means that during Jatawgb'a times it waa known as Mansingh'a mansion because Manaing'o was its teat famoui occupant. That was an ancient Hindu
buDdang thai had ultimately devolved on Mansingh, and then on
Jatsingh
did not

myth

of the p because the location and dimensknia

to Jafaingh are not mentioned Maalim between Shahiahan. an overbearing

hU noble.,
palace.

^ ^ T' ^Jha* m^^^^J^!Z*

_

"!

Thirdly,

than "

Hurt u must also be remembered that the Taj Mahal

thai Jttbiiiigh

wan

itkipow" Jual ujvwrOTiofiioaflly

nscMaaruy devolve on Mansingh through the direct

line

Tlw Tal Mahal

It

Trnnpte

p^j^

Admlseton

to

Stahjatmn'.

o* BwJ.hdm.nw
lb,

iv

ma

iiic

bftfcrffl*

bewi du P*d yw" i" in,ly nlf l,ver Ul war,J 1 frcd open lBnd from * V* ** ** Lhnl S h i**" ,n e^
,' ,

cenotaph exactly over

it to

mtr.

of

should have Induced some re thinking at tewt bind, Thla again Suihjnhan, an emperor, sfudcnu of history. Why should land from a subservient nobleman !!jto bee *n open plot of own SgencratHovold capital ? Did not Sbahjnhsn to Shabianani himsdf ? He robbed Jaistogh of a iriajmificent a vast lands bur> Ws * uew in oonaWered nt wnich

on the ground floor and in Ihndu palace. The arahiiccta

^ oct*,, ofi
"*"*'* ,ri*>m

ih baaemwit

aw*

nd inrjmet^L to guide the removal of aom* marbl, .ton,, engraved on them In lettering of V4riow

Z^L^ "^ ^ **"*

,

Cwnm "nr,,*

Tba

words

-foundation

jewelled pal"'*

WM

*,

M"

|jw

The

naliice

had sky-bigh
life

dome underneath which,

the author

tells of the Bmlstuuutmfi

Mumtw's body was

hidden (i.e. buried

the officials of the realm nt Shshjahan a from the eyes of the world by was unnecessary unless Mumlax command. Such command again else's property. The use of the word bad to be buried in somebody

i., alwys interred to a pit, roiHw do ih* over the body ia "laytogthe foundaiion orth ditch ftgWP " SooartlT has also a figurative meaning. By burying Lhe body in It an uirwlti palace, aahiafaan to a way laid the foundation of * Muittm grave. Such figurative but meaningful uh of the term

Firstly, since a corpse

*commTd"

thus

flfenificflnt*

We shall show that

domed
palace.

IfH years earlier

foundation"

la

not at

all

uncommon One

'laying iha could *> for tnvtanct

Emperor Babur

also refers to this

that by his conquest* Napoleon laid the foundation of the Fwh empire. Does thin mean that Napoleon ordered some digpnii tnd
brick,

*nd

importance to This mention or the dome is of far-reaching Indian history and architectural La the false notion entrenched in Muslim form avil enguwmg textbooks that the dome la

morUr

and stone for the

edifice of the

Fnxuh *mptr7
by

Similarly Shahjshan "laid the foundation" of

his wife"* grave

ordering

some UuItdinK material bayiua* he lud chosen locommmilaer

It

of architecture. The

Badshahnama

clearly tells

us thai the Hindu

a ready fabulous palace.

should also be noted that many Mujlim

palace taken over for

Mumtuz'a

burial had

dome.

Incidentally

chroniclers use that fraudulent term "laid the fourndoUon" to

Ibe edifice

ii

also described as a

those adjectives have been also

"sky -high" mansion, though interlinked with Shahkhan's courage

suggest falsely that Muslim rulers

It

built large buildings

Is

such

logical

and

legal Intcrpretoilam

we would

lib la

and valour.
Since the
Ta.j

Mahal has been admitted to be * Hindu palace

it

to all hbto rkm . Hitherto they have been used to gloss passage*. maM Inconvenient words and phraaes, ignore significant

commend
that

ow
tot

capped with a
the so-called

dome

thou Id not be
1 !

difficult to

comprehend

fanfjtttk assumptions,

hover

in

a world of unreality

m*

mausoleum
1

of

Akbar at Sikandra and of

Mumayun

and

flatfdarjang in Delhi,
all

Taj Mahal are

which have been often compared with the erstwhile Hindu palaces conquered and misused

phrawe. hut ordinary and natural meaning of words and put of evidence nd to eyes altogether to logic and legal aittlng art Sh sUpnhoJ pathetic faith in forgenea and falsehoods.
unsatisfactory methods
will

as Muslim tombs. Line 40 in the above passage saya that the

has to be rid of

its

many

have to be aivoi up "H"*" ihibboleti mistoken concepts and

Emperor engaged

geometrician* and architects far the project. This does not in the

JSZLm*
to

About the sum of Tour million rupee. <^the build.,,,. tells us was expended on

kaat prove that he had

mauauluum constructed from the foundation

simple. At the outoet

we would

like to

appn

upward, GuomctrttiiBiM and architects wore needed to plan the digging of Uie grave to the centre of the basement chamber and raise a
JThii

for tvtapc the weaknea* of Muslim chroniclera parU.ni ** booal the glory of their royal

of exaggeration

peha law tow mora

fully dealt

'Horn*

Bhutan of

Indian Histories!

IWrrh'

with to dupbtf II "f putdluhcd In July U*8.

my

book

to

we may arntu n n beWmdod may well have

h nt the wituaJ a

tm ^^^rtniirt
t

^ ^5 ^ T^^ ^
**"*

nghbou.hood been In the

^^

COM

W
Admission
In

auhpihjin^ Own Ik.lrtmhnjm,

mlMon rup*
consider Another factor. In the corruption TVrrtrArr we have to times ti* estimates given to the sovereign rnmjwni during Matfiui included a Inrgc percentage of overhead, ,di pro)*** Innumerable middlemen. Makin due rwuitofiwd profit* of estimates we may assume that the actual allowance for soch infixed two million rupees have been in the nigbbourhood of

upto Rs. 90,17 mtulon (,.

own

Scr^ind 17l.kh,) court chronicler. Mull* Abdul 40 lakhs (four million rupees) ii .). km( u

H^n

* rtI,h,n * * *

''

gawnsa should
The
r^gttf

the origin of the Taj Mahal,

* TOt*

tm

mfltibn for that matter) millioo rupees (or even four

central octagonal chamber. cenotaph in Lhe ground floor costly mosaic of stones to match and merge pwfcttf than with the hundreds of room 3. whh the palac* flooring, barricading the doorways, balconies and corridors ventilators, staircases, Police complex few -storied marbte Tejomabfllaya Hindu Temple The e Kravin lhsh waQs " r lhe edifke Bw K" ^d a huge scaffolding to the towering height of

cnOd be uBfly spent "

digging and

filling

up a grave in the basement,

npsvN

necessitated raising

its massive girth and its many lhe seven -storied edifice around Such mosaic flooring and Koranic lofty gateways and arches. stone pitching of the engraving necessitated the removal of the stones had also to palace at places and replacing H.. New

Hindu

off or broke in thi 9 be ordered to replace those which chipped ordering tampering and tinkering. Hiring of highly paid artisans,

costly scaffolding of stone from great distances and raising of a accounts for the expenditure mentioned by lhe Badstohnama.

We shall
Tavern**
entire

quote in the next chapter the French merchant visitor the lav testify that the scaffolding cost much more Lhan
done. This would prove thai the

work

comparatively insignificant lettering at

work done was the precarious heights on the

arches of the Taj Mahal and sealing six stories.

have placed the cost of the so-calkd construction of lhe Taj Mahal at anywhere

We

wonder

011

what authority

later writers

P.

aa,

Elliot

and ftswwm. Vol, VI.

It

li

stated.

"P* &>cy

also

mmrttoM the cuuxrrated cecum ijumtar of Hwonanti, bones, etc. and the cost of bandings* wid such ttk*. to U* Uetnakr (of JchcnjfirJ translated by Price, compared with
Use

of properly and expenditure, aa to tnt

man

modenie *AlniU

jpvsn in Anderson*! extracts."

Ttwifrnlw

m
protection against highway robbery'.,
is

Rwamter ha

CHAPTKR

HI

b*

M.

iht lan- rf
i

recordad

'if,

v.,

k.

k.

commerce was concerns

r^^ mJTj^ZZ.'^- " ** ***b

M

tool

uqm

<**mkm

TAVERNIER

In the above passage which tell. who are three points significant for our discussion.

t^^^ _
^
On* i, that
.

wbIndiia(HnJibatwe n |sii in 4, eatA totta it may be remembered that Mumtai had died ewneUm*

iwl JJ2
hat.

HAVING

noted in the preceding chapter Ihnt Shahjahan a

own

iwi- chronicler
to ihta

admits the Taj Mahal to be a domed Hindu palace

J629 and 1632. Tavernier arrived in India nearly 11 vean afllr Muml*2*s demise. We shall quote Muslim chronicles to show thai the mythical building of the la) Mahal commenced
within < fe*

commandeered for queen Manual's buna), we

propose to prove

months of her death. As

his stay in India,

against that

we

are going vo quote

chapter thai the French traveller Tavernier'* testimony too

that according to Tavernier the work

commenced and ended

during

fuHy corroborates our conclusion and proves the traditional Shahjahan legend to be baadew. Tavernier visited India during Emperor

That

is

to say, according to Tavernier no work

was undertaken concerning

after her death,
in 1611.

Mum tea's

tomb

at lean for 11 years

Shahjahan ' time.

He has

left

us some notes on the Taj Mahal,

truth about the origin

since Tavernier arrived in India only soirain*

shafl

wticb should be useful

of thai

in arriving at the

According to some Muslim accounts which we

quote

mmHn,
Jnywkosh
tells

hereafter, the Taj

Mahal was complete starting from

the foundations

by 1643. Readers
Before encmning hi* testimony let us first get introduced to
bhn. The XUhtrtstitreeya
oa^

may

note this glaring inconsistency between the

versions.

Muslim and Tavernier 's

the

Some

of the former say that

that

the Taj Mahal was complete by 1643 whQe Tavernier tdus as

"Jean Baptist* Tavernier. a French jeweller, toured India for trade between 1641 end 1668 A. D. Hi* travel account is mainly
devoted to com-naree.
in India J

work concerning the mausoleum was

.

not even begun by at

lata*.

least 1641

We

shall

quote the relevant vcrstons

is

Tht other

He used

to aojourn at Sural and Agra (while

point to be noted in the above quoted extract

that since

Tswmiar
on

Punjab.

He visited all part* of India, including Bengal, Gujarat, Madras Kamatsk, te. He owned a vehicle. He bad to

was not a
wealth and

scholar,

his attention

was concentrated

primarily

commerce
point
until
is

apnd Ba. &Dh for the curt and pair of bullocks. The bullocks ad to cover 40 milt* a day for iwo months at a stretch. Four
I

The

third

that

though Tavernier was In

bad
bean
deposed
in 1658. That

todta

intermittently

1668.

wajfh for the Journey from Sural to Agra or Golconda "pens* used to be between Rs. 40/- and Ra. 60/-. The

Shahjahan

and

incarcerated by his son Emperor

*y,
if

Aurang**

Wa

good at
fa
in

Roman highways. European travellers fell Hindu territories for want of meat which was Muiilim dominions. A good postal system was
thr

Bulb thr (own-folk u>d

we go by Tavemier'a Kotimony, the work concerning Mumux'a mausoleum commenced some time after 1641 and have ended much before 1658 whan Shahjahan become a Wpjj Tavern* prisoner of hla own son. But we shall show that
i

government used to provide

miens notes that the work took 22 years lo complete That

even
* * *"*** lrtm *dasttv PJ. Vam iJlnT SltEl? J? !? Pun* 2 (India) 22

tr

the

work began

in 1611

It

coded only

I*3
Mahal

J*

impossible aince Shahjahan was

sit no longer oo tba thront

Jwraa

**'

Such glaring anomalksj

In the traditional Taj

Thr Tx\ Mahal

anybody's attention.

1b

A Tempi* Ptkem
Tavernier

^ hTCn
-

-trtl

gdwljra has

Thai proves thai no * H * n of th * Tfl J M done -prttai lb remained content with merely quoting

*^

thai hlatorians twve

l^erel **'*** fc
themout or pwonal*

without ever trying to sort them

Umitf to put on unjustifiable. In Lhia conta* WCH|Jd the wwickHo provides of the L. w of

^TW*,
U* *

H
r "

^ihaaay b
ogl
flUlt

of historical roaeancbere has been that they a

TMA^T^V^ *
hwadOilfc!!!!*
of tto
t

wr

sh.II

now quote* the

fccjt***to Briumnk for

ignorant or have shown completo

more

dlar^

*** itotwrh acouainuuM*

Tarernifr.
India, pioneer of trade with

Tavernier.

and judicial evaluation of evldanet. The based on sound logic.

IT

^^ * J* ^^^
tt

"^

"*"

Jw Baptist

(1605- !*). French traveller and

was

bom

in

1605 nt Pari* where his

Protestants from Antwerp, nlwr Gabriel and uncle Machines, and engravers.. His farthest prow! the profession of geographers Isfahan. He returned by Baghdad, pot* fe this first journey was was again In Paris in to Alexandria. Malta and Italy, and
.

a person were to approach a court of law that Shahjahan built the Taj Mahal, or, the testimony both the plalnUff *nd W the court-

for .

d*Wi

basi, of

Taw3.

plaint win t* thrown out of

Aleppo

journey 1631- In Sept. 1638 he began a second

to Persia

(1638-43) by Aleppo

and thence to India as far as Agra and Golconda. His the diamond mines visit to the court of the Great Mogul and to was connected with the plans realised more fully in hfs later voyages
is

ask that if the then Govammt of India represented by Sjahjahan does not hove even a shred of paper {such as design- drawings or account sheet* or on inscription)

Thc court

will justifiably

to

prove his authorship of the Taj, the

plaintiff

has no

right to claim a third

any

title

to the Taj on the basis of some vague noting by

liie

person like Tavernier from a distant country

to visit Tndia

France Ho chanced

which Tavernier traded in costly jewels and other precious wares,

greatest princes of the East.

during Shahjohan's reign. Tavernier' testimony wCD

a court of law whilv
is

among the

folowed by four others. In his third

The second journey was 0643-43). ho went as far

voyages (1651-55,

therefore be regarded as third-rate evidence by

historians have tended to regard
it

as first rate. This

an

illustration

arJsvB and returned by the Cape:

in his last three

of the

much leeway

that historians have to

mak

before dahning

IB7-6E. 1664-88) he did not proceed beyond India. In 1669 be

to be competent researchers.

marred letters of nobility and Aoboone near Geneva.

in

1670 purchased the barony of

Even so we

shall

show how Tuvpmier'a

details

noting
is

itself <sTectiwtb/

pricks the bubble of the Sfeabjflhan legend. Thin

life

but nniural since

"The dosing years of Tavernier' s

oo
at

are obscure.

He left

Paris

all

seemingly divergent
Thia
is

must

inevitably
;

fit

in with the

Truth which

for Srkserland in 1683. In 1689 he passed through

fanr

Copenhagen,
year he died

what Tavernier has recorded'

the

"Of alt the tombs

is

way

to Persia through

Moscow and

in that

one sees

at

Agra that of the wife of Shnhjahan

lbs most

splendid.

Moscow .*

*
4a.

He purposely made it near

shall

Tkumcm where all fordgiwn come,

analyse Taverruers noting about the Taj

if

admire. The so that the whole world should see and

is

to stow how.

properly understood and interpreted

il

oowhukn

that Shahjahan did not

earlier

buDd the Taj Mahal

courts, all a large bazar consisting of six large for the use of mend portico* under which there are chamber*

***"**

rowand eared an

Hindu mansion to bury his wife

and

an

enormous

quantity

of

cotton

to

would bite to point out here that the undue emphasis

Riron or Aubonne, Tran.lstai from

wiih a blograptiial k^ o' V Ball, ill!. F.H.8.. V li 3

Uw

8Utnor ' B0"*-

^3J,,ir.. * l>
,

' . KacTdQMdU

BnW*,

ion Rd

Ul

1*0 edua.

SILdbj H** *

llasaianai

Vol. 21

4 0o.,

London,

m
f

Tb* Tj Mahal

A r<amjAt Pal**
this gr ttl t

TiV^mlof

vkntvMA

the

commencement and noeompltehmeni of

M
laken to Agra for consecrate In the new vwnb nab altar . .** " * "** of 12 or 13 years, which we are told by Mm* """^ ** * tana
to build the Taj Mahal.

MM* on which Ihry expended 22

mm

worked incessantly

years during which twenty thousand This I* sufficient to enable one to realise

V"? *
shahjiihan'i

< of it has been enormous, ft if said that th* scaffolding Mint wet mtv* Mm* the entiiv work, because, from want of wood, well as the supports of the hey had aH to br made of brick as
thnl lb*

That the tomb was ready

in

the

*ip.

Krchw

This has entailed

the other side of the river but the war which he had wilh his sons interrupted hfs plan,"

Shabjuhsn began to build

much hit own tomb on

labour and heavy expenditure,.,

Hindu palace we have already proved by quoU^ own court chronicler Mulla Abdul Hamkl

t mmmmAmi

^^

The period of six months that had to elapse before Mumun'i body was taken to Agra from Rurhanpur It explained by iiw tfnw
taken in scheming to confiscate the Jaipur mlnr'i
palac* n Am under the pretext of Mumlax'a urgent -buriid In It. Since Rap Jaisingb was a vassal of the Moghuls be was braw-bssten into surrendering Taj Mahal for Moghul misuse.
,

We

must examine the above passage very

,l
*'*'

critically.

While

examining'

must

also bear in

mind

that the Miihumshtrefya

Jn}wnka<h quoted

earlier has said that

Tavern ier not being a scholar

was only attracted by wealth and commerce,

As pointed out
Ifi5*

in

the earlier chapter,

Mumtaz having died between

On

arrival in Agra, as Shabjuhan's court chromcler icib us,

Mumtaz's body was

buried under the lofty dome of Mannin^'i

and

lfi.12.

her body

was

first

buried in Burhnnpur in an open

months (so they say) it was taken to Agra, That means Mumtaz' s body was in. Agra at the latest before the close or 1632 A.D. Now if we have to believe Tnvernier that he aaw the commencement of the work (after hia arrival in India
garden,
After about six

palace then in the possession of his grandson .lairiirgh. Aeeonfing arrival ef the body to that account, no time was lost between the
in

Agra and

ita burial

under the lofty Hindu domed

palace Apparently,

therefore.
all

Muslim accounts

of the building of the Taj Mahal

v*

the body Mumtaz must have been lying in the open exposed to vun and rain for nearly a decade. Here we are also confronted with another difficulty, namely the Inconsistency
in 1641 J

concoctions.

We

shall

prove them to be so by analysing than

in detail.

his account
earliest

between and Muslim ones. According to Muslim accounts, the date by which the Taj Mahal was complete was 1643.

volume we shall not even B single report or detail about the Taj Mahal story, U*f whether it is concoction or a reliable piece. Unlike Korfan. before us. we 3 haH not brush awny the inconsistencies account*, bi fad we welcome them to show how *di and concoctions can be logically explained and *ixmdk& wjth lb* truth
I
'

We

want to

body in the Hlndn pala Having buried Mumtaz's exhumed cbai not in any hurry to make faith* at Agra, Shohjahan was are of tboM occur in Muslim nccounta The workmen whose names lh * erected a cenotaph i. dug the grave in the basemen

tell

the reader that in Lhis

who gro^fioor;
end on
ito

stor.es. 1o arches and sealed sue various account, workmen found in the of designers and

Komnic

J^*^ W *
fl-|

Aa for vernier's and accomplishment

the

sta^c^h^s^
this

^^"T? T
to

work

was nothing more than

in

,d

riffhi

b *******

that

Mumtaz's

palace inside and out

e^racta on the walls, and his very f| clear from was mort the scaffolding itself
body would have been would be absurd for any

^^ ^ ^ jj ^ **^Z ^^
*+
ib
ffolding, ****"' seaWHW

m>eribitMe

***
f
I

to bund a

nw ,. MwnW,

the

^Urr

^odw wp K< n

visitor iim

Th# Tj

Mahftl 1*

* Tempi*

P*lao

Tv*rni*T

^""^ ^ fnrt (n a* of lb* wh^ * J*. ^ p^^

i

moiv than that ** ^!!mlita*far from eawedlng

fj

of the entire work.

thB<

The

lofty

^^

n juimttl.

of tnc hu,1din fop Contrarily, TavcmSai

is

nnd majestic Hindu paloos. what did kt mutt*- whatW in* engravings took anything from 13 to 22 yean.? Ev, th -ivy uncertainty of the periods mentioned In the nuimnma vonkw

la

T^t

emphatic proof

'

^^^rL^^
a, for

"^

^ TJ^n
k

..

l^Zh

the comparnUvety eo^isKd of nothing hut burial pit. and erecting of the Knnn,

plausible evidence because w know from experience in itself thai usurped building (a to be altered to one* a sstiafiKuon when a

nch

ng

We

thus see

b d

Inconsistencies an4

olterntlona could be spasmodically incorporated, over a protracted period, in the building, according to the chanwnn mood of tha

UeiHm account
l*e

^It
S.

N Sm'
a

-way with the help of the tn,th.

new occupant. In
to

this sense

we

say

thiit all

the pwiodi.

hum

being concoctions,

U. . *'
u thai

H. M.

to ten

those accounts must not be

M*
we have

. long line Tess.tori

vQ to 22 years, mentioned by the different chroniclora mny be Ukcn be true- Reconciling these verskma we may Bay thia the tomb

mound end
lhat
is

the cenotaph mosaic of Mumtax took 10 year* (becsuat

ratal upon.
If

Sbahjahan "purposely

made the tomb near the bazar

called

wr vxtadmttYii.
poi

**itf a> tfef <A* -"note 7to*nan *fow atf fcrtw me. " the question that arises is whether a reportedly
he
really built one,

nwU

find a sheltered, quiet iMonsolabiy grief-stricken Shshjahsn would

for hi. vile'

the shortest period mentioned by any writer). The Rgrank bulldlngi engravings dragged on for 22 years Camouniiglng Hindu was not Shatyshan's Innovation. H hod with Muslim lettering Adhi-Din-Ka-2op*i at AJnwr. which *w hoary tradition. The VIshaldeo'a palace, bean bbmk lettering. The cart of Vigraharaj tower Miner which is an ancient Hindu observatory
.

. called Kutub

tomb.

If

or whether he

claimed for Islam with the has also been similarly islamic carvings on
it.

legman

of

would behave tike

rtiow business to

cheap itinerant entertainer?

rig

Was he

in the

The
earlier

so-called

Humayun.

***"**

want to

up

a big

show out of even

his wife's

Akbar tombs, though

HlMte Rajput palaces, have met

death and piny to the nailery 7

It

is

no wonder that eves the

palace

insignificant

engravings on a
or 22 years.

asmmmdwffwl Hindu
that

shouH take
to be,

10, 12. 13. 17

alleged in different accounts,

because far from the prodigal Moghul

Shahjahan

b mnde out

be was a very miserly, haughty, no Muslim monarch could

ovtrbarinir monarch. Even otherwise

Tord to ipend fabulous

amounts on the death of each one of

ha

WMlth UK,

pear.

&.0Q0 harem- consorts and

many hundreds of other

in

relations.

^d

tta

(Uch fo< Pwcock Tyrone

riso irne u,

-*-* f^ M^I*-> " b" "

drw lh
J-J"
rt

War, the time taken

Muinuz'. body

construction

ts

immaterial because

own trsury.

^woiw,
nujuw.,

safely

ensconced under the

dome

of the

We would

iL^'lt???
ai hZi

^*
mi

t"^* *wy. "^ m

tti

In the preraca Sir in ,ndi

*"

>

H. M.

Elliot

(which hd ri>

^e J*T^ "
MumUB
,

n.*oo *-

a inipudent and

***l uvUUU

Z **?

** lh* M,,riim chronicler* arc

dl Tj Muhd even before

,* u, m^*

HO

Th<? TnJ

Mahal

It

Tensp]*

p^ m>
ftyarnfar

and that Siohjahsn's object in burying

preciwiv to cash
patoce.

Mumtiw there sculptural grandeur of thai on the dreamland

histories

with

all iui

annexe*

that

wtt commandeered t ,

rod-stone corridors would have

Shahjnhnn

central marble building .lac they

often misrepresented to Indian

ai
belief

palace.

J^JS
"

facus steaeff

tw^ ^
"!

J^
"

fabulously rich Moghul. This

(hit

image of his derives from the

h? buiH i

number of

cosily buildings while he actually did

monarch possessing fabulous wealth Shahjahan could hardly command any resources worth the - year reign was marred by i mm* because hi rn military
net build even i single Far from being
I

w, want u, wtlinn .v. reader about the worth of Western acholars" or valKnV \mtimm During British ruto
in India there

More we

end

this chapter, however,

wu

a uiron* tendency to

tZe

campaigns

Shahjiihsn's relative

poverty

is

fully

borne out by

great store by the jottings of Western observers. That tendwey persiflte oven no* though we are free. But Rant, n.nwlf mEnijiah
scholar, has

mude some important

minds

Tav*mi<T*> rrmsrk quoted above thai from '"wont of

scaffolding, including

wood"
to be

obwwvatfcrnii, tibfcfe provide a

the

classic instance of confused

ihe support of arches, had

all

mad

of bricks. The reader

may

well consider

whether a monarch who

Tn a footnote on page 1 54 of his book Kecoe observes,

,

'
'

Tavernier

cannot muster even the timber necessary for a scaffolding, in country like India which had vast stretches under dense
can ever hope or

commenced

his first voyage in

1631 and after iravtHlna; from

returned to France in 1633,

Con3laniinoplc to Ispahan

in Persia,

forest,

dream of ordering a building as magnificent and majestic as the Taj Mahal ?

TavemlHr's remark that Shahjahan had to use bricks even Lo
support arches
is

He did not, therefore, see the commencement of tht T[ tat ha may have heard of it at Ispahan. His fourth voyage from IKll to 1655 was to India, end it was then that he aaw tba aanpVuon
of the Taj."

of special significance. It
It

means

that Lhe

'

"arches"

d already.
Taj Mahal are
slabs

may be

made

noted that Koranic engravings on the around the arches. When the original stone

were removed by Shahjahan and were substituted by other lab* with the Muslim lettering, the arches so tampered with had be supported with bricks. So this part of Ta vernier's observation

Rcene bow Tavemier is nght Keena doai was a Hindu mansion not know that since the Taj Mahal to dl* a irencn in il* basemsw was nothing for Shahiahan to do except -ita* bury the corpse nf Monitf central chamber, if at all, and
Firstly let us
tell

to

proves that the Taj Mahal with

it,

^hed
(i.e.

evn before Murmaz's death.

entrances existed

been in India . I Therefore Tavemier need not bava What Tavemier means by the "commencement". end of the the commencement and

saw

to

Tavemier says the T^aTMcao

Taz^Macan)

is

explained by .. tblt at vanous to inlay Koranic engravings

conriating of six targe courts he is obviously describing

Tnis work could

ended while Tavemier was

^T* ^-^^ ******** '"^ ***

and

WJU. -

" * ^"^ ^ %L+

*
n lnd,a there
is

E^?L 8CCOum ^iJT^!!!y.

tor

*****

*" **#* 1* Mumta.'. burial

"* a PI**r confusing, because white "' the 'Taj Mahal"

Tavemier

is

therefore right
interesting fact

*** world derignsu. the marble building as s a

peripheral

Rut one
la

which

red-stone

buildings

as

that nobody aeems

in

to

know

for carf-n

India

and

for

how

k*?
,

^^ ^^^ ^ ^^
'

notnav

foctoolt

1***
b

^^ M

Mto

wrrouiwjjm,

nBd.aione
[,m

Tas.j-Abcaa".
It

.. thai *lr*

Pty

J!? "T** the majeauc

hoping corridors constitute the " ^nging * Jaisingh.

magnificent marbk- palace

! ll u, lbf, IntermittenUy from Itfli te Intermittent betwran lb.JJ be in India only .ometima thii TavfraJ*
other hand. Encyclopaedia

^| Brii-nnJ .utea T^!r w

I

^^^ ^

c-

TTw Taj Mahal

A Trmpta

Pd^
b

TavernitT
that the whole or the marble Taj Mah.1 bufldlrn, wao curtained off from public view
for

India

* not th * Ln,lh r th nal years (betwwm in India for leu than four truth If he covered by the voyage to etnd fro) 1*1 itf* Including the months that "20.000 labourvra worked would U he right for him to soy the work commenced and ended incmaanUy for 22 years and that

wnl <i" murmiUentty, wy reUahl* AH that hi ^

w

This Indicate* thnt Tavern kr

^^

&

of bricks used as scaffolding. THall, to bidden from the world Tor one wbok, that after a lapse of 22 years when lbs

g*^-.
brink

^ IL*! ^ ** I '\
B

aft* ** ** Wl
*""
L

to

my

presence"

This indicates that Tavernier too has bluffed

dismantled and the Taj Mahal came into view generation started beEvcJng thai it was

^S^^
thl

ones, grain

Mahal by recording Muslim the world or history regarding the TsJ which be only heard but passed cm to posterity as first hand
bluffs

ShthjthaTX
punas Western
confuand
a

commissioned
It

it.

was because of that

brick shroud that we find

Information,

visitors like Peter specific points,

Mundy and TsverTOwmakingrainformgd,

Tfcvenuers noting makes out four

I

namely

That Shahjahan purposely buried

Mumtoz near

a bazar

known

and aketehy notings about Shahjahsn being wipged in building tomb for Mumtaz and his employing of all people mainly
calligrephers, and labourers to level
tbts

m^

a*

Taatmaam

dc

Taj Mahal) . 2. "Thai he could not gel any timber

hiDocks on the outaldrts.

for the scaffolding, 3. That the coat or the scaffolding

was mort

The

skill

of a historian researcher

like that of a

crime investigator

than that of the entire work. A. That 20,000 labourers worked

incessantly for

lies in

getting at the truth from such a jumbled mass of Incongruous

22 years
first

details , Fortunately in the case of the Taj Mahal various oonLcaipocvy

Of the above the en which

tense

three points clearly imply that Shnbjahan

observers have

left

us very important clues which

help us point

look over a ready Taj Mahal for Mumtaz's burial.

traditional historians
It

The fourth

point

have banked does not

make any

out unerringly that the marble Taj Mahal was commandeered by Shahjahan and misused as a mausoleum.

when

is

considered that a Tsvernier slaying in India only

for four years (1651-1655) cannot assert that the

work which began

and endod

in his

presence lasted for 22 years.

if

Bui Tavernier's apparently absurd statement makes sense

II

is

properly interpreted and understood,

When he

arrived in India

in

1651

Mumtaz had

already been buried in the Taj Mahal for 20

yaw. The work of raising a scaffolding around

in India. If that

the Taj and en graving

Koranic stanza* then commenced and ended while Ta vernier was

look two years Tavern icr' a observation thnt Mumtaz's

lomb was by

that lime 22 years old and the

work (of the

scaffolding

and engraving ) began and en Jed in his presence proves to be singularly correct. So even this fourth point of Tavernier's testimony which

waa suspected to support SharuahjvTt authorship of the Taj. turns

out to support our contention that Shahjahan only usurped the Taj Mahal.

Ttvftniara observation that because of the unavailability of

had to erect a acaffolding of bricks all round the Ta/. and that th work was completed alter 22 years indicates

umber &ahjaban

draft* the plaque on the -tfch hat Hould blundering m

iua*n-

CHAPTER

IV

^tborsWP

of a world-class monument

^^^ * ^
f

lb,

i,

Wghly dapfa^,

*"

AURANGZEB'S LE1TER AND

u then
E(l

..

ii^miAt fojaken Mumtas h Lflken

to have died iroun * havp .UkI mm***! *** M , m|

km

RECENT EXCAVATION

period of 22 year* tfv* u. uq Sieved, the Mahal stood comply a^ck which the Taj

^ ^

sna

In addition to

the admission in the

Badshahnsma that the

Ta]

commandeered Hindu mansion, and TavernJer's noting ihm th# Taj mansion was "purposely" chosen hy Shahjahan for Mumiai t burial we have two other piece* of important corroborative
M;;
i
' ,

grandeur and majettv. But the m.** department and the traditionalist Wstorun. Archaeology w<*id have on record a letter from P>iw Aunnp*b, of itt we nave earlier 1.9. of 1652 A. D scotching that d*Sm. Thwt lur t year contemporary Penriin chronidw liUed recorded in at least three |9 Adaab-eMamgiri (p. 82 of the manuscript wnh th* Nslkinal
firm in
all

lia

^ .JT

J""*

Archives.
(o that

New

Delhi),

Muraqqa

e-Akhardiadl,

md Yaidpatnmi.

by Prince Aurangwb himself to bja own father emperor Shahjahan, and the other of facta discovered
evidence.

One

it

letter written

AurangKib reports to Emperor Shab}ahan that whik praceevn*.

to

in recent investigations inside

the Taj Mahal precincts.

route to the Deccan from Delhi en Aurangzeb happened In 1652 A, D.

burial place

assume chanje

fwwaor

to visit hla

moth* Mumtaa's

Agra.

UniveraJtiM,

academicians

and

laymen

who

have

been

vociferously and adamantly asserting that Shahjahan built the Taj

Mahal, are unaware that they are

details of the story
is

all

hopelessly divided

on the various

For instance Mumtaz, the heroine of the story

variously hazily believed to

have died somewhere between 1629

% fft^i on^SayJef n Badshahzada

fl

and respects to Ms fittar fcnpaw Paying due compliments {AUmtaa, to his letter "I reacted hiahan Aurangzeb stales Mataj. the 3rd of Mohanun Jahanbani

<U

lb.

** *

and 1632 A,

D
is

Likewise the construction of the Taj Mahal by

equally hazily believed to have taken

Shahjahan (?)

anywhere
in India

between 10 and 22 years. During the British administration

the tendency had been to place

verdure I by springtime everybody s wdl~being.

^^/^Ji..
rd*a of Hata stayed in toe

more

reliance

on the noting of
the
British

Westerner-

when records
It

differed.

Accordingly

administration in India took

of Tsvrmier'a

for granted that the

mumbo jumbo
burial

mumble

that the

work concerning MumUtz's

of
all

look 22 years deserved

accounts.
It

more credence to the exclusion

differed radically

Muslim

bad b*n the aacred grave which grave etc.) Those (i.e. cenotaph, over the grave solid but the dome on the during the rainv - season
royal

apparently did not enter their brains that since Toveroier

at)

rooms on the -econd

^ "** ^ ** * to
gfnQ
f

J~^ "* "^ * d**

to rf

*na* *

and Muslim versions

rrom ona anothtr vHtl

nil

portions and the four northern

of the

^ ^ W*" ^*,
a.
**

^ ^
pte"

neither bring able to diefalse

any court document, they must

Therefore
Taj

of

somehow lb* British accepted a hodgepodge vanten Mahal, made up of spurious details culled at random

seven storey ceilings through have all asborbed water

the current

^*VjJs
*j
at

monsoon season

^
^

*P

* f*
.tool*'

A* ta-

from European and Muslim accounts. Such an hybrid concoci put up on a marbl* plaque outside the Taj Mahal" a garden gateway
proclaim* to the gullible Jay visitors that the Taj Mahal was completed
in

got temporarily repaired.

y|nioB,

"* mosque, the community haa.

22 year* Thai the Government of India's archaeology department

Ihf Taj

Mflhnl

A Tr>mp* Pohcm
AurangKb'a Tj***t And Recent EiarnioB

^^

^*a?E mX ** **
nrtrtjon of

^ ^ ^J
I* be t

-^ gS ^1 more

,,*,<* OH

**

^j^
tt

v rf

fed thnt the scc d ^th mortar, bnek and would save thes , blMK^r domes
I

***

a building complex which Inked and

^^j

h.

(fictiUoua) completion.

^Icadence.

h0pOd lbat

Y Ur

MaJCSty

n0WS

^y

aCtin '

and tyranny, would have thundered inathnm. in hup totter to Emperor Shabjahan.
tike

Aurangb who b

aaai,!

W"* .ZllT "^

HZT ***" *" <**ng
r ****

a dove and coolly mentioning th* k, -* out some urgent repairs. Ai toast this Inter
help historians to correct their mistaken of the Taj Mahal

Inai**i\! t

of

remains the building complex

mtkmSZTL^ * ibaBl "* <**"

Taj Mahal

safe

Mahatab garden, as
nfTvmlff] damage.

.^k^
alias

AUrang2
i..

-On Saturday *> a** (Dara) who also

***
paid

tbe

m
(i

**

flnd

"*"

" **"

that the original

Moon Garden, From thi. w. condud, Sanskrit name of the garden turunda*
a

\?fOT *

^*^ <**

the Tar

a return visit.

Then taking cave

go c

Mahal

0%

*****

jtow)

8th instant on flunky and today tbe

w j*w

**

chu *

" am

; bl

the vicinity

5 ^
AD,

Tejo-Maha-Alaya must have ben Chandra Udynn W derive this conclusion from our research obaenration that MusSm invaders used to translate contemporary Sanskrit tomi ktoPmta
after seiavre of premises or persons

Tbe concept

of viewing the

onipuf..."
Thus from Aurangreb'a noting
it

Taj
is

in

moonlight

is, therefore, obvioosly of

Hindu, pre-Shahjohan

apparent that In 1652

origin.

iir ut Taj Mahal bunding complex hod become so ancient that out in 1652 A, H needed elaborate repairs. So what was carried Lbe repairs to D. wai not the completion of a new building but
an old building complex.
ia itiS) it

Another noteworthy

point in Aurengzeb's letter

that

Is

that he

confesses to a sense of mystery and wonder

whik the garden

in high

seemed
its

all

flooded and the nearby Yamuna river was

spiu

Had

the Taj Mahal been a building completed

stream yet flowed quite a

respectable distance awsy from thw

in

would not have

fallen to

the lot

of a chance, lone visitor

rear wall of the Taj.

We

have also observed

our own day

thoi

Bar Aurengzeb to notice the defects and order repairs in 1652.

even at the peak of the rainy-season when one *** nothing

o sheet of water everywhere the Yamuna
still

but

The

defects should

have been noticed by the thousands of

workmen
in

flows about 100 ft

sad hundreds of court supervisors

lha Taj Malta).

who were supposed

all

to be builidng
fact

away from the Taj

wall. lb* Taj Natal father Shabjahan commissioned stream keepina away from

And since such serious defects had been

before completion
or the Taj
is

naiad t

yw

Had Aurangicb'a
the aecrel of the

the

"aa*ar-bu3d*i"
taj

utterly

tom-lomming of the un jus Lined, Tbe builders

Yamuna

beomit ** shouldn't have been a mystery to Auranga.*

builders,
if

were no doubt maaler craftsmen but they were not

hthjaban'i contemporaries but Hindus or several centuries earlier. imfleriy ft. was not Shebjahan who commissioned Mahal

thessenrtto any, would have easily explained

Au,

But apparently Aurangiebs sense of

waadm*
weu
"

"
JT -^

the Taj

una anricnt Hindu an

1

Un*
1

likewise the Ta] did not

but as a Hindu tempta

come

into

Mamie mausolwm

palace.

what made the Yamuna current regulated channel nway * m

buflding-complex
of
th.

confine
lhlf

latJfa

!!^ ^'IT" todUwTa)

wouW
Jthe

P0iot

WWch

""" fn)Tn Aunmgwb's

really

been completed in I6KI A. D. the have b*n hanged by the nearest trw
of lb. deoaaaad

memory

u.i tUuu wife unow*"'" tm-y temple pnlace, who. well aware thai (unk i0 ^ near a i construction of massive proportions

Taj un dfiOt Hindu builders of the

Tte*a^-^JW|^-d m
Mawu
'

faj

technkaJ "WD

^^n

by

raising

-fl* Taj

Mnhal

la

A Twnpl. Pik*,

61
Ig^ioft.lifct

Auranawb'*

I*****

And Roeeru Excavation

wdls
I

<**
I

-iw

aide of *
tcVBlj

Yamuna bonk

to con

Wn
fountains are aligned U> the Taj Mahal, dedwelv inAintltu. tbe present building oxiauri even befor. rountaina could have been installed neither Shahiphan iwl successors, the British, Therefom they were of U prr a_ yj" era. Snce Ihey wen, aligned to the Ta, Mahal bjiDdlng

the etream even

Tfl^,

rod carry lb0

Pf*
afl

(WOt *, be*.

<injy channelised not

w * r

**ZZ
^

^J
It

but oruy near the Taj

Fort to

A*U Red no- u roysi mans*, It** in the nam. of

^ ^^ "^ ^ JJ & iWjJ*. ^

r
.

other oncjent

^^

f4u

_ llU 4 V masquerading na

n but on the Yamuna,

^^^

typ.ca,

Muslim tombs

ipso facto that the building too pre-dated Shahjahan. Tnl. p|, of evidence too therefore clinches tbe (hub in f of our wdu8wn that Shflhjahan only commandeered on uncint Hindu lanpia-wlBct

JLa

vow

for

Mumtaz's

burial.

^bTandtc m**^
"pTeTand

with massive bathing ghsts topped

iTEJnTTwni-. Sua
^Lninf ** md ***

to mansions along the Gang* of Lb* Hindus to erect building, Because of that penchant bad perfect the tochnkpic of

Vn

The archaeology officer who aupcrvEned that digging ww Mr R, S. Vermn. a conaervalion aaalntant. Thia aame omnol made
another chance discovery. Once white stroOJng ataff-ln-bainj on iba urrace near the so-called mosque and the circular well on the weetcro
flank of the marble edifice. Mr.

5*

*r*rion and flooding,

Muslim,, beside ban* engrossed were mostly uoeducat*! and were

Verms

detected

hollow Bound

coming from below tbe

floor

where his

ataff hit tht terrace.

of water or by the side of swift unused to building near <*pns*> tradition. Contranly the Hindus currents because, of their desert

had a slab covering that spot removed and to hia aurpriw that was an ancient opening, apparently nested by Shahjahan, to a flight
Into a dark corridor. The broad of about 50 steps reaching down hollow, From thia It to ckar wall under the terrace was apparently on the eastern fcrmra in bide, a that the corresponding spot only knowt and corridor, at lis bottom. And God

where there were none beforesUirtmg always created water reservoirs we cite vast lakes con stractl major building projects. A* iUuatraUons Annasagar) and Fatebpur SOcn. by the Hindus in Aimer (e.g. the

The VetUx got drained away during

Akbars time because Muslim to maintain occupiers of Fatebpur Sikri di dn* t have the knowhow even thai the bundi of that vnst lake Tbe bursting and drying up of
lake

Similar staircase

bow many more such walla,

and

apartments and

storiei liaaeakd.

hkWea

unknot

incidenUlly peart. <olhi to the world. Thia also

sorry state of research with

to have done either any
of the Tal

<^**T*^***~"

made Akhsr abandon Fatebpur

Sikri after

about 15 years' stay

in t captured Hindu Fatebpur SikrL Readers who may be believing that it waa Akbar who had founded Fatebpur Sikri may read the authors book 'Fatebpur Sikri is a Hindu city". Aurangzeb also
'

Mahal nor

whole

Issuo.

A PP**itly

alludes to aecret

rooms and royal rooms

in the

Taj mahfll.

oonslder-Uona have Inhibited research conducing any meaningful

**^!*^S% ^-J^^^^1Z emmaou* l^V" *^*j**

is

Itai other important piece of evidence arises

from some chance

Such academic coward^

highly

^J****** ******<

digging conducted in the garden in front of the

1

marble edifice early

tht year 1973 A

defect

D.

ao happened that the fountains developed

Several leading authorittea the Taj Mahal B. Havell have held that

on

***^ZZ++ Ift*
{

some

U was

therefor* thought advisable to inspect the

main

Our nsenrch

P>(m that that kvid

Uy Imbedded underneath. When

the ground

was dug to

proved that U en-nto nr* ln conception and

hiu.

some haUowa went noticed going down to another five fw* Use fround was dug to that depth. And to the
of
all

before the Moghul emperor

there lay at that depth another set of fountains

.Igniricant

to**o What appeared morv

was that those

* alone pseacomplea. That Hindu to Taj Wial and the .k.11 . comiirUve4y homo out by a

^^^

**

^7^* ^
lTtl

^uirw

**

"J^.

m , ^pte-patac. corr^ lUl to ^ *ood 'SL

W n^

wm

The Tl Mhl

Tnpl<i Pale*

AurnrtKWfc'* I*****

And Racvnt

Ric^u^
T\

U ?3S S^iS

-n .Hide

ntriWl

Mr O*"*""
-

Mih. *.

J "*Ml

<-*-*- <**<

In ISW2

Hindu

tender, Dr.

member

of the Viceroys P.xecuUva frmrJn

B R Ambediu

m
ln

Ik* arUdo. Mr. Jagdeesh, early the writ*r of

of Labour. Purenchund aaw , n(W broken Hindi, Puranchand crfbbtod

hla frustration.

0.

year

>

"JT-^

ta lts

dome. He

tried (o repaj r

the

^
the

fflrtd

nn

^^r.

as the days passed

letter mad* t dear thit remuneration aa theamhiijan and the rtisfaetfcjn rftaadM^ a stately naiional heritage and keeping it h fin. . , generations which impelled
|

The

^l^'J"* ** ""** * ^^^ **

"K^*"1

*'

** ,PW"**

ataUariAib

"

Pureed

to

I^^eared logrc^ " success. Some

with no

commJUwof engineer, wider and longer. A

fc*nl
action

employment
Dr.

in the

upkeep of the Taj Mahal.

Ik^^Z^Z
Punnchand
The

T"1

was necessary

lest the

enck widen and

.^reached

dome crumble
fix,

former introducd Puranchand to the then Viceroy, Lord Ibiuthra* While informing the Viceroy that he intended to mpfay

Ambedkar was moved by Purenchand's esmertne* Ta.

in a White the authorities were

a nistic-lookin K Hindu
the
beal

as an assistant cnginner on the repair of hlnoric bufldingit Dr

them.

Hi*

.upennieoding engineer chance. Since so-called modem, the crack and wished to be given the British engineer failed, bookish engineering expertise had doing so Lhe consented to let the rustic have a go. In
relucUaiUy
engineer had his

name was Puranchand. He told knowhow to that he possessed the

recommended him for some Viceroy agreed and conferred on Puranchand

Ambedkar

also

notional honour.

the

title

"Ratahob".
article,

All this is

on record, assures the

writer of the

Mr.

GuJabrao Jagdeesh,

own

reservations.

He

could have the last laugh,

bethought.
Parent-hand set lo work wflh a group of

masons

to assist him.
filled

He
it

prepared
in

some

kind of

lime concrete and personally

itself

up

the creek.

The mixture hardened and integrated

with

the donw- structure eo well that within a Tew days there

the slightest trace of the crack.

was not

Thii

ukill

of an obscure Hindu

the classroom erudition

mason which had scored over of the British engineers became the talk

of the British bureaucracy in India and reached the ears of the

then Viceroy.

The Viceroy expressed surprise that an almost unlettered Hindu mascn .could beat all hit engineers. This hurt the ego of the
department*] authorities

who had
is

till

then toyed with the idea of

supervisor
in

employing

Puranchand

maintenance

the

^chaaoJofJcal

The Viceroy "a praise had made the mtofcri Mous of Purttochand. They were now determined Lo out of the department He was refused any employment. iljetnbar began World War Q md ihe To) Mahal and * mMUiKnance problama taemed to

department.

\m

recede in the background.

jtoUr Mundy'i

E*tili!nc

ia

CHAPTER V

digging of the foundation in such clow proximity of to, rf*r<_ B urt unless water seepage from th. river
Into ih,

huMu-

C PETER MUNDV'S EVIDENCE

U first effectively prevented with strong miwnry ..ft, -c^iioj

which have been sunk between the

by the andcsil

wdi ud (* builders of the Tij Hindu lemple-ptlace compki

rear

j^ ^
Umnasnd

And
PtUr Mundy. in Riglfsh traveller, was in India from 1628 under the title "Travel* in to 1633 In Mi diary now published l6?7 % f edited by R. C. Temple, Hakluyt I* 08 Curat* and
rupees.

yet even within those short two

yn

Mimdy mmuona

a gold pabsede etudded with gems valued

at six tainted

Readers and researchers may weB 'ponder over the

fact

whwhar
of

"

such

fftbulmiB wealth could be left In the open with

thmwnds
uUy

Society,
obssrvts)

ft

volumiw, 1907

1936, on page 213 of Vol. II)

Mundy

indigent labourers working around and the dust of the masrfv*

'"There is already aboui her

is

tomb

rail

of gold. The

digging

filling

and

fouling the atmosphere? Are such

sad
is

banding

begun and goes on with excessive labour and cost,

scintillating fixtures and furnishings installed liter n building

prosecuted with extraordinary diligence, gold and silver esteemed

complete or even when

the foundation- digging starts? That sudi

common men! and marble but as ordinary stones. (Shahjahan) intends, as some think, to remove aD the city hither, causing hillj
to be
it...

valuable and resplendent fixtures were seen by Mundy around lb*

grave of

Mumtaz

within a year or two of

made

level

because they might not binder the prospect of

dear indication that Munday had stepped

Mumuu't death k * under the dome and inside

Ttris

is

vrry significant passage and yet highry misleading.

that such haphazard notings of

The havoc

contemporary Western

it today. Twit such a bufldlni the building of the Taj as we see <** year or two of Mmtfn'i **& ***1 Is implied within a Hindu temple-palace a t Shahjahan had sefaed an ancimt

that

carelessly flaunted as unimpeachable contemporary evidence of the Taj Mahal having been built by Shahjahan.

Englishman Peter Mundy and the Frenchman Tavemier have wrought in the field of historical research, is apparent from the fact that those notings ore equally

travellers like tie

unequivocally admitted on page

4flfl,

Vol.

I,

or Shahjahan x

own

court chronicle, thsBadahahnama.

Mundv

mention.. To

this

*o

Mundy pva

M uwnhuta* *

Wt propose to analyse the above passage and

show how Mundy "a

noting too support* our researchfinding thai the Taj Mahal is an lanple-palace commandeered by Shahjahan for misuse as

Ml

flfadn idol*

xd

the

maunoleum

JL. We

bnve

*.
u,

noUoed

-b*"- '!,^rXt M-*>

I*.

bna building* in the premise.,

The*, had
.

* * overwritten 1 *ve> P""'" "^Tn^Ww-i"-** * tbM *" Itae-Ml. domed. 1MW( jm h

!T^We ..* y." T^'t^inTt. " ****

l

^^
'
1

dlU-

nave died somewhere between 1629 and 1632.

I**

nnwd u< very prtin.Uy

th. In-. Ihrt of

,.

w M much mon,
rurally
vast Taj building complex.

"

.h-ctvmc^cnvtalUK.ia.F*

^^ ^

Even tN,

Tha Taj MahaJ

A TVmpta

Vtiat*
PttUrr

Mundy'fl Evidence

n
Another very significant

obeemuon

of
Tfc]

P* u IfA .

*****

* ^^ He eouldrt visualise lhal some Renerallons iX,^ would be bluffed into believing that the Taj
_,

Shphjahan

levelling the hillocks on tha

'

p^rt**^

**

Snnh jahan

s levelling of

some hfflocki vhuors

1 ^LSTw* ""^
.

by

Shali J ahan nimje5f

TttV0mlef

wd

man

Btill

remaining on cither

to tha Til mi,!! tid* of ths ,,,

^^o^dr^

of possibly visualise such uyrrfy eould not explicit* We ourselves vfciiing therefore be more

a fala.fiesiion

the Tj. Those are all artificial hillocks rolled excavated when digging the foundation of the

M (w^jj*
<rf

Mu

^ JJ^
ve

wamnivi tempi*, pa*,

very

complex by the ancient Hindus. Thia was a

valors wouldn't be more explicit. For a brildk* aa chance it a lime when visit Bombay or london if re were to else's mansion and has enclosed omebody has acquired somebody to renovate it for his om purpose we

^^
I

common pmrtfct For instance the ancient lowuahip of Bharatpur has t moat smnd 'IVa A-.r4k AitU /lilt fiSf* tniilrtei-a tUA **..,.-* .. out for mnfcinit the moat wan heaped up it. The earth dug ilnny the interior to serve as a hairier and Mence work. Tha nnw
a.

to

massive scaffolding

wb3 the case with the Taj Hindu temple -pnlac*.

artificially
**.

Hntock* wars itMcd

won't dare or care to ask him

how he acquired the

building, for

out of the earth dug from tha

to serve three
r.rk

foundation trench*

Such

he proposed to make, and bow much, from whom, what changes refer to it as his building, spend how much over it We would simply when a wide hiatus of inqujr.es are all the more impossible

the

^nUnim periphery

acirtrta

kr-tftft

ntfct*fi/MkA purposes,

nnmoltJ m no namdy a nmrV A,,.* dumping

'!

ground for the earth, a landscape garden with hillocks covered wHb greenery, and as a defence outwork to prevent enemy formaikiai

wealth separates the two. language, race, culture, authority and

Firstly

from approaching the Taj

Peter

In solid array,
levelling of the hlllocka u> tha

a must

be remembered that Peter

Mundy and Tavemier

Mundy

a noting about the

ancient or mediaeval or for that matter any Western visitors to hurry. India were not researchers. They were chance visitors m a

Moreover

they

were poor indigent

travellers

who

could

not

communicate mtenstvety or on equal terms with Mogul monarchs and courtiers. The alien visitors were completely at the mercy of
the
cruel

Mogul court for

their

sustenance,

for

favours,

for

activity k clwrly Indicauva of exclusion or the mention of other of soma hlllocka was On principal Hong the fact that such levelling eyes of contemporary obaarwrt Ho* that Shahiahan did in the uisigoificant and else will such an w '* brief noting about the Taj Mahal ? in Peter Mundy * """ Mahal what would have really built the Taj

^ ^^iT M ft**,
**^

permission to visit royal precincts, for the

amount of information

Jir

b'ke

TavLier and

^j**Z
*

they could soUni or expect to get, and for the interpretation of

the information imparted in Persian
river water from

Under such circumstance*

it is

for

modern research

scholars

hauled were fashioned and seven-storied structure

^J*J^^Elas M ,
"

to bring to bear their investigative

irio

acumen on chance notings of

Hon to mediaeval or ancient India. Modem scholars have betrayed

in this

over 1000 rooms

a woeful ineptitude

primary quality of a researcher. Proving

the context of the limes and

with a massive wall provided of any ot tbt. the

very guItfWe they tend to clutch si superficial connotations without

bothering to interpret

r&m

*^?Z Z*" "***'"" ^;^*"Em* '^J*^^

*
only

"^^^An*** ****

tha 1-vaBtof

of hillocks.

them

in

drcunoiitnost

in

which those observations were made. For instance,

in the cos* of Peter

Mundy

the most important fact is that he

wa

in India

only for a couple of years after

Mum Lai's

death and

within tool short while he talks of very costly fixtures around the

^ y* \rt**t p^ Mundy ",**. be ** *y Toe h^oxkawere up of the J ^^^^ ^ * the p**P- ^h they might not hinder couple that within ^ ^ f . w^i, a giimpa* to wen. ^44.
also

Why i

*^

rf

hillocks.

yeara

fact

'

^^ ^
lbs All that

eonpon already**** that the Tal building

levelleo

afford rt

The T"J Muba!

I*

A Tempi, p,,^
viaibl,

IVtrr

Mundy

Evldwiw
7?

y the hffloeks
very (*t lb*
lto

and

make

the building,

obJ* of the ancient Hindu bufldet,

hillocks

" fram

Mundya

gMtcmblugo of roligiouB scbolnr tadudW tbdkh* wb o knew the whole Koran by hm*

noting,

u,

pvci wth

hJa presence, end

ihe

j^j

w
wm

be the target of * mnb'dous cncmy'a converting it Into a Lomb open

to
it

Was present by imperial reque*. > grtttbanqu* the then nascent tomb, mi) gueat* partook m

emprm', ftf>T
, , Vlri

^J^^,"* *** "*

1

u.

^ gL^Jf^"
1 .Z
in

*T*

the need lo keep no longer had

out of tha

awf*
that ewwi the

gem -studded palisade and silver jsujdred thousand rupees wna Hindu wealth m taking over the Taj was Lo misappropriate
r

sweotmituts and fruits. Verses from the Korsn mil tb, ^ro offered for the soul of the *<*.] mid > hundred thouamn-lZ charity. In later ye* on othor mntmwry went
attended memorials at the incomplete cdifW

whenw

^ g^/^
Agm
cloth and

rrccted the gold railing, history

3

would

formally accompanied by Jahanam and tha hjmrm Tbn to, tfegy, occupied a central platform set up for the ocoalnn, w4 nmiitmti

w*o removed
J

ft

and with what authority when

dwm
I

mtT continued to rule Delhi and Agra for after bim. Mum Lai's burial in the Taj was only
of the game
carecrow

concealed from public gaze by kanats. screens of velvet, Noblemen gathered under pitched Lents,"

We

wi'ih

to

make

several observations regarding iht

are

bovt

Her cenotaph was meant to be lo prevent the Hindus from ever

extract. Firstly,

Hansen and ethers

as

wrong
the

In calling iht tody

Mumtaz Mahal. Her name

forgery
to
alitcrate

given in
suffix

Badahahnuni

ki

LbH ancient temple^ palace.

What Shahjahon
deity

Mumlax-ul-Zamani. That Mahal

b
the

tubsoquaat Muslim
ancient

the sacred spot

where the Hindu

somehow

with

Hindu

tarm

This done, visitors like Peter

as far
i

Mundy and
Muslim
in
it

TejuMuha-Alayo

alias the Taj Mahal,

first

ringside view. Chauvinistic

Secondly, the fact that from tha very

year

MnmtasYdaih

noc -Muslim visitors completely

of the Taj. Even otherwise

the

has

eclat sad cantnony anniversaries were held at the spot with great it should haw been that it was not a dug- up site which

shows
if

r-

W-s^m

practice during mediaeval conquests

m and wealth and

aparty.

proceed to deal with

cities like Varanasi,

That

is

how whole
in

Shahjahao Even today kanitt the Taj had been commissioned by for if a large ^harfngware and tents vould have lo bo provided than from scorching hast or to assemble at the Taj to protect
biting cold.

annate mention

mediaeval Islamic

o*adaoad, Kiahjahanbad

and Akbarabad

Hansen's and other

writers" reference to
if

**"**

ana with the mediaeval

Muslim court
Hindu

conducts*

are quite pertinent

all

*nd of Afghanistan
transformation

Persia and Arabia

its

aenac. namely that

the buildings t,

otour so as Lo obliterate
f the

Taj Mahal was

one called the Jamiat and the misrepresented as a mosque,

the marble

dome had

P*a 181-182

of his book (tilled

for repairs and for

been endue* deceptive, mlssppropniu

in

^"J^Z ^J^^ Jj23^- * ^ .^V^,,^^ ^

cer
1
_

jnf

by Holt, Rhinehart and Winston)

The central octagonal sanctum

flral

anniversary of

Mumtaz

* msuaotwm

in progress hsd

Mutnta* *s had been broken into and floors W" in a trench. On the upper
that

^T^^^ ^ ^^
miiuM
ta p-rt ta osHnl
_

^^

**** the entire court assembled

>y*l blood, grandees,

none of the

floor,

may

be

left

J **

!f

"" ^^^

and an

pw
gpwnil
inVOlWd
floor*

TAJ Mhil

UA

Twnpte Pat**
thla

ppurr Muwiy'i Evidonei

were being waned up. Since

sealed,

would be clear
Peter

in

no time.

was being u*ed **"* word cenotaph,* ^i^.nrrdibe.tety us*, the was olive Mumtoz though while Shahjahan
ianvd and
,ta plural

^ ^ l^Uy
te^
-W.

left Agra for Enda** -*u. sdeathha3 ^eftaverycunchiogchW^!!! , M U mtaI

Mundy who
in

*1 *

worth seeing
Bcbeber'a

and around Agra

jj

^^ ^^

tf

u*

Taj yet

other

p^Lmerled

Muslim graveyard to rule out any future reverting to Hindu use. This fact rematas poesflxlity of the prani** history scholar*. is unknown even to hidden from the lav visitor and time on hand to make a meticulous study 17 they have enough

CZZ

for burial in

dying they too were tbe Mogul court kepi the whole preancto the Taj premises * that

Akbara) tomb, T** d that Mumtos was buried to lbs spectacular

(I. e.

mZ^^?**** ""* -

J^^

tern pie- palace

complex.
detail

Tejc*^ jt? n HmCa

noting, of

odJbe trad

into vast

funny

which emerges from the

visitors is their confusion as to whether the term Isj-^Uatalri ,* l Cm. J r^. Ik. -...Mil. -MfM the buried woman or tbe marble edifice or the adjumt baiar?

W^
tea

MMIM

of the precinct* they

maid of

Mumun)

in

see the grave of Satunnisa Khanum (the one pavilion, that of Sarhandl Begum (a harem

may

qurcsi of

Shahjahan) in another symmetrica! pavilion, and a number

of other grave* of other

Mohameda. Ahmeds and rbrahlms

littered

"

around in various pavilions to the east and west. Curiously enough those pavakma are all octagonal in tbe orthodox Hindu fashion
as
i*

to* Taj edifice

itself.

When tuch

extensive premises are undergoing Islamic tampering

to

from top to bottom

alien visitors tike

leisurely fashion

over a number of years

to refer to
it

Mundy and Tavemier are bound

it

i
the

a mausoleum under construction. But

fa

upto the modern

researcher not to be misled by those nolings

full

and to understand
,

implication of

what those travellers have said In the proper

context and perspective. Researchers

Shahjahan himself has

Taj. Cootrarily his

must also not forget that no inscription claimed that he buflt the to Bidsruhnama admits that it was Raja Mansingh'a

mansion

should also be noted thai in tbe whole of Shahjanhan's court record (here li not even a tingle scrap of paper alluding
It

to the building of the Taj and not

single blueprint of either the

whole bunding or any of the decorative jiands In it. The construction work that all and sundry refer to h nothing hut the graves, raising a acafroWmg. leveling U* hillocks, engravlnga of the Koran on walla and sealing of the surplus stories If thi s Is dearly understood rvary student of history end visitor to the Ta] Mahal the riddle
.

fcahjehan bimaeir not aaying a word about building the Tj Mahal tail other al.en, repeatedly referring to the building work

CHAPTER

VI

SOME ENCYCLOPAEDIC VERSIONS

sligned North and South. A central aquar, 334 ydawtrim oWon on e8ch Bide ' keVBB at tach en.nll 334 ydi, conslats of the sandatone entrance tbe aouth teay -building while that at the norh (river attendant service d ewiprisw the mausoleum itaelf , flanked on the west and task two symmetrically idiaitical buBdinga, the mosque

"

"

^
rock

EVEN

though

we have

concluaivejy proved in

the preceding

ptew by quoting SmbjahsD'9 own chronicler Abdul Humid and freodb visitor "Iavernkar that tbe Taj Mahal is a commandeered

ha >**& (answer) respectively. AH b enclosed within a high red sandstone boundary well with octagonal pavilion turrets at the comer* while outside the enclosure at the aouth are ancillary buElaingi

^
u

Hands

palace, yet in order to acquaint

this bfind

the reader with an the

stabks, outhouses and guard quarters. The whole complex ia the begums memorial, It was conceived and planned as an entity,

rmuTationt of
sf I

man's

buff that has been going

like to

on about

the Taj Mahal for 350 years,

we would
we

discuss every aspect

Mogul building- practice allowed of no subsequent addition end is the most si puficanl architecturally or amendment. Its northern
since

with mosque and j&wab of red SQcri sandstone, with marble necked
(not bulbous)

domes and

architraves and noma restrained

pktn

As part of audi a discussion

r

intend

giving the reader

succeeding chapters,

stent
rtsat

vfrBom

a sampling of the diverse and of the origin of the Taj Mahal, Let us first has to say
:

mausoleum of dura surface decoration, pure white Makrana marble. This mausoleum standing on 312 |L
square marble plinth 23
ft.

constrast well with the

high

is

a square or 186

ft.

with chamfered
ft.

the EoQvtepmedi* Itaianyr/c*'

corners and with a massive arch in each face, rising to 106

Mahal, the mausoleum

htbjihan in

built

outside Agra In India,

on the south bank of the on the orders of the Mogul

Over

all is

a bulbous double dome, supported on

ft.

taB

drum

the

pinnacle of which stands 243

above garden

level.

The kyBne

memory

of hia beloved wife,

Arjumand Banu
(of

rhythm

is

enhanced by parapets over each

ft,

arch,

comer pinnada
of the plinth

3ed afumio-MUid "chosen one of the palace "

haJ
is

and domed kiosks over each corner. At each comer

stands a three storied minaret, 138
Inside tbe

a corruption). She died in childbirth in the Boi-ninir in 1631 after having been the emperor's

high to tbe crowning kfoik.

ompaniwi aince their marriage in 1612, The building >oad in 1632, after plans had been prepared by a council from 1U.. Peraia. Central Aaia and beyond; the ihe fmal plan i, given to one Ustad In. either Turkish tough tbe maater-builders. masons, inlayers and the material, ihey worked with, came from all <*** A*a, More than 20.000 workmen were

with the octagonal chamber. embellished tha e***low relief patterns and fine pietra dura, containing marble decoritai of the begum and Shahjahan. These, of exquisite pert superb jteni dun. are enclosed by an

mausoleum

is

A vault marble-screen studded with precious stones. Tha Mogul* garden level, contains tbe true sarcophagi, w finished like goldsmiUw
lo

.*

*_

have

'built like Titans

is

and

iho Taj Mahal

their finest jewel/'

X*

l*** Z*** ft
***

* mausoleum building itself by 1643,

** ^

the reader in the opening part of the extract,

may

not*

******

of a redaogle measuring 634 yds. by

Hial,

Vda.lHHiM.

Begum explanation given of Arjumand Banu t ,( which lS w p*to j of ho title n m the nHnttwi the tin meaning iKo chosen one of the tBt Urlyshtnrtt* e*pl*n*^ cHaW Mahal is a corruption) Thl. } pgJ-o> a. a. .ifmln rana^BHlafi , her death bo^ <inc-l title stuck to the queen after >4hin -, We have quota! wat chosen' ' for the burial.
j

uuo
.

T^ ^ ^ ^
.
i

..

The Taj Mahal

la

A Temffa Fab*
Some Encydopwdlc Vcrdoni

Mahal" la a contraction of the lady's name 'MumLa* Mahal"* was never Mumtaz Mahal. Muslim are wrong. The tody's name when she was buried psrtanc* foistod that name posthumously
Taj
in a palace.

fM U* on* m

alive ber name while Mumtax chrooid* to show that "Mumta* Mahal" but ''MumLaxul-ZamanF'. Accounts

wm

wM
tike

Kntyriopmedm BrfWmica which presume that the torm

then a year? No scholar or writer seem. to have diverse versions of the Taj Mahal to such do*

smiting

*>)*** **

We

would further

like to point out that the

Thus, far from the building getting

is

the

lady,

it

the lady

who has
So

acquired the
irresistible

name from name from the

its

to bo quoted later does not council of architects but aays that, of 1 several plani from different architects, one was chosen.

Jnyankosh (encyclopaedia)

AfAtmrajhtr^

tnu
ortwy

Another point
In the

is

that

Emperor Shahjahan' B own

was the beauty, commandeered Hindu magnificence, majesty and fame of the commandeered Hindu palace thai Shahjahan's deed queen got a new posthumous name from
palace.

chronlder

passage quoted

earlier docs not mention

any blueprint or

architect.

He

is

right,

end the encyclopaedic accounts fab* Because

buried in a readymade palace.
It
it

as said by him,

Mumtaz was

If

the fcinullaiing building.

The Eneycbpaeda places the death of

Mumtaz
it

in 1631 while

s plan had actually been made. Sbahjohan's court papers. But

Rs,

should have been found among

is

not there. The amount of

it

ww

will

show

later that

other accounts place

is

anywhere between
carried

forty million mentioned by the Encyclopaedia Hiiisnnicst

1620-32.

So even the dale of Mumtaz' a death

all

uncertain. Naturally,

10 times the amount of four million rupees mentioned by Sbah^ahnn'i

therefore,

subsequent dates of her

exhumed body being

own

official

chronicler Mufla Abdul Hamid tahori. quoted

earlier.

to Agra, and of the mythical building of the Taj

Mahal are concoctions

The reader may

note this as an example of bow the

cost of the

This should convince the reader of the utter unreliability of

chroniclers with regard to even such simple

Muslim

Taj Mahal has been inflated in various accounts.

imporatnt dates. This point also illustrates of the Taj Mahal story is suspect,

and definite matters

The Encyclopaedia's
"stables,
flncillaries

reference to ancillary buHdJngi inch

is

bow every

aspect

outhouses and guard quarters "

noteworthy,

ftich

are never needed by a dead person. On the contrary

in

The Encydajmedh mentions 1632 as the year in which the bunding of the Taj Mahal was commenced. In the extract from Lhe Mttemshtreeyu J/tymkosh (Encyclopaedia) which we are going
to quote hereafter the year of the commencement of the Taj Mahal stated to be 1631. Such inconsistencies are inevitable when the initial date of Mumtaz' a death is
itself

they are always needed

a Hindu palace or temple

The octagonal

EncycJoptedi* pavilion turrets mentioned In the

fomaytnt. Rami are a Hindu royal tradition deriving from the capital Ayodhys was octagonal is the ideal of Hindu kingship. His Sanaknt tradiUon as mentioned in ValmikTs Rvmym*. Hindu.

unknown.

alone has special names for

apeclal guardian deities for

all

the eight directions.

It

alw
|

spscuT.

Equally loosely, the Encyclopaedia Briuuwica asserts that * 'plans been prepared by a council of architects from India. Persia. Gentry Asia and beyond."

all

to wield authority in

all

include the heaven above

kin n suppu the eight directions- A These 10 am the 10 dJracUoiw. The pwnsai and the nether world

The above assertion need, to be

I

closely examined.

Assuming

ss the year of

buMng a building points to the heaven while the octagonal points to the nether world. Thus an
with ite its pinnacle and foundation accords to all " the king's or Cod's authority extending ft fa. therefore, that orthodox Hindu

Mumtaz

!Lr*L ^ batjjrchltact*
uunt^d.

f buUockc"rt
in

we would liks to ask whether d *"d transport it was conceivable *"

a death,

cbo8cn> explain*! the kings '. Idea of a fabulous tomb, a council aUbUshsd to finalize the plan. the materia) , hboiir ^tieoU* and lbs building work b*un,

remota pari, of lhe WOr]d

^^
or

The octagonal shape of

turrets provs
tradition
it

the Taj Mahal Iuk^

^ * ^^^^ <^?^ ?,+**

*f
u
.

^^

(****

ntliMm

j,

^iHn

^ yMr

^^

Hindu in den*, to be out and out

significance.

mas0

an octagon has no

r
wrote**** *rteW*
*

Tl TVO Ualwl

Is

A TVmpfc

p^^

giara,

Kn*yrtopoHU> Vtrstana

wroo

d the TBJ Mahal

tcrmJn l tbo four mrb\ "fninareW.' Muslim minaret,

to

Comparing itw two encyclopaedic account* obviourf on some of the moat himdy concocUona avaDafoiiithj^
^Ujt,,, wr find that they ,jn.uy
difr*r

L
;
i

building part of h
it*

These ones which are detached

Hi " t,U pil3arS 0l" * WPf3

ft

^XT*" ^
4

^"*

m*m marl* *"*"" "*

"^

plinth BOLbtc&ed minarets, In towers lest it bo mistaken for with cwr fc* fawd up account given by the mid** let iu now compare the
fc

Hindu tradition every sacred

The vacant estate referred to above 1, t rdac,*ptv*, . SbahMhan a court chrome er assert* that & w
Man^tf,',
fi>r

palace eet amidst a majestic garden that wai chosen

lofty

Mumtai't

frwfanw J^jnafatfA
TV
T
r.

(encyclopaedia)*
:

Jfcteafitow^* Jnyankosh say*"

Taj Mahal
It

for

i*

reckoned as the most beautiful building

Aa against this the Encyclopaedia Briiarwica wanta us to believe that it was a council of architect* who Jointly planned the monument.

The Matentshtreey* Jnyankosh asserts that plans from different eminent archilecta tad

Shabjahan

called

aetata! on*

lbs worid.

bested on the southern bank of the

Yamuna

abort three mOea from Agra City-

Twenty thousand workmen

the excellence that

Here we would
where
these
architectural text
literature ?

like to

srcMtocta
-

vd

to buSd

it-

The buOding

testifies to

ask which were the uxkdusctunil ftctooli studied or taught? Where are Ihdr
In

books to be found

undent or raediMyvd

architecture had thai attained.

t6n7

D,

when Shabjahsn was

fifteen

years old (his

alias

As against ibis we can list hundreds of text* Muslim of tbe ancient Hindu system of architecture and civil en$neering.

[arperor)

Jahangir engaged him to

Arjumand Bano
.

We

shall also

prove subsequently how tbe Taj Mahal

nruwm

to

Mahal, five yean bier the two were married

She

died

Hindu

specifications in every detail-

Burhanpur la 163] A. D. Shahjahsn grieved her toss so much that be did oat attend court for eight days, He used to sob inconsolabh/ aar Ma wt!e f tomb. She was first buried in Burhanpur, but
-

Another question that a true rweflrcher must ask Wmwtf it whether even a single blueprint . among, may be, the drama wndered
is available

odj was eahumed and taken to Agra. To the south of Agra immft had some landed estate. The Emperor purchased
i

among Shahjahan 'a

court papers? Along with thoat

and

called for building plana from eminent architects. aa approved and a wooden model of it was got

receipts givw for tbe material blueprints should tdso be tbouaaiuls of account of the amount* spent received, the day-today expense muiter rolls .How i* on tbe Tfej Mahal, and the labourer*'
i

of the building as per the model commenced D. and ended in January 1643 A. D. Makammal AMul Karvn were the two chief supervisors. The building .00 Afridi aaserta ft cost Ra. 91,700.000 and the

meuon

the ktada de^rrib^d abov*. that not even a scrap of paper of

available ?

While the

B*yctop*H*

Britmnica mentions only

w
22 yart to
l3

TTOta**

- Amanat Khan Shirari,

iWar;
((fc)
.

Essa mason,

nnuher. ZatmuEaand

Ka^m MakamTnal Khan. Abdul refem.ee to it. mentions those of and a few others*
mention an* Budstehmtma, does not

Up^nchJe

^y
M
V-

MM

j^ ^^
hm
Used
in

[smaD Khan Rumi

lhe bui]dj

varieties has

Jnyankosh,

like the

construction While the period of

rtown.yWdJnj:RS)
>.

iro^^enueforthoupkoep

an.

Encyclop^i*
,

****** 1

ahnptuid garden."

^^
many

icntfoned ^""""V

^^ *m

in

11

%^^

m TavomJer
accounts.
Jliiwrtw*,
(hid

of the v_ the biter on while ,i 1*1 *r i one

""^

Tiw Taj Mahal

Ttetnpto

p^
CHAPTER

th

-^

ifrnvkVHii*

Mtwnk* somehow C hoo^

*
" differef1t

h* w th*

d*w
1

wod*

IV)

ll

tlM > B*. M7.flO.OW.

Wo

ar*

loss

VII

, what authority

t/

rut*, four mflll*

a*"

** "*** or dl*believe tb, a^J^'* ofncW chfnrfc1or,

A RECENT CONCOCTION OF THE SHAHJA11AN LEGEND

0* JAAMiAirmw
* shown

the Envelop***'* Brihtnoht and U may l noted Umt both " 20 000 1 * bourers " A.

M**"* **
fart

'

ajrfl*- Jt

who claims that 20, 000 labourers l Tawnier

encyclopaedias have to rely on court records make no Tnwntar'i fltfurt b* that Siahjaban's sizeable labour force. matins of n> labourer* or at tost of any

rnjiloH- TNf

Umi'u

A REMARKABLE
own day
Weekly
is

instance of

how

the antecedents of the Ts] Mahal

all

continue to be a "free-foT^all" theme for provided by an

write* even to our

11

article published

in

tht Hlustnted

Tha
hud

it

* Klarin* anomaly, Shahjiihan's court

regular

muiur

roll

papers should have of the huge number of labourers who

years on end
is

of India.
shall first reproduce the whole
article,

We
on
it-

arude and then ottnnunt

am

supposed to

haw

tolled for

in

building the Taj

The
is

a typed copy of which wai provided io us by

:

Mahal

TV

bwncr of any such record

a clear indication that

a friend,

as follows

Shahjihsa did ran bufld the Taj Mahal.

la

He only buried Mumlaz

,

oammindorrrd mansion. TSvernkr was only a casual foreign

I

vidtor

ll

figure t* only
it

Mualim haimwson
oortlng Mutlim

beamy gathered from bluffing chauvinistic Shahjahsn'* court who were interested in

"TOE BUILDERS OF THE TAJ MAHAL ANCIENT SCBET REVEALED "TOURISTS come from the worM over to see the Taj at Agra

"chirvnnonU".

and marvel at tbe genius of the archltecta thai could plan They wsrecoenna^alonad accomplish so lovely a 'dream to marbte" raise mausoleum beflttfag by tbe Mogul Emperor Shabjahan to they bis beloved consort; sod his love for Mumtaz Mahal,

and

all

**
ide**,

this

Wonder

of the World.

"Yet. despite sinuous

had remained a my**; wfld were abroad, Even Bcrnier

the architect was
killed left

^ "^^S (W *^> "J^J

"
the secret of

efforts to discover

their

b* *

be

a rival to tbe Taj created.

"Rut the s<*r*

book discovered

H* U* h **
at

W^^^iTSTl
^^iL*****

M^t*
ur

Bandore. The

glory of

buMng

to a family of Lahore

architects.

^.^^ ^ "^
Ahmad
the

bis three

by Mohamad Khan. putflahsd

daUri April 4. !*

"

tht

UW*"

Mahandis. author bring Uihfuttoh

tfvhluciB. and
ft *

Im* 30& v**

himself one of the rh **

old, falling

A
**>

Racant Concoction Of Tha Shah]ahn Ufmtf

earlier wenrfona

^j^
o, e

ywr* of Shahjahan"* reign.

* la*

or 22 years as the

baka.

H
tbt w*fl
Natfvi,

h ban

declared to be the only

copy

-known authority on thew matters. Syed Suleiman Principal. Shibly Academy. Azamgarh.
(a in

writar MrMohsmed Khar, "despite strenuous efforta to discover the Identity of tbt
b

We

fully

agree with the

lea*

,w

^
i

&v,ib

that could plan end accomplish so lovely

Identity has remained a mystery,"

archil*

"drew*

in

mirtAt Um

handwriting. As a noticed from different verses, the author was a staunch follower
c

"The book

Mahandis*

own

That means tbal the nanua given In ibe encyclopedia, above are not considered reliable by anybody, Hod Um

^o^
been

Shlkoh, finahjahan's eldest son,

to power, after defeating

and when AurangTeb

finally

Siikoh, the author and his famii* wffcred. He sent a petition la the Emperor (page 67) bin oa "t was not heeded the family had to retire into seclusion and
poverty

Dam

<

considered reliable nobody would have bothered to contuuuf tbt search Tor the "rear names. The search will never ml bocnat
it is

proceeding in tbe wrong

itself

direction. Tbia unending sardt a proof that Shahjahan did not build the Taj Mahal, Had ht
it.

(page 68}
"It seems that the book
in

really built

the

names

of the architects and

all

tbe*

other valid

details

would have found

official chronicle.

a place in contemporary chranicka and

was very secretly kept by the

family

bis

own

contained verses in praise of Dars Shikoh, The lubeequent dates and writing on the last page show that
it

far of Aurangzeb. as

But despite the unouthentkaty of I he

differing

names mentioned

book

am

the

brought and was kept in the library of the historical

by the encyclopaedias

in

describing the Taj Mahal,

* do not hlama

Nawab Ebrahim Khan Hazbar Jung, the famous Mohammedan general nicknamed Cardy, who sided with the
peraenage

the encyclopaedias. Their accounts art obviously based on the di*ene imaginary veraJong recorded in a number or Muatfm uccoonta likt

Mahtrataa in the battle of Panipat in 1761 against Ahmed Shah Abdall. The book has been in the family of the present owner for "wrations. but it was not noticed until Moutana Sycd Suleiman
Jidvi.

Mohammad Amin Kazwim's

Badstehnnm*.
Inriyat

BmfshahiwnB, Abdul Hamld lahori'i

Khan's Shxhphan-mtma; Mohammad Mohammad Bodskahmunn. Mohammad SalihKambua Amfri-Sdih, Mohammad Shanf Hamf Sahahjnhun-aam. Sadik Khan "a

WW

lie well-known historian, author

the monthly journal

m,
W

and editor of the Moariff of the Society of Authors and Shibly Academy,
it

U.P.) discovered

and. on information gleaned from

in the

MWwSal*tin; Mufanal Khan's TmKh-i-MufmHlL rn Mum J Khan'a MM-i-Akm. andabohis '\^f^\ tafltt-i* Bai Bharal MoB.'s toWart

"^

^^

Zinnt-ul-Tmirikh and

a lengthy

Punjab University,
Vera<

Urdu paper on the builders of the Taj

and the Biwrn-i-AfUdi.

All

chronicle are. tbe above Muslim

all

U*

s!^* ^P**
'

* n tW

***** of " book described " ^e aricle, Sbahiahan, and speaks of his father Ahmed.

Elliot

and almost

Western

scholars.

'

'an

^^^/J^ ^^^
tanpuM
ff^iuii**
ft

fmud.

a^^
mmUi
91

of the world), as supreme Urometer, astronomer and prosateur. He was

Ube
1

unitle

is

Snce the no wonder

*******

through them that they, and

"^J^i^'iao. hav r^
but

Mb

bTiaT?^
He hk
di.
i

W
*

** Shahiahaf> s
Bt

'

^y^
**

Warrant, and was

Agr*

md

<Jsof

/"".

7 C0
^ *
i

,S49
*

l* yeara after tho WE **** ^ the Taj, learnt

Qmla fRed Fm> TJ ** &&* Tbe

at his feet/'

in relation to

med.aeval iwwir tbe entire range or

^^ ^ ^
^j,^
Elan

back to Mr. Mohamed emining in thfa chapur. w^ BOJ

G^"

""

*l .^ **~

18 to 17

vmr.

"*
Anumand Banu

^ M^aJ *as
fc^-,

completed within

death

aa to their {architecta" )

foreign origin bring

not 12. 13

'

Tlw TpJ MMiui

la

Tr*n|4

py^

A Bcami

Concoction CM Tb Shabjsbn Ufmrf

to to"*m r+ftre In unto ** ""^ That it janMnmninm toriwdinf nrtAw. *** Hindu I Muahm (or for that msUi

m mw

tiiw >

Ufhl

BWndnw,a Tha
-

wn,j

*'**

for bunding another Ta| Mahal?

Ws

lwn< " bUt to *U r *Jhnh^,hn^

ibere a

Muslim wldowera under 9|ah|ahan'a

***

rf

g|fw_

rule

MM bang

to say. even the laso

,^-TaJmahala

mentioned

guesses. r* pm.!u.i mf nwtfl*

anybody ha* to make guossai when mention! no designer? Shah)ahan own owl* chronicler Khan. " notes only a Bernier." "dds Mr Mohammed

ash,

whst

right

over the corpses of to a anook at auihjahan? Why .hould Shehjahen dread 1Behin eventuality ? Who had the money to buud another Taj Mahal? W are going to prove in the aucceadlng paga that

who *, ksas their own consorts

em

Shahjahan
baaotifut

himself did not possess the means to order building half sa

Rwi

majestic and spacious aa this ancient Hindu palace- cum -tempi* known to us as the Taj Mahal.

rumour

that the archil**

rival to

" WlM
all

lest the secret of hLi art

be
whether Shahjahnn was playing to tbt gallery and seeking a cheap exclusive architectural patent for tha Taj Mahal in wanting to forestall and foreclose other damn, or
is.

revealed and

the Taj be created."

to tdl

The

third question

Her*
10

*r would Uk*

renders nnd students of Ttistory

lumdfenp of Western visitors during Muslim rule The Mualim court being a parasitical graft deriving Its In India ausUnant* from the rap of plunder and massacre, it exuded nothing

nmnmlwr one

was he a genuine,

inconaolably bereaved ipouae? One*

we

art told

(by Tavemier) that Shahjahan buried MumLai daw to a bsxar to win public approbation. Then we are told that he murdered the
architect to prevent

bui falaahnodt
blunter

arid

rumours. Even ordinary

talk

was

nil

bluff and

The Western visilon at Muslim court* had willy nilly to nexwd tha facile and facetious replies they got from hangers-on
at the

him from obliging some other likely grand Moghul in building a rival monument. AH this makes ua wonder whether Shahjahan was a dignified emperor or a clown of tome

Muallm

court,

When,

therefor*, poor gullible Bernier asked to

be shown the

Smkespearean play with his hand on his eye fixed on public acclaim 1
Yet another question
s to squander
all
Is,

a dead Mumlat's pults no'

master architect of the Taj Mahal be was effectively silenced and pu i off by being told that the designer was murdered so that he may not build a rival Ta) Mahal for any rival of Shahjahun. A myriad questions jump to the surface of our mind on reading this
absurd plea
At the outset, of course, of thr Taj Mahal could

whether Shahjshsn. so

anft-htsiiad
for tod

his wealth

on

a dreamland

monument

lo otctfe so wild and ueacheroui ss dead wife, would at once turn hit dream a concrete form lo the very architect who gave

we agree that the fictitious be "murdered" with Lbe same

mere

"designer**

facility

with

Another doubt which arises la. expending a and ashes after to live in sack-cloth Immortalismg a corpse?

^*^^K
hi.

**

which he was

"muted"

Writers of shilling shockers often create

flourish of their

and
pon

kill

some
is

of their characLera with a

There

no rcwn why wagging tongues at Shahjuhan's court

art.
is

km*, to m> -*-rf-W. . -. o< * gynwiy

n,e<lc^Uvl>-litaPP>" cb

-*"**

-"* ""
i

nead have been tagging in that

Ob* of
recorded
It

the questions which arise

why was not Bernier

told

at least the

name

* '"^"-n,-!

imi""^

of the murdered

man

so thai ho could have

for posterity ?

Or

ia it

argued that even the

name was

"murdered" 1
The second question ia, whether raiting a Taj Mahal it mere fun ao thai anybody could get up and book the name architect

A
Ikceftt CoeeosilQn Of

KM

Ttw

Taj M*hal Is

A Tempi*

Palac

Tha

Sh^hm Ucn4 unn^ Ht

book
bi

Th rather of tb# article Mr. Mohammed Khm, claims that "the ** has i but bn found" W* wish b* nadly had found
ft

Wf a rwiy
T*ij

to accrpt a part of lb* implication of his claim,

Mfl handta to fe*ull* ihs tedium of an WTn * Persian vine and tucking away U*

^
c*ar

I
.

namely that all

of thr

i he books and accounts hitherto ascribing the creation

^d

regale posterity.

Ho does not

aw*

to

to havs

Mahal

to other Architects are false.

t*

But as for the second

for here

we

are, confronted with his

b^m

E5
du

implicitly

part of hit daim, that his version

the last word on the mntter,

m a

aa the ultimate and exriusiv*

vmtan, and wfttfZ

^prf

lflrth

M ^JT

last

wp

Err ifmid
Still,

ft

is

untenable*

attach itreat value to hfs discovery of tbs manuscript in the IFbntiy of Mr. Mahmud Khan of Bangalore, because it further

w*

won! on the Ta| Mahal, But alaa. even this hum. %w^an *n receive by posterity coldly and dropped life a hot bride, it to make any ImprasaidQ. How could It hope to, anyway 7 My venim
of SbBbjahan's sponsorship of the Taj Mahal will to tot a battery of questions - So Ahmad Mataandia" claim too has been wfjerad to glide silently down the drain of history by in unimpreawri posterity unwept, unsung and unheeded.

hm

support* very firmly th< Assertion

aaaortian
is

we had made

long back.

Our

that so far a?

we know no

historian or university has

under one cover all the (fictitious) accounts of ShahjahjuTs sponsorship of the Taj Mahal No one could
**er

damJ

to bring together

Yet

we

are ready to concede two uses of the IjAhfuDah

is

vmta.

ever hope to succeed fn such an undertaking.

It

was

like trying

Its authoritarian claim

useful as a stick to beat the other cqtuDy

of the

to fathom bottomkss abyss of forgeries or fencing off an ocean

fictitious versions with,

Its

and to turn them out

fkM

of history

of falsehoods.

other use

is

that

we

see no

harm

in

admitting tathfaDab

What Mr. Mohammed Khan has discovered, therefore, is nothing but yet inotiHT fictitious account. Any number of auch could still be discovered in any port of the world, because who knows how

Mahsndis' claim that be, his two brothers and thar fstfwr Ahmad were among those employed by Suhjahan si gravtriom,

many

person* during the

.

last

three hundred years* had their fingers

stone-masons, scaffolding-ere^^ toning a commandeered Himta had those superficial changes made in
palace into a fjravelyardflere

in this make-believe pie of the imaginary

Shahjahan sponsorship

of the Taj Mahal.

we also admit that the different names vw in

iha various

The
is

article Itself

has the

'germs"' to indicate that the "pie**

stale stuff.

The very

fact that the

book

is

bodge-podge of

persona bearing tbooe nana in the sense thai Hindu palm* Into role in turning the

hand and

nlavcd a

the praise of one Moghul prince and a claim by the author of having

221

been a master-builder of the Taj Mahal along with his father and

two brothers, and the

fact of the
-

book having been lucked away

'

m s cellar for fear of Aurangzeb

clearly proclaim that Lathf uDah accwnl deserves to be ranked no better than the other Muslim chrunidw namely as y another cock-and-bull story*
all

hundred tmnm\ta*. of which only * few uitrot. they should be there to no iwnmi why being But R is the n>,e tb* .

US
.he

******

;[Z
Muslim
bxtib.

com, down to

^
to

why

Aursngufeb

*w

too shrewd, hardhearted and hard-headed an

riDuig years, with the maak the par.de UP hy ^ther to

^t ^:ZZ?l*^#" W MiM '*

I

fM

>*

^^^^^
-

J^^Jr <*** *l*

^
fl

empmir
qucitol

Ut tolerate such fantastic

and

fictitious claims.

We

have

Wb

Aufwipeb's own letter to that efTed elsewhere in this book ht knew from pmonal knowledu* (unlike modern historians)

the in admitting ril be lh03e of the

MB

tomb tronsforrwUon
truth
to

was an uwrp*i Hindu palace, what Muslim mason or architect owld dare cany favour with him claiming to bt us a*M#r! h was Ub fact which ubviously led tathfultah

thst the Tsj Mahal

moodhi ev^

^^r^ ^^^ J**""".^^ ^'^^Sw-*

hW irrt
.

imml*

^. w *

ttoloo^

ihe one of .he tori* of new finding , if U ** version. end. of the older

^^^^ f^^^Tr ^to^* rw** "**

^!T*

Yet

AnoUwr Confumd Account

together end nlcflfuny tied with ujp | W(h bo smaced .a to carry a atrong platform,

^
40

CHAPTER

VIII

roadway with o slope of I In ST), to i-h t~._, carta to run over it, and to bold dump,
work- This spiral platform was coounuou, dome, and remained In position UJ1 u,
8

" ^* mu* ami *! ,**

'

it

2! ****' * .""
ran

of matcrlali

for ceawinjctini

YET ANOTHER CONFUSED ACCOUNT

work
level

designed height of 240

^^

ft,

above ground

wereengagcJ tobundtheacaffoldtagandpl^fo^.^^r;
and 300 blacksmiths were employed on this length of the spiral platform was about 4.800
hoisted

l^T*

* ^

pr^ ime
ft

^l
(ha snfa

with our plan to acquaint the reader with *- wateaaaj; of the wide variety of the traditional, confused

ICCXWSUNCS

of tor origin of the Tnj Mahal,

we

by means of Persian wheeJa which we fitted on platform. These were worked by bullocks and mules

The mortar i

'w Dtohcr
The
bit

are reproducing here

article article

"

which also appeared fn The Illustrated

thus
built,
;

rum
was

materials for the massive work were brought from many distant places. The marble stone was obtained from
MsJerana in

"The

to* Taj Mahal

the

many mechanical

aids

Rajputonn, for which about a thousand elephant* wen engaged. The maximum weight of a block of stone w*a abont J.S toot,

ware unheard
i

of; yet the

extraordinary ingenuity

which

is

the safe carrying capacity of an elephant

also engaged to work the
pulleys

A number

of

M"i

"*

* kahte
<ml

amatractioi, and the high degree of engineering in fta design make the mind pause.

elephants were

*'The

Umber

for scaffolding was brought from the Kashmir

bullockcarta wttt

ware the talent and

long and 373

skill

of the artisans

and Kaini Tal areas. About 200G camels and 1000

M toia fabulous architectural dream into brick

ft

employed for carting bricks ami light materials to the oon&rurtJan

site

ft.

wide was excavated

and about 1000 mulea for

lifting

the material!

atoflf the tplml

-S. trm T* "2

"**"*

***** W8i
bbte

foundat,on for ih. three heavy structures.

"*
ne
fa

1^

whole

platform.

Mniulic

"The marble
the pulleys.,,

stone required for dram and dome

lifted

wu
by

draaaai

on the ground and then

and

laid in position

mama

of

". About 20,000 men

i.

were engaged on

T^T ^T^^^the
ilh

J? mQi * tbe *** *

^J WahaJ- 313 Hi hy^uhc lime mortar

rubble masonry

finished, work "After the main dome and drum work was hand and coropkiad on annexes and subsidiary buildings was uken in In the same manner... comers or toe Tal Mahal-

"There are four minarets at

the four

" t marble facing

"The

river

Jumna was

hair s mile

away fromlb*
lati

was

set.

After the building was completed, the tho beauty or to How alongside tho Taj to add tt>

rif" U
AnRMmi mi "

*^

*** r i2 ia^K*

"^^

Mshal. and designed and construct* Uw Taj H PP" " quantities of precious stones used.

Contemporary Muslim

^*"*?
chief dosignar

"^ELm **

who
n.

^^

,,.

Amor*

Afandi. of Turkey,

was the

'

^TVlit^MT^^
Y*

Aoccont j^atbfr Confu***

^
JL
,

Yamuna rrrer to flow ^ for diverting the distant the tetter, bow daw the less Mid
fa, Mahal

an
as

J^e We m*81

all such ikffl The frv **** uj,, Muslim regimes tacked incessant plunder and turner* eancsapai :. those day of devoted u> teaching a few flliterat* fanatiea to read thtT.or

thflt

anci

**

ni*^**^ Maslm
akteast

Iterator* bae

nitectural teatis of

1U own which cooM

mak out . prtaa

of money, would be

]**

,-

present vaj ue

the claim to any architectural or nxlwin fide esse for this, we have a whole lot of Indian, Haidi As against vjjl ctassaks which boast of akQta la afl asptcta of ml Mjd3iwctural those of our own time*. So wonder than engineering surpessing
that
hill

cM

see standing even to this day the majestic and maaan* Bflaner, at fortresses of Aimer. Jodhpur, Jatsalmer and

we

w*

as the

wonder shrines of Remark. Khajuraho. Soraaath. Ajaala, Modhera, tn name ordj a few EBora, Madurai. Martand and
Hindu forta and palaces always uaed to be b provided a natural moat for two reasons. Rivers
ai kaat

oa

perowial source of water, T side and proved an unfailing, and not inherited by of Msnsmgb CU. the one ibi i r therefore, already erected on

Wm

built

by him) was.
is

That palace
river

the present Taj Mahal and

therefore,

dhrofthi

was oot of the question*

2.000J ^****
,

construction

">

l.DOOmutaa and The ngures of 1 ,000 buBock-carW

post-mortem of the

aBowinf f are too round to be believed- Moreover.

account of how IK* *j;r

eaggaration
necessary

we

concede tte

when a huge

palace compJei had

J^j^| .* w
*

for transformation into a

tomb
' nin

for

" *w "> ii a. an _ ^

ft.

We. however,
between the two.

object to the word

minium-There The Taj Mahal has towers but no

^?' " ,^ilffart

JbtfMm <f

! Iw

uibT flattno^*

MusEm

ininareta rise

J/^

"wfcru

ion,,.

" "M

11

fa,

to convert

m,

buildings. Hindu towers start from "'VtJL aha* ao-calM so-called Rutub Minar CDelhi). the j^ sm Taj Mahal Sflcri) the marble towers of the

^m

ta

o nw Aad

lower

in Chittor fort.

^^^.li^

Mr. Mohammed Din

""*

hdped covert the

and wtnnda as fresh Wo ere in full agreement with tht

it

asaerta that ' was at the

But .ince he implies that the

ir>gied

a* ^^ d *
la

^^

--

Th* Ti| Mahal

bA

Temple fed**

Umr,

w dipw
fmm

and

wy

TW

Mahsl es*d ceniuriw

U* temple palnce known ju the More the Muslim invasion* of India.

Mutf

CHAPTER

IX

of ihc article tho writer lelis that In ihe comltullrm portion the Taj Mahal included MO pities of thr pr**tou vtoncs uw>d tn

cwrolkn

Bfl^bdnd,

670 lurquoita from Upper TOot, and

THE BADSHAHNAMA VERSION

ANALYSED

o on. Here wr> would only IFke to quote ihc sagacious Sir H. M> w "The pretended accuracy and minuteness wilh riliiM. H<* Syf :

which the value of gold, silver nnd pnxious stones the astounding eaggpraUorr dbpluyed in cnum^r&i ng
to
ihff

fs

given and

sums convey

mind utrong iniemnl evidence of fabrication"

THE SAMPLE

versions quoted earlier should suffice to convince

is

Though the above remarks of Sir H. M. EUJoi pertain to the many versions of the JAhmtgimama yet they have a general application
to
nil

the reader of the medley that

the Suthjahan \pgmi of

it

Tai

Mahal, The more one goes into

the mare confu*d

tint feels

Muslim chronicles,
would, Lherefor*,
like lo

As observed
inform the writer of the
article,

earlier,

they form a big bottomless abyss which nobody

W*

can fathom
la

From everyday experience we know Unit a basic falsehood

falsehoods.
is

Mr Mohammed

Din, and other readers* that the very moiicu-lousnoss

never adequately covered or explained by aubsequaii

wiLh which Ihe figures and sources of various stones are given
should arouse their suspicions
like the late Sir

discerning and gifted historian

Such falsehoods go on multiplying exactly what has happened with regard

In bewildering variety. Thii

lo the Taj Mahal.

H. M.

Elliot

could with hia uncanny insight see

through

all

such concoctions.
to

The documents
the Taj Mahal,
fact that the

which the author of the

article refers,

which

Mtefedly contain an accurate account of the amounts incurred on

can

which After a general survey of the various sources from Mahal hv# sprouted. concoctions of the Sbahjahan legend of the Ta| Harokl Lshuri. we have arrived at the conclusion that Multo Abdul Taj Mahal lo be a HJnfc pokac*. the court chronicler who admit* the
is

easily be proved to

be forged by the simple

in different

expenditure incurred on the Taj Mahal varies

the only honest one.

versions from four million rupeea to over ninety million rupees*

In bt&wven lie* the source

Let
All

m,

from which Mr

Mohiimniwl Din quotes

this confusion

s liUlr more therefore, examine his cr.ron.cle Mahal about the origin of the Taj the wording
jRl

ii

the expenditure to have been in the neighbourhood of 15 million

(a cron and a half) rupees.

because historians completely ignored hi. words got Vol. I, of the Bsdstehnam*. Perhaps
they had
all

P*

IfJB

The reference to the

dittil

' '

Umber pasta bundled

along fancied the Tsj

M*W * * -

**
<g*j

together'

'

ta

another
Din's

which betrays the unaulhcnUcfty of Mr.

Mohammed
la

rniaed as . fabulous
find

dreamed monument

*-^

mxmx because Tavemjer has already told as mD*Mt, aS scaffotding had to be of bncka
ot
of the scaffolding exceeded that of
all

that

no Umber being

him

and that

why

the

look st the account

* be more truthful and honest kt the * given of the Ta) Mahal

to
tell

^ ^^L.
14

other work executed*

And above iD the gnatosi drawback of Mr, Mohammed Din's rtkk is thai he quotes no authority for his facts and figures.

have tended to

land from Jtosingfc

us that Shahjahan and built a wonder

piece of tond in

candour Abdul Hamid with disarming

who wki
14. *\

given sn open

*7.

Elliot

A bvmm*.

History, (hid. Vol, VI.

**H m*nz3, domed pd.ee We are

Cnuuuil,

V^ ^ &, j^; .V ^ ma***imsa/*^'***"! ** *> *o

*"
for

ob^ J-^
"*"
Jin<b
fabutou*

told

tnotitrsJ

Th* Taj Mahal

It

A Tempi*

Tb# ftottuhahTum* Vtnion Anajy*^

Palace

MB

(& atww)
i

K""J" irnuna
"

,l

rupee, war. spent on the gray, |. not surprising. Tne .animate

rf

g.huhMi wanted
-ft,

*M ylhJn|t
i

"

""" wouW
it

^JT.
*

away the debris, would be ILfr would b stupendous. Carting he spend all that time. Herculean chore. And would uOar another "grand" plot of land and energy hen be had CJtcnan Be ' Besides. s ' ngti ven to nj,ve which he *** not show th.it Shahjahan Dora it what does the exchange show? by building another residence wanted Jaistngb to fend for himself his ancestral palace lo serve while Shahjshan made him surrender

<*

jt*

palsc* which hd a majestic demolition and clearing of

Jading on
its

The

foundation u> dig

mulion C40 lakhs) rupees, the the grave and the cenotaph from the ov^n r the Roranie engraving U]

J * *T*' 1* "" **' ducting

(SlldluH

fa,

JT

m mm?

re^h

various
full

odghta^f the

^ ^ the^Xl^
**.

tptt*

We

have

corroboration

for tbJl

J^^^ ^.^ J^"

.JfoidiogT

than thai of the enUre work. Here the coat of the Koramc engravings is seven Umea that

aa a ready-made

tomb

for hit wife, as well as by the

same
it

stroke of
its

of the grave and As we have several times earlier point*! out. this dlaprcmortionst* expenditure on the scaffolding itself is proof

^T

work waa comparatively

enough that the main

further impoveri&b a wealthy Hindu family and

denude

Insignificant.

power? Was this also not consistent with the general Muslim usurping tradition in India and of Shobjahnn's own high-handed behaviour
wfth ill aid sundry whfch we shall deal with
in a

subsequent chapter

We would like the reader to not* that Multa Abdul Humid Lahorf refer* to the removal of Mum tax's body from Burhanpur to Agra
la a very casual

readers are likely to consider five lakhs of rupees for the grave and the cenotaph abnormal expenditure, and therefore would conclude that something else was buDt with that amount. Such a conclusion is unwarranted, firstly, because Mulls Abdul

Some

Hamid Lahori

himself has given us

correct Idea of the

pW*

taken over. Secondly, as

manner while

talking

on page 402 about somebody

we have already pointed out, Muslim figures

figure

having been suitably punished for incurring royal anger.

Mumlaz'a
it

have to be cut to
margins.

size

by deducting exaggeration and over-atimst*

would
be
reasonable

body
Ihi

is

brought from Burhanpur and straightaway buried under

of a lofty Hindu palace in Agra,

The remaining

because

dome
I.e.

What does
it

show?
Muslim

demolishing the basement flooring and the ground

flooring of a

Lahori says the expenditure estimated (lo transform

into a

palace and superimposing a grave and a cenotaph on them and

tomb.

digging and filling

up a grave, constructing a cenotaph,

redoing the mosaic to match with the

palace,
is

rich flooring of a

Hindu

seating surplus staircases

and basement rooms, engraving the Koran,

bound lo cost a huge sum.

following

huge scaffolding) was four million rupees. We pass thia figure as reasonable except perhaps for some exaggeration and
erecting s

The

conclusions

emerge

from
lii

what

Emperor

Shahjahan 's own court chronicler baa recorded

of the reign,
1.

the official history

over-estimate to allow for misappropriation by middle follows a long sUmoe.

men. Then

Badshahnsma
is
it

The Taj Mahal

had around

s Hindu palace. a majestic and spadoua garden.

in

Humid Ubori gives some names construction, on pages 322 u> 330 In the second

Mulls Abdul

and

details of

2, It

volume of
is

his

m^rHkn^od
u>

tfjAsAiwM. He Mart* from the "foundation" which

u>

S.

The huge

building complex was obtained

exchange

often

mean

.tan

rro

TH ^T.r^ * "**
will god

the foundation of a huge palace. A grave the 'foundation" beam* a dead body is to be 1 lhul thc brought

at ofl) for almost a song.

U-

to ths * bast transferrin!

own*

*"**"

Ml. P. 714,

Badjuhiwrt*, Vol. W.

ataiasi

"W.

faun-wars. panj lakh rupaye bar rsutay.

ft*

WW

masonry

aan bar ruje aameen dseda sismao

daada.

TT* Taj Mahal

T3

A TVmpU? P " lBW>

m
as
snail

*"
*
r^pM

of

^ ^

.m j fjihy because the location

jt,H~ "<* *<* "V^

'7;
e*proP* l0n
a,

mentioned. Most probab.y by turn.ng Jasingh i4tt

^d

^^^
1

IV" mm

blatanl

wi1thy

-Ki*a

\ The

detail that Jaisingh

was

f'HAPTEft X

i9

obvi()US ly n

TAJ MAHAL CONSTRUCTION PERIOD

^
if

that dome soon *> they W, under & Mumiai was buried. to Ago., was .brought tan Rurbanpur bar exhumrf body

The Hindu palace had

dome,

at all

into
ti

(to transform the Hindu palace 6 The csumaUd expenditure (tbe actual expenditure Muslim tomb) was Rs. 40 lakhs,

this chapter oowerdi how tha whole Shahjahan legend of the Taj Mahal is baaed on fueaswara Starting from the unwarranted assumption that Shahjahan

WE ARE

going to show from

had the

unknown):

spent on the grave Of the above sum. Rs. S lakhs was the scaffolding and cenotaph and the balance of Rs. 35 lakhs on
and the Koranic engravings.

Taj Mahal erected as tomb for his wife Mumlai, every detail has been conjured up by different writers according to their own
fancy. In the result, history has been burdened with a

man

of

canards which baffled

Taj Mahal.
In thia chapter

all

attempts at getting to the

origin of the

the Taj 8. Designer or architects arc out of tbe picture, since

Mahal waa never raised by Shahjahan.
9.

we

intend examining the question of Hi actual

period of construction-

Had

the Taj Mahal

really

been

built by

Tbe Hindu palace was known as Mansingh's palace during

it

Shahjahan, there should have been no room or

necessity for any

Emperor Shabjahan'e time though

grandson Jai jingo

was

in the

occupation of bis

guess-work,

for

we

should

have had

official

record*

of

the

commissioning and execution of such a stupendous monument from

fairly plausible fits

The above account being

that the Taj Mahal it

with the truth

eonvmian

into

an ancient Hindu palace commandeered for Muslim tomb.

The absence of any authentic record is a glaring times find discrepancy. Some documents and records which si
start to finish ?

mention in some writings sre apparent

hardly believed in by anybody.

forgeries because they are

Subsequent gueasn about the archiUct. and doubts such as

itaat

the figure of the

>

to)

loo

bw.

amount spent on the Taj Mahal (Rs, 40

altogether

unified und

unwarranted.

tomb the date of Mahal originated as death. But to * commencement should be related to Mumtax's
If

the Taj

with, the very date of the death of this lady

is

unknown-

This

is

what Mr. Kanwar

lid .ays"

"Humla*
but
la
.

****
.

date of her death being 7lh June. There have erroneously placed the event in 1631
in 1630, the
.

*J"*^ w
*

in respect of

the dale calculated;

"w some um*

17- P. 29,

Ihe Taj by Kanwar 14,

Hqum,

57 Daryaganj. Delhi. Price R.

paW**

" "

'

m
twfi l *ff* "" B-, Mumui.

Tb TuJ Mahal
*>0U!d

Tvr,-,,,|.,

i^^

tJoturt/ueKoij IVriod T,j Malml

upon by Ouihjanan

*> mule mil

M#
"

<i

fenib
f

wiuml

OcUUnoB accounts of Ihi origin of the rn j l woh * tamenHblr divergence on the (rtjH ihrre d *h * w K *"* ta >huW , " M,r **r <*<*& T All WM <mn of hb mnny nsoilj| >o SwilWlwwi- "
in

(fuesL

rooma

Was Mumt

Ml
,tiu

syppo^
tar**

cw

BWft y th

bunja and escorted by

a |* slaw expected to receive guests?

3.

^^^ J* <*>* 'wmtaaaartti w

** *"

^^

B ''

temn

iMllfckJ wfth l

J""1 ^A** 0,hcr ctalmanUt or the

canpN-or'i

emnroua

attention.

Tavernier*B account runs oemplntdy <** versions which form the basis of the wicydnoBBdu above. The Encyclopedia Britannia, account

Miulm

thousands of the emperor's A* MumiJU was just one among far death could never calf for any special monument

of the Tavcmler and Muslim accounu taaamuchTit figu its of 20.000 workmen and 22 years from

hTfcu^T^

'^

tar^"

wmving

in

it

the

or 12

yr

TavemW jZ^i

to

unknown we are al i toss Th# data of M until know from where lo counl th* *ix months that her body lay Oat |-nM In Rurhraifwr Even that figure, "six months", may
't tftuth

period fanded in Mu.||

befog

^vernier

aays"

he

wH*rt

the

m ^mn,***^

iW
Un

ell

be

(Mi).v

approiimate and not accurate.

accomplishment of this great work on which they expended 22 yaaq during which 20.000 men worked incessanUy.. Thi coat of it
|

!^^ ^
thr

Even on

arrival in Agra,,
'

nan your"

urnlw the

we ore (old, Mumtax was buried "the dome of the Hindu palace. This makes
vague.

been enormous.. The scaffolding alorw cost more than work...**

Ever* presuming that TavernSer arrived
in
it

mow
^i

data of her bona)

em more

Agra

in

l]

the work began soon after his

uece|it<sl

arrival there,

hould

hm kaUd
of tbs
hii

In spit* of this fundamental

vagueness we would hove

from
by

1641

lo 1663. But, Shahjahan was deposed and impraoned

ihr duration of the period during which the Taj

Mahal who a-building

his son

Aunuigzcb

tn

IBSfl.

flow then oould the work

I9K1. i,e
if,

there had

bean

any consensus about

ia

OnfortuiatWy, tberf

none. IjA us see

among historians. ho* many versions there

it

Mumtaz mausoleum

proceed

until

five
It

ymn
did.

oJVr

losing control of stale affairs? And

In fact.

what art

we
raster*;**

to

make
in

of

some Muslim aaounta whkh

agiifn,
still

claim thai th* work

Jtymkosh quoted by us

earlier

says1

"

had ended

1643 ? Then*

th problem of

UV commmoonmt
air.

of the construction

remains banging tn the

article

j*

iW A

That gives us i period of a liUle

has than

4. Mr.

Mohammed Dins
* '

quoted

earlier issffta.

"1*1

construction of the Taj Mahal was begun

in

IG32 and ) aol

owjmanod

in

UQ Mor. ,.

** * * though * -^^^T^T ****"*

**

-VtZSTZiT
j

"

a *J "'

tn * Gilding

was

completed 03 1650.

Here again we come across the usual vajuan

Mr,

Mohammed

dei# wh> Din seems lo be sure only Of th*

If

huflding

commenced.

<wnpW.."

Unlike the

then what are

started in

we

to

we take 1632 as the yr dtmm**** that to. make of Tavemlcr's aiaertioii

EvenacctptingMr.Mohanunrdl
ba
i

Ws presence 7

of the dale of

why commencement we wonder

the date a

**** o^p^ l^^^^^ythernnusoleum ""WntSI,

stable,
aVn

vague and unconvinced about

"**

~"
.
.

and guard

and

us waa complete? His version therefore glv

paw

^TT

wilh a big question mark thereafter.

"*' 21. PP. "Oft-lit, TreviHiin fndai. cf todta dad S3 Th lllustraud Wkly

f* a

u*M

HI

TTm Tnj Mahal

I*

A Tempi* Pal^ T j

MJihal

Cowwurtlon

Parted

VtC arwthwr version csKmjiU-s tin- TjiJ Muhal lo have boon 1 MihJfr *f4nictfnn fw 17 ymra. This is from Mr. Aram'** book, H# says* "Shnl'jnhao commenced building Hie Taj in lfi.ll, ihn

1W
nddla
all

wraJona or tho period of onwujrciion

of

u*
,

ih ytmt after hi accession. Severn] disigns

montrr* nf Ihr nil from distant lands but

it

wore propared by was Afandr* which

According to our contention that the u| Unwt , .ff lUp|rrntconli^iciioni able to round U1(/

T|
i

J"'
'

, tQon|

our eapHlnriion
the a

'

lHal once

Mumtaz was burl* In

mound

tht.

wju approved. From

the

wooden model was constructed in 16.10 very year of Mumtaz's death. The splendid mausoleum w
this a
'

work

of covering her grave

Wnd"^'

wiib raMon

J"

e^oUph

nod carving the Koran, dragg* on

completed in 16tS,
It

not even certain that

Mum tax died

in 1630,

Even assuming

spasmodically over 10. 12, 13, 17 or 22 year,. undergoes alterations, renovations or repair*

daXT^!
very
fiu.

vntamJTZ^
till

,Z*

that the died In 1630 she

perhaps died towards the close of that

it

emperor to make a decision to build a dreamland monument, have a huge amount sanctioned for ft t broadcast his scheme U> distant lands, have artists prepare plan*, have them sent to Shahjahan, from among which,
is

year. In such

cue

possible for llw

in the case of the Taj Palace) drag on for yearn by according to the whim of the new occupier. To
is

^ ^a

thii

ixunt the

shade of truth

in the different

Vermont qwxed ibovs.

we

are lold, he seJoct*d one, have a

wooden model constructed,

the necessary

workmen

collected, the bewildering variety of material

ordered and const ruction begun, all by 1630? Ts this an Arabian Nights story or history? Had Shahjahan the peace and security wiiiin two years or his accession to indulge in such a sentimental project? Can things move fast even in the best of

adminsiLraUons blessed with swift communications and any architectural and civfl engineering schools where one
i cluster of adept architects and engineers

modern number

can find

handy? Unfortunately iuchanomaliesgabrefailed to arouse the suspicions of any historian,

6.

Like

version

is

also found in
It

77* Columbia UppJncoit

anything.
Tl

ipmn
:

to

ni?i im
)

8U,Us

'"**

w. probably the

in the world..." be arguments repeated above apply to Ibis Gnctuer

most noted mausoleum

^M

, Bu|ff more gure rf

*J Ma

(built

^tel^ how could calLng

rdartng the

for

mausoleum
all

bundmg

plans, selecting one.

in

material. eto.

be done )ust

one year ?

j*nm<m. Jn^stencie^ in^^a^

md
rt

^^ M
** H,Wnfln

Vl^TrJ^

%*' ^"^

TajMahalCo*
guoss<a hitherto

^
made
range from
that

HKMiXJto

CHAPTER

XI
B

mrffl

secnum has noted*

1

"The mausoleum wAi

boildinr cost Rs. 3,17,4#,02n,"

TAJ

MAHAL COST

The Diwwi-Afridi another historical ork. estinuit* a to be Rs 9 crorea and 1 7 lakhs (R* (the capenditurc J ^ .7
(J.
. .

miSkn)

UJTE

THE

period of construction, even the cost of the Taj

the other hand, Mr. Bayard Taylor, an American *fe visited Agra in 1853, wrote in the New York ffenld Trilwc a Sheikh who takes care of the Taj told me Urn the TsJ with
7,

On

>

generalizations ranging between Mahal }m been subject to vbruo rupeetfour and ovw ninety million
I.

its

other buildings cost seven crare rupees. This impossible I believe the real cost Is estimated at
does not seem exaggerated/"
g.
1

is
1

however, quite
.750.000 which

TV

lowed
is

figure of

the cost

concerning the

Mumtax
estimate

mmiokum
Mulls Abdul

thai of

emperor Shahjahan's

own

official

chronicler

n Mr. Kanwar Lal writes

all

"Talkini of the cost of

Taj

Hamld

Lahori,

He gives us only the

initial

there are
|L

kinds of conjectures and accounts, One estimst* puts

but not the actual expense incurred, His figure is Rs,

(four million rupees).
2.

40 lakhs

50 lakhs of rupees. This follows the mention of the figure 'a Badshahnem. According to this historian jn Abdui Hamid lahori under the supervision or Miknmst "the Taj was completed in 22 years
at

Tbt
'

Shahjjihan

Mahars$htmya jnjmkosh figure exceeds that of awn chronicler by one million rupees. It tells us that
on the Taj Mahal was five million rupees

Khan and Mir AMul Rarim, and the

total cost

was flBj lakhs

ridiculously

the expenditure incurred

fHs.

is authorities point of rupees." This ua several labour and cost of material low even for the comparatively cheep

out

50 lakhs J*

of those time..
Din aays
71

There are others- who accept the

total

******
*""
1

Mr Mohammod

"It
" "

is

believed to have cost

the four and a half crore rupees as

,

cost. !n hi.
to a

more Uitn

crore and a half of rupees

That gives us the figure

of over Rs. IS million. The reader may note the rising spiral of otimite. &artirnf from a modest four million, we have alreay been

*mi

aloft to

* financial height of 15 million rupees in the rarefied

refers book on the Tb| Moinuddin Ahmed ** has grvena Rudradaa Khazanchi - a treasurer on the Taj. Ita - * F* of the espense incurred to 8s. 4.IB.L. Ti* total figure amount*

^ ^* d^
*
.
.

jj

and Id the last pie.

luimphere of ethereal account. Even Mr.

ire.

Hs

contents him self with

IS onto,

Mohammed Din is " m0 re than" saying.

not Rs.

seven annas and pie

d*

onl y

pot too

^u

****

t of Ibo TH
by way of

Keens -The e*acl amount spent on building nowhere recorded and the dala available Tor even an
lo

*W * f ^VlSTrS
slight

UU

i Just

(*ul com*"-

m * ^^wwt^!?r *** ftwIS ?/*

ti

a.
- vd.
by
13
.

P. 6*.

nko*h

P-

1*,

<*

Hl-tubai,

'

D^iftbtr

at
ibid.

U. W. Mufid-IAm

ttanbto A B^busbrd by W. H. ai-Miaii.

Presa, Lshnrr Rne*s Hnduoot,

W-^St^ t ^sr. i* W"*

3tt t infil

30, P. 184.

"*>*

Om^ Thtdwr-i Handbook

tt-IW'
32. P. 10,

Vh>

TV by

,w f "" K*", lj ibl4-

The Taj Mohkl

rtf
_

hA

*-i Mahal Go*L

HI

>** * *, SJTu EMoi

r

RodnKlM Khaxanchi calculating the coat of

n*

^\\

ihrt H M imagmaUoi ^/frtoi iWr rorUlc

***** sycophant chroniclers added mh to impart to

their

ih *>*

having been contributed by Shnhjahnn and QW * restively, we are confront with two odd amoc.au

May were

lifted

from a

nciii^

contributions by various

modem commercial bul.net tbeet parties a* worked out to odd

la

2
,

mp**.
mar

^rtiitodchtfrebablMy.
Any
jinifYe-

*P*
,

j^
onrin

*** "^^
to

con

"** r lb* Taj Mflhal * * heretofore should bo enough discussed

f tb

^
*

Another point to be noted

that Shahjehtn's contribution

to end, ancoction trom begining

my

boini

****

wJlh '

Here we have seen bow, without numerous writers have indulged in

k>

lb Shahjahan

,0CTld

l>

he a concocUMi figure. He was too proud, prasumpiioua/bm.^bty overbearing, Stingy, hard-headed and hiud-heartea a monirch to spend even a farthing on a burial when he coutd extnet in* wtin.
cost from other subservient rulers. Even the amount that 0* other rulers are supposed to have contributed leemi flctitkwa tasutt
Bccortlinu to Sbahjahan s
lis.

in trying to figure intsponsiWi' speculation

lie Tnj to

come

out the real cost of But they wore oil destined Mahal tncumd by Shahjabsn, all been working with the wrong to grief because ibey have
really built

own

chronicle the entire

*t did mt raxed

4 million while the contribution of the other niters, mmltand above, ia itself almost Rs. 10 million. So the conclusion that rmrfyi-*
is

pmnis. Hod Shahjabnn

the Taj Mahal the coal would

for speculation
I

that

if

at

all

the actual cost incurred

in burying

Mumiarin

have been on record, leaving no

room or need

Besides the actual cost of the project there is

alidelijfht

another Interesting

a commandeered Hindu palace did amount that was extracted aa a levy from Shahjahan' a

to Rs. 4 million

<mn

vassali and iubjcdi,

to

;l.

Visitors to the Taj

Mahal and lay readers of the

in their Innocence

Moghul rulers considered themselves

to have a divine ngln to 1iv

Suhjahin legend or the Taj Mahal take it for granted

thai Shahjahan

subjects. off the earings of tbeir Hindu

must himself have financed his wife's mausoleum.

Far from building the Taj Mahal

at his

own

cost aabjnhan

But our contention that Shahjahan

lecberoui

was o hard-hearted,

stingy,

was so stingy,

monarch hardly to be bothered about or

one or
his

moved by

the

work of Koranic

evm U minor cruel and hard-hearted that he got chamten carvings and sealing of superfluous
(fratis

death or

5,000 consorts,

is

amply borne out by Guide

native account

done the erstwhile Hindu mansion

This
is

by

flogging-

fti

the Taj at

Agra* The Guide remarks, "The

9fi, 55.426

of tat

cut

of the Taj gives Rs.

as having been given

by the Rajas and

Rs. 86,09,760..
i

Nawabs and out of the Emperor's private treasury

one

little

grain of truth in the

above report.

It is

by Asecaoodeen th. Jd very little payment made In ca.b to years. J for 17 were said to have been employed by rapaciouaofficW-pbced^ of corn was cruelly curtsied

recorded on page 14 of Guide in I^borel as under :

'

"> the 7k, at

^|^""*. ^ * * *^
J^ 1jmW^^
_

for

Uwn <^ <""

monument for his dead wife, ban merely uaed the occasion as a lever to force a Hindu *m out of hi* wealthy mansion injury, and,
adding insult to

Jar from cresUfig any dreamland

A part f.m
discrep^incy in

the

the above

20.000

workmen

he has said that

"^^aaffil^ U y ^JT
we

*^^**^l^tN u
l

y Jtym

and Nawabs bear the major financial burden In

iilflioftl(IIIlb .

on y but the above account claims bluff of the confusion and

instance

^nation of the two amounts

mentioned above would

lradiyOTIilaccountooftbe^JnceUy-

too*, instead of mentioning

round

figures

Keene notes on p*ge forced, and but little ws

daily allowance of cash

T' Vlawn p*U i*n, I.*** J " Awa by /iimuuleen,,

.

i^

c "l>ll*>.

prf***1 at

**

their dislreaa

and so frtgnum

^^ ** P^^S. * f^EJjS*
1M
of bis

^^
rt

U y

22 maihtf

fT0UfldJ

kbottr ,a.

M-Jj*

dlU*

**

,:

* Taj IM '
hiw
I

'

A Tonpfa
cried

P*^
^han-Mumi**
.,

they rati*

cursed lh#

memory

of

Mumtmt and

romance

om m

itwr

despair

"Have mercy. Cod, on our distress For we die, too. with the Princess"
9nof the mortality rate was high it is no wonder that few days a new s*< of workmen had to be found to toil at the starvation level, ft is also no wonder then that the total number
by the time the engrnvinK work was over, numbered 20,000. And most of them must have died from starvation and whipping. It is also no wonder that the petty
of labourers on the muster
roll,

v W * amorous, n*^ ^Ursb a* to *^^**! M ^nr* by baadeas accounts m

.fulWi
1
^

fton-mutf^
**

"

,wdd

'

"

per ,,',

''"-.

spoil their

of Sfoahjahsn',
it

, rity

^^

have they

t^r J^IJ?"* lb thai diaconsotota placed f i tb that carnal love and diaamsolata ( t ) ^JT placed t ? if J^T
)

felt

compelled to record

despit,

^ilecturol and

financial

wonders

^^b
qo

like the Taj Mflhai Mahal

laid

t,

that the European aehotirs have

the

first -band

- _ U~rsA mnlfirnrMirarv informal Er.*, contemporary information,

da,** J*T

work dragged on
day of ihe

for a period ranging

between

!fl

and 22 year*

Even Muslim Bources seem to corroborate Uw wnpmatton $ little difference. They give a hands but with a eau>nmiairt,c twin
of Sbahjahan'a cruel mrimtag or the Ubowm, to the fact Tbay suggest that Shahjahan amputated the hands or skilful uuuaa
with

according to various accounts All this

yw a body of troops had to

was natural when every be sent out to find workmen

of the required calibre and literary and calligraphic standard, hound

them and whisk them away to work without wage under the crack of the whip and gleam of menacing swords. It is no wonder then that they wailed, rebelled and either died or absconded. Could a monarch who has no money or heart to pay poor labourers
their

object that they may not lend their srsvioa to the 'laudable" rival Taj Mahal. No one teani b other person for erecting a

bm

analysed this silly legend. Rratly, could a monarch with nidi > sunae as to conceive und build (hi Taj highly 'refined' aesthetic
treacherously ate away tha havls which ever bave the heart to 7 Secondly, would

wages ever hope to

like the

build anything,

much

toOed for

him

monarch diMomwUiU

la

ba

less

a fabulous building

Taj Mahal 7

thont who bnttt bereavement be ao stone-hearted as to maim commiriontnif a Tsj Mahal tomb for bia beloved wife? Thirdly, is

Tbe despot
look like

whose behest they toiled to make a Hindu mansion a Muslim tomb hardly cared for thar lives. He
at

punished

then by amputating thar hands for the crime of demanding even The hands were amputated obviously

a dying wife nAA iwuaoa such i cheap joke that anyone- with order lhn to buiW a rival TiJ Maha the same set of labourers and

Who would have

the money, similar legendary

Vw

tar

uw that licy may be permanently incapacitated from

by practising

to teach

them

and the power even to

dnsm

of Taj for bis own

earning

creel an^tauo, Ibe romantic twist given to the

^J*T* brwsH
*
.,

Z ST*
of

their carefully cultivate skffls over and of which they were juatly proud and which they dy to waste toDing gratis for siim m<i hard-hearted monarch. Mou of lb. .killed artisans being Hindus, lolling * Shah|ahan r * lamic meril accordin

concoction which

Mahal, and with naive scholars.

a cruelty in ordering the alterations to

i2tll!f h

dto ''

m ^
woo

out gratis,
to
ot

in

an aura of romanUc

subdue the workers who used being made to toil for no return

r~*^jJ* ^-rj^ nons^ ^^

It is

nattemi*"'

taf

ua

la

*>

'"

* *nU3n!, ** pagc l7) 8 meoUon Some JSurojxsm writers hove made

ifltih* to get Incidentalh/ Shahjahan ' attempt

i

work done* '""w-

.fldlaaaj , alone also leads H, |t*^*tfoM w ' ouwr i by pi-; work amounted to only engravings and

rations

w^
t b*

^mnpd

concluston

" ** ******

buDding,
to harsh treatment.
*

No one can hope to build -

ant

ousity

enamoured

by

the

*n mere austere muel to lh# workmen * crack of the whip and Hash of the

^^

qw ~* ffjr2i w,

TV TJ
1M

Mahal

la

A Tempi*

f^^
buDd

^^M^r ***
i

u,d

is

Intended to that Shahjnhao

cm

*t

oth*r side of

CHAPTER
^om,

XI

"T^/iTpT^ *. ^.Tof ^n-Proved L~

"*'
,-t

!*

Lhe

ajQ

the Taj

Mahal was

a Hindu

during successive

Muafim

WHO DESIGNED. WHO BUILT THE TAJ ?

S* Action. rSL
as-*-- Now

thos.

ne

Hindu m.ns

not build the whit* Sine Sbeh]ahan did

"*

ZJbleTaj Mahal th^^noqu^^^ marble Taj Mahal. In corrobonben d^sming u, build i black The cenotaph of 163 be observes. *, que-* Keen*. On

SINCE THE Taj Mahal

for
its

is

an ancient Hindu

building,

my warth

been unsymmetncally placed here Sbshjahan 15 conjectural to htf* mausoleum he had contemplated beousr be could not complete a no Uhle record." This shows for himself but of this there which deiaD to the traditional Taj Mahal legend
that

designer amongst the contemporaries of Shohjahan

wu bound

to Vend to disappointment, and so it baa. Despite uiiduouj research and wild guesses all that has come down to ua Is a large medley
of

names

all

equally confusing and none qualifying for unnnimoua

Lb*

acclaim as the master- designer of that wonder monument

Taj Mahal

no matter

we

try to nick

up

for closer examination

it

crumbles to pieces

i bopdess and atrocious concoction.

tet us here take stock of the the designer of the Taj Mahal.
1. 11 is

different efforU

mad*

to Identify

court cbronldar worth noting that Emperor Shabjahan'a mention of any architect. TWi is Mulls Abdul Hamid makes no M outset, in but natural because be at the very P. mausoleum is a burial, admits thst U

**^ "*V *"***

.hen used
their

for a

tomb

requires no fresh arch,t*t.

Subsequent writer* bad no therefore, quite to order.

"
right u>

ma*,

K I*. ~U * "fZJ^Z *JZ ** - ?e ^

<*"
on the Taj in tne to write the histroy of
significant.' regarding a designer a
.

own

guesses.

eme^ee
w
"

2.

The

**. f*Z*J^.J*-^ rfld

inl

our contention This lends great fore* to

enough to get the prisM

*"

W
3&,

P. 161.

PP

16.36,

^'? ^'J!!t^ **->** * hhbaeittoWv^'

ff

'

Tbe Taj

Mttiial I*

A Ttaap|

p^^

IK
3.

by saying

^ ^O^ ^ ^ TV r^^m^H "*

Sriannk**
,

prefer* to bo

sw*ly

v^,

Who

DelBd,

Who

Buflt

The TiJ

in

rira

prtparpd by . council cf it passes our comprehension

fMfl wfoualy

Agra,

Shim

and Ifcm ttar9pmtt j%b

j)

*"*"*'*

J^l
abort of

U over the world allow* of scholar*

thorough

yt*Mr.
7.

KanwarLal.

HtT^l
tbt Taj Mahal4
told

r^rcb

fat*

all

aspec*

adds
of

Mohammed Khan', .tide* <#** b a new name to the oonuwtam* for the honour
Mr.

m, d^
of

Ihmnmh

Ihe Taj Mahal. That

nam*

la

Ahmad Itabanft

(end hie thn*

We
Lhrt

already been lolled Ibf Taj Mahal bad the desigiw of any other potentate designer may not oblige

bw

already

*en bo*

B^^-^^

b*

tonal.
Thii wild chase for the trchitl of the Tij Mahal through a

m . that the

nimourshMprcceeoedmemlyforo^^arny^nwiUMW anybody becoming the wise- for it, Tired or that awdatg man*,
forest of

scholars of history had resigned tbeoualva to

oLl tbe.beuxdiiy of this-

Wnnj

it

that

name

could very well

In fact,

name immortal. ba death would hive made his

Saksena,
77

Moreover, even though kflled, thedesigner | * all there was any such person.

and quoting the several names

m just many tliamaUvei to chm*

B, P. i. According to Professor greet unanimity

"Though

there

is

from. Thus neither In the matter of the coat, nor the period # con junction, nor on the name of the dengnerii there nyurwamkyOo the other hand, a wide variety of *h*mtiv is jowtioned
Thia could only happen when the very bans of tbt search and
research
is faulty.

among

writers in the estimate of the beauty

origin of the Taj their opinions as to its

and style differ widely.

Seaman

In bis
lia

lugfestioo of

Rumbles una* RtxoflectiQas makes the fantastic having been designed by a French engineer Austin

E, B, Havell observes. the

"Some Indian records of the Taj mention

name

of one

de Bordeaux and by a ridiculous stretch of imagination identifies him with Usiad Tsa. But the suggestion Is not confirmed by historical
evidence. Vincent Smith,

in the list of

Marmu Beg as the principal moatk worker, bat Imperiii library principal workmen given by the

relying

on the testimony of Manrique.

KanauJ all with Manuscript, five mosaic workers from workers of the pratmt day entered.. The beat Agra mosaic
are
re also Hindus...""

JWatm

ittributes the origin of the design to

Geronimo Vironeo. a view

ITavell.
. '
.

which
6.

rejected

by

Sir

John Marshall and E. B.

Keen? observes,*

"The names of the principal experts

las Afandi,

enplayed, headed by

Mohammad

are given in a Persian

maauacriptenUtkdtbe Tarikh-i-Taj Mahal possessed by the Khadims

diUry eustodiajuof the Taj.

very reveafing b many the &e utter confusion that prevails about connected with the Taj Ufai. generabons to of repeated attempts over

The above passage

^* ' M ft
could

napeeta ktttjJU"

f^'STT. f" "gT^-,

^hsi *******."
Im Afandi
of the T*j
;

Tbe authenticity of this document

paraded as that of the master

have resulted

in Eit>pean

schobra tryu^

The reader may therefrom note that

, , forsed

^ fflUhtjJJ ^nvtai-fc

that

u commonly

Mahal

0^,^

the.rtl^intheTaitorVer.hmen^ uertbi **** MuaUm accounts have persisted b

welter the in U blanks. In this artisans mentioned in the

*tamfore. but natural nobody hould believe in

documef]l
it.

,t

W8Si

**

t*M

la. I.

fictitious

character, his

"native

pj LK..1'

IV

be those of the orfcfaul buOt the Taj Mahal.

36, PP. 42 -43, 7T
41.

workmen who,

^P^Jf^JL
ocnton-

^ ^ w# ^f^^p,
hrfore Shri.jab.

bjr

**/ Uj

diUd by

Jam- Kno-1-. * ^^ "^

1047.

nt '*

Orf"!^^ W a* ***

'

to Tij Mahal

I*

A Tempi* ft,^

V DHiPwd. Wbo

BulU Tt Ti|

tw
.

^ong

^ pa*** f*
"

*** V " , Hi**'* 7

<

^i

day

"th* best Agra mosaic worker* of clearly P^vos a long tradition Hindus
'

dd

rf whfcfe

ThJ Mnhai

the

Hne*
halt.

Hi,,du,

***mfl

* m

fl'L-nberwl

thai with the start of

1^nXn

hi

"

*"!
far** b*

Mualim

^ T/ Tf w
The

Delhi itself hsa been wrongly credited to 8h.hih , iota of proof behind those assertion.

8Uih

"L. tfohDtnud "^Jl"* '"", ajbjrvw *!

6bmfVtd

CtaartT"

ban.

showing that he commissioned lb* T*J Mhal *nd tba buildinv. scribed to him Hod there been any *u ch proof inert would arm been no need for any history scholar* to advance
their

77 from

1^^ * *&* S ***

own

tw_

guess**.

ZJZnin bv

Maluwcd them 1{indus lo dust and Alaptagin Snbuktagin iind Mohammad

.

pitiable state of Indian history in which basdat*

made
been

in left

dalm* mediaeval Muslim chronicles to ancient monument* hav* unchallenged, arises from the diBintereaiedneai of Indis'j

^^liTTur^b.

Tbm*ft*r to tempo .(.teed

because

erstwhile British rulers to subject them to a thorough check. Snot they, as rulers, manned the educational apparatus in India, no

SL Z*
in

M n^were
and
or

ferreted out of their

homes and town, Vk.

there than to cultivate

Indian dared refuse to toe the

official line lest

be be dental

pou off and on. What scope

any studies ?
If
still

educational degree in history and consequently be disabled from

preset

then the best mosaic worker*

Aim

are

Hindu*, as

testified

by Havell. they could only

Mahal before the advent

earning a Uving- Those not studying history wen? in no position to know that the Indian history being taught to generation j w*a
all

b* descendant* of those

who

built the Taj

perverted and distorted. Thus historians or otherwise. Indiana

conclusion This lends additional force to the of the Muslims in India. comparatively ancien t Hindu building and not a Dial the Taj Mahal is an

taught to incm, lacked the capacity to challenge the history being

modem tomb

of the Mogbul times.

is

aware

Subconsciously the British administration in India wis,, bowwtr, very targe teak of the falsification of Indian history on a

Thai the Taj Mahal

not the only

monument

falsely credited

Therefore,

whenever claims

affecting

their

interest In

andenft

lo Sbahjahan, i* apparent

HtveD says

"In

my

from another of Havell'* observation. opinion the Delhi petm dura (the figure
of the royal balcony in

officiously, ordered tnvesllgataaa building* were advanced they, very would be favourable to ibcm knowing full well that the result

drawing of birds inlaid in the rear waD

lb* thw*nil-Am. Red Fort, Delhi) has been wrongly attributed to Shabjahan'a reign.. The naturalistic representation of birds and

Onesuchinstanceisrecordedinthe the Mubarak Manril of Agra <" It Is a note on

T^^^ArrtmtoW

anknals was a violation of Muslim law.

The

strict letter

of (Koranic),

law forbade the representation of the likeness of anything which

He records. HousV; by The Joint SecneUry. the If** and report whether (Tstom House in Balliganj was
or not.

Society

in

heaven above, or

in

the earth beneath.

is

'

Snoe the
that
to

p/etra dura

an integral part or the Red Fort, and

be to sta^ as follows origin*. not appear to have been building was would seem that the
1
=

not an after- thought or a sobaequ cnt gran HivcJU , In effect concedes

,

Um Red

cons^uenceof
the Dcccan.

ita

being

Fort In Delhi,

commonly

ascribed Lo Shahjahiui, existed

pr*-Mukm time* when such figure-drawings were not only not Uhoo but considered easential decoration in royal mansions.
The authorship of the Jama Maajid
in

after hearing the

.

new*

^^^^ "S^-" ^ * ^f^^TZ^^

.

^V?T?ZZ

Awiflfh

^^^
JatjaW

"Hw^ o-

or Old Oj*Ujiti

of the victory

Delhi

and the

city of

found bss it wB bo apart for prayer but iM. set emperora-. by the Mohammedan
*< 44. Tnometton* of *e 1878.
iltf

There

are signs

*****

^ ^m

"

^lay* *

vrw/*^ a^4^,

f MHi.

7a.

tm C^twy rf */ter

Vol

HI. Ibid

Who
noteworthy. Thua

Derfgned,

Who

Bufh The Tu] T

*r*

f*rt*nil*rty

Ji ***** *

* &*. *
Bffusii as
fa

*s

^y "
ori

8ndHU *ipw

Lbr true history of India's media**!) monumaBfa being subservient to the British dared not

ZT*,

*****

^J^d
'

the

Moghub. *tam mediaeval on*" af dl

successors to the

fJTaove ^Lnpto.

** ****

mted

RaJPQt

ibe

A document called the TMrith-i.jy j^y ongm and mstory of the Taj Mahal, had
of the caretakers of

****** *** they tombs and fort* buflt jjind mem ***1

&

^^T*^

possession

a*
'

&&*

- miiirrt'

*V roadsides of or super -impositions on ancient

spot*
in

fi^

newspaper reports that document has to Pakistan- Kern* Handbook states. 'The suihaitidi* of i& document is somewhat questionable. Obviously ht baa u*d U ,, word "*o^lewhat out of a sense of modesty and
'

b^T^ZTl Aa hew bem ,** ^ 4

^^ ^^

caution/ What

be
incentive of the ta* af

actually

meant

to convey

was

that the document was an outright

wbkb

prevented British

^^trtiap the history of India's mediaeval

. tfaacn acquiesce in

forgery. Even oidinary judgement should teg us that u need for a forged document arises only when a false daun is to b* naked.

Musfim claims,

is

provided

*
fc

</ lae AtAse*e^QB/ Society of Agn." July tombing Salimgarh. says, "In Igfc Tbit voiimf.
yojfe-i barracks
'

Had the Taj Mahal been an original tomb the nted Tor s fo document would never have arisen. The existence of such is substantial proof that when the Taj Mahal was taken from its rightful owners for being convened into a tomb or even earta*.
i

and overlooking the great courtyard

its original

papers were destroyed and replaced by

aspect of the Taj as described

false

document*.

Fort) is a singular and apparently Ha Hav-i-in ft*e Agra It ornamented in a sort of Hlnduised
,

That

is

why no

in tba irs&uonal

version is free from doubt and suspicion.

Tradition has nothing to say beyond

cao get several revealing clues in the above

RrscJy.
it

ecofeasn thit whit are

are both ancient

known

as Salimagarb

Hindu buildings because

niere would never tolerate Hindu ornamentation

they ordered,
if

any.

What

is

more

revealing

is

pans

of

those

buildings

appear

superfluous

and

canee those buildings

at

were usurped. Conquerort

fcae to explain

away the

significance of

it af captured buildings

according to their way of

*^P *wa

baDt by those professing a different

^^
i

'

*** **

euch

gknng

inconsistencies, anomalies and

'"tore of every single mediaeval

'

monument
writ**
4*. p, 152, Kocnc't

** arijRog from
tons

*bich lack of incentive

into

inquiring

and

*7~
I

-^ x,] Tj

flulh

To Hindu

8pri Ration

CHAPTER

Xll!

a bazar within lis prclncU k ibopB forming raoomao by Tav*nia of those same shops are at prtsmi ccopJai by cunaan picture- postcard eetlera and dcrier* in curtot and by meaaBan j.v-TI Mahal.

g^p

HINDU HIE TAJ IS BUILT TO SPECIFICATIONS

Here we must

^onu
of

also recall that the Encydopertin Britannfa ancillary buildings of tha Taj Mahal compkx the tUblaai.

Mm

guest houses and guard rooma. All Una* naoaaaarily form put s palace but not that of a mausoleum
MiHleadinR
notions
that

mediaeval

buildings

ire

Viiuliin

u.smi PAIXUS

be built in the of old u*l to

mkhtrf busy

constructions, simply because they appear to be tomb* and mowpwa and because long association and tradition ascribed to them Munflm
in Indian history- Yet Western scholars cam* origins, got rooted learning Mudim bufldinga near the truth in asserting that the

very

panela. beams. bratAeta and evervtnmi ' yrere "built with columns*
else

belortging

to earlier Hindo buildinga.

We qunU

typiad

VX
*w
all

km
i

blO account
-nth

wh
and.

Wl
pdace*.

mediaeval

monum^

ta India

wr

h* n*,uer*rf*

inbi and mosque*.

Be writes: "Earlier obeervotion of a British scholar. under Karimuddin about laiBfcad Shahi invaders before the Adfl
buflt s

Muhammmdan

nrMHii

Hindu uimplw

mosque

Tt Hindu kin* and

hfa nobility being the

AW buyer* of the
often

r^ahns.
that
it

How

far

constructed out of in the fort of Biiapur. them** the pOlars used there by

pnfau

at lb* choloeal

merchandise,

prince complexes

other buildings

we

are not informed.

It

wouM

provktrd Mranunodiiiion for

bazar. This applies to the Taj

Mahal,

portico of consists partly of the

nd

la

UatfinVd Ui by Tsverntar.

b not

incompatible with

rromtbeori^P-itlonsand^doptedtothar^
Tne above e*ract shows
conn,
lhal ih
that the

^^^^X^^
uuth

*"^

^^ ^
W*
*- *
from

ita

n*

Taj Mahal means a "Crown Residence" or a Tnt vary own among raridenect " !l doo not in the least signify a tomb. palace are a* different as heaven and earth. Had A Ujnib and
.

Wm

tiv word* "Ta)

Mahal" the

least sepulchral tinge,

'*

nobody would
which tourist

aev dan*3 nam* any houil aa "Taj Mahid Hotel.

faculty that the^ their reasoning

for.

would har to

uv..

ma

Grave Yard

Hold"?

inside e

But tourists are attracted

by the name Taj Maori precisely because the

gtory ana*

name connotes

the

every mediaeval building

msjmty of a

palace or temple

and not the silence and

of an been built from debria

gVaom of a tomb.

WT

the truth.

Mogul csari record jtadf never uaea the term Taj Mahal because
Jawwarit

iemplea and not build their p.lWa. beams,

atandard.^
di a rn ft nt| tHl

^,*^^^^ ^^ ^^^v**- A^ ^^^ ^l^ ^ W^m ^ ^^^ ^^ -^^^^ *^% W

^1**
prume. P

were

irtside

^"31 * ***

Hindu temple or

the

echo

It

did

^da

to be

fc-#

Tejo-Maha-Alaya.
hi*

ShahjMhnn

rmn-ly

GlJll

the

* and used elsewhere

^^g canb.
aib.trea^

Anna*) building

wife

UKOb whOc Aurungwb crib

In

* Mw
nm

nwaner'. mausoleum. TbJa

further emphatic proof

m*

the author of the Taj Muhal

t,j Mahal

erects from the debri.

u. oikdu,

(^ mjflM} ^

uchmateririafterdamoUshmg^^
rowa of

f ^S* budding

^, e TH( Mahal

h A Tempi*. Pai^

1Yw

T^ I*

BuJH To Hindu SpBdnaUnn,

a
*g

T*
Tto par*

CWP

o ff

imi!

few*
rf

in th*

,r0CCH*

md w<mM

**

architecture. jtyje of

dream

marble

*rimg a ** for
building of thr

"

dFtnonsic)rl9 different

dcmoi*

d wlw

W0U [d il3 mai^aJ

from those to quixotic enough I*

to another nlact

^
not

etc. etc.

very miserably mWaadfog aD thi* may now be gauged from mr a 17th century Muslim tomb tot

Ho*

^
,

Century A. D. later tho 12th

. palace,

convert by Mus lrn

,

^ m

^TT*** *
<!

!!T "

'"

***"

Wi^

to

J7" Jnt ea .ining

.

^733^ "
ptafci art thus

s PcaaJ maridn itose planks *** ** ianks have to number * uter s,des * Un,ess d tow tTindica* lhar upper aid* lhe shop cannot ** placed ^ ^cir 1"*^ order

*
*
it

and reconquered by tba Hindus. .bsurdity in beUeving that medisBvui MlnUTO w|d grtd tomba with atone obtained by demolishing
palaces.

Zl^ *
^^
|

^rdsT" t! *

bewbclw

U> *>rt

them
to

* or lb. problem

may

Hindu teroptomd that mediaeval building, tr. U rick and lime inside. Stone only formi the outer pSkhtng.

The absurdity

is

Just

as one cannot steal an egg shell or a coconut

htfl

ud

bops to

make an egg or a coconut out

**

absurd lo aatnt that alien inuslim rulers could strip Hindu buildlnan of tbctr on dressings, carry aB that stone in a confused taasa 3a*whert md
It Is

of

it.

aimilariy

then rearrange

all

that stone to create massive, msgnificmt

md

wcun-ly shultend. When *fluing plants by a

ordinary shuttering with

readymade and

lusting buildings out of material carved and designed by Hindu*

vd

man

well -versed

with the job through

centuries earlier to suit their own shapes, patterns and uws-

everyday practice become* difficult without proper markings, could

bujte

buMngs

to raised

in all their

perfection nnd artistry

from

We have no intention
They were

however, of blaming tto Wfatera schoans.

intellectual giants and paira- taking aadrniiams, but

medley of confused debris of a demolished

aiiewtort!

building carried

being foreigners they had not been fully exposed to tto malprrt* certain anww* of Muslim rule in ksdia. As such they lacked
Indian history. Bn ! of personal experience of conditions in mar tto truth. most of them, as observed by us before, cams very and one endowad One auch was E. B. HaveU, a great architect

Moreover, evwi that would be impossible because

that itoottor maloriai

presuming
I

remains tolact. would

is

not need a foundation

So tto simple truth

that lhe

Muslims did not construct any

toBding iti Hindu material. They just stepped into or manaioa tod put ti to their own use
it.

a Hindu temple

with a deep insight.

tto Taj Mahal Havell has debunked the claim Ibat
is

by burying somebody In
of
it.

jpnta tto

throwing awty tto

Idol,

chiselling

away Hindu ornamentation

This

Jutering

^10 Hindu tempi* mnmim9

ovrr and by engraving the Koran over on wby mediaeval Muslim tombs and
it

any non-Hindu
Mahal

^^ ^^^
mosques look so
|(

of the Taj

**** ****** " and the claim of some

discussing architectural style. In

named Veroneo may have been -So if Mr. HaveU thus

:

- rn Hivjummjj buildings IS^****"** " *" bu Muslim tot tto Hind

ail

craa
to be genuinely
laid

tradition

JJ M- that he could d^gn **^ *T2% J**

VM

it*

designer,

**"*

^
,

was so deeply

iftese

bufli in

"P

whota

IW^>

u siy| e

Wrabw w 3wm

down

In the

.cnowrs haveconji cholar? nave conjures

ua. craftsmen would not have been

A*. ***^J%Z$ ^ Tbj *

^c
u

-j:Uin* inject ** tflJZl J"**"*"* ncWUelitt* and injects it U!5,lb00k, 0f "**. architecture and ** ~enJnir^
"'*

and the

dome

(in of Ibrahim's tomb

eji

Ti|M^a,u_ nQ^2|Wh ^

Ul|||

l l^fjM*!

m\

A-L

^ ""P^^^y

on the some and a fact unnoUced by Fergusson

principles.

They are

wtfy

^ **w^__ croVW ^^

^'^V^
l

o&trvcut
dimwsfa-.

^wun

described tto

"^iummaiion of the fndo- Saracenic

except of both correspond exactly, and In* T^j aL Agra topers more finely

^ tb#

m
f th*

1T TJ Mabel

It

A Twmplw

PaiMtm

Tto Taj

la Bultt

To Hindu

SpedJJmtiona

n * ed**- The Taj Malm <* dams ar* inlaid ina** **>""* "? on * wouJd expeCt to ta Crwl*1 r*hc* *ocUr *"*

XV
indologiat
g| VB

and engineer Raos&beb K. V. Vta.

of

central

or five-jewelied temple. Mo*iih*Piof-n Indian pancharaina, in the Buddhist have shown elsewhere, ia found

MM *W
proU^vw

master builder* inheriting Lhe tradition by group of which consist, of , n' Hindu bonding,. The four mall domedeha^bera, chamber surrounded by

jm

the reader an idea of the thouaanda of penance, P^ce and ^holarahlp that
ghota.

veLT^'

m
11

ltebehi nilInil]j

? "^"^"d
'"-

palacea. canal., mansions, bridge* and prettiest buildings that the andent tbe Hindu

produced

namely the Taj Mahal.

Indian

genealogical tree of

temple of Ouuidl Sewa Shahjahan nor hia court butldcn. much less of AJants, Neither can claim the whole merit of its obscure ludEiui adventurer,
.

in Java.

and

in the

sculputered stupa shrine*

how

the notion that vtbo commissioned the Taj Mahal,

puerile

and

J ** c*n* Z the auipt Shum, nader VZ hasty has been

After
the
wvli
it

fol^!*

*i>

Shah*!

MiHaimnr
Mahal
i*

""

Mr. K. V. Vaw. an authority on indent Indian engineering and arehateeutre, was bom in an indigent famfly on

The

late

How wry
built

clear is
in

Mr. Havell

ta

bis assertion that the Taj

December

16, 1869.

Shahjahan 's

the ancient Indian. Hindu contemporaries could design or conceive of it

in

style and
.

none of

We regret
an ancient

In the year 1831 he qualifed as a

CM Engineer from the Poona

study of ancient Indian
in
'

Engineering College, Poona,

Indicating

India.

admission that Mr, Havell was unaware of the

official chronicle,

Shahjahan 's own

is

the Badshahntima, that the Taj Mahal

how he

turned towards

Hindu mansion. Had that confession come to

would have rejoiced to find
his

light in hia

time he
fully

arehitercture and engineering, Mr. Vaae once wrot*

the

Vedk

architectural

conclusion

Magazine

published from Lahore,

now

in Pakistan)

"I

was much

corroborated by history, and he would then have been acknowledged

an authority on Indian architecture far superior to Percy

Brown

surprised to find that during the whole course of my training in engineering there was no mention of any Indian author or twos

or formula of engineering subjects (though)

had knovrn eminent

or Fergusson
Incidentally,

men admire
we would
like the reader to

note here the great

guns and

canaJa, (ancient Indian) buildings, sculpture*, forts, mind to iw bo* to pillars. I therefore made up my .... I

Mr. HaveU' a observation that the

cap over
it.

dome

itself

and the inverted lotus

matter stands.
I

know

of the names or about 400 ted*

artsW

are very ancient forms of pure Indian ,

Hindu architecture

read fifty."
igncrantly

dealt with in

the Indian ShBpa Sinistra which originates in untraceable

antiquity.

The Indian ShBps Shasira

in its

bewildering ramifications needs

and While laymen have been flkgktiy building, renown-* the Taj Mahal is an Islamk-type and welt-known the late Mr. E, B.

to be thoroughly studied and researched. In order to present a

B. L. Dhama. a rehired

panorama of the ancient Indian Shilpa Shnsira we refer the reader

to

th* chart at the

end of

this book,

showing the branches of

of of the Archaeological Survey emphatically that the Taj

M ^^^ ^^^ZT^XX
hdb. MA- I--

M *
**

**'

and

the ancient Indian science of engineering, as compiled

by a great

and class* ffln* bunt according to the orthodox

ff.Fp. M-4& 77w Tij by Kar,war Lai. ibid. 4 We muui brrr record our gratitude to Mr. C. C. Jothl for lending in U audi obwi and an aocount of the lata Mr. Vase's life and work Jtwdet, huj trtw to Mr. Juahl't article on Mr. Vom in the MsrathJ -^' "*'** su"Br P***"- dated March 2tt, IW& Another article on S* Van, by Mr V M Tambat, appeared In the Dtwal laaue or the UaratW BKmlhly ttaftirafenn/ \1kja.
'

. observes "Neither the

t

of money tP** nor tbe exact .mount

anywhere... Foreigners

of fart--" cornea estimate of a true and correct ^^rtioMP. and prop indigenous in form is wholly
,

TZl^ ^J^^J^Z^ ^ ^ WJ*"

*"">**
> >

u. jltaatrt^J yt*4<*i***

m *V ng
,

iny *

account

Ifctia**"

'

Th* Tj M*hit

A TVmpk* Prim

ban*
in

bn

ihcwou*{hI> versed Is the lor* of Hindu sbsrtnia. n veritable

pundit indeed
concrptian.

Tb* TSj both

indigwioua
in

fn

body snd soul is essentially Indian origin and savouring but little of

CHAPTER

XIV

extraneous or outside influence... One bus onty got to no that wholly native to the It btart Qw stamp of a culture and outlook
cor* Three phases Cnamrfy square. octagond and circular) nprBacDt the aspects of creation, preservation and death which Brahma, Vishnu and in turn is symbolic of the Hob/ Trinity of

SHAHJAHAN WAS INNOCENT OF SOFT FEELINGS

Ma**-^ The architecture of the Taj is derived from the Ix*us the most sacred flower of the Hindus.. The whole architectural ornamentation and composition are indigenous and derived from ibar prototypes found in the ancient monuments of India which
,

precede the time when there was nothing worth the

name of Arabian

lo

ASCRIBING THE creation of the Taj Mahal to Shofyuhan imwnij crediting him with Romeo- like constancy in love to Mumtai.
that, Shahatahon

Mualm

'

or Seljuk style architecture.

and the soft heart of an artist. Far from -hearted, haughty, conceited, bigoted, tt hard

ma

atingy, fanatics], cruat

and lecherous tyrant. And Mumtae

Maulvi Moinuddin

*u

a perfect match Tor him.

hiatorinii htvs

Ahmad says* "European

sometimes charged Sbahjahan with bigotry traced Mumtaa," of narrow-mindednesa in

Havell observes.'
4'

lo the rountainhad

"The

Jesuits were bitterly

P****
I

Shahjahan. Only a short time

who was

a relentteaa enemy settlmnsnl Shahjahan to attack the Portuguese

,n the
,s

MstaL before her death. Mum* W **** of the Chmtlaw.

is Hooglitj.

stated,"

-Many times did

Shahjahan

priest*

to become

overt^)
the priest

again,* the worst

M ^^^^^^-1 ^*-^*2ii <J^jL* ^^^^rt ^^

of ibr

Mohsmm^n,

he exited

Ite-*

rt

. *

outlaws, that of

bn

elephant*/'

in autocratic

Reene say*. "Shahiahan pride, and was

ail

throne by murderin*

* *** pot-* rivals-

**-" ^^

Mfl|hul

^*
*prt

**

**

zr***-**"

'*'

P. 1041.

Tt* ti** L

^t.& At*****

,bW January to Junt, 1B.

P|*
ahihJahflJi

^
MA

lb, Taj Mhal

:n

la

A Tmpl#
,,nd

Wu Innocent of Soft

Tvtj,\ n

Shahjahan

penally.

*** turt?

*"

unbend, "

"***
In a footnote on page

^
"j..

% Keen. *Hu
by

,-Jdi
i

B-b Mull* Abdul Hamid conquest of Daulatabad that conncciton with the
to

s officii chronicle of Sbahjehan's reign

'

his younjccst brother Shahriar. and the uncle Daniel . H c ia also credited

two!

m
^
hl "

d-fe

Kaain,

of hi* eldest brother. Kbuaru."

t*** mm* ki "" H***** d, murder

and

K*mbu brought 400

Christian prisoners,

male and female.

Shahjahan's phenomenal lechery wife Mumtaz's health or wdl-b^na her to earth by
of teas than
list

mw

JT^
lhe

Mohammedan

Idols of their worship U> the presence and old. with the emperor. He ordered that the principles of fiulh -defending and they be called religion be explained to them

distributed

embraced the faith. But the majority in upon to adopt ii. A few rejected the proposal. These were perversity and wilfulness among the amirs, who were directed to keep these

18

of the 14 children

^^
inflicting

on her
]Ung
ln

_ a uZZT^l 5 T"
mA

MumUa

had to

o>W

confinement. So it came to pass despicable wretches in rigorous to hell. Such of their idols that many of them passed from prison were thrown into the Jamna, as were the likeness of the Prophet s
the rest were broken to pieces."
History
is

record period of less than 18 year,. ttnti , and death said "no more hereafter/'

^^
unftin

^ ZL

nwn

*r

to

s^L*

J.
** j"J

M[Vff

.ppa*, m rvtMm Q0 page 37 of Keene's Handbook. The formldahla list which read, like family planning in the reverse. Is as undrr
-

I.

Hunci

(daughter),

bom

ffls

1612. died 1615.

is

2. Jflhanara, 1613

g dant>tr

with
,

replete with descriptions of Shahjahan's cruelty giving

reported U> Have develops* Iftdl sexual relations- 3. Muhammad Dara Shako, bora 1614. 4, Muhammad

whom

later Shahjahan

lie

his being a to the average text -book version of

man

of great

Shah Shuja. horn 1615.

5. Rosbanara. a daughter
it

bom

1616, (L

was Shahjahan's artistic taste and a devoted husband. Cruelty congenital trait. It manifested Itself from a very young age and

Muhammad

Aurangzeb, oorn 1617. This Aurnngzeb

a cursed

name

in Indian history.

He

followed his father Shabjahnn't asamplg of

all

won

for him the unenviable epithet of being a scoundrel of the august father, first water, from no less a person than his own

murdering or maiming

his rivals. 7.

Umaid Baton, bom

'>

161

died 1621. 8. Suria Bano, born 1620, died 1627.

an unnamed

emperor Jehangir
Shahjahan's villainy manifested
itseir

son was born in 1621 and died soon

alter. 10,

Murad Batab. born

from a very young age

in

1623. 11.

LntfullB,

born

in 1626. died in the falknrbit

ft

towards even his kith and kin, not to talk of strangers. This
be
illustrated

may own

12,

Daulat AfzaJ. born in

1627, died the following year

14-

11 An

by a typical passage on page 25 of Keene's Handbook.

unnamed daughter

died aoon after Wrth In 1628.

It

Gauhnj*.

He

daughter, born in 1629.

was during thb

child birth that

Mumta

observes that Shahjahan "in open rebellion (against his

father,

emperor Jehangir) seized Fatehpur

SSkri,

and sacked the

city of Agra,

where according to
his

Delia Valle, a noble Italian then

fearful barbarities.

Here

ia

what Emperor Jehangir has

to soy

nbwi

hi.

own

on.

on

a visit to India,

army committed

The

citizens

were compelled under torture to give up their hoarded treasures, and many ladies of quality were outraged and mutilated."

(pm* Shahjahan."8 "I directed that henceforward he word *Wn should be called a ' Wrrteh and whenever the
'
,

Sb*fc|

in this
all

ttoilhm iUs be who is intended ...

I

-fta

ps> c

H is
torturer,

t great travesty and irony of Indian hi story that a ravager,

recount " have done for him nor can I " or mention the anguish and weakness which eflmj

my

that

molester, extortionist, plunderer and destroyer should

be paraded and praised sky-high as a devoted husband of

Mum tax,

kh during these journeys and irortbuiga wh Sh***" in pursuit of him (a rebellious pnnce

^ J ^
^
y

oonnaiasur of art. a patron of letters , a conceiver of beautiful bufldinp and the luhorer of a golden age. Thin la an insult to ih* totefliajem of both teachers end students of history

my

aon

"

'

&2.

2SI KUIoL

ibM. Itowio .. Hisi^Y,

W. VI-

fbe Taj Mjihal I*

A Twnpto

*.
VIJr

Sbuhjnhnn Will Innoenro

<jf

Soft

FWLn^

w a** of anything, Shahjahan dicier Mull* Abdul

kd t**
idol

*u a deBtro

II

became ao notorious
loud

that

whm lbny
Kh n and when the

Hsmid Uho*

voice cried out to j worn nftr

*?^fc "*<*
^rrakf,

Z"^

arest

begun but remained tempi** had been stronghold of infidelity. The infidel,
.

Shahjahan, remember ua went by, they shouted

lAincheon luncheon"

n7*!!" "^""kb
thTrtT,

wire or

Ml*
K

Bcmler remarka

^
*

x-

Aaa***

rf"Jwin# them.

^ ~

^*
ill

"i" *'
1

lhe d*fen <*<*

all

that Shahjahan had speaks of Shahjahan's violatl*. Manrique

aueecmr usT'

**
.

"^
1

Benares. "<* throughout

of ShayisU Khan with the ^stance of

talks of

his

J
'

temples that had been

begun should
Benares.

Shahjahan 'a incestuous connection

Tavenu-er writ*
in

B<*um ...
jbt

the

rtnow report

from the province of Allahabad

^k> bad bn
S

district of destroyed in the

vi* rry

above passage. Firstly, we oaehijions from the student* of history our -own! principle before never a builder, secondly, tbe words i destroy*- is understood in a very qualified destroyed are to be their temples, their Haidus were ousted from were used for twn out and the same buildings Muslim rulers which tba practice of India's alien bite a temple mediaeval tomb and mosque looks
"

'

names of Akbarahadi Mal.1 and favour^ slave pris of ShAJta... By far u* mort ," pinestion () that he had improper relation, wvtb hi, Jahan Ara. Bermer says -Begum Sahib, the rider d.ughur of Shahjahan. was very handsome and of lively puts and pmionaujh. loved by her father. Rumour has ft that his attachment rnfrpd a point which it is difficult to believe, the Justificiuan of which he rested on the decision of Mullahs or doctors of law Avoiding to them it would have been unique to deny tbe Kin* th privflcp

^^^^TT^'utLTuTZ
wf i vhTj"

toi^LTZZf ** >...

of gathering fruit from the tree he had himself planted.* Vinwot

Smith has
is

"the earliest evidence of this rncestumu connection to be found in De Lael, and that it Is confirmod by Thomas
it

that

LsT book notes.

,

mi

probably at

M "Shahjahan was professedly the instigation of Mumtaz Mahal.

Kerbert.

,,

Let us

now

see what the Mah&rashireeys JnynnkostF has to

the detraction of Hindu temples..

He had

broken

say about Shahjahan 's demeanour, "Shahjuhiin (I6BB-165A) the

fifth

of tbe Christian Church at Agra..."

European
scandals

Mogul Emperor Shahbuddin Mohammad

t

and Manned .
private
life

describe

numerous

was the son of Jahangir Salim from

aBn Shahjahan Jodhpur princess, Hf owe

Kirrni

of Shahjahan, and depict

in life

him

as

whose only concern

f

was how to

indulge

and monstrous lewdness. According to them

in

Khan Whll* to the throne through the efforts of Nurjuhwi and Aatf him twice or iWc his father was alive Shahjahan rebelled against (162 but without success. On coming to the throne
all

his (near)

rattans. Defeating Shahjl

territory.

is

1637

ey bears

tbe palace, lhe

jpra by the state,

maintenance of a large the presence of hundreds

entire

Ahmednagar

He used

to lake

and he n against Europeans coming to India

the seraglio,
luat.

were ao

many
says.

objects for the

meddling

In religious affairs.

On

lb*

grai*

""JTjail

^^^
^
.^
JiMpiabtf

sp**Mlp

*-

fcahjafeen

Manucd

"It would seem

aiahjahan cared for

was tbe search for women

Indulged in religious P^raecutfonSlw^ato^taae^^ lhe Hoojn their settlement on the bank, of

Ik also writes about the intimacy of Shahjahafl

ate Khan and Khalilullah Khan, and says that

had

all

their property confiscated.

Ho

tries

from the Persian* but didn't iucceed.

m H\^Z z-, Hb* W. " *""" m ? 2*

t

nr

Vd

VIJ

M. P

gr, IWd.

i^*

ihM,.

Vd

**

<bld.

^
TTw
Till ^''i'""l' I"

T.-ntijti,

1^5-

I*
Hid rally fe onou^ Shahjahan"* Tt* .bow iriirt f .11 Mlk of Shflhji.han' luivlnir hud any ipociol auachi*.,*

flhiihjohun Wren

Innoamt

of Sefl P<*|n*ii

May

That nhows that

a
liko

every other

,jafl
I.

v*_

legend even the Satunnlaa

Jdiunn

<

ib*

i-v ***

* lKU,r*
bfl

a
*d

'i* **

mud wfth for InwuKtanH*

hTrlrUnr, and ill**-

d <*"

whlch

to

him

or

*** i~T M100Cli0 mounds were erected in usurped W ""* tomb-like Wxrf m *n* * ** Hinduo many not reclaim and reuse tho* buiJ
Khanam tomb
*'

"*

T|*

iutt

Knew of the Hindu weakn** of not disturbing

iireUlfeaUon.

rS?

lfa

**
1

deep haired for the Hindus. alnct Shahjahan hod a conceited and lecherous Shnhjahw By hi* very nature stingy, on such sentimental project* was the last man to sp^d uny money the many women ho flirted with building n tomb for one of whether in his hsrem or out of IL.

mbx* ihmfcv

death bereaving Shahjahan. the 1nll*r mnde Km- from MumUii's He used her death as tool even in her death. hit wifr a potlHcsl roquisiiioai Jalslngh's mngnifke-nt hereditary mnvmltvil prrf** to of his wealth and power, donudlnir one more Hindu

1 .Itos. So. erecting false oblong gravel^ moundiTj'f-r" PQ,U,,, a strong mfliUry contingent or planting s icarwtm practically nothing, it was a simple device *** .

claim Hindu buildings for Islam, and ,t at this distance of time scholars Like Rne

m^ZTll *
find thai

ttiaw

tomb may not contain the

But there are

stated corpse.

also other details in

Kane'i

noting which

worth

close study. Firstly,

all

who would worry

the

an
r

maid's festering corpse

of about "100 miles
-

way

about carrying a met from Lahore lo Agra - a ^-~T

7

in those days of pedestrian transport

30,(100 on
It

Secondly,

like

all

other so-called

Muslim tombs

i.e.

Hindu

buildings

why would Shahjahan spend Rs.

of labourers slave

when be modelhoMianai
sealing the wperiluota

burial places - the used by Umnti find as residences and later ns but an ancient Hindu mansion Tai Mahal too is not a single tomb Mumiaz, Shahjahan roiured to on Islamic burial ground. Besides all. There are two tie* buried by her side* But that is not

on Koranic engravings and

apartments of the erstwhile Hindu mansion,

without paying

Own

even a single pie ? Thirdly, how could s mere maid found

a totality

himself

other graves in the

same

precincts.

named Khana
*

Sati
is

Khana

in

Agra 7 What does

founding mean 7 Iht

for Hindu

the ancient part of Agra reserved

wxnea fMif

Mr. Kanwar Lai observes'*. "At the other end of the Jilokhana,

them are again two buildings. These are the tombs of Sotunnisi (Khanam) who was a favourite attendant of Mumtax Mahal and who was entrusted with the task of looking after the temporary tomb of Mumlu Mahal at Burhanpur. ... Similar it the tomb of Sarhandi Begum, another of Shahjahan s queens.
towards the east,

burning themseSvea on the pyre of the* dead hasbsadsThis shows how Muslim history has made fibukaif chums to
*Sati "i.e.

everything in Hindusthan

in

the

name

of even lowly

an

buiqa -covered Muslim maids,

Its

potters and water- carriers. Tosri

inn enwMe octagonal shape clearly tadicato thai a lifetime waste saw building. Fifthly, did even the maid's

The two Structures arc

About Sato nmsa

built exactly alike."

"

Khanam a tomb Keene observes on page 1 61 -162 of hit Handbook, "The body said to be buried there was of Mumlas's dawofciJ maid The tomb I built by Shahjahan) is said to have cost R* 30.000. She died a childless widow at Lahore in \M1. The garter it Agra known as Chilli Khana (a corruption for Sali Khans) at founded by her. The tomb proper consists of a high octagonal
tf

much as Rs. 30.000 to justify that much even tomb? Was her house worth much more tf
so
Rs. 30,000? Has the emperor Shahjahan
all

***
-,

**

the maids of his court

Would as

sum as Shahjahan spend the princely

maid's tomb? And
if

^"J^

^^ **

5.000 harem

awaan

of 10,000 maids, could Shahjahan

****** .TalH***

round a central octagonal mortuary chamber. That Taj I* good authority, but the special assignment to her of this

each consort, and s subsidise

*W>

'

Here
his Ufe

we would

Ilk*

U*

*" "

Uwnb has no
r *.

better foundation than popular belief.

Shahjahan had

notbiral

IV

every inmat* of
Ta/ by

hb harem f"*i

^^^ w msW

/**

Ranwt*

Lai,

ga&.

r
The

ni

u*h.i

i.

i
he* oom*

iw^

TP

m Mr **
status *

^^

^
te

IkKum and Muim*-. w, quen, SiHwidi wwtkat structures? Did he want to dishonor to the stilus of the maid by reducing her

.^

? *

CHAPTER XV
StlAHJAIlAN'S REIGN NEITHER

L myt)

** ****
II

c *P|anBlion

^
Jn.

--p** camm-nd*^
ap*imcnt- Snee

by Shehjahen had

b many

tbc Hindu

N*
m^

towers,

p^j,^

"grab and use- aff^ were used to bury a queen and a .ynuwtncal i|wtiwt
was
all

GOLDEN NOR PEACEFUL

rp*lwiy,

Had Sffhendi Begum died

booki

earlier

and

Mumtaz

laLer,

our

history

mty

Shahjahan

a concocted romance between hive rapturously described and Sarhmdi Begum to justify hia building of the

TO CONSIDER Shahjabun^
hlHtorv

reign a golden and peaceful period

nils,

ty

as

is

commonly

asserted In aU account* of his

Mahal

a fabulous

tomb

for her. Indian histories relating to the

LhlinK him

assumptions, later stuffed with Uaafca period are. therefore, false concocted descriptions to justify and explain sway those fantastic,
Dagfcai, bsfffiiw, and absurd

TttrLto

forts and palaces plore. to build tombs, mosques, one of the most troubled nfei. of the truth. His was

assumptions.

given to him for constructing ta iustifv the false credit

Fort and the so called

Jama

Masj.d

n Delhi.

bow an have already noticed of Indts. Z JLnt <S oer^ent non -Muslim residents C subjects Tn^Thevwrntortui^findpcn^ tyranny. They were subjected to beastly W(rnf ,dtai and their temples were *** all to r* Shshishan murdered how

We

^V

*****^;
**^"

^f

^*^JZ** *m^
quests
ruler.

* any

or claim to the throne

Can the r^ime of a

termed a golden and life and ia safe and the

period a golden and peaceful

**^X ~p*oa P^^ *.' On * PW* * ^ ^ding "

H
sad
if

**.

rcvo1U?
SKahiahan had
vision to build the

^"
in

ao-calM Jama Masjid

*^* magnify bu^ WW. * **

1

-,,*! and far-

Shabjahan did not

^folding

for

Jutte

to talk of his ever

**^**

^* ^
1"

"%*& * "^jU *

^^ ^
^

** ***"

J*

ft

^J

^ h***

We

have Tavemler'.

******* u*. 0**" ^ **

Roltfn

FtoeeM ^liher OoW" Nor

IS

ShaM***
the throne at Agra on ah February "Shahjahan a*cendl l^.,,, Vsm * of Mohammnd KarJm.* to <h* AIVW& Artwlfnit Shahj rff<tiA* control of the throne when he fell ill on lBlh to* ]7 ind hw sons rose fo revolt, fighting against on another
jiffl

^
00

SepM*^
tl

the reign. Khan Jahan look to night 4th y**r of ** " Nearly 4(10 Afghana and 2tt) Ujiain and NavW. Pl slain. Dharur fori waa captured. force were in his
'

between Ahmednagar and Swtajair) was torende Hying

***t

iht

crown

StthjahnrTs reign thus lasted for 29 years

and Sevan month-

^
f rt

SO miles north-east of Aurangabad. of giunda, about

ars , rev campaigns and famines and the reader w\]t f ^ i nepnessivf tn
year to year Account of Shahjahan's reign which should
to refute effectively the traditional

The whok of this period was

full

of incessant

j
.

u
of Dharur)

miles south-west of a Kandhar (25 was taken.

10

Nanded and 75

miles east

concept that
that

of peace and plenty during

the tedium of every

which

all

was he needed to do to
it

-^

beguile

minions and raise

hour was to make love to women and sodomi huge buildings as though through sheer magic

Elliot and Dowson's translation Bsdshahmm* by Mulla Abdul Humid Lahori atM**byInayatKhan, Badshahnama by Mohammad Waris Awr-i-A/ft by Mohammad Xambu and Shahjahamtami by Mohammad Sodik Khan, is as follows

The account* as compiled from

of e*irarts from

Mohammad Adil Shah of Kjapur were operations against 5th year of the reign. updertaken in the returned to the capital, Agra from Burhanpur 11 The emperor Khan had proved tired and angry, because Azam after a long stay, rnansgmg the affaire in the Deccan.
ineffective in

12. Hugli fort 13.

was captured.

The

fort of Galna

was the scene

of another campaign.

reign Bhagirath Bhil. chief of his 14. In the 6th year of the
tribe in

Malwa, rose

in revolt.

15. In this

same year an

undertaken extensive campaign was

*!!

C"m|*fgn

^^
S
1

to destroy

Hindu temples.

Jahan

** *

16. ftaulatabad

was conquered.
guard.

fought

Christians under Kasim Khan and Kambu brought 400 turn Muslim The prisoners including females were asked to
17.

torture and death.

**
6

^ultp^a^mtrtT
A campaign waa

imd rc' atJ0nS hdd

Wilb hf3 tw

- ^.ooZlT^^
Da*^"^
BHaTa^ZT
"!!

"""

18. In the 7th

^^

*" Vita and

kiJIed -

against

Parenda

Shah year of the reign, Prince were fort. Many engagements

^T*
fougti

Upon and

neighbourhood

J *". around

*lta N

Shah and Khan

Mansurgarh

Jhajhar Singh Bundela and his son Bhandi-r. The campaign against them centred around
19.

Bikramajit

^"^'^
^^^
m-Bulitta.

<^rod
J?

"*"** *
*.

Ma^jira fort.

Cbauragarh fort. This campaign,

tale of brutal

like

many

othera.

* 6

torture by Shahjahan *s forces

20.

The

fort of Jhnnsi

was capturedsubdue tb was despatched to

21

The imperial army

jbi Taj Mahal

-

UA

Temple Pul**

ganjahun

"

o ftefcn

NeiUwr GoJdm Nor Fannj]

U|

j^

nigt, the

fi

**"*** |o

^h,

-ampaign

vmprror himwlf proceeded to reduce Kandhar, Manded.

w
Jam

in the 14th year of the reign, an expedition

in

wm

mm

to

Wa?

'

^le,
nhRgtfbi

Junnar,

Sangamner,

Kalis and Kathia ^jmtiae the rebeBoas

f Kathiawar.

Gujarat and

main* fa

NaaiK,

headed campaigns again* d Khan Zaman J " h*n Indepur. Bhalki. Kmyun, al Udgir, war W ^Lftl p^atai KXr. BsU T^'"^uBan Kha" Zan" m mU,rCd BiJapW j7 h
rorjhe*v.

35. Jagat Singh, son of Raja Baau of Kangra,

against the emperor.

lod a revofc

38. In the

5th year of tbe reign, a campaign

wm

launch*!

and urriiariff

Tlj^ md F*

destroyed every inhabited place he

against Jagat Singh.

Mu, Nurpur and

other forta were captured

w
A.

flim* *"'

P^r*d_

'T^li W_J

83dsfmhnm) g f Abdul Humid. Kolhapur plundered and the fcrta Anld, and Hsibatf were from n^^b-d) were captured.

be

reign, iba imperial farces had to 37, In the 17th year of the sent against the Raja of Palamsu.

38, In the 19th

year of the reign, a campaign waa undertaken

31.

fclhtlOUiyear
of Sh.hu

mil-*
K
its*

ii
.

* fort of Junir was captured. across Mahul, ndM through the Dakhm
<rf

the reign.

!1
wto

J^*
Tibet,

wnwfar along with tbe young Nizamshah. Tbey TryTnbak. Tringahvadi. surrender forts Junir.
to

against Balkh
qf

and Badaksban which were key* lo loo acquiitioo Samarkand Murad Baksh was sent with 50,000 horse and 10,000
.

musketeera. rocketmen. gunners,

to proceed to Kabul.

etc.

Tbe emperor
,

himself bad

Tbe

fort of

Kahmard was captured and Kundn

** Brii, Judban, Jund

BBS**
in revoft

and Balkh were conquered-

Bunddas row

under Prilhviraj son of Jhajhar,

39.

Saduuakhan had to subdue

rebellious elements

ta

massacres hut escaped earlier

conquered territories.

qpbui

Kashmir, 26 Zifar Khan, governor of with 80,000 horn and fool.

was ordered

to proceed

40.

Aurani^b, who had been

in

sent to the

Badakahan had to surrender Balkh and

forts

lo Nazar

^"J"*** Mabamad

2?. In the till) year of tbe reign

Kandahar and other

and retreat

rcgn, the 2flth year of Snatajaban'a

28,

Ruch-Raju

ruJed

by

Parikshit

and

Kuchblhar

by

Lakatoninarayan rose in revolt.

29.

A campaign was undertaken

pargxnai and
1

in

Raglan area comprising nine

bat lifts

forti. %\

,001 villages

42 . People

to

the

territories

30. to lb* 12Lh

year of tbe reign Manikraj, Raja of Cbetgaon

and destruction of their crop* Shahiahsns armies in the

2^

subdued
31,

punitive expedition

waa sent against Sangi Bemkhal,

rutef

of Gnajt Tibet,

who had

seized Burang in Utile Tibet.

campaign result* 43. The Tibetan of in the 2Mb year

of despatched for the recapture

^ ^^^ Kan*

^^^^ ^
*"

* f *^*J~

JW*
ajaintti

of tout

by

ef

wat ata

^^
o

In the 13th

year of the reign, an attacking fore advanced

Satan agiimrt Kandahar. Khanshi fort near Bust captured but lucr abandoned.
33
Prithvinj.
Ftirt,

mm

waa

first

years of tbe reign

45. In the

**

**>

Attttml

^
a

*****
n

>on f Jhajhar,

was captured rid imprisoned

and chaatise the Bana.

_^

i*i'*'<

toGwiltof

m
gtfhjsban
,

-.*.

"^

RHktn N^tPer Golden Nor Peaceful

IO

IC
for thr caplur* of

The Taj Mahal

In

A Templt

falto*

em peror
Golkonda wnd Hydrnrtttdcountry
la lh* afUi
lead a

directed the officala in Burhanpur, Ahmedabad and Sural to establish soup kitchen*." of

4T

yr

of hfo reign, SHnhjahan

ordmd

hit son

Awannb to

esmpafrn tg&inst BJjnpur.

end of Shahjahan 'a During this period which marked the another irrepressible enemy bwibTed reign the Imperial army had also

the diseases that may have raged becautt One can well imagine B0ld ln plBC* ** muU *i. wn't flesh eaten A b ^'"8 of dog and pounded bonea of carcasses being mixed wfth parents

by bis

grain flour-

in Rnj*

Jaswant 55ngh
wart,
all

Now
revolts

iL

is

up to the reader

to figure out whether, in such

Incessant
dislocation in

and

plunder

with

the consequent

reduced Shahjahan 'a

of all produce productive activity and destruction distress Here i helpless subjects to acute

distress, Shajahan would ever launch on a fabulous vea r of acute a monument over the body of his deceased project tike building

wife

Mumtaz? Moreover, such

distress

was not

peculiar to the

they experienced. a sampling of what horrors and privations

The description

Is

chronJcler'a account,

taken verbatim from Shahjahan 's own official namely, from the Badstehnmm of Mulla Abdul

The author of the Badshahmm, the fourth year of the reign. begins with the words "In the present year extract quoted above, which show that famine was endemic. What monarch darr
also"

win

Hamid Lahori5 Mulla Abdul Hamad Lahorf begins the account" of the fourth yau-of Shahjahan 's reign. I.e. 1630. (the very year in which Mumta*

monument in such conditions And how would workmen to build an expensive memorial he have the money or the like (lies lo love when people were dying
a massive
I 1

ii

believed to have died) on page 338 of Vol.

,

I.

On page 362 continuing

:

the narrative'* or thai year of the reign year aba

he writes

"In the present

should also be remembered that in the heyday of the Moghul was the only monarch dynasty from Babur to Aurangwb. Shahjahan
It
,

there had been a deficiency in 'be bordering countries,

and

total

waul

in

the Dakhin and Gujarat.

The inhabitants of these was

to be sold

who was deposed during bis life- time and died a own son after nearly eight years of incarceration. Had Shahjaban's
reign been

prisoner of

Ms

two countries (regions) were reduced was

for a cake but none would care for

to the direst extremity. life

marked by peace and pkn>

revolt

offered for a loaf, but none would buy: rank

ft;

the ever bounlious hand

was now stretched to beg for food; and the feel which had always trodden the way of contentment walked about only in search of
ujilwianoe. For a long time dog's flesh

open news of his illness would not have resulted in ^1*""***'' such his sons and other subjects. But that bis entire bees* upheaval did take place only shows how
discontent realm was seething with trouble and

by

** *

was sold (03) goat's

were brought U>

flesh

Aiamgir

and the pounded bones of the dead were mixed with flour and
old.

o Nama of Mohammad Karim W "On 8th of ShahjaWs inglorious reign

:

rf
_

When

this

was discovered the

sellers

justice.

DmuuiUoci at length reached such a pitch that

<*ch other, and the flesh of

men

began to devour

illness, emperor Shahjahan was seized with walker, a long time, and everyday he grew

sun was preferred to his love. The

in

to attend to the business of the

w^ ^ ^ -*!"*g^
^ "^ ihU*wi* * *
f
(lhs uallw
1

W**"^ ^ (v m ^^
anfnVtM Dw
flW

numbert of the dying caused obstructions man who** dire mifferinga did not

groat u occurred in the administration, and

Lbe roads, and every

in

terminate

death and

who

*atn*i (he power to move wandered off to the towns and villages eountriea. Those lands whieh'had been famous for their and plenty now reUm* no trace of productiveness..

The un the wide territories of Hindustan. heir-apparent Sliikoh considered himself want of ability for the kingly
'

mw ^J^dign
fl

of greediness to cut the

suited

for his unworthy person

** ia*

*? IBS,

IWd,

64. lL.d

66. PP. 178-179.

fotiJ.

"

TbtTij Mihd

A Temple

a*fcb*ii'e B<*f Kdtta- Ccadea Nor VmcthA

Ml

^.^-m, oij^tetai and rcWUoui ^^ri of u **^ ^^ (jde> xurtulmt

nn iirf Uir

b^

number of

Infidd Hindus had assembled

raiyiu refused to

carrying with Old Delhi

them

in the UatMl-Ja^ rf arena and provttoona and went

w defend
g^njahan
.*

themselves
huflt the

'

This gives

Breaarfet

direct

lie

to the ataerUoi

Jama

Masjid and abo founded

CM

DaThL

Tamerbin abo
-

specifically refers to the fort of Old

in Bents*"

^y,
, ,

"With

my

mind no kmger

n^ n*
i

occupied

wHh u

dcatrsetion

^proves beyond H doubt

I** eta .J^HoW been, ** b. d countrywide rebellion To. PtaW **** ST* ta enip^ U^dlmtintnwi.diwrder. punitive
fefl

k **h tohsn "

reign hri

be the **

period that

H * wrongly

Delhi I took a ride round the due*, of the people of Shi to city. The buUdinga are tofty. They are furrouidej round
fortifications built of

by

01.

stone and brick, and they are very strong.

Sh^Zi *
HodTbb

mass*** n* iJrftn-. option, TO wb .tantenuneni

entire

I*
hb

oppress**

^ Wd
Alness

unmorahty marked
aeething
realin

mif ted itadf throu hout

s. soon as news of and beoewbot the

response from

bb

known. Had hb rule been wis* evoked a touching of bis Alness would have own sons rose subjects- Far from thai even his

"

abo has a similar strong fort, but it n larger than thai of Sri From the fort of Sri to thai of OW Delhi which to a eoftsUenbaj distance, there runs a strong waQ built of stone and cement The
OJd Delhi
.

part called Jahanpanab is situated n the midst of the inhihrted

city

The

fortifications of the three dtiet have 30 gates, levot

toot

pm

on

the south bearing towards the east, and six on the north

m open re**- What F***** indictment could iberebeof

(mbJrukJSuchTOOOtthecsjewithlndb^^^
the;

Shahjaban'e

bearing towards the west, Sri has seven gates, four towards the outside and three on the inside towards Jahanpanab. The formations
interior and sosnt Of Old Delhi have 10 gates, opening towards the towards the exterior of the city.. I appointed an officer to protect

totfood fathers,

benevolent rulers and noble

human

beings.

thet in a 30-year Even the ouiek avrvey made above ibcrws nap Sbafcjaban conducted at least 48 campaigns which gives ua mom than one and a half campaign* per year. That

the

Musalmao quarter

of the city.."

an average of

own aoessbr So 230 years before Shshbhan. we have fab as fori, tb Tamerlain meticulously referring to Old OeW,
gates and the

means Sbebjahans entire reign was marked by unceasing warfare. And yet current historical tests assert without any Justification
that Sbabjaben's reign

Muslim

localities,
It

now

the

Jama

Masjid.

what namely, the area around lb* surprising how daep*e

las

was a golden and peaceful period.

under

to addition to such incessant warfare, various regions

sssert that afl description. Indian historical tarts bbtiwtfy Stohjsban Delhi itself were raised by buildings and

OW

Sbabjehan's control were often subject to famines. Far

a peaceful and glorious period, therefore,

from being Sfoahjahan's rule was

Tfcia

This

is

<b*r proof of what Sr

H.M.

mediaeval "impudent and interested fraud" of

&*%
I

one of the most horrid periods of Indian history,

knocks the

bottom out of the concocted descriptions, unsupported by any

evident* documentary or tircumstantbl. ascribing the authorship
of the so called

When
have been

of the CRed) fort

falsely

of OW the founding of the dty the of Old Delhi and

* mm ""VT^ a b
******

ascribed to Siahjahan.-

'"T^. o^fed

a*

Jama

Maajkl and the Bed Fort in Delhi

and the

Til Isabel in Agra to Shahbhan.

ut

wonder
to him.

if

the

Mahal

to

Agra too has a**av

hia

memoirs

alludes both to old Delhi

and Ha

Tamerlain

in Cfld Delhi in

the Chrismas of 1398.

*tiwt 30 years before Shshjahsn

'(*>

came to the throne. Tamerlain

Swiday

a was

m.
7

pp.

.447 .iwj,
Ibid-

w^JRS:

brought u>

my

notice that a great

PP. 447-448.

fkbur lived In Tha

Tto]

Mahal

wya

CHAPTER XVI

BABUR LIVED EM THE

TAJ

MAHAL

ev i n "* *W (modem BhOss) which could To those who ask us why w* find no menu* i** *" *" * ** Ta| M*h*l before Shahjahan we Wftu]d lke to w magnificent temples in Mathum and * *** VMlaha a
ta

could not

ham

been completed

Vidfcha

J5
"
"

'

lbs Muslim invaden,? The

MWr

fi

fl

mm2

descriptions have been lost or nobody bothered

mention of them because India teemed with uth'teTf in one sin K !e city, powerful and affluent Indian rul baaT-S s dozen palaces, all rivalling one another

1^"^^ ^ * i/ u

'^

** rtl

beauty
En

astad by history teachers that if IT IS sometimes innocently centuries before Shahjahan. how is it the Taj Mahal had existed are three anwsers to no earlier references to it. There
there are

How

then could one be distinguished from the other descriptions? The record* if any woold only
palace

KA

*.

refer <

^T.

one or the other.

the Taj Mahal, being then a palace and not inspection as it now is. used to be monument open for public guarded It was accessible only to the elite and then only
this question, firstby.

Despite

wch very good reasons for not expecting my kfentifiiUe

what
is at

details in earlier records or

present

known

at Taj Mahal
in India,

closely

luckily.

Babur, the founder of the Moghul dynasty

on

invitation or conquest-

As such one cannot expect the same

that

*bo
left
if

prolific references to it as a tourist attraction

one comes across

was the great great grandfather us a disarming and unmistakable

only

of emperor &ahjahi, ha

description of the Taj Mahal,

it-

in these daya of publicity

and

modem

communications-

we have

the incarnation and insight to grasp

Is

$> our

third

The second answer

is

that ancient and mediaeval India

teemed

answer to the question why no mimtion

of the Taj Mahal and other buDdinga

found In earlier chronlcla

with mansions, palaces and temples of bewildering and bewitching

variety, so

is that

though many Mm*

much so

that being

all

very spectacular, one could not

there is a clear mention of such buildings, our ihusb baauiubsd

be diiiinguiihed from another by mere description. All that could

by traditional tutoring

fail

to grasp their ligniflcaaw, Such

tha

come down to us or could be recorded by any

visitor is that

"they

case with the Taj Mahal,

aw

of

indescribable

beauty"

or

"wonderful,

attractive,

On page up my

magnificent." For instance, in India under British rule there were

"On Thursday (May

Babur adds
:
'

tdls na." 192, Vol. H, of his Memoirs emperor Babur took 1S26) afternoon I entered Agra end

10,

about 668 native ruler*.

luxurious palaces

Moat of them owned many

beautiful,

residence at Sultsn Ibrahim' %

pulace-** Later on p*ft

Can any description distinguish one from the oihtr tpedflcally? Would not those who happened to visit those
merely say that they were magnificent ? Similarly, mediaeval rantdaa are full of praise for Indian mansions and palaces, but

'A few days after the Id

hall,

we had

a gr*t

f
'

U.

1526) In the grand

**

which

is

idornsl with

or atone pillars, under the

palace,

dome

In the centte of

^PJJJJ ^*
^^

Tibtaro is

one from the other at this distance It may also be remembered that their ownership and illties and roada keep changing with every historical
to
icfl

how

rbrahim Lodi at Paniput. As such he

8. Pp. 1H2 and 261.

<

^ate provide by the description in Muslim chronicles *nt Krishna UmnU* m Mothura which Mobiimmad Ghswd

difficulty in identifying a building today with iu mediaeval address and antecedents,

pnawiU mother

Aft Afr^ *? .^JL^atai 1to wrltwn hy ^stf {\rVf -nagutai sad *** of Hindustan. Vol. II. Ut*** Tbwdatad by John Uydm and whiaw. Huaa|*W by air Lucas King, in two

M^

WW * m
.

p*,

ittsn.

'

Tht Taj Mh*l

In

A Tempi*

h,^

ftabur

Uved

In

Tha Ti] Mahil

Mch

ibnJiim

C00.

Mnuolf an

Bibor,

ihsrcfor*, cells

c^queror, the palace m Agra which

alien

^
bt

Hindu hands.
Mahal.
It

Among thme wwt

.

may

Ibrahim's palace.
Bofljir>g
ii

to begin

all

be recalled that Akbar, the over itgain He had ia

wf t

Fitebp,j f

aw

*V

of fton*

Babur soya that the palac* is domed with pHta*. This ia a dear allusion to the four
tbe C mCra f lh

Hindu general, birfc^ Delhi and Agra and Fatebpur Sfaf

against
at

Hemu.

i^^
tr

***** Tii
of

**,
,l

^^,)J^
1^*7*
***

At

pf* pw,""iou *

l talTomiinv^ towr* *

&eo describes a
'

'grand

bflB

" wbIch

Mahal tShAh

'

is

obvi<W3,y tbe magnificent

Agra passed into the possession of the Jaou which was later forced to lend its

^
'

MaIwl

^idj

cenotaph chamber has a dome. It ta said to be tfatf the central surrounded by ten rooms. Thus ontnSj situated because It is currently known as the dtar that Bobur lived in the palace a until his death on December 26, Taj Mabel from May 10. 1526.
1530.

farther

of Mumtaz and Shahjahan, no* houses the cenotaphs centre it had a dome. We know tells us thai in the

Manaingh a scion of tbe Jaipur royal houae,

,

daughterV J

who

*"* at**^

nd a vassal of Akbar, was tbe owner of the Taj

to the

was from Manainuh'. mn H that the Taj Mahal waa commandeered for burying
it

Badshahnams

Mtoai*

A^**

1*7

7^"*

Vincent Smith* teUs a that "Babur.. a peaceful end in his garden palace at Agra.-

mZ^"' ^^ m ^
Thi*

BtennittenUy. That means that

we have

a clear record of

the existence of the Taj Mahal at least 100 years before the death

proof that Babur died In tbe Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal palace in Agra which had i spectacular gardtn. The
refers to the garden as
'

a*m k
i,

^2
thTafo

BtdMhthJL
ipabtxi*

*te zamini

'

of lfunjtaz (tbe so-called Lady of the Taj) around 1630. Despite

meaning verdant,

lofty, lush garden precincts.

aadi a

dor

mention our histories and accounts of tbe Taj Mahal

the verb] over blandly assert that tbe Taj

ta-nh on an open plot of land

Mahal was

built as a

by an inconsolable Shahjahan lamenting

Babur, being a newcomer to India, still attachment to his West Asian homeland He had,
.

retained a noaudgio therefor*, exprwatd

the death of bis wife.

a wish to be buried near Kabul. Accordingly,

there.

hii body wta

carrW
bafaBL

But for

this fortuitous occurrence, according Us ih*

mention of the Taj Mahal

is,

therefore, the fifth direct

of the usurping Muslims in India, he

may

have

proof of tbe Taj Mahal being an ancient palace.

i

The

first

four direct

the Taj Mahal where be had been

living ai the

bam Uma of his

lustily

burial in

data.

the mention by Shahjahan 'a

own

office! chronicle

Had he been

buried there, our histories would have

dwcriSwi

Taj Mahal

was Mansingh'i and Jaisingb'a palace; a similar by Mr. Nurul Hassan SSddiqui on page 31 of his book

Hunwyun

s greet mythical attachment to hit father Babur, tmtuda*

*

him to "bund'
Again,
ir

the Taj Mahal as s wonder tomb for Babur.

jf Ttj, the statement of Tsvernier on page 111 of his lotto that the cost of the scaffolding was more than
,

Instead of

Mumtas, Shahjahan 'a

to 1630.

other quern Prasad

entire work concerning tbe mausoleum

aatnajnai that

Begum, who

at present lies buried In an outer

snenma*

and Peter Mundy'i

Taj Mahal grounds had died

in the central

aha may

hm

bean

the Taj was a spectacular edifice.

chamber of

domed, usurped Htadujnaa

ccncocteddascrti

way (hen be asked bow the Taj

palace which

was under

Sbabjahan'i great great grand-father d out of the famfly + i possession and waa owned to *"* by Jaieingb ? Tbe Babur'a

of

Empcrw

our histories would have contained instead of f of Shahjahan 's infatuation for Sarhandi Begum
In that case

^be bereft of aD bisfather-8 (Babur's) conquests d to flee a fugitive. He did return to India but

explanation

is

thai

Thus the Taj Mahal once bareh/ missed being tomb In 1530 A. D. and once again barely
to posterity as Sarhandi Begum's tomb over
,

J^^^
>rWar.

hundred

* of
B,-a
'

hi.

conquest of Delhi. Soon after Babur'i

dtiaa and buildings passed Into

Stories,

m.

P. 90.

Akbir Urn

QwtMvM* Vlseeaiea*"

T.'I'JM

"

Hw TJ
in
flrrf.

Mahal \B A T*mp|,

- ***

"Hi* Taj Babur Uvl In

MihU
151

Mc*hul emperor Babur lived and died ,rt thy his daughter Gtilbadan further confirmed by
M>hgu

riVioM fto**rV>dy>

lhe chromc!e

^M N""

Bq^

u*

Ttie ocUigonnl hall of the Mystic

Hou

to

obvW-k,

10

^"

Noma

^onal
his father

ball

of the Taj Mahal in

whkh

(Th,

HWory of Humayun

translated into English

by Annette S

Bev*^

Shabjahan raised the

Mumlaz, and in IfiflB Auranemperor aabjahan. The Taj Mahal

i*

tomb

h^^^^
lhcatted ths

of

rtcordt J8,

10 of the translated version . Gulbadan On pages 1 09 and 1 "death toolt place on Monday, December

Be^

to* (Babur's)

House because it originated as Shiva temple motifs. The some building was also called the

repW

U* with VW
ban

1530.

paternal aunt and our mother They brought out our

Great House

was s magnificent royal residence.

the doctors were coming to look. All ro^ an the pretence thai (harem women) end my mothers to jbey took all the begums footnote on page 109 describes the Great th* Great House." (A

Rom*

a palace.)
1530.

"The death was kept concealed. On Friday, December 29. ." A footnote on page 1 10 Humsyun mounted the throne
Habur'a body was laid first in the
opposite side of the river

says,
the
it

Ram

or Aram Bagh, on

from the present Taj Mahal, Later

was taken

to

Kabul,"
it

The above passages make

Taj Mahal.
living

quite clear that

Babur died

in the

When a was known

that

he was dead, the harem women

elsewhere were brought to the palace called

The Great House,

he. the Taj Mahal.

Liter, in order that

Humayum

had to be crowned

in

the Taj

Mahal. Babur' a body

carried across the

was removed from the Taj Mahal and was

river and laid in the palace called

Yamuna

Ram

Bagh

alias

Aram Bagh, This

explains the belief

among

historians

and archaeologists that the

to do with Babur s death.

Ram Bagh

palace in Agra has something

Describing the preparations being of rEndal (son of the late emperor

made

for the wedding feast

Babur and brother of emperor Humayun) Gulbadan Begum wriUa. "The jewelled throne which my lady bad given for the feast was placed in the forecourt of (Myrtle) House and a gold -embroidered diwan was laid in
<on which > Hia Majesty and the dearest lady sat together. (of The Mystic House) was ae* ad throne, and above and below it were spread out hanging* h"*ta*d with gold, and wonderful strings of pearls,

largt octagon*! hall

fbe Twidty Of Mediaeval

Mujdjjn Ghrtmldt*

la

AD tbe above observationa

are fully

CHAPTER XVn

EMofa

appraisal of chronicles concwnFn **nini

''

flltm^ h a
uc ash**-,

ebeerve*-

^*
the

the falsttv of mediaeval

muslim chronicles

works wn,,,, which bf Autobiographical Memoirs of ibe Emperor Jahanidr confusion in their titles.. There are two distinct aJWi-,

There

are

several

u are varieties of each edition.

.
....

Memoirs which differ entirely from each other. Major M*!** one. Anderson wrote upon the other. Tt wOl b* _ i ,*
...

w ^ that iheni

In H. M. BLLOT, a study of n umerous mediaeval Muslim the preface to ha eight volume "impudent and interested fraud.'" He /fr qfl^fi^ that they art an 'well
*

Sa

known

historian,

has observed

well be adduced, to ahaw uai exaggeration of the Ttotic-i-Sttim-ShalP

"A

few instances may as

"At page 2 of Major

occasion
I

Price" 3 translation

it

is

gaid

-Qn us*

fogy joittftfB his conclusion by his of Ihose cbwiicks. Here

comments during the study

regarding Muslim

made use

of the throne prepared by

parallel,

my

ftuw.

we quote bis observation

enriched it at an expense without

for the cdebrttkn of

chroRtdas which purport to record for posterity events of the

towth-gtnersijan Moghu) emperor. Jshangir, Lay readers and even

the festival of the year, at the entrance of the Sun into Aria, In the fabrication of the throne a sum not far short of lot kroun
of sshrefies, of five mjthkals the sahrefy was expended
sJone. a
in

mt*~*

of history have been kept blissfully in the dark about

jml

the utter unre&ibility of those chronicles.

It

krour hang the term of an hundred

independently of 300 mauna of
in the

lakhs, and 1 lakh

gold, Ifaitoatant

being
should also be

1 00,000,

remembered that Jshangir was the father

are challenging in this book.

measure, employed
equal to ten

workmanship, each maun of Hind bskw

auihjahan whose authorship of the Taj Mahal and the

maun 3

of Iraq.

"The
Sr H

150 translator converts the value of Jewell alone into

Elliot's

observations about the Jahangirnama apply

observw; bat millions sterling! an incredible sum, as he justly

forcefully to aD mediaeval

Muslim

chronicles.

They are

all

the

more sober statement

is

of the

Tiiak-i-JdmF* *9*
Hifldujtani

'<***

**?

exam niet of gross exaggerations,

rath, and blatant

false claims, suppressions

lakhs of ashrcfies and fifty mauns of gold.

me

For instance, wherever they my that the Muslim rulers destroyed temples and built mosques,
tbsc they

misre presentations.

and there

no mention of the throne

below

m U

aifthwtfc

Maim

man

"A

little

we

read,

'having thus

i>

that they just used temples as

mosques by

and throwing away the icons.

*bare#er Muslim
chronicles claim that Muslim rulers or foonded towns, built forts and constructed roads and

throne or

my

expectations and wishes.

I cause

*"*^^J^
'

crown, which
of that which

my
wss

be madtsl father had cauawi to ofF* worn by the great kings

^^
^

'

dug wdhj and tanks,

to tot

their claims are invariably false.

the before me, and then, in the presarwof omen having placed it on my brows, as an
and happiness of

"Jv^j^^
tolhf .uHay
of s ft*

to India to enjoy ready wealth

and mansions but not

my

U.
id.

Neither did they have the time,

akfll.

money,

patience,

astronomical hour.
a single
70. P. 71.

On

reign, kept ft each of the

w GBJW* ^
n3^c-

seaman,

* o*Bstnictioo. They do not have evi a single treatise " " - m "hatval literature on any architecture of their
ir|

resources or personnel to attempt

diamond
2M.

of

lbs

value

"T^^ ^^ ^ ofw
rf

(r9m *

&*** Elliot A Dawaon,

pp 3b? -am. n>w

The

Tii|

MnhflJ In

A Tempi*

Pilac*

Or McdlouvoJ Muslim Chronldw Th* Natly

1GB

pu rchssod by my father with the resource of flv miiBkeJs i be whole noi from anything nrennng to him by of h* own government,
,

of uahrefiea or 6.40.000/- sterlingl' Of sixty Jaca Th* -tw,. ak

^
f

80.000 Tumans,

""

^
m

inheritance

from

hi*

predecessors. At the point in (ho centre of

crown *s a single pomi of four mithkaJs, thr lop pan of the valor of on* lakh of oshrefies, and on different parts of the same wrre art altogether 200 rubies of ono milhkiil encb, and
of the

67, in speaking of the preparations for lHs his son Khmrru, he says. '40,000 horses reeding

At page

a,,*
1

hit

stables,

wdb

of the value of 6.000 rupeeea. Altogether this superb symbol

Tlje

and 100,000 camela were brought out and distnTwtld Tuzak has nothing on the subject,

of supreme power
smaller work and

may bo
in

valued at two millions sterling. * In the

"At page 79 he says he

to be distributed

'delivered to JimeO Beg ico.ono ashrefiei

that the ordered

the authentic

Memoirs, (hero

is

no mention

amongst the Badakshanians, and

of this oosUy crown.

'

to

page 5 Jshsngir says he remitted certain sources of revenue,

60,000 rupees to be distributed among the Durwaiahee al Adjmeir.' The Tuzak gives the sum at 30,000 rupees, and mentions aotUag about the donations to the Badakshanians.

mauns of gokL equal to 16.000 mauns of Irak/ The Tuzak says 60 mauns Hindustani, and the authentic Memoirs give no sum.
'which yielded to his father no less than 1600 Hindustani

"At page B8

'the Jewel chest of Khossrou

!'

it said to

have contained

18,000,000 sterling

It

must hav been

lfl.000,

s pretty large

heavy
abovt

"At page
of Agri

one to have held only

be says that 'the workmanship alone of the citadel
its

and the Tuzak says nothing

contents.

was completed

at the expense of not less than 180 lakhs

of ashrefies of five miibkals each.* which the translator with a not* of admiration converts into 26.550,000/-. The Tuzak gives
only 38 lakhs of rupees, and the authentic

M After

these instances of exaggeration, who

will believe this

'

valuation 'immoderately augmenting the numbers of

all

things

memoirs 35 lakhs of

There are also other additions and omissions. For instance the account
of the rebellion and capture of Khusru varies in several eaamtial
particulars (in the (liferent copies) aria at the conclusion of that

"At page 15 he says that

of railing a mosque on

the temple which had been built

occurrences

instead of Jahengir's returning to Agra, be pis to

is

by Raja Mansingh and which the king demolished for Use purpose
its

Kabul, as he

said in

oil

other histories to have done

it

ruins cost

in

its

construction nearly

36 lakhs of five mithkals ashrefies' which as the translator says is 5.40.00,000 rupees ! The Tuzak says only 8,00.000 rupees. "At page 32 he sends
of
to Shahzada

"Amongst
only
is

other omissions, a very striking one

thai not

there scarcely any allusion

made to bis

propensity to druibng
I

but he speaks with pious horror of

wtdicuon this disgraceful

U value of

5.00.000 rupees

Panwez a chaplet of pearl The Tuzak says 100.000.

his brother Baniyal;

whereas

In
in

the true Memoirs then the Memoirs of

many

drinking bouts noticed, as

Jahswr

"M page 34 be says

"that Daulst

Khan

left at

his death property

potatiorm to wto grandfather Babur; and the extraordinary

tqehalent. ecoardjng to the translator, to 120.000.000/-*, The Tuzak ays only 300,000 tumans of jewels besides gold and other specie.

liwnodersto tope confesses would have shamed even that KKot'i ob*rvtiJo*

MWUd
*

P*K* 37 be putea 'that the property of his brother Daniel ta Jeveb to five crore of ashrefies, and two crore in of the aatn* currency of 63.000,000/ - sterling The Tuzak
. '

ellaot at to

U amount

hfscooclu].ionUlM mj ujiww r it to time to prove w0g^ would chronicle* are atrocious concoctions. We many pot observations of our own since there are * the notice or even Sr H. M. EOfctf and other

Above

is

just a sampling from

Sr H M

made by him from unit? iiiatitr uy mm tram time

Uj

'

tl the tiara of

Hlmu

is

aaW

of hie type.
*

to have been set with

Every student of

MuaSm

chronicles and

m
The Taj Mahal
la

TVwtipi,

p^
CM Mi-dU^o] UuUm Chroridm T^e FuWiy

of mmmu* wouM do well to qutton the wry basisr* nil M8wrtintU| consider whether they corrobom artrf to him end care^y

stand the scrutiny of | evidence and agiCi oiher asdependnni the estwts quoted above, il may be noted ih For mjuKv. Mdcnl Hindu dfJMld The emoting if * ihr fort r* A*"

aw

mnoooci

in

Muslim chronicles as having boon spent on

That expenditure was grossly

it

were
ami

MX
fort

m^y

for repair*.

moaned

report were misrepresented as actual construction f lne Whai a more. *ven the amount spent on those repairs was
for their

from Use dtfamry by means of a special levy own tatnrt m& effective suppression and slavery

&#%*&

perhaps Moated them a lot and rocordBtl them, it th* , Um. ^representing that the crowns, thrones, building umtatu were constructed by thdr bridges, canals etc. rwpertiv* Muslim patrons. H Is such overlapping prevarication which hat fh-w, n> jucb fantastic versions thai the so-colled Kuiub Miner was perhip buHt by Kuiubuddln alone or by Altmash singly or by both of them and Mlnuddin KhHji nnd Feiwahah Tughlak pertly; and that the cost of the Taj Mahal may be anywhere between four end over 90 million rupees). In such cases the very basis of Muslim assertions
,

is

misleading. This the reader should be clear about

in

reconstructing

Where Jahangir is said U> hove destroyed Mansingh's lemple md befft mosque over its ruins, all that the reader may gather 'rom K 'a that Jahangir had the whole temple staff driven out
or converted to Islam and
the idol* and use the
i

the story of the Taj Mahal.

also be noted that ,1ahsngir was the father of Siatijahun. Jahangir. as we have noted obove, has been brandwl as e notorious
It

may

If

Muslim group
building for

installed to

throw away

prevaricator, his son Shahjahan was worse. Shahjahan hieed the

services of

same

spent on

it

to uproot the

Muslim pniyers. The paltry image and repair the damaged flooring
happened throughout
India

Kamgar Khan

to forge o

now

chronicle or Jehaniir's

reign three years after the letter's death, to carefully eliminate

grouty exaggerated and the whole operation misrepresented

at the building of a mosque. This has
la the entire mfllenium

from Juhiuigtr's own chronicle all adverse references

H. M.
to
at

to the rebellious
this,

Shahjahan when the latter was a prince. Testifying to

Elliot

St

of Muslim rule.

observes
it

**He (Karrfgar Khan) was

At last induced

Bert

it

may

also

be noted that Mansingh was Jahangir' s own

undertake

(writing a spurious history of Johjingir's reign)

in ths third year of

'-to'law
j

Bid a Hindu courtier

military'

campaigns against

who had incurred the odium his own relatives to consolidate

fanatical cheek

the instigation of the emperor Shahjahan

his reign."

Mogbul role
to destroy

in India.

And yet Jahangir had the

by
his

Jabangir'a chronicle contains

father

many

flattering references to bis

temple
If

built

own brother-in*law and

staunchest

Akbar Jahangir invariably

fllial

professes to be s very obediant

of supporters.
f

such was the condition of one of the highest

son overflowing with

affection.

For instance, he claims

to

accruer* closely rebnad to the Muslim sovereign

wefl imagine the plight of those

by blood

ties,

e may
power

Hindus

who claimed

neither

He yx have built o tomb for bis father (which bo did not). when later he used to pass by Ms father*! tomb b*

*"

mi

position

nor royal kinship.

,

intended

(sic)

to

walk barefoot,

&ch

enUmen'al

Ms*

mushroom throughout
rhr

reign Jahangir** chronicle of his

crowns, thrones dties, forts, palaces,

m senrfrtigns and nobility

tombs and mansions are claimed to have constructed

Q***rfe>* concoctions falsely recorded in ink by the facile '***im scribe* intent on making easy money by currying

son aw atrocious behaviour as a faithless, treochcruus Akbar ha-p himself described how Jahangir w

to be taken aa nothing

more

wtwoflsgs Jaw V then attempt* to

"*

WJ*

Later

when Jahangir

secretly did not succeed in

commandeered and rum pre -Muslim Hindu rulers. Muslim chroniclers duo of thaw captured or looted townships or buildings.
tooted,

"aw

L Akbar. the former started an open r torture make Akbur a prisoner. h would have
And yn
i

^. "J^y, v^
(

^
friher to

?^

jwj^

usurped,

exudes h* whole of the MlangiirtMm

* dssth-

wfft#r

leaving been a doling son.

73. P, 340.

ilrfd

:.m

n* t1 MaM i* a ^KJ-h^
* ,* *!

^v' mp* pi*

Wbo* W
our

inherited

;f

"""*** <,f Ufa, by *Mi* y

^^ 32
i ,

-j

hi. iruSL

and had further iwrfuctcd

^d

vll !in to obligo

CHAPTER XVDI

unu, which wnuld rqirMnt

I" the

mCmsrchs

world

Thai

b hy w*

find

Uttta

kd

| Shi*j*h*n h-vmg

and tan ItajU in who of hUtory, scholars

WW

bum H_ * ad "*

^
U

^
]hJ

THE 'LADY OF THE

^^^
ilgdf Student*
_

TAJ'

U**

*^
rf

monument*
to

*-r.^iI*-^ *^*
d-
of the Taj Mnhal,

shnuVd not bebeve

^ ^ traditional Muslim

Wstory and visitors to

THERE SEEMS

* * ^r^ "ioy *-<** trough

suDJecting ever? assertion by Independent verifying

to be lot of confusion about lb* very

name

of Shahjahan's wife who. chamber of the Taj Mahal

It

we

are told,

lies

buried in the central

could be that the appellation

"MuroUu Mahal"
it is

got affixed

to her only
is

when she was buried

in

a Hindu (Crown) palace which

not the building,
Lhe

what the term

is

Taj Mahal' signifies. So

its

as

commonly asserted, which derives

vice versa, namely, that the

name from

woman.

It is title

woman

derives her posnrmmoui

burial

from the magnificent palace

This conclusion of ours
Is

in

which she had her second

based on Shahjahan'i own court

chronicle, the

Badshahnama, which says,*1 ""OnthelTthZfl-i-Kada,

Aliya

1040. died

Nawab

Begam.

in the 40th year of her a|ft... She

had

home him

eight sons

and six daughters

observes
7*

Ahmed Arjumand Banu Begum

Maulvi Moinuddin
-

that her original

name was

It

would now be pertinent to inquire who

this io catted "tody

p

of the Taj"'

was; what was her status

in Shahjahan s household.
in SbabjohaiTi

what was her ancestry and bow much was her worth eyes?

the
It

Arjumand Banu was the grand -daughter of Mina Chta in -I Prime Minister of Jahangir. and one of his father*
that this Ghiaa Beg ministership the Persian court raised to prime
Influential

needs to be pointed out h

**

waiter in

Moghul court because his beautiful and to become Jnhungir'a mistress. Thus
suss Arjumand

*">&" "[
oirth

bis

grand daufhUi

Banu Begum was a commoner by

t.\ *J4

p. 27. ibid., vol

P. 3,

vn
lb

Thr Tut *nd Hi Environ.

T^.ljdyQfTtwTil'

M
in

Khwaja Abul Hasan (al ilo Arjumand JhBo' '"*" k Daum Asaf Khan) and mother, Diwanji Bc^m. Ywrnn 4d Muml*i was married to Shahjahon in 16|2. fifc
IftH^.

.ii

The author

ia

wrong
If

^
Wf||

In believing ihat IQ57 a

inscribed on the front gateway

H nam * marka the comwk*L !r!j

that tha
toarribar

tbw1^ore is

wlu> Swjahan was

Mahal.

It

only implies.

at

all,

21 years of age at the tin*, Qf

darn.,

Bu* she was not fihahjahans first wife. Shahjahan',, queen, was a great grand daughter of the ruler first wife, the of Shah Ismail Sifwi Siahjahen had numerous other wives rVsia He not only was married before taking and thousands of consorts. Mumlax as Ws wife hut also married again after her death. I used to take consorts by the hundred, brtweco these weddings he also therefore, futile to argue, as is traditionally into hif harem. It is. that Shabjahan was so devoted to Mumtaz as lo lose ail

Uwr marriage.

Hindu palace waa completed on that dale. The silent precisely from a sense of guilt. The Mahal took 18 yeara to build
|a
is

Kora^^^ ^
turmi

therefore wrong.

The
all

apparartly baaed on thia data year 1630 AD. bdievad

to
is

^ JJ5
ebvjoosh

it

m!

commencement of the
mistaken because for
untfl

mark ih,

construction of the Taj Mahal

one known Mumtai may have bean ahva 1632 A. D. And then it should take at least a

to discuss plana to
hire labour

make

year or i^> drawings, acquire land, onj^ TOileniK

inleresi in life

after her death and that he, therefore, perpetuated

and begin construction. This venrion too. thamfore provea how the whole Sbahiahan legend of the Taj Mahal ia all
and bluster. This 18 year claim also
conflicta with

bluff

her

memory

in a

magnificent

monument.

Tavcmiert

claim

The ado that current

mythical infatuation for
records of those times.

historical texts

make about
justified

Shahjahart'i
historical

that the Taj

Mahal took 22 years

to bund.

Mumtaz is not Mumtai was apparently

by the

The

traditional

so insignificant an

MumUi is

of Shabjahanj disconsolate grief far a typical instance of arguing backwards, which is fallacious.
belief that Shabjahan

myth

inmate of a harem teeming with 5.000 females that no historian has bothered even to accurately mention the dates of her birth,
death or burial at Burhanpur. in the Taj garden or under the Taj ,s Mahal dome. This is borne out by the following extract : "The

The myth arose from the

falsehood, other

was lha

builder of

a grand tomb called the Taj Mahal. To prop up and

rusialn that

myths were

creeled. But the mytbj art mutually

all

contradictory and inconsistent as

falsehoods
is

an

bound to

be.

was commenced in 1630. or one year after the buMng death of Mumlaa Mahal. The date of the completion of the
building of the Taj
inscribed on the front

The myth sought to be pricked here

expensive

about Shahjahtfl'i fpadal

justify rtjstntf an

and exclusive attachment to Mumtaz meant to

gateway

is

1057

(im).

It

thus look 18 years

to complete.

The cost was three

million sterling.'

her memory. Had he been *o attached then* would have been a mention about It in hintorioe. &it the la not
a word about
in

momument in
ii

about The above passage varies considerably In its details ft impba and Taj Mahal from other accounts quoted heretofore,
1 631 in 1630 or that Mumtsa died in 1629 while others say she died imaginary of 1632 A. D. The figure of the cost too is altogether

Mumua

Nurjahan. As regards Shahjahan,

anywhere. The only special runwnoe, if any, mentioned narratives of the Mogbul court, relates to Jahangir and Ma com t &1* tradition first starts frem
on huge expense iacurred
it,

premise, namely that be built the Taj Mahal at a tom b,

explain
ita
it

away
-

i.e. justify the

since

It

quotes no authority.

beauty

it Is

presumed

that be

must have bean

grattiy i

U> dat-U. Even Mumtai ' year of birth, like every other **J^ b ** .., ft* b* ffctiuoui According to Mull* Abdul Hamid Lahori, I" t year ** M this chapter. It-intua Mahal was in her fortieth ,* In Jl? n S_ _ __ InAMn circa lfij*>> i'lrrl PC"' >a a .- been born ara she JfiWi aba 4id around 1KJ0 aba roust have

b\ This

is

what

we mean

by "arguing backwards-

75

*"

MauM Moinuddina

book ine data of Mumtai'

...
..

birtb j"

...
1

r*

/*/.

16

v tf with on aceow**
i"
, .

*""- 0W
u
jft

^ ^^
^

**** During the 18 yeara of her married tif* whom seven survived her. That meant in i

^ j^^^l

she free from pregnancy, which shows Shahjahao^

for his wife's health, so
last

much

ao that

tiumutomm
J

anarb*
nadb*

dehvery. She waa then only 37

ym* *W

^ w. * (Khan Bahadur), printed at Calcutta Contra! Pnaai

ft ., Cakaiua,

* mt

uty oi ngrm by Syf Court w<S urn* mtf of U* Modern City of Agra **- t/w

^njni

Burhanpur her body was burial there Had Sha

im.

m
for h#r. h*

Tb
could hiivc built
Inter the

''-'i

ftblui b

'?',

ft

,,.'.

Paiift

n
a

"Lady of *n Taj*

monument whore
tt>

his wife

wai

riret

UirW.SstiTionths
and violation of

body wnsfnhuincd, which was a sacr-l^ps

be taken to Agra

ito*

lonw* of Islam,

m*u<r

of faei

ff

lh Trj Mahal took 10 to 22 yeora or

m to

As
build

ghahjahan . Tho cenotaph obova hli tfmrfi wen with that of Muxnt^ beau*,

Ml

couW

urf!y

be buried

according to traditional fiction,

why was

the body carried to Agr

torn the

original place of burial within six

months of the death?

disturbing the cenotaph ibqva. Thii w burial for hJmadf alongajde Mumua
hli

J?l IT**-100"***-* h th. opm tr*,* JT*^ *". * "

''

Whit

wu

the hurry?
far

Another interesting fact

Ttoj

that even in tlw precincts of the

*on> cared for him. Th throne -chamber above the baseman

lay

H n __"** Wtt* **"* *** *hmhTT^ BtF cenotaph. u U"* *

the body waa again faterred in a temporary tfrsve for another

underneath, otto

uw
a

the main

tdx

months, Thereafter

it

was

laid

where

it is

supposed to

lie

now.

purpose, tbweby violating their wincUiy

Ntcoolao

^
b*
hta

,,,,

d]|||fvW

^ .J

"*"

These are very important facts which need la be carefully exnmined.

Manucd,
if

Va^,

Had

the Taj been really built by Sbahjah&n over n period of 10

court, to which he waa

least

wRo^, my9 *

^^ g^^ Wt(1
Qf
i

to 22 years employing 20>OQG labourer* one can imagine the heaps

of building material lying

wandering

all

over, fn

around with the large labour force such circumstances would it be possible to
ail

the Pbrtuieuaa* had nathed lha lifetime of Taj Mahal (Lo. Mumt**)

doubt that

whole of them to be cut

^ ^^ ^
grot

mm ^^^
I

^7J

tola plates after

tonum

AI u

keep the body of a dead queen righl there to be trodden over by

an army of humble labourers.

[n

In

the dust and din of a huge project 7

fs

our view the rational explanation

buried in Durban pur
-

that soon after

did not escape a auTfidcnl amount of auffanng; mr* abjured their faith either from fear of torture and of death or ihroaab the desire of recovering their wives, who had been diatifbutad

same they

MumLnz'a

br

Shahjahan among hia

them,,

officers. Others, the

'

dntb she wbj

moat

beautiful

the town in which she died. the possibility or ousting

now

Sx months later when Shahjahan visualised

were kept

Tor the royal palace

Jaisingh from his resplendent hereditary palace, using the death

Thus neither by
was not the

lineage, nor by any oidotrinf quatiuai. physical

of rank
right
)

of his wife as a lever, he kept exerting his royal pressure on or

beauty, special attachment and precedence

first wife,

fbccauw iba
did

browbeating Jatelngh out of his luxurious ancestral home. Snce

JaJsingb could not be so easily prevailed upon, Shahjahan had the

nor a queen

in ber

own

A/jamani

Banu Begum

qualify for the distinction of a oniijB

wpokhn
bar*
that

body of

Mum tax

brought from Burhanpur to serve as a sort of

the body
itself

Both Shahjahan and Mumtai were,

wicked and not tho lender Romeo and
misled public
la

that. attnjneJy
Julie* type of

an ultimatum

When

was there as sn handy

nobttily to

pa>

asset

for the emperor and the entire

Muslim

browbeat Jaisingh

made

to bettm.
negotiated wilhapboraphwtbfff. hi taqobi

with, could be hold out any longer ?

palace.
V/jihin a

He had

to surrender his ancestral

In April 1974

when I

for a photograph of

MumUtx'a lomb

few months

its central

octagonal throne chamber was

needed an exterior view of the

building or of ibt (n?

dug up. TVo trenches were made in the basement, and Mumtaz'fl exhumed body waa interred in one Above the basement in the throne

Tout indicates that even

to ua have

in

Burhanpur

MunUJ

that * inside an usurped building though aeeounU

all

chamber two cenotaphs were raised so as to be directly above the fravw in th braemem. The other trench in the basement wan for
f

along claimed that Muwlaa

Iherrfore. thai
to

**

garden.
buried

It

pparenl.
in

in a

garden puace
garden

*" Burhaojair
l
l

preceding Footnote
in

tha UumiMz waa

m hw ahown how Mulli Abdul HamM

yw (and not the thirty- wwniM
M

aeoond time
78,

P^ + *<" "

wf IN.

her fortieth

oryopdlaa1.l^ PP. JTO- listeria do Mcr*

Maauerf,

Th# T*J Mahal

A TwnpW

p^
CHAPTER
XIX

I*
TTJ.

^biatorisn* hr* *
ufUnvaetignted.

imporuint withheld yr* ir^thcr <*muriee. This also for lhr*# lon gullible poWie cceP,in Mup1i,n vcra,ons ""verified and

detoil

which has boot

musing

Sahjahan managed to
Burhanpur
Skahjahan
first,

bury Mumtax
in

in

a ready mansion in

THE ANCIENT HINDU

EDIFICE
IS

TAJ

and second time

a bettor mansion in Agra just

INTACT

of two of Uwir andenl palatea. Thereby to deprive the Hindus succeeded in defiling and misapproprittUng two Hindu
in

mansions

two

different

and distant

cities

with one corpse.

over the two buriab first in o garden in Burhanpur by vaguely alluding to Mumlazs burial and acme months later in Manaingb's garden in Agra, carefully
accounts glossed In both cases historical
{r?pr^Kng the fact that at both places she was buried in the mansions situated In those gardens, later, on the sly those accounts added
that Shahjahan spent millions of rupees in raising the
in Agra* namely the Taj

THOSENOTaMetogrtridoftheU^iUKVftlnouonofs^i^^^
sponaorahip of the Ta} Mahal are prone
to argue,

em after routing
ft

the foregoing evidence, that Shahjahan may have taken over a ready Hindu temple palace but he must have completely damoGincd

and erected a tomb. This

it

Is

not true. The Th| Mahal

utew
ht made

mausoleum

today

is

the ancient Hindu temple palace except

in
il

for fair nrpwficid

Mahah

changes

made

by Shahjahan. The

first

alteration

Had Shahjahan ever any intention to build a fabulous building over Mumlaz'a body he would have done so in Burhanpur Itself.

was to dig the basement central chamber floor end Mumtaz, raise a cenotaph. The other alteration wis

afUtr burying

In *he antral

He wouldn't

incur double expenditure in first raising one mansion

over ber body in Burhanpur and later another better one in Agra
and yet leaving no expense account of either. Did not Shahjahan have better or more serious things to do than trifle and fiddle with
the corpse of his departed consort and keep experimenting with

ground floor chamber. Here two cenotaph -humps wens put yp by Shahjahan ao that the Hindus may not reclaim the buSMing. The
Shahjahan was to get Koranic extract* Th* fourth dan** b engraved on the walls of the Hindu pnlac*.
third alteration

made by

made was

to have

many

staircases, ventilators and

chimbm

in

epulchre-building in distant cities

with und. the basement and upper floors sealed

brick and Una.

one other important aspect which seems to have escaped nwrybody'a attention. There are two cenotaphs in the Taj Mahal
rotre is

did

Prom the above, the nader may have or not make any structural change

the

name

of

Mumtaz and two

in the

name

of Shahjahan, one

cb to the

noMpha

basement and upper floor respectively. Why four for just two corpses ? Does not thai little detail indicate

visitor to the Therefore, the reader and the than an II as nothing more or less

a fraud hiding something ?

complex By mistaking it tend to concentrate thdr

two of the cenotaphs must be fake. If so. which ones) The two CHiottphs in the name of Mumtaz were obviously wry the two Shadings Cone each in the basement and
floor
l.all

to appreciate the building in .U

^ "^I^E TE, *^*"^'L ^^^

M. I

^*^? ^^^mZ W"J*E

noted

"*

it.

vetoes*.

The Taj Mahal, when viewed

attention in
edifice.

as a

^jJ*'J^^anil
in

mart*

the following manner

in*

_^

f|n|etBrt
.

rpc!My). That

indicate* either that

Mumtai

buriad in the Taj Mahal or that her corpse in the basement

laid over the Shivling. But even the basement bov. tha river level. Therefore Mumtaa't body could

bwt

storeys TbJs bus at least four chamber In the marble floor is central ** The central chamber now haa

"

nw

'

Hindu Poaook Tlirone, u*u

***''"'

^^ ^ AA
to

^^

nave

boart

bunad even j n lne basement

m
forg** 10

"H>* TBj Mahal

h A Twnpfe

p^

Hindu To] Edinc* Tl* Anotant

imu
in

should

which surround the cen go round the 10 chamber* fwuq>h) chamber. Thus in the marble structure itself, be HT83 rooms in the basement, It an the ground
in

^
noo r

of the Humayun tomb, to the corners rf the Taj Mahal, are tm-Wamlc

^er

ml v*Um

and 10

the UPP**

s**^ CU.

nam
II 10

high above the centra] chamber.

rooms

in ihe three

dome Thus there should be in ah* storeys of the marble palace. The fourth
marble dome. and not a one room tomb as

the first floor) since the

[rmovaUonT, lh,r **"* tbey ore of Hindu origin. This finds corroboration " * - "** practice of raising four banana stumps as towwa u it* Puis altar, and raising towers at the four comara aft "*

***

tiorcy comprises of a single hell inside the hollow

altar.

*****

That makes

it

a grand palace suite

many
2,

visitors

imagine

it

to be in

heir hurry.

The footnote also highlighta the flaw | t^ Uunttw of w-te scholars like Keene and Cunningham. Percy Brown
an*

p*^

While discussing the individual

The second

significant
its

feature of the Taj

Mahal

traits of the s^caltaj

is

the

mo**!*

two -storied buildings on

la

right

and

left

flanks.

One

tombs they concede that they

Visitors to the Taj Mahal

m
fin

of them

archil un~la!amic. Hindu inula. And

l9

now mistaken

as a

mosque and the other is explained away superfluous counterpart. These two were edifices for the guards
to be a

yet they blindly believe that the whole building

Qf

(fa Agra) and FibiVa-Makalwi

(in

M ulBm Ql^a

Aurangabad) and the Gol Gumbos

they are
all

and for guests and religious ceremonies,

Bijapwl must n*!i tan

Around the marble edifice is a huge redstone paved courtyard, tinder it is a huge basement containing scores of roams. The public
3.

misappropriated Hindu buHdlnp and must, thorefi, jettison the tutored and wrongly implanted notion that tho four

corner towers are an Islamic

o Hindu

speciality.

On

tha other bind

It

should ask the Archaeology Departmen t to have the basement unsealed

speciality. In Pilani (a town in Rajasthan)

ita

Mm

planUa of

and thrown open to the public.

contain

It is likely

that the sealed rooms

every public well has Lowers at

officials,

four corners. Archaeological

visitors la matuunaoti

some

treasure as well as idols and other tell-tale dues

teachers and professors of history,

10 the building 'a Hindu origin. If a small fee is levied

on

visitors,

and

official

guides thus seem to be Ignorant

of the imjdicattai et
'auifaadly'.
is

Ibe collection
Daaumujl.

will easily

pay for the maintenance of the

cleared

Cunningham's observation, though they consider him in

5.

Enclosing the marble

edifice and the garden

At the four corners of the plinth of the marble edifice are four towers which when lighted up at night, used to set off the building in on enchanting frame. An inner spiral staircase leads > the lop of each of the four towers. Visitors to the Taj Mahal ftn vehemently assert that the four marble towers at the plinth men are definitely an Islamic concept. We wish to tell them
4.

Mahal, on redstone wall. As one faces the Taj

in the

iht

n front Ut band

redstone wall

la a

multfstoreyod well with apart**

the paJac every storey. The well used to house for i rt This arrangement came handy
its

rooms

in

the well

if

the

enemy

surprised the occupanU

^ *J"T
In**
i

"***," m

that,

**** W2
8-Ang
wefir*

from being Islamic, those towers themselves are an mponant Hindu characteristic, in 8upport we footftoUj fi
far

to the the treasure used to remain secure run a*ay with intruders who could not easily spiral the narrow confines of the well

^<^^
**

of ifcem*'.

HMboak.
(i.e.

this

mauaoleun

* ,**, allied
,

-Cunningham writes Humayun tomb) that in this tomb

It
;

says

6.

Along

on the firth* the redstone wall

o^^ ^

marble
7.

corridors. edifice are long arched

M^Ti
untfl

to the four angles of the main building. rtam innovilUon *" the Mohammedan architecture
In the graceful minars of the Taj

As wc face the marbk, Ta) n bt hand entrance to the garden, on the K

wall
is

culminated

roomsa huge quadrangle of

Mahal."
8.

V""** <** y-

Outside tho garden

is

that the four pillars attached

corridors and scorea of rooms

^^
^
1

J^^%

^^
*, p**-

mw
**

^
**

Tb Taj

Mshd ! A Temple

Palu^-

p^-Aion rm

for roya!

jn^wnUn^^
*
hw mount

to

ivtn * wlth and K^*** thai the cavalry in tMs quadrangle ,,,

"

^ ^""^

CHAPTER XX

courtiers. princes and rulers used wcoct wwrnpanvinK important personage to alfght from tar up to mrte wy R* entrance to proceed to the towering garden

md

enkr

the marble Taj

tomF3 * P*1 **'

THE TAJ MAHAL HAS HINDU DIMENSIONS

wall are Ouiside the redstone

many annexes
relations.

for aides,

near penuries, princes and the ruler"*

of the redstone well 10. In the eastern side

along the river

re

storeys-

rooms in their many two huge towers containing scores of around one tower, Sewer water now -a- days swirls in eddies
is

THE TAJ Mahal

Its

which
1 1

lady

to

damage

its

foundation in the long run

numerous

has temple-palace dimensions and attribute. gateways have spiked doors. The enttrebuilding complex

In the redstone

quadrangle outside the garden are hundreds

thousand encloses over a

pavilions.

rooms, a multiatoreyed

well and pleasure

of

rooms and
12.

stables for infantrymen

*hto palace

and their attendants

Around

complex are weO built rows for shop

to

stalls

which Tavernrer has described as the Tnsiwscsn.

by arched redstone The majestic approach, flanked typical of all Rajput, Hindu royal the Taj Mahal is

corridors,
buildings.

Many such arched

corridors surround the Taj Mahal garden rod Between them they enclose hundreds of rooms the outer quadrangle. staff and alao animals. Muslim used for housing the temple palace or pleasure house with myths explain them away as JHo-Khma cruel, miserly and monarch the built-in absurdity that a to erect luxury overbearing as Shahjahan would ever condescend the tomb at which for all and sundry to make merry over

rooms

day-in-and-dayout Shahjahan himself Cwe are told) wept bitterly still he from 1630 to 1666. Such a majestic approach may
in Rajaslhan outside all ancient Hindu temples , palaces and townships

known a* Behind the temple palace was a paved river bank Mahal (ntf "ghat" . A part of it still exists. Gateways of the Taj to baU barred) opening at the rear provided for the Hindu royalty
at the river

and go boating.
the
"

of

many buildings in the Taj Mahal oompkato entirely Hakksr Khmas (Drum Houses). Besides being
Among

Rajput style, as at Chittor. Gwallor or Ajmer. the Drum are further proof of the wiLhor's thesis. Any kind of
atricUy forbidden in Islamic religious placed

Even <*** drum house Is ever planned to disturb tlw graveyard departed souls. But m Hindu temples and palaces drum

'

"

Th* Ta* Mahal

A TVmpj,

p^
royal

Ttae Til

Mihnt

Hu

Hindu Btmmitont

appurtenance. Urania and shchmri minie Uied , on mdip<nW*

#bpr

tb* dawn,

^jeonw gwwts,
proclamations,

announce royal arrivals and departure proclaim festivals and rally the citizenry for

rantangfe l$m a by the four walls is ion* broad east ind wi, with ni 1000

yd*- or a

little

more than 42

.^I^T^t^
looVifc
.dloy

- k

acre,.

Tbu gs* .

-TheentmnM Is 1D.5 wide. Tfte gate bmid^ran

of eight different metals, and
In,
is

the Encyclopaedia BriUrnniot to say* We hive alrtwSy quoted al the south are ancillary buildings outside the enclosure ch out-houses and guard quarters. ,gdi as stable*, My he Tasimocan (Taj-i-Macan, i.e. Tsvernier has also consisting or Sl x large court*, is a large bazar a crown mansion) under which Lhere are chambers for surrounded with porticos
,

studded with

The area

inside is an irregular octagon wiu, ,

bnm tmfo him*

n^
fl
f

n^^

Here we want to point out that the octagon*) shape b i ipedfiaD, traditional Hindu shape. The octagonal design is oteo
drawn

all

"

the use of merchants.

atone powder In front of entrances to Hindu boroea. Hsnd in andent limes used to be of octagonal shape. Paper limp*

fsns

bung

those buildings are huge terraces and galleries. Taj Mahal realise that it is a temple palace they Ff visitors to the with having a hurried peep at the would no longer be content rightly want to amble along the corridors, cenotaphs. They would then the labyrinthine basement. Government over the terraces and inside teachers, students and lay visitors archaeological officials, history and study the Taj Mahal med to be properly instructed to view then will they be able to appreciate a Hindu temple palace; only its real beauty and grandeur.

during the Deepswali

festival are of

an octagonal shape.

On

(Op of

all

Special eight metal alloys were

known

to

and mmuTartund

only by Hindu smiths as is evident from the famous Iron pSkr in Delhi, the shaa lying in Dhar, and a number of other Initanon

A tomb

is

open to fakirs and the poor

all

the 2\

boon

and.

therefore, needs no doors studded with

nails.

Only a temple prince

in forftitngthmlng

or fort door has polished brass nails hammered

the entrance against possible intrusion.

The Maulvf further says

The

locale

of the Taj

known

as Jaisingpura and Khawaspura

the Taj teemed encompassed numerous buildings. The area around accommodation for with mullistareyed buildings providing living caterers, ushers and guards, army detachments, stewards, waiters, were, therefore, other paraphernalia which wails on royalty. There

one to the second slortj- Gdof up 17 steps higher, we reach the 3rd story contalninj (tw[mrtnmu. running The apartments communicate with one another by a gallery

"A

flight of 17 steps takes

through. At the corners of

roans, this storey there are oclafonal

staircase

roads connecting in that area a bazar, serais, guest houses, and

all

tht each with four doorways and one entrance to

**>!

these. All those buildings

tombs are mistaken to be mosques and

up.

from the lime of Shahjahan's annexation.

Of the four
accoutrements are those

staircases

two go down

lbs ou-r to tha Ural floor,

two are closed (halfway through),

ii *fcJ "Rooms at the southwestern corner p<" stairs are Inte while In the northeastern rooms the
i

The dimensions of the Taj and

of thti we quote here at

its

of a wealthy temple palace, and not of a

sombre tomb.

In support
s

some length extracts from MaulviMoinuddin

between the -Warn* gallery affords communicaUon

staircase.

book:
"to Tront of the magnificent gate there
211.5
ft.

passage has a branch leading to thu

platform, a spacious The plot encompass*
is

"A flight
top.

in length

and 86.75 a. in width..

Here

34 of stairs consisting of there are tour towers

^ ^ ""j**^^ ^u^t

hm

j*

eight doorways. TV P 7M. Encyclopaedia Hntonnica, ibid, Vol. 21

The towers

are crowned

^/JT^Lfct wpH **

. Pp 10MM. Tnvtis

brass kalasea,"

in India, Ibid. Vol. I-

m
la

Tha Taj Mahal

la

A TVmiJn Pul*

tba llkndu raroenajon* TT^ TnJ Manal

171

lij

This word The last word kiilftKar above should be noted. deecripUwn of Uie ivrwtf<d many timre in Maulvf Moinuddio'a into the Taj Th* word i* from flsMfcrfl Il could never Ret

Tho mouths of the

ja hllfd

rtaireaacs Wnre ini|l

to find out

why

these undrrground

chamW. ^* *
I

**" H
rabufli

Muslim narrative of the TbJ unless it has tradition. "Kidsa" Immi hovering in the Taj fa pre- Muslim Rajput gold- The reported shining pinnacle usonlly of brass or

pronim.

*rp*da?ly

in

That even a Muslim like the Mauivi why the underground chambers exist in

signifins

the monument te use of Uw word "kales" also prows that occur* In palace. The word "kalas" only Pit Muslim tn P conmcUfm with towering and magnificent temples, palaces and such

B the whole Taj legend la made up of ineongmmt palace any number of underground chambers **

**&**
bit*

a*enw ^

use but are indispensable. Such chambers are uwd loai***^ ,-~ hide friends, imprison w.:,_ treasure, Vilrlc friimrlR imiiriurm enemies, _. .
and Tor ceremonji
ire redundaaL

LZ*

talks etc. In a

tomb, basement chamber*

fact

other Hindu monuments.

four octagonal cupolas nestling It most also be noted that thfi the four round the dome are of pure Rajput shape. Those coping open verandah nre also towers at ih* oomtrt of the Tiij Mnbal'a

that those chambers have bam wattad up ml rendered unoccupiable is further proof that one* it* mwram-Jtt waa converted into a tomb Shahjahan did not *ihI

The very

viaiujra or

of an entirely Rajput design.

caretakers to use the premises for residential purposes. Superfluous rooms of the erstwhile temple palace had therefore to be waDaL

presumption that What about the dome, it may be asked ? The call the dome a the dome is a Muslim invention b baseless. To with Prophet Muslim creation amounts to linking it somehow between Mohammad's birth. Whet possible connection could there be
the

On the same page the author Maulvi Mofnuddtn further observw "From the existence of the sand, apparently of the Jumna, lying
on the
floor
it

thickly

might be reasonably supposed

thai ibara

was

a ghat or landing place on the spot, which however wis diiuaad

real object of building

dome

origin or Islam ? as an architectural design and the

subsequently for some unknown reason. The

In the

one

of the Taj Mahal

we have

already quoted emperor

them remains then a "mystery"

- and the Babor, Shahjahsn's court chronicle the Badstmhnama grmt Knglfsh author. Havell to prove that the dome is b Hindu

Many such
who study the as a tomb. The

features are bound to be s "nvysUsy" to those

Taj Mahal

in the

mistaken

belief that it oriajnatsd

construct Jons! form

entire mystery clears up into

detail the

remarkably cohsna*
reaHiod that lbs ft

The Kaba, the curreut central shrine of Islam,

capped with a dome.

itself is

nol

mass of meticulous
Shahjahan look
it

moment

it is

Mahal originated as a Kajput temple palaca

for eight directions namely
into his head to convert
"

several
ft

antra befort

into tomb.

The Hindus alone have spedsJ namea the North, South, East. West and the other four in between them Eeshanya, Agtuya* Nmntya designated by the Sanskrit namea
and Waysvyw
like the Taj
-

On
is

page 38 the Maulvi ssys.

significance,

To

tba wart of

*******
IB
I

mosque which has room

wonder what

for a
if

**to f X

It is

those which octagonal Hindu palaces and temples

We

any-

Mahal indicate.

some 14 basement rooms behind the royal graves. Maulvi Maifiuddln ssyain in rua book. "The list two rooms have ptvuirea peeping on to the placid stream. It was these openings
Rrferririg to

flanking This again shows that .he guard room pointed out j*i of the temple palace is today

^V^^Sm ^^^

been a mosque

It

would have provided

10.000, not figure of persons, like 1.000 or

J^ ^
IM
l

J!T" gWlfjl

that brought to light the existence of the long hidden

chamber*.
there are 22

539 '

PI

P 37, Tt Taj

intl ft*

Environment*.

Ibid. Actually

* rrtrnersoftaeol corners towers at the four The four marble wtu* or the Taj Mahal were both the
as well as

lWfl,l,d,fc

ISJMM

lamp lowers. At

night the

^ ^^ ww -^^ on***

'

m
UJrt! lO BJip*""

Ttofl

Tl Mah.l

la

A IVmpk

)!,*,

MiM>l t** Tsl

I'**

Hindu Mnwratona
tut

framed' "
J * ***

**>

Lbo* four towwri brng thwr light*

building ^bij,, the

on one

flank of the Taj

b> caJlod

htfi

up

I"

^t

UBdm on the opposite side is justified termed by the non-deacript symmetrical adjunct

^^^ ir*SL
,

theory of architecture of the Indo- Saracenic Blifld sdburrnts towers starting at ground or plinth lovd n la the unaware that speciality of indigenous ancient of brick kilns, are a

moaning

'

word " farst Thus, hard put to explain cw 'reply." iy ih*

chimneys

minarets begin from the shoulders dun rhtecturr. Saracenic such minarets are not In mosouca- And usually of biddingi as hive no stairs- This is one of the grounds. hollo* from within and
amrttf

Taj, fantastic explanations have been parta of the pifcd * without any consideration to their mutual lhe other consistency with the result that at the least prodding its or balance aevem] fa" "I*""1 links

^^

othw voluminous

evidence,

which disproves traditional

Miliar

Muslim claims

to the so -colled

Kutub

and the four towers

Continuing his survey of the Taj precincts. Ma'dvi Mofawddln 1 Adjacent to the back wall of the Ahmad says* in his book mosque.
. "
'

is

the Basoi tower."

He

is

at a loss to explain

its

significance

of the T^j Mahal.

Marking every

plinth, connected with service to

is

God, Lhe king

or the public, with four towers

a universal ancient Indian custom.

it is

or purpose. The word Basal derives from a Sanskrit root signifying residence. There are many andenl towns in India, called Basil When the Taj Mahal is known to have originated as a Rajput police
several cen lu ries before Shahjahan , the Basal tower is easily explained

Cunningham's observation that

thnt

in

Kumayun's mausoleum
is

we

first

see towers attached to the four corners

typical

as a temple palace adjunct.

of the nsjvele of British scholars . Far from reel Islng that the so -called Humsyun's tomb is an erstwhile Hindu palace in which the

ward generation Moghul emperor Humayun has been probably

buned they
start with the

assumption thai the massive building

Moinuddin states on page 60 of his book that according to the Badshahnama the enclosure (in which the two cenotaphs are located) was completed In 10 years at a cost of fta. 5O.0OD. H hud a door of Jasper, costing Rs, 10.000/
'

was erected to mark his burial spot. Then they note its four towers and characteroe than as innovation 9 in Mohammedan architecture. And then they imagine that these towers were evolved and were
progressively

Obviously a tomb usually frequented by

faqjrs and mendicants

does not need to have a jasper door. Such rich and expensive doors
are

moved sway a

Ultle bit

from the main building after

meant for

living

monarchs or

divinity, not for dead bodies.

the death of each successive

of to.

Moghul emperor so thai by the time Mumtaxs death they reached the plinth comers. If that wis
where are the missing links ?
After pointing out the absurdity of the assumption of British

About other buildings in the precincts. Maulvi Moinuddin'i book says on page 61 * 'The place between the chicr gala of the mausoleum portion and the grand portal was known as JUo Khana... A great
4

scholars misled by the bluffs of

to

Muslim chronicles we would like draw the readers' attention to the grain of truth in Cunningham 'a

valuable appendage of the splendid buildings that formed once a within to the Taj. has fallen down.... The area enclosed

walls or the Jilo

Khana was occupied by 138 rooms

of which only
\

obaarviiion

Cunningham
l* fear

Is

absolutely right in noting that lowers at four

is

76 remain. Near the garden wall there are two Khawsspunss with enclosed compounds) each containing 32 rooms Western vestibules for the uLtrodnnta (At present the

of buildings

a non -Muslim trail.

If

comers of the so-called Humayun th pUtilh corners of the so-called Taj Mahal in Agra, that is both art commandeered Hindu buildings put to Muslim

they are found it tomb in Delhi, and

** Half of the other 'Pure" * own s cowatobh ) Th cowshed continuing to our its Hta* TJ Mahal precincts is another clear IndicaUon of
rulod with flower pots.
i

uaa
82

3ft, Ibid,

Ho mean,

live

mulUsureyiil nnian*

rivsr aid* An J of the ao-cal'li-d

mraq"

m
ITn *al*nwni

Tt* TbJ

Mfthul

A Tmnpto
It

p^

OH

tfihaJ Ita*

Hindu ttrnmrfoni

*?d to ** carefully ommlnod.

^voai m Vry

yflA tales of

pnodncta conaiatad of numerous four tor?y high, consisting of hundreds of buAcftr-jp. *hw* room* AoCDmmodttLion on such a grand scale cnoompassinu several

dmr

todkmtion

that

Um

Tfcj

ihw

.^ ?^<1 mmm openly or by flewitw th^ 1 ^"ty Ipdjgn

M<*1*

fibular richtt of no doubt collected hug,

bundrnt rdoms

la

never part of a tomb but

is

always a necessity

-i orfouf for any lanth of time,

<***

*w-

Ytt they
ft

^th

^ *!,*
and

o^a

^ TJ ^^^
1 1

Utir

vhm

ihr c*ntm*J building fa a temple pulace.

suffix "purs'"
is

Tht
signifies

a definite hangover of the times

when

to

1 since a vidoue, oorrapt and traach*" gpj amassed kept to good humour be constanlly

** *
,

(b# Rajputo occupied the Tej Mahal, because a busy

locality,

pure"
part

in Sanskrit

^r
A*

not ihe eerie silence of a graveyard.

,i

palms greased with the unction of ijbe^ Muslim court* lima auaUuned themadvea

Li^2
on t

i,

^
|

J*

^
*>
r

*
1'

squander basia, leaving tbe monarch always

It

Kvw

hartp^J?*

ri^" **

the syllable
'

IOlBwas'

forming

of the word

"Khirwaspunf

haj a Rsjpul significant*, since

"Khawaa" were

dependents of Rajput ruler*. The very fed, that the annexes of U Ttaj form part of Khawsspura proves thai white the Rajput
ruin* lived or worshipped in the centrally situated Taj Mahal his

b, therefore, iinhistorical to suggest that aithjahtu had to conduct 48 major campaigns Jaldilaatan ,10

and face famines, built tbe fabulous Taj Mahal, Old Drift iWMbp the Jama Maajid and the magnificent fort in DeJM and ill

^^1

aahafvily

dependents used the annexes.

in the Hindu style. Then a question arise* that if Sbihjthan famfci Old Delhi and tbe Fatehpuri mosque la footed it foal p*m

basement chamber of the Taj Mahal was magnificently embellished as it should be in an expensive temple
eentrs]
palace.

Evwi the

where was tbe need to build the Jimi logical questions have not bean considered
in
jt,

Masjld? Many web

In

enropibng Indian
of

But nof the

its

edifice

was commandeered

for conversion Into

historical

accounts from concocted and

forged

nxwdt

Mmfim

a Muslim tomb,

basement had been barred under Muslim rule

rule in India,
Sir

to non Muslims, obviously because the secret of its non- Muslim

origin should not leak out, Francis Bernier, a visitor to Shabjahan's

Elliot gives

some graphic balances of tuch wowcUom

(band

court,

was refused entry on the pretext

that being a non- Muslim

wort, fane and forgeries, In the preface to his eight -volume

his entry

may
*

defile

the place. Bernier testifies to our observation.

the Tarikh-i-Tsj

Mahal document

a forgery- SmOarty to Punjab

He says*\ "Under the dome is a small chamber, wherein is enclosed the tomb of Taj^Mahfl. It is opened wiih much cermony once
in a year,
Jest

aaston found the Malertri* Regions) History Congress too at its 1986 tniarcedtog on **letter to tbe then Mogul emperor

Nawab'a
of

and once only, and no Christian

Guru Govind Singh'a two bom, a

fonjery

is

admitted within.

Ha sanctity should be profaned,

I

but

I have not seen the interior, understand that nothing can be conceived more rich and

Th* Guide to the Taj Mt Agr* ttatat* to have been two silver doors at the entrance

'***
tbe

** *
t

munificent/' Bernier also tells us that Shabjahan was not affluent in spu* of his stingy nature. Bernier notes.** "Shabjahan was a
great economists, who... never amassed (more than) six crore rupees

On page a.
gold rail

MeuM

MoinuddhV* book
(afterwardi

^ *"^* * *
'J}

TO

of

around tbe tomb

marble) was already completed by 1G. "*] the 0 t luburb to provide a revenua for
and hod caused
hills to

"JT^^

haJ teendrf

be made

level

b*,

3*. ftawfr to tfitMogui Empire by Franda Bender- Trusted IrHflf Brack, in two Thames. Wiiliwn Plckeriryj. Chancery 1am London,

tbe prospect of it... These deUiOi by bave no account of tbe TaJ

other

^JJT ^rfir at

m Tl jnw-t. ^

^^fiht n****** d* mlgbt * *

date."*

at

p ai,n*d

*.

P. 14, Gufd* to tl

W*tW- m

m
iMdmUDy
dtfsrToMbe
the "hfllt'*
T*j

Tb TJ Mahal

A Tconpki

P*^
Tbt Tij Mahal

Hindu

W^^
m
N ,nd * * Wsha Zi*T?* "*"***
u
eadt Thr
of

t*nP*

P8

^*
is

n*"

to ftbov * w,?re put

St>

P '<*

rt bUiWe"-

*"

mangonels and catapult* beta* The bill, were meant able to huH rocks on ibe Hindu edifice. hauled near nouli to be
to prevent Besides

H^

hJhV 'still

approach. exist near the Taj

Hindu temple
vertically

a.

revealing Not* well as hor^tally

is

construction with ths deity or

*,.

In

q u^. U Htadu T , i,

"^ ^thm-rnma
****'*

these defensive hillocks,

the Taj palace has another

dry moat may still be noticed a moat at the rear, a Mahal outside the redstone wall. on the eastern aide of the Taj prove that the Taj Mahal original The** defence structures also as a tomb. as a usnple palace and not
itadf serves a*

dafemive iccouirement. that

a most. While the

Yamuna

river

room is in the centre while in the plan sanctum sanctorum too is in tbt centre,
The
third characters^
is

?*** ^ aJ "^ "* ^w

sppn^
fa

four sides are identical.

*.

because they are erstwhile Hindu

M U^T^Zl^
that the

palace, or

tenu^T

atudy of the above passages is revealing One talks a gold railing enclosing the area of gUver doors and the other of where the cenotaphs are situated. Had these fixtures been installed

critical

This Identity of architectural design of th. Ta] Mahal won thai of a Hindu temple, coupled with the Mish Klhar hmTi observation, quoted earlier, that the Taj

pm

by Shahjahan. there
they were removed.

ia

no reason or record as to why and by

whom

Mahal (a Hindu construction, should leave no doubt In the reader's tntad thai um Taj Mahal ia an ancient temple palace built to Hindu

spcdfatioai,

Bsdshahnama

also admits thai

it

was a domed

palace.

Keen? notes on pages 163 of his Handbook, "There were originaDy, it is said, two silver gates which cost Rs. 1,27,000",
Obviously
into a

The front gBrden

Palace built

area

is

almost double that of the marbtn

Tij

up

area. This

is

what Vincent Smith describe (on

when Shahjahan took over the Hindu mansion to be turned Muslim tomb be removed those gates to his treasury, to
and gold railings ate fixtures of temples and palaces,
believe that Shahjahan allowed these fixtures to

page 9 of his book Akbsr

in

the

Gntt Mogul)

as the garden pdaos,

which the

first

Mogul emperor Babur died

in 1530, i.e.. s

cmiurj

be melted away.
SEIver doors

before Shahjahan" s wife (Mumlax)

dW.
pfflara

The same palace

as the
in

is

described by Babur himself in his Memoirs

cot of tombs.

To

one

"

'adorned with a peristyle of

and having

doms

be installed to the graveyard of his wife while be bed nothing

approaching them in his

the centre."

own

palace

is

absurd in the extreme.

How
1632
if

could solid gold railings be placed around the

died in 1630 or 1631
site,

Mumtax had
ii

tomb by or 1632? How many

years would

take to acquire a

decide upon a design for

the proposed iamb,

if any, get the design made, get the foundation dug, order the building material, erect the building, order a gold

rafting, get it fixed

and make security arrangements so that the

all

t*d

may not be

stolen 7 Could

this

be done

in

a year or two ?

have another emphatic, incontrovertible, visible proof that

on*

bang

the

product

of

the

mythical

Indo- Saracenic

****re, Ibe Taj Mahal boa been buQt according to the Hindu

Th* MuRlim OvrwrltioK

epitaph
:

CHAPTER XXI

Mumtas

niuatrioua aepufchr* af (Mahal), died 1040 A

The

m
a
.

H.mSTjJ

*"* ***m
f

Had Shahjahan

ordered a

flhuta|-

THE MUSLIM OVERWRITING

wife the inscription on her cenotaph

contained some menUon

wJa

h*r

about H Aftar along claimed that Muslim rulers n In

J "^ ^
*

**
*"

*hffl'ld

to^^T'*

*****

*"
***

another in building fabulous tomb, for and dear ones. Thb claim la of coorae
agidnst the very grain of norma!

*!?***"*

nvxftjZ

human

WHAT CREATES

proof could there be of ihe falsity of the

ber^TS^^
u.^T!
behind

the long line of erring historian,

of the numerous inscriptions Shahjahsn legend than that in none iny chum made of Siahjahan having In the Taj Mahal is there

whether W>ose who were so keen on living would not vaunt their authoraWp of those
ordered by them on the tombs ?

at their wort, let

wead^-ieZ UjmhUn bwcripiiana

commissioned

111

Besides the 14 chapters of the

there ire

some non- religious

Koran inscribed in the Taj Mahal engravings which do not contain even

point which emerge* from ihe above inscription is that the date of Mumtai's death in numiioncd

One other important

the remotest allusion to

Shahjahan *s authorship of the Taj Mahal,

Had

Shahjiihan really ordered the Taj Mahal,

would be not

in the

1629 A. B. Earlier we have noted haw other hlotorbmi mtowriy chum Mumtaz lo have died in 1630 or 1631 or I 52 A. D, Thai

proline etchings
history of

made all over the walls have recorded the whole the fancied tomb from its conception to its completion ?

means
to

that nobody seems to know when

MumLu

died. All

get

know

from the various accounts

is that

Mumtat

died at

win*

Would be not have left behind for the world a clear record of his great and fabuloui achievement in marble and redstone if that
were a fact? The Inscriptions
of Keene's
in the Taj

time between 1623-1632.

of a

A four-year speculative rango for tha dash

ii

woman

believed to have been the apple of the ays of anparor

Shahjahan, and for whom, as the world

now- ted

lo beflsw,

Mahal are reproduced on page 170-174

Handbook for

Visitors to Agra,

Reene says.

a fanciful mausoleum was ordered to be People have not been told the whete truth of

built forthwith,

shuiro.

thLa icrdid affair

'

'The walls

and roof (of the cenotaph chamber) are profusely decorated and inscribed with tenets from the Koran encircling the archways and
the spaces between them, ending with (the lbs insignificant being.

They do not know

Shahjahan legend

that

when we come

to brssatada

U aok

fizzles

one among 5,000 women

her death.

Sbt out as a monstrous concoction. Uumtsi of Shahiahsa's harem

Wnj *-

words) 'Written by

Amanat Khan Shirsa in the year 1048 Hijri and the 12th of Hia Majesty's reign." (1659 A. D.)
So the much boosted Amanat Khan Shiran, vaunted as one of the great wonder craftsmen who built the Taj Mahal turns out lo be no more than an 'Insignificant' inscriber nuch as is found
every .hop selling idtehen utensila or stoneakba, or crying sbout lbs strata,
in

was of no consequence, hence

tba dale of ih* fsO" u> record

cenoUph. Exactly underneath Mumto'i

"

chamber,
says
Tha.. is

M^lftW^^i^?^* ***Mamtss two

on to say the inscriptions
.

is

(what

is

believed to be)

* ^j**5?
h

/V"^
ft

^
ncorf
at

almost identical,
If

a^ ^
is

r*.cenotaph
I

Shahjahan

claimed

of Shahjahan's wife

supposed I*

**m

Mumtaz. for whom the Taj havo bwn commisoned by Shahjahan, alao

of the his claim lo the suthorahjp

not ttvan . InJdJng of the project in the Inscription recorded Keens note. "The cenotaph (of Mumtex) la decorated In WW> tu frn the Kortt,, 99 tha af

most

vainglorious, hsughly

the fsct after others ahould have rororded

*rtfZ?ttm+ he -JjW ^^^j ha* **** * imlil .*****

1

is-

nmnm

q^ md

^p).

m
.^nOon-

Tb T*J Mahal

TnH*

ftr-^ **

^
fn*cribfI
,,r

cenotaph. But even th^y dared riot on bto ** and Ihelr eonternponiriw knew that Mumi* How niW tt*y wnen " Vlh " Un HWu ,,' surfd >" buOdlM s lh ,,, ,,,r been Jilsingh ? To us therefor* ho absence of any from irom-n ,j,wmJ plausible. ShahjslenVs behalf li qui*
'

Q^nrsxxn

Shahjahan

riled

in

inJ A- D..

I.e.

bout 35

year* after hej

CARBON

14

(Snahjahan's cenotaph bj Kiwi* aays. contort Msmuw died from the Koran together with u In FVrefan with text*
"I110 fflustrioui

DATTjWt^

taj Mahal

following <piiJiph

aopukhre and sacred

ranting

hit ifcodf

p|*w of hi* Moat Easltod Majoaty. dSKnified aa Razwiui, having the starry hen von, inmate In Paradise and his dwelling in
thr rtjjfona of hlie, Lho second Sahib Kiran. Shuhjahan the King

valiant

May
I!*'

Haivm

aUHno over flourish, and may hia abode bo travelled from this transitory world to lho world
hi*
Itajnb,
J

in

There ire Lhree kinds of phy** wimMk variable by which tha age of hanork buildup

of

fairly

accurately. Those methods are fi)

eUmity on the night of the 28Lh or lho monLh or A II (1688A. OJ."

070

Carbon
In

M end

(3) Tnermokim
hwtoric
aaiioajty

Underneath, in lb* beeement, Shahjnhan's grave bears a shorter

epitaph
Jt

ii

rj^dochronology a *ood nmjie from m compared with the timber fn trees of tawwn

any*.

"The

altered

sepulchre of His

Most Exalted Majesty,

A.

dweller of hiniiJiwu, the second Sahib Kiran, tho King .ShiihjHhan,

May

hiN Nhrino

wr

flourish, 1078 A. It.

(Km

In LberrnohuniiBBacenoe a sample brick or brick by drilling hole In an andani brick- vtrueitirt can te

D.)"

deduce the approximate year

Since brieka (and
after being

in which to* brick

aual.

On the wit of the marble bulling ia another which la being Urmnd a* the "Mosque" ewrainoc Shnhjuhao commandeered It,
In Ha arebes too are inicribed Koranic lextti. Besides, says Komi a,

Umber}

are pnenlly bought aod aaal

tor

marketed
bullion

(and are not etored

pwareUi eat
1*

diamonds,

and ornamenta) thermohnnBiiaranra

feirty

wrj

there are eevrral marble dlsre Inscribed with

SuflleiOBi

"Ya

Knffi

(Oh

All

One!)
in

helpful in determining the ago of a brick-etroeture

ioairaurf.

anil Allah

(God)."
Tho carbon
(?' Lest is applicable u> Hiythini wbicb bat leal

none of lho aeveral inscriptions quoted by us above there oven the faintuM mention or rojfarinOQ to Sliahjuhan having
la
ft

Thus

pnrt or a living organiam such as a pkaa of bont or tuaaer.

commiwionod lho Taj Mahal,

Vhtdfa
littered

evet
i.l

Lvublu that a

regime

Lhe whole building ul

ix'tapha mitt graves

Bui once it
lo lose
its

* living tree continues to breathe- in carbon dioAJf pec -in stops and Lbedaad
is

dead the breathing

wiih a plethora of

bunt ihe great

i

random engravlnga would not vaunt JLs having mausoleum ? The omission, along with the other
la

carbon -dioxide

f including

*) content si

km

"nee

we

have produoad heretofore,

| llimlu

A conacienUous American
of Arehiteclure.

acsdemkiao bo

clear proof that Shahjahiw

hia wife Jn

only commandeers!

it profesaion of Leaching hntory of ai^WtacUire

manaJon for buryfng

and

did not build anything,

All the Jhacri|rf.i< on UiQ Taj Mnhat are the rrivoloua lypo aucb aa picnicker* aeribbla on somebody else's

TAJ

MAHAL

IS

New York bspponoi A HINDU PALACE.

lo reai

my

property
Taj Mahal

The
it

laianiic

overwriting

fijM-lf
,

0,

i.

h,

it. -a

that lbs

not Hhahjahsn'i prnptn

He was shocked to overwhdming evidence

unknowingly

discover that *bu

Indicating Lbal the

W * * ^ ^ ^^

*f bufldlng he and hie professional cotteBlu* *" of boon misloBding genereikiM

.V^

1|tfW

~*

at*

COM

The Tnj Mshni

T*^
arcfc,

Mn
***
*"*

O^bon

U BaUna of dm TtJ Miha)

Ml

.^ttn* *"^^

theto

ft*

M ,hiJ

to be

flower or Ialam] c

ir. -"^
Man*

me around iguT^*' H. Mm*. He him round the Taj Mahal fTO

wrote to
ladis.
1

JSITb h* visited
^panted
On bong
t**"*1

agreed.

He came,

and t

^H J*
^
scientific

But the doorway near the north natem tad of been crudely walled -up with unplsatered

^ ^
It

brtck,

wooden

Y* a*

**

panel waa Kill in pontoon. Beta,

to Agra, him from Delhi

^am

be
to

**ned

explained the aigniflcanoe of variom convinced. But to make to be fairly sure

round

"^

had turned somewhat soft. When one of our troup tower side and pulled, a efceaWt place (few inches

vmfctZ?
idbro^
u,
|

Vjo|

came
York,

off.

USA

that which was carried by profestor and aubjected to a carbon teat.

waa

MQb

bosses they

wooden samples to scientific dating. wm ua subjwt aome But (overawed by the attitude of India bureaucrats of th Government serve) are determined neither to conduct any

The report published

hereunder.
'General
1

in the /tinas Patrik* ( quarter/ journal.

it

Vol. 4. No. 4 dated 31 December 1984. THANA)

reproduoid

nor supply any samples to anyone else who totf themselves the lest for them so as to prevent a worldwide volunteers lo conduct
exposure of the Shah*ahan-Taj

Method

Mahal hanky panky. AD

sections

in continuing the of society seem to have a stake

sham Shah jahan -Taj

ridicule

Sample is inverted to benzene (Cn rU) by means of n four-step chemical process. The benzene sample ia placed, with scuitiHator
'

Mahal legend

tart

their gullible
in

ignorance, research -incompetence

solution In a 5 ml vial and the activity

ia

determined rriotivv to

and pathetic faith

for

Muslim bluffs he the butt of world

is

gmeraUonj

to

come. That

why

historians, archaeologists,

architects,

art critics,

media

reporters

and editors,

Muslims.

counter used fa benzene synthesized from NBS oxalic acid. The 220 with specially selected pktomaltlpte a Picker Nuclear Iiquimat level). Toe sample Is counted far 100 tubes (chosen for low noise

members of the Congress party, professors, news media persons,

dramatists, writers. film-producers etc.

who had been

citing the

minute interval along with the which are counted in turn a background sample,

modem

standard (NBS (nalk> and

1lj Mahal a

monument of love

all

shudder at the prospect of

the

from the data using the

sm-ym
I.

value for the hrff

^f "jf^f M
W.
J

Sbahjahan myth of the Tajmahal being

Therefore the problem

blown sky high.

C The MASCA
Newsletter,
in an

correction referred to below

9.

*^'^j^

Vd.

No.

Aug.

.
i*

was

to obtain a

wood sample

and

is

based upon
laboratories
l

the calibration of

aimospbare of total hush hush. In fact the T&\

Mahal has many

wooden doorways and also a bulky, solid wooden reel sandwiched between two walls on the upper story (as I dimly remember) perhape to tod and unwind curtain strings.

by three
,4S8mP,e

who compared C

14 and *

**+ n*^ *
end
of

-Wood

piece

\te w

did not see

any imperative need for a physical Wrt

I

at beach level

from door fronting on Jumna

i at

Xnrth North
River.

M)
A*

Can"

TU

Mihil

vmm*A
u>

of the weighty
ro

and comprehensive evidence that

had

my

book.

oX

sample
:

to

1270 between 1448 and

Is

dLUr

<Wt

^TiTTu* we Sliced *
i

"** wbeQ 0Ur trump reached the river bank ive UlC ^'^"ea-high red stone rear prot**
*au>rn that near the western and

"Note

there

a xcro

WA9CA

corre

^^^

^^P^ofO-^
BmoWyn.
If.

^^

unj

* toTZh
moia,a,

**"
***

Wwe

'ymnictrical doorways.

The doorw*
ao-calK

k good

*****

Above that was the

Th, Tut Mahal

A Tempi*

Pkl*c

Cir|jon

14

DBUlW

Of

Tj Mhii

****
14-1

wm

,631

A. D- Ihf

**^
i

!^ZmZitei
1*4*)

for us* in lb*

po*wN year En which Tajmahal was anywbei,

Pr.M.S.

rlagaraja

Director -General
Archaoolotfcal Survey of India.

183K>aMZ70)

SBliwrspriartoMuiiittt'a

!*%.

Northeastern of the particular Sanskrit inscription to be quoted Taj Mahal. A. per the the palace (currently the Taj Mahal temple and tn- us hereafter constructed around 1155 A. D. Itimad Uddaula) were tabbed Muslim invasions in the when India enjoyed * long respite from

.v.

much before Shahjahan. SL^TLn ^ dert raadera ^ Bge deduced n-t hfff w wou u W doorway and not of
in
Lhfll
is that

- fW*

emphatically proves that the 14 test, therefore,

Hew

Delhi

H0011

Indie.

QeUfaar3.UN
Pear Dr. Nagsraja.

ZovUe

Mr, Ramesh Chanda.

after ipesxing to Mr,

I

Sengupta. haa suggested that a matter of important mutual

write to
I

yw
cm

omarming
an ndatjci

interest.

and an architectural

historian.

My

fpaaallty

a Uw

period intervening between

nds. Tbe

erection of

Mobd. Ghajnavts and Mobd. Ghori'a the Taj Mahal complex presupposes a long
all

application of scientific dating to ancient monuments wherever there is the possibuty that the accepted da*

period of peace and affluence. Therefore until

the evidence hidden

of construction

may

need darilksikn

ittef the standard

and seated inside the seven -storied Tejomahalava complex is examined raaders may safely assume that the Tejomahalaya temple -palace
complex was completed (in Raja Paramardi Dev's regime) around
the middle of October in

means
doubt-

have of architectural historical analyan

Wt sane
sad

US

A. D. (See page 2D6 onwards)

Mahal have been concerned with the Taj of *e. * architecture for a number
T

Mm

During Mobd
1206 to
soft,
I6.5T

Ghori's raids and subsequent Islamic rule from

D. the Tejomahalaya temple palace

J^nt

controversy over the

origto of the

^ J*** Ta M^

complex was

would seem to other buudingsit

the the experience and

me

to bs advanlagto-

tempting Hindu target for Muslim plunder and desecration.

Much

before Shahjahan

umpteen Muslim raiders and

rebel -claimants

* V^^ga.. t

to the

Mogul throne broke open the doors of the Taj Mahal to

truth pursuit of scientific

loot its wealth

and for temporary sojourn. In that dingdong struggle the new Hindu owners had to re- fix the doors. Therefore all its
doors could not be as old as the building. But since Shahjahan
|at

, matter of

for nsuU* could srrange

*^*~ mwt*
in

worH. India and the be important for

usurped the Tajmabal complex by a mere brusque, unannounced

fenperiaJ. confiscatory

swoop all

its

doorways could be pre Shahjahan

itself.

the of investigation of

but aot necessarily ss ancient as the Taj Mahal building

have

J*"^^ ^^^T^**** EngUxndandt^Uni^SLrt-^'^

Lies

Mque

with

(OttCsrbao Misting the Taj Mahal. Finding that even its stormed preosded Shahjahan by several centuries Mr. Mills following letter to Dr. M, S. Nagarajs.
Archaeological Survey of India.

* iUl

voider lb-

P* *

New Delhi LlflM forwardad u two other dealing officials of

FU ?JL STrv) ^^oqv j*h

i

"* Mr
jbbj

AS

for

-*

1*

RanM* h

C^"^ Uw

letter

dated 3rd

under

fafWleelmsL There f^rtbtr^ discus, we would have to

^ ^os*"*^ ^J^***"*
"

The Taj Mahal

Is

A Tempi* PW*

1*
hivr your
brick

Ort n

|4 Deling ef the Taj Mahal

WW**- 1V be!lk: " 61 *"^' *mpk* ***" from P

-

1vestl 8rion

would ** <*
'

tocati<,n8

The
Thai BARC. Bombay and PRL,

nnognt
tip

<rf

tari)

Thf n*nh* umlnescence will be employed u de The edence of thermal wood samples may be taken as well. a cross-check,
As

sample would be no bigger than a finger years on either will he reaWe within 100

Ahm*,^

* questionable statement because problem nhi yM| *., has yet none of them . declared what tati and y<* Bnd

rtttu

T'
i^.

response. f look forward to your

out with what result? Since BARC Bomby are limbs of the seme pusillanimous odmirustraiioo
tbe

mm

w.

tbay

^*

same

paralysis which afflicts the AS tn exposing frauds

urTeHW
fomfeBj

Muslims.
or,

Mr. R, Sengupta
Mr. Ramesh Chnndfl

Also the claim

made

in the above letter that tbt "lij

4

UmM

Yours
Marvin H,
Hereunder
received...
is

truly,
Mills

is well

reproduced the reply which Mr. Marvin H. Mills

band Ik tat have shown earlier by quoting Snabjahan'f own court chronic* the Badahahnama and Aurangzeb's letter that the lij Mahal osiud
is

dated on documentary evidence'

centuries before Shahjahim as per Mogul documents themschw.

No. P.

23M/R1-C

Obviously the Government*! mercenary bureaucrat

courage and honesty to Impress on
their paEUcal

lack tha

GOVERMENT OF INDIA ARCHEOFjOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA

JANPATH.

botes lot iwd

NEW DELHI

that they have fohrrM to Jettison the heavy load of pseudo- history feofoiw. from 600 years of Muslim role and 200 yewi of British

Son. Marvin H. Mills A. LA.

Architect.

The angry
21

editorial

comment of
Justified,
it

the IuTwi P*rika qqete*

Nov 1901

hereunder

is

therefore fully

says

307.

Woodhampton
-

Drive.

White Plains,

"Tne cover page

10803

pm**

NEW YORK
Dear Sr,

the carton-dating test of a wood*. Jamuo. levd fronting the north end of Taj Mahal at beach

* !* "TTTaftta
P^/^uTritr
d

Please refer to

your

letter

dated .1.10.81 addressed

"^ R * 0t Direct0f Cenerul - Wrdnif titlflc j dsung of Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal is well dated

*m
U

for a few year, past and a fa* on it from all part* of the world,

^ fJT^. H^;*T";
*d

Arch^*

l^T^L'fi^ "WtH^rch T? ^ ^"

S^ffi^

and Laboratory, Ahmedabad, are also tfzod ,d il '" n0t COt,aidered ""*' to have J
*

M Wver BARC Bombay

India Department of Government of are heed to this problem. The reason*

is it

**""!

oot

pay any
serial

at

"*

** ^
'

not . shame on the part

its

offer

"

which has for

It

motto

* * **
1

Inhibiting exhibit* an attitude of

^T M* f^Z^t ^
(W

f*V^^ 0*1*1*. G
*f
.nd

p^ucal aad

Voura Faithfully.

la

rPEtUNTrvttnj/.

M M
tor

I.

MUKTIERJE&

not toe Government "bo** * ""^^oUrs-ho-toJ bKl* a* new researches and finding! of , any i* than 7 are unpalatable to

-^Jj^,

f*i

""^J^

rather

MJtBCTOR GENERAL

of hypocrisy ?

'

lb* 1*1 Mabel

ISO

kA

Tmipfe

p.^

Oarbon

14 Deling of the T|

MsM

.anyway, tb* prcgrarnrn

MA-' -* ^
'

'Truth

,11

wUeh eff^ring

tocher of history of architecture pnctisFr* archiurf and schoobi of Nil* York, has drawn his of lbs architecture Mnal bv r*Hocarban dating B^d^otti of Age determination of Taj ssmple from the north -end door of Ta) Mahal, u Meeting a wood on lbs cover page, speaks for itself. He has visited

* ****** and ditfifurwi h*. w* ^mtommed as bunders. Every historic moequ. Hindu building and every Muslin, .. a captured in,

Mwl^

lD

Mun1im

hinU>r

^^

ym>

captured Hindu because before G22 A D, there was r of a

,

^^^

bad myself addressed

ffi,

letter to

Prime Minister

P. V. Ntraarahi
critical!* review

jtgo

on December legend of the Taj Mahal He the Snabjahan

jt

1991 emphasizing lb* need to

apparently farwardej

past, He believes thai for confirming the India three times In the wfflIn K to carr ,4!!Stj "* rwluired wnicn ** " y out. findine*-

to the Archseologica] Survey of Indis

J"

he wishes to carry Ibe testa by applying modem method used the Hi* of ihiTmolumtnescence the most conducted such testa in age diiermiaatkms. Mr, Milts has already
As be says
in his letter,

The usual dodging,

again

stalling reply

received from the

that

A3 one*

shamelessly repeated tbeir stock phrase

SbsMtheVi

uthorship of the Taj Mahal "is

a well-estaWiiSed fad"

elsewhere in the world

He has Ibe necessary experience, the historical

Their reply
is

research background and the required laboratory facilities.

reproduced hereunder

"Mr

Marvin

Mills

wrote

letter

to the Director General

Aitbaeologkal, Survey of India on 3rd Oct., 1984.

a reply dated 2Lsl Nov, , 1964, thanking
offer but saying
'it is

He

has received
his

htm and appreciating

not considered desirable to have

any further

No. 14/14/30/11

invaelipsjon it thii stage."

GOVERNMENT OF INMA
continuing his research on this subject

"Mr, Godbole of U. K.
ainc*

is

INDIA ARCHAE0UK51CAL SUKVEY OF JANPATH, NEW DELHI

Shri P.

5 yean. Headers of
.

'Itihsas Patrika' are familiar

with hi*
unreliable
is

N. Oak,

findingi in "100000 Calling '

His findings nave

is.

shown how

Uh

Plot No. 10,

so- called

documentary evidence'
,

Mr. Godbole says, be

open for correction

testa

Aundb,

if

bis findings

and opinions are proved otherwise.

Pune
Sub

411 007

which Mr. Marvin MiBa wants to carry out are

aty

from an objective point of view. We hav reproduced the Marvin Mill* and the reply sent
to that letter by
"

Matal Claiming of Taj

Sir.

H i **& **

J*sgxal

&vey

of India for the information of readers.

1

your leUer Please refer to

T.

tbova
11

comment

1991 regarding Taj

Mahal"**

ga*j d**^ Dic*mbn * ^ ^

^
11

would

like to

add that

if

to^TS
^
fi.it
fc

tdmM nii<* l** of its Vedic heritage comes "* ** bMm " ** ^^ogical noting. FlL* AS fnwi the time of Alexander Cunningham
I

and when

Palace Complex,

to*
to

,h.

m#~ *- I -" rm****

'

fveral so**"**

- drt^It* *- ju

tb*y constitute

^nmkaJ

mound of
origin.

Machiavellian

Anglo-Mualim

Because

it is

Ti| Mahal alow,

U" contt^mian

u u my

d<iducUon that

J,

n Hindu, end destruction

Tn Tij Mahal
Iff

Is

A lYmpfa

Ptiae^

O^rbcm

Mahal of the Taj 14 Dating

m
titled

not

call

any further action

Wished them

in

my

hook

'The Taj Mahal

!

i.

Youra
(C.

faithfully

S^note

MARGABANDHTJ)

DIRECTOR (MONUMENT)
Dated 26/3/92
above, reply that "unless concrete and positive evidence contradicting (Shahjahan's) authorship of the

evidence. of *ch weighty ,20 point* rebutting tbem point by point, this official lnstead of fob me off with the brusque remark the temerity to of the Taj Mahal ia ShBhjahipi*! authorship is dealing fact. Who does be think he

^ Ke

"

My

re9e8TCl1 condusio

baaed on over

The blatant statement

in the

^.established
ttith ?
.

Tbj Mahal is available, the matter does not call (for)

any further

action" provoked
Minister

me

to address the following letter to the

Prime

^earcber, who

is not dealing with Shouldn't he realize that he witn me. a cruaader standard school-child but world challenging the whole range of

ia

P. N.

Oak
World History.

on the Toj Mahal iaaue. wrth history scholarship yeara 7 evidence, for the kst 25 of staggering Youra Sncerely,

n>

Founder President,
Institute for Rewriting

P.N- Oak

Plot No. 10, Goodwill Society,

Aundh, Punedll 007

TeJ
:

338449

Dear Shri. Narasimha Rao,

fciclosed

b a copy of my

original Tetter to

you dated

1991 and a copy of the inane reply to it vide letter no. 14/03/92. dated nil. received from C. Margahandhu Director Monument (sic).
22,
Incidentally,

Somber

you may kindly note, bow, even that

a

10

line reply is
I

monument

of faulty English.

mt
to

also consider that reply to be an intellectual affront

,i

iUgmattoi

my concave,

JMaW-ftadbi

tdmmc md

on Lbe Taj Mahal to be a mere 'view'.

^
tarn

22/12/91. 1 have quoted Mogul document of Siahjahana and Aurangzeb'a

)

my

original letter dated

^h Hfindu VedJc temple-palace dr. and that

L^fT
Archive

Mahal doesn't even exist

"*

AU

the very

in

any court records

l

I}

*"

* documents
r

fJh,^

Jwpi<th

^^

ju

Shahajahan's

O-n

Aiwaetor

Admin*

t^

^
t!

IM
n

CHAPTER XXni
StlAIIAJAHAfTS

Therefore be aelerted a fort pk of ianA ordered thai . aimilar moaqu , b* ni< was entrusted with that task.
Accordingly Mohamed Jakl raJaed outline with four lowers
a

JyJ}

a,m
'

"
m

Moh"ne,J

nd

OWN ANCESTOR

ADMIRED THE TAJ

JVe reach the

The general
don't exist
is

following

^^* "^ ^^ ^ ^ ^
m
,

n*

import

belief that pre-ShahJahan

referent to 0Taj Mahal

ii

belied

by the above

allusion u>

by Shahjahan-,

own
blindly praising While for the last 350 years the world has been gh-K. -Hi for having conceived and commissioned the beautifu'
f

ancestor 230 years prior to him.

Taj Mahi) hia

awn remote ancestor Tamerlain

is

on record as having

The reference lo the Taj Mahal by a number of European viritars such as Peter Mundy, Tavernier and Dernier are also aft of s tin*

ben overwhelmed by
rnahalaya."*

the beauty of the Hindu temple palace 'Tejo

much
lo

before the 22 years that Shahiahan

supposed to have taken

raise

the Taj Mahal from 1631

A.

D. onwards. Contnwily
all

contemporary Muslim
Tamwlain
alias

chroniclea do not at

mention tb utrm

Taimurlang invaded India 230 years before

Taj

Mahal. Had Shahjahan been

the originator of tha Taj Mahal

definitely quoted

Shahjahan came to the throne.

Hli allusion to the Taj

every contemporary Muslim chronicle would have

is

Mahal as a mosque

obviously an

the term Taj Mahal.

admission that the Taj Mahal alias Tejomahaiaya

was

Hindu temple
is

The other conclusion we draw

testimony proves

is

that far from tha tradition^

during

w time because

in talamic terminology a temple

a mosque

juai aa a Christian father when alluding to a

temple (before a Christian

as a "Church" of sway a mosque as a
it

Tamaruan 'a belier that the concept of theTaj Mahal is of MusUmongto that it was the beauty of tha Taj Mahal lampa)

audience or hia
the Hindu*,

own

child)

would refer to

likewise he wiD also explain

Uwm yearn for design which captivated the Muslims and made they didn't have tha tfulls, similar buildings in their own land. But
the heart or the funds lo spare for such
altruistic purposes

"Church" of the Muslims.

Use relevant reference
the breath
Arabic chranidt by
Into Engliah by J.
Asiatic Library.

to Tamerlain having

been fascinated by
to

taking beauty of the Taj Mahal

contained in an

Ahmed Bin Arabshah. It has been translated H. Sanders. A copy of it is available in the

that Muslim Invaders third conclusion is that the bdlaf buildings In India is initiated the tradition of nwble AH the marble bondings inside, say tb. have been arbftritnlyjcnTaid

Tha

^; "<*"<**
any pro

Agra are
different

all

Hindu though they

Bombay.

Muslim rulers without *ven an

point which nreds of

Iota of

Uki

all

other Muslim chronicles referred Lo earlier the Arab

The fourth
alUra
It

fcrurad* too carefully shuna the term Taj Mahal alias Tejomabaleya that a Hindu name.
it [a said that a temple while in India impressed htm Immensely bacaniM of its captivating outline and iu enilulie build It had

four pillars at tbi four corner

.nd

around public wells

in

tb^h-u.

^J**^ ^^ ^^^i^. "'^^

is

On page 222

of that Arab chronicle

whKta Tamerlain

vMU4

may

varying height*

Muslim also bo not*d thai For and never aymrnrtrical.

taller

a raw basttruait inside

that hit

minarets

own

niarbln plimh. Ha decided then and than* cj.l.1 Ssmareand ahauld hove a similar (wilding,

at the four

comer,

pair <ir Lhnn the rear nvtrbl. of the tt| Mahal

f *JU**' ^^ ^ ^^
pW
^irarfiy

*
IV
Th* Taj %Uhmi
1*

A
Stahilah.1,'.

Own

A*rter

j^^ ^ ^
in
i

afefe*t*MkJ*
Jn the Arabic chronicle

Knowing tho
mentioned above
It

ha

t>M thr architect Mohamed Jalal tu

onfcrv

*to been tUtoj

i

dare to

TamiAt * mM hk hW arouse Tunerlaui'i ^v^w, ?

cruel nature of

tortured La lUmlh it Tamerlain

fhahjahan

Is

also slated lo have ordered the

mputaiioa

college (sic) which would dwttrf Tanwriiiln haid commissioned?

of the hands of the

meson* be used

(in desecrating the Hindu

fake) burial inside the Tai Mahal Had tboae two MtiaUm monarchs really got some exquisite
T*i Mabel) in effecting

Mumtn'i (red or

the

expends

structures raised they should have rewarded the artisan* instead of ordering their torture.

Ume

The reason why Sbahjahan ordered has workers to he maimed

labour for Mumtax'a burial and implantation of Koranic extracts in the Hindu Taj Mahal t
the order* of a cruel, miserly Sbahjahan.

a pair of such mogn.ficem buildtan fari ... building fadn Kttcholber: would the chief

was

that they resented contributing free

Was she iterate (purdhahl she a table- thumpm* feminM and educationist?
for herself?

tX?ff* bnZelS ee^^E^ ^* ^ m J^Z^l

Wherefrom were ou and did the two proj^ . fc
7

^
it

,7*

Hflrw fnnach

.7T.

Such close eRMS.queiUon]i V

especially in clsima

wential

in

Mrtorical

nasoti why Tamrriain ordered Mohamed Jalal to be tortured to death was that Jalal miserably fafled In raising a proto type of toe Taj Mahal to Semareand. How could he

The

made by or on behalf of mv^-rs

tyrant*

nw^a

and plondemi.

womanizers. drug -addicts, drunkards and

anyway

Our conclusion
called chief

therefore

is

in the

that both

of

tmMd
It

absence

Tnmerkln and

his to

architects and

Mahal just for the

enough quantity of marble whim of a blood-thirsty Tamerlain,

queen only got

calligrephista to scrawl

raise a Taj

lettering

on captured

earlier buildings In

win* Mamie Snmaraaxl and other

In

conquered territory, Tamerlain "s

lettering are

so-called

mausoleum

Snnimamd

same chronicle that after ordering Dbamed Jalal to raise a mosque Tamerlaine left on one of hij raids. When be returned he was shocked to find that his
queen too had commissioned e lofty coDege (sic) just opposite. dwarfing the building ordered by Tamerlain. Unable to control bin wrath at that insult Tamerlain ordered a torturous execution for
a"

has been mentioned in the

and the Shah -i -Hod monumenLs though

all

disfigured with

Uamie

earlier mansions, palaces sod educational edifices

of Vedic Kshntriya rulers.

Accordingly Jalal was

two faK

w^ M Umher md h@
to

made

lie

wrreto. His body in otters Jalal

met a

^ ^^ ^
torturous end.

face

down on

the gorund,

&on after JalaTa death all bia wealth,

isneruun

women and retinue became

prpp&ny.

of

^cn

iTrr* bluff

^7* ^ UM m Mushm
*
bl!1BUj.

***** tte *"** fm a heap chronideg ^ aUnd ^

-

^dar
;

wouW want
fa

tepray

ma

u, raise only a wonder mosque for the riff but would not want to order any palaces for himself fi^ng such fflbuIouil mmaiQna ju<t for lhtf heck

Tlw Taj

MflhjJ Grignatvd A*

A Tempi.
.

Translated, these

mean

H
feet

CHAPTER XXTV

>to

behalf

Wo

Minister Salakahm) rakJrf

Pt
1

nw"

&*

It the idol of Lord Vlahnu whose his (bowed) head.

** *'** h * ihJV* * *"" * to *

,,

Wh gut

ORIGINATED THE TAJ MAHAL AS A TEMPLE

an^riytheKmgalsoladcoJurtroctedlhi.1^..
to the

God who bears the cree^t

crystal -white stone. Consecrated in that Lord (was so pleased that He)

(Himalayan) abode on Mount

K^

tm^rr T* ** neveMhl KhT f J**

*
'

^**~> ,w***
Ww,
J.

"#** *
'*

ancient

mansion could have been an jMfcttaiBuJ sdmlis to be a Hindu who! determines Kudu temple. We have often wondered
neither of the average height
is
it

THE TAJ

edifice

whkb

Shahjahan's

own

chronicle

(tht

dated 1212 Vlkram era, Aabwto Sunday. 5th day of the bright lunar fortnight/'

" (This inscription is)

The

inscription quoted above

alias

may be

found to tht books*

titlod

Kharjurwahak

It is ihe ate* of MuTnUtt'f cenotaph. Muslim woman of the 17th century nor of

Wartanw (modern Kha/unho

Vol.1.)
stales.
is

by D.

fob

of the average

and on pp, 270-274 of Epigraphia India,

height or an

Mamie grave. We venture to suggest that in determining

On page
Museum.
1212,

124 of his book Mr. Kale

"Th* above

inscripuon

the Hindu Shiva the heisfci of Mumtai'f cenotaph the height of deciding liogi consecrawd in the Taj Mahal may have been U factor. It could then be that the ancient Hindu sacred Shiva linga
itself is

found at Mauja Bateshwar, near Agra

It Is

at present in the Ltttaow

of the King Paramardl Bev, dated VJkram

&mmt
It

Ashwin (month), &th djy

all

of the bright hinir faruugot

buried in the cenotaph while the grave in the

basement

has in

34 stanzas which describe the origin of tht Ghmdnlnyi

its

may or may

not contain Mumtaz's body because bodies are always

(regal) dynasty and

important rulers. The

at Bateshwar.
It

tooerfpuori

wt found

buried in the ecrth and not

on a two-storey -high stone flooring,

as the Boteshwar inscription kept in

A atom

inscription

known

the Lucknow (capital of Hilar Pradesh in India)

thai the Taj Mahal could be a

Museum

indicates

embedded In a mound Lucknow Museum by General Cunnigham, where it lull ii. The two beautiful marble temples whkh King Paramardi Ds* had raiaed.
was
later deposited in the

Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

nas
The

a. d.
inscription in

one for Lord Vishnu and the other for Lord Shiva wttc jubseqmuntry desecrated during Muslim invasions. Some clever i fordglbtal) P** had this
buried inscription, concerning these fempk*.
in

a taound.

Sanskrit has 34 stanzas of which stanzas

:

25, 26

and 34 being relevant to our topic are reproduced below

wh &** remained buried for many years until 1900 A. DGiiuungfaam*" excavations it was discovered by General
It

tew iRn<ra

mm^

ii

Mr. Kale, the author of the book observes that from the location where
ii

quoted above,
the

ape**

it

appeared to have been carefully and

destructive Muslim farsJghted person in the wake of

*^

*^JT _ J^** "

tot
call

Though the

to Kale, prefer, learned author. Mr.

Wb

- PubUahod by

fl.

, Kal. and M. D.

from M. D. Kale. Advoc-t*. Chhttuupur,

"j^^'Ha*. sWfc* *~

**" t* *m

us vii

buildings referred to In

inscription

Thn T| Mahal temples.

Gritf natal

At A Tnpta
IJt

e ,_*

interpret

ha pinnacle and entrance aicbaa Vstr ih trf,^ which ie an exclusive emblem of ChuklrKnwl^hwtr
2.

(Vishnu does signify a i the king's palce because had the inscription meant to be a VJahnu temple ft need not have again mentioned the fact, as it docs, that the building
abeJtenjd

^^

3.

The

edifice ia said to

have been of

* puv-Unt

lhat the lord C&iivaJ raiandnuniuikeihwar ran*returning to bin Himalayan abode of Kaflu.

b
rf

apm

iW)

an image of Lord Vishnu.

The inscription assumes importance inasmuch as k refers to the raising in Agra of two buildings of crystal-white marble 8 yean ago from today. It. e, A. D. 1933)
Incidentally, this inscription effectively refutes the

Wand and

blind assertion that

it

was only the Muslims who

first started raising

proved in our two bocfa that the Muslim rulers in India did not raise even o single mansion, marble buildings
in India,

We have already

canal* fort, palace,

tomb or mosque whether of

earlier

redstone or marble.
them.
Trident
4.
(trishtt/J

They only appropriated

In

Hindu buildings and misused

m Uw pinnndt of tt Ta| Mahal

elsewhere
ail

our view the two buildings referred to in the Bateshwar inscription still exist in Agra in aD their marble splendour. They
are the so-called Itimad-ud-Daulab

We have mentioned
ia

in this

book that the Tij Mh*i

to the Uladua.

garden included plants and trees

aacmd

Anwnf

tomb and

the Taj Mahal.

is

What

the inscription refers to as the king's palace

the present
the

and nown of which the Bel and Hsrshringar, the leavaa of Uri Shivaare considered a necessity for the worship

them

Jtimad-ud-Daulah tomb. The Chandramauleeshwar temple b

Taj Mahal.

6.

The

central

chamber of the

to contain the cenotapbaof emperor

Taj Mahal which k no Shahjalwn -ndhiawjfr

Wk

*****

A common

been failing of scholars of tertian history has

their

naivete in believing that there could be

Muslim tombs and mc*W*

For
instance, v

Banu Begum ha* around it ten quadrangular devotee, m I. the a pc^ambdatory passage for
6.

^"J" **
caMoau

Aathedevoteep^^thmu^rachorihc^roanu
of

galore in India without corresponding palaces.

ia

proudly pointed out as the Itimed-ud-Daulah tomb *"

.

rf lb. provide him a view of Ite tr*

no meaning unless historians are also able to point ou ahve where the august courtier flimad-ud-Daulah lived while
explanation

pt Jj

where the amUetn

7.

Uri Cb**" ********

Mahal of the Taj

^J^^Ld.
"^^JreJ-F*
'

The high dome

very that Itimad ud-Daulah used to live in the thai in which he is believed to have been buried. And was an appropriated Hindu building. It is obviously the king
is

^ ^
TW
^n

reverbereUve

effect provided the

prop*

ecstatic din thai

aaotnpank.

the

*h*"

coamte 1. auppoaed to pcrfurrn the or drum* the Wowing of conches, beating

B.

referred to in the

Bateahwar Inscription.
l

The Shiva CChandramauleeabwar) temple

Mahal far the following reasons
i
.

obviously

'

The

high

dome

ll

ibo

pilch* to enable the hanging of a

^ ^ ^^^Irip ** * for

fW

^ j^aou*

^^
^&

*
,

^ ^ ^^

"_

oTMShv.

IVcMnwhicbhddtbepiU**^

it is

in the of cryatel-whlta marbla as mentioned

tojcripu"

TV TiJ
n^ihecwareoftf***
1*''

Mahal

I*

A Tcmpto py,^

jto T] Mahni
ft is

Orf|cLnatei

Ai

A Tnp|

n
pi*

fanciwi to becn Provided n iaro*n day. Had lb* 8^ raiT K" removed one should have fyMnmiii't iamb, been subsi^uenUy flooring for the props which supported turn hoht in the mosaic such holea. That mean* that it was Shnhjnhan tht nilng. Tbrreareno

Taj Mahal

and gold railings mentioned as fixtures of the 9 gtvw dcora "1 frtuI* of Hlndd lCTn Fles surviving even

^^

tame that tba ploed bears the Arabic wnving nuiun dome Mahal v^.~ 'h<>>iii H "Allaho All niiano Akbar-*i^*J U riNMl" Thai those words were ^ _,. . . Great." That th*o -God is stmdlW on Iba pinnacle after Shahjahan commandeered the Hindu ten^ f Ulanfe oae is apparent from the fact that the replica of *
pointed out by

^.

^^
i

pjimKto

^^

courtyard to tta enat does not bear that In the red -stone trucrtpucn,

te removed

lb** gold railing

of (be ancient Hindu Shiva temple

At the back of the mjirble platform under the rtdston* tmw facing the river fa a long row of apadouB decorated chamben and

mi

earned

it

awaj to the treasury, before using the location or

an Islamic cenotaph. Visitors

Of EMb idol to graft

tarr an

may nlso notice

in

an adjoining long corridor running apartment row. Those chambers at

central chainbcr. which

along the aitire length of thai

a level lower than th*

bawmmi

anomt Hindu colour-sketch of

eight directional pointers,

b believed to contain the real grava, wwM

16 cobra*, 32 trident* and &t lotus buds

a* acta.

all

Hindu motifs

multiples
ceiling of

Hat

design
centra)

is

sketched in the concave

domed

not have been decorated had the Taj Mahal hem an Uuunk tomb. apparently being misted. The mrptt of MumUs. All visitors are
If

chamber, which anyone standing close to Masalaz'i cenotaph may look-up and aeelhr octagonal 10.

at

floor

buried in the Taj Mahal, must neither be in the ground octagonal chamber nor in the basement chamber.
all

Grid*

at the Taj

Mahal

still

mention a tradition of a drop

The chambers

right under the two cenotaphs on to floors

lime are
lii

hsb water dropping from the high dome top on the cenotaph obviously b a remnant or the past memories of the dripping oo tht emblem of Lord Shiva from the
pitcher.

nwer mentions the six court* in the Taj Mahal building *ere i bazar used to be brid. It is common
dilioo

with brick and which have been haphazardly sealed wbch and Inscriptions, SLmikriy Lbecorridon to contain Hindu Idols wart of the marW. iteifa -inder may be naming along the eaat and seem to have been sealed the redstone terrace also
ui ventilator- Lype openings ianse door-size and the the redstone terrace facing filling* are removed. walled up. If those ugty

hears and

fc.

whW,

foca]

^
fairs

knowledge

are invariably of Hjndu

hm

^d

uX

SUfrom the

-Parent, of tbeTsi Yamuna river end

"?

^^^S
U-

*^*^*

J^JJ **+ ^ T* *

- "

Suva tanjfe

arches dearly proves that

it

is

an

u* ^ %** orprovm *"

again
-,I

t.)

Mlha

iUf

- nda .rd***,,

H|ndu

M ;TJ^ V . fflc,n

**W* uf ffery bMivfan-^Z

'

^
.

n lhe nrfiU,n to * * the marble edifice. it has been a tradition

^
in

*****

*to

"*
.

the

- * ** - m

* *

Tmj Mahal th.

.I^i^ * -y

^JTT.

In th *

P^**

a taw. I-* * a

In the

^^
!""

ll

<i" M "

-^r

bo

fr^th.*. of MumtM.hl

3*
In

The Taj

Nfflhnl Is

Tompli. Pal*,

The Taj Mahal Orietaatad Aj A Toapi.

U*

fin* place,

Shahjahan'a

official chronicle,

the

name

of of
its

M
t

buried inside is spelled thr lady supposed to be

Mumtozul

Zftmunj

and

mi MumtM
'Mum'*
'
"

Mahal

Secondly, the important, distinguishing

aay that tbn T*j Mahal and continued to bo so for about Shiva temple <.

emstenea,

we may

w!*? * *
1

slump or to deslnat.* the building- Thirdly, even if one attempt* "Taj Mahal 'Taj Mahal" it would to mjatvn tomt meaning from Ihe term
prefix

could

ww

be dropped off leaving the

For nearly 300 year, thereafter

reconverted into a tomple.

it

was mis-ia*

,77^"
>$*

From

IB3I onward, th*

Shrine"

(Tejo

Maha

'

Alaya) stands converted

h^Twu.
imbon

crown residence/' and not a tomb. FourtbJy, there entire range of Muslim lore or history. in no iNjuivsJrnt term In the HnJ the term "Toj Mahal" been common ft should have been
eoftno** ""a
.

graveyard'
16. Besides the trident

panada,

there are other Htodn

beard of

in

connection with .Muslim

Fifthly the

tombs or palaces
emblem.

in

other ports

in the Tai namely the conch, the lotus and the ncrcd Hindu chant *0M" in Devanagari character.

of the world.

term Tejomabalaya applies lo a shrine

Visitors to the Taj

relief in

may

notice the letter *'om"

worn

a,

boM

consecrating the
lb.

Tej' variety of the Shiv

embossed flower- designs on

the Interior marble walb. a*

The Bateshwar

inscription enables us. at least tentatively,

to trace the 838- year history of the Taj

Mahal to our own day.

U
in

appear! that the Taj Mahal alias Tejo

Shiva temple in IlftS A. D. The deity.
ft

Maha Alaya originated as Lord Shiva, was consecrated

one stands poised at the top of the stairs leading la the baaanm (to see what they call the 'real graves') one may an the vab around the upper marble cenotaph chamber, at cheat lava), the esoteric sacred Hindu letter "am' woven into the eraboestd nurfcfc

'

on &inday. the

the Hindu

day of the bright lunar fortnight of month of Ash win of that year. Sometime after 1206
fifth

flower - patterns

when

Pink lotus patterns on the border

enclose the cenotaphs

of the griltod pandi thrt

Muslim sultanate was founded in Delhi, ibe temple was captured, its idol was uprooted or buried and the
building

the iconoclastic alien

may

also be noticed.

the

to this hiatal from Mogul Emperor Babur's allusion to it In his Memoirs years later (1526). as a palace captured from his predecessor
i

was misused

...

pjac*

ffia

eom

From

the

**om" and

the trident and rowi of room* a'ddea

first

may conaid along the four sides under the marble plinth, researchers
graii &ernil wbetber the Taj Mahal was the epicentre or Mm* Tat Jat connmniRy Hindu Tantric cult before Muslim occupation. known traditionally to which predominates the Agra region is Lord Sbr*. Teja temples and worship the lustrous
I

ftrato

Babur's son Humayun suffered reverse after werat. around 1538 the Tai Mahal alias Tejo Maha Alaya was ******* by the Hindus. We come

Lodi. After

STa
m

Akbar had to reconquer l' I! n by ****** th HJnd ***** " r * " the b. tie of Ptalpat. Apparently Akbar did not dispossess
'

68

i^r^JY

H akn

* un

to this conclusion

bemuse

'*

As one descends the

steps to the busnent

ctamb^ toi-e

the so-caDed k*1 (?) cenoUiP" * eteps one comes acrt> Sa on both
notice that the

in* on

the

left

^tS^T
the

*""" *""*-

**

been sealed with irregular marble

also

fa-ta

of marble pieces used to

seal

1*

M^fZ^'^ ^bavmg command^

** pnaent
day. During these 838 year*

under lbs"* on either side leading to the room, red what are now believed l. be ih. mtm the tJ sealed at Shahjaban's order graveyard U be converted into an lalawfc mansions wiaco at FaLehpur Sfkri and the

those blocking the one at the

^ Jf ngbL

T.^l^VZ rs^ ^ f^^^Z ^ ^*Z^lm

tba and lb. one on

^
u

--ra thit tb.

_
fined

pj-J^ ^
.

up

bt0m cMfkm

known

as the

tombs of Akbar.

Ham^.

^^^ ^^ ^
B

miiil4 fy

"

The Taj Mahal

I*

A Temple

Pataoo

Xba Taj Mahal OrigEnaud Aa A Tcmpto

an

aibm

mA
uponwi^w^
</ .mriml
1

architecture should. therefore, look scholars of

_ rf and nQl not temple art exist. latter docs not
Milled

and made to bear false, implanted tnacrlptiona aa temba Bnd forts buflt by Muslima. This la unwltUnKlybHrayrt

'

Hindu
t

^^

Mus) (m

sepulchral

ohaarvant remark of an American vlaiu,, BayartTwl He has been quoted on page 177 of Hndbottk. observes. "I have been struck by the singular fact
Ibe central seats of the

^^ ^,

in

*Z

*
man mid
Span
and

l^hfp. The
m

*n

Muslim

Moslem empire art reached but a

thai whit* at

to.T'

eempmttm

SIS wL^Sd **b^ MM ** iSTJl

has

SI
Aim

Or
in

K.U (Bhavaoi) tempi*

M
in Its

duped and deluded for over throe bunt as a tomb. Taj

degree of development here and there, on the opposite and distant frontiers (I.e. to Spain and in India) it attained a

and splendid culmination."

to*

ancient

A (modern

What Mr. Taylor means

and
India

is

that in lands to distant

taTpur)

fwt-pW
Agra

br

do*

resemblance to the Tejo

Maha

Muslim

invaders

apparently
in their

built

stupendous
lika

a palace and laU>r was a Hindu temple. tomb the Taj Mahal CTejo Maha Alaya) into Mahal Shiva temple has b now 362 year* since the original Taj Muslim queen's mausoleum. Yet forced 10 play the role of a restore the Taj Mahal in its fortune may once again
further proof

W
f

work. vote marble an4 embossed decorative

before being converted into

magnificent monuments but

own

Innda

%ria, Iraq

and Arabia they have pretty

little

lo

ehow of

the same calibre.

kind.

We

pity the naivete of Mr. Taylor and those of his

Tbg

have been badly duped. What they have been made

to believe

Muslim buildings
constructions at

in

distant

Spain and India are not Mutant

all

other turn
it*

all.

Those are

usurped indigenous buQdtagJ buflt

|0

original status of

Suva temple

at the

bends of a resurgent

by

timea. local chieftains in pre -Muslim

falsely

India,

who knows

by Muslim conquerors end

-

They were only appropriated thar own through represented

Thai the Taj Mahal must be the focal temple

Alaya
-

the Tejo

Maha

Hindu township, finds corroboration in Kocne's observation on page 179 of his Handbook. He says. "The Taj Ganj
of an ancient
thai a spot)

chroniclea. This findingef ours superficial camouflage and concocted repudiate Muslim claim, to its

should help Spain

"*"*-* *'

Mr. M.

II.

known
in

as flalnndwr Darwaza, supposed to be that

Cardoba mosque

c*u*i verified thai tbt so Mills has also scientifically pro-Islamic edifice in Spain.
is

of a gateway

the wall which enclosed the ancient city of Agra

would IB. As a point of information we

centuries before Akbar'a

time." Thia

fully

corroborates our finding

Mahal

is

settle

taller

than lb.

Hut the area around the Taj Mahal forms part of a very ancient poruan of Agra city, Thia part or Agra had its own Shiva temple
called the
all

On

page

IN

of his

b*.

Tejo

Maha

Alaya. ft

was enclosed by the

city wall as

point of the the garden level and the so dome is 243,5 ft. while the

main
!s

tenplea used to be in ancient and mediaeval India. In fact the Kalandar Darwaza may be a corrupt Muslim term for some ancient doit none aftbar for tome other gateway of to what is now TaJganJ gateway leading to the Taj Mahal premises. In

238

ft.

and one inch

in height.

>^^^J -- Z m ^
But

i.

**
lb.

the topmost point of the

be much below

it

the they do not reek*

^^Zjl*.+*
total

^^^^
ipJ

in-

** *

edifice including ita pinnacle-

our view the proper frontal approach from ancient times waa from the TaJgaitJ gat*. It atill haa ita massive wooden gate
in

intacu
"*\

"The names of some early including (hose of the m m dome."

rt

^^* ^
^^
of

nmWl adds
,

^^ ^ ^ ^ ***
^

So even the
of ancient

insert

wd

Mahal, thouaands of erstwhile Hindu buildings mediaa**] tod,* have been

Shnhjuhaira behalf.

under Muslim occupation

TK

h*

CHAPTER XXV

THE FAMOUS PEACOCK THRONE WAS IHNDU

WE HAVE

observed

in

an

earlier chapter

how

the Ti| Hindu

embelliabed central ground floor tod palace had richly

buonmL

timbers. Tbe ground

floor

chamber had aQver

door*, fold nnlng

surrounded by gem-studded marbla scream. Gfvm and an enclosure what could it contain ? It must contain wneth^ Bud* an enclosure

t**&0v)

ma
re

black

hoH iU richness, A gilded frame wdd never eoually arresting in cental ground Sfanflsrly, ihe achrUIlaia* In insignificant picture, pre**. of precious metal, and

GO KOBC
"*a*'J
'

SoJr

fe.ig
cast
t,

$ ta*

r^e

cCber with

futures

m
-

Hch set**

qpw i

fl

it

ac

the ncuuow Peacock Tyrone enUr Taj Mahal and the

well deserved-

We

^^

that

*"^?Z ^^ST^S.
^

"^^'iTrfjiTB
i* Use asserkxfea
1

aimultaneously. Shabjaban's reign almost

IT..

wtt^jimfiiij
==>'be preefoded

mediaeval Muslim rulers

vWk rnrone couM nev. *v* ~*XJ "^*

millenium^

*"JL <*****" , pa****

* Ttjo Itabc^ys

aro

Throughout their to make lh-nwas to break images, not

tbe we, not only to break homeless. household by making it
that palace the fabulous wealth

h fact, aahjataan'. motive mof back

carta-

^^^^ ^^ ^ ^
** as*
do

W*

"

!***

^p*

Mahal, therefore. pearl. railing, curtains of

(now Wft carved marble screens Peacock Tt*on the famous, adntfllating

*^^^*^^t* * ^iSgU) *"

**

^JPP

^rur^

mPe^kTt^could^^^ a. rfW *
tradiUonally -

b^use
bird

Hto*
for

or animal known r for a ibra terminology the very term

^J^ ^J^T
iX

r or
l

Jm \a"V *,S0k

TTw Ta| Mahal

hud their
ln

1*

A Tnmpl* Pala^

DM

Famous Peacock Thran **

ffimjy
til

own

lt>

***

Opn* MPT**
ea*dlltt5d

*** ^rtoronw **
1

Hindu

pel animal or bud yibolo*v lh *a1 .

'

passage quoted by us in an

earlier

d*^ of

Ihla book.

Ins, tiger, P" *' lh

-30

r*

*^***L*' p "
1

"? as being the motifs of their iffcrw i gods im religious trad ition strictly usinrt th . Musi Taking all this into 'or image.

of other birds a miniber

und animals are

Shahjahan

wo arc told embarked on building the Taj Mshl

,

l*ur campiR.

Hardly had the project begun, than wo are told that hy ia& Shahjahnn had amassed such a plethora of genu end bullion,
seven years of his accession that he
did

within

not

dewing

aartleraiion H

Xuld

?m

tan

for any serious student of not be difficult of g^jahan having ordered a woven into the fabric of Shahjahan'a
deftly

with them.

He

therefore had a fabulous Peacock

:

Says Mulla Abdul Hamid* ' in the course of gems had come into the imperial Jewel house..." & Hula

know whm %o do Throw ordered. yean many vstaabla

mom

"*?

^lH^mbt had the Hindu Peacock Mahal the Taj

Throne coldly removed

(^

iter taking over

from

,ts

owner.

than ordinary naivete la needed to believe in such skulduggery. Nobody seems to have bothered to compile, compare, vivify and
subject such accounts to close
in
logical scrutiny
,

If

ve

ore lo believe

*7L
te
,

appr> that the

scintMng

throne used to be covered

In

such prodigality, the Moguls must have bad dropping u"ke rain over them all the time.

bullion

and uems

^ m
t

Lr

^ iow d
a cc4d stone

pearls also a net of

denuding the Taj

virtual gem mine, wealth Shahjahan struck a of such fabulous his consort MumUu editor for the burial of
of the harem,

We

may,

therefore. Ignore

tht?

abracadabra of Shnhjon having

ouwr members

on Ha dimensions and ordered the throne and instead concentrate making. Even conceding thai the the wealth that went into its used in that throne mi* monetary value of the gems and bullion

later spirited -fai fdbukra* Peacock Throne,

away U>

Persia

no tonger extant* it was by ib Muslim invader. Nadir Shah, is Nadir Shah's dismcmberes and disbursed or looted piece by piece by
feuding Ibifen Iranian descendanta precisely

Abdul Hsm3d, yrt Wi dracripuo-t have been exaggerated by Mulla Tarona. what the sneient Hindu Peacock should give one some idea of

usurped by Shahjahan, looked

like.

because even aa i

throne plundered heirioom the presence of an idolatrous, infidel

wu mu/tbema
official

la fanatic

Muslim royalty.
is

court chronicler* According to Shahjahan's J " three yards long, two -nd the Peacock Throne was with hroed. five yards high and

A description of the Peacock Throne

cbrnnldar Mulla Abdul

given by Shahjaban's

me copy

had 12

Hamid Lahori under the account of

two peacocks

fhlh

year of Shahjahan's reign corresponding to 1636. It

may

be recalled here thai

U u rn ua had died around 1 631 an d according

The throne cost ten million means that tats was , in seven years. That
that and expensive project

^ *%Z ^^ZZV+. ^"T^^^^h***^ ^ ^

*
rupe*1

*" J !

fialtbu accounts of the Taj Mahal the construction of this

iretmland

SWrfto "*
b

monument had begun within a year of her death.

of 10 to 22 years.

u> have continued over a period

T*b bunding the Taj Mahal. The throne bad Arabian Nights story.
himself being for the ruler

- Zfl.

^
*. tea.

oi remembered that

h nv*. When Mumtai died between 1030 and

^^ ^
*

won

after

coming to the throne

^ ^^ ^
^
11 re*

UiUhbuious

^ won.

lhin ,

* <**

to *** nd

*rst fe * I****
this

mere
hand.

.u ultunatdy found throne made which

I.

one

pes*

way of

^ *^., ~* ^

o bav distributed loi of

'"idemiand

wealth to

from the Badshahnam*

t*

*"*""

%,

'

Md. Vol

vn

M.

P. 46, IbW.
to\A.

90 PP. 45**.

m
Tin THJ Uhai
la

^
A Tempta PiW
fa,

flWn irsdWon
rifr

the niter

to always supposed to have around ^

"'and lit

the enthronement and other sons or brother, at hl " ^ uecn 8D0Wn *oe d ooaiiaa Lord Rama it *hrW From this ft seems that three brolhan .round him.

^^

CHAPTEKXXV1

Throne were meant for him, hit Tt* D ncM in the Pcoek Muslim history of Indie we can wife end nine ton*. If in the preknown for hia valour and large identify nch i Hfcdtt monarch that throne domain, be could very well be the monarch to have
made.
It

Hindi, ruler

who

order*! the Peacock Throne

bid nine sons,

INCONSISTENCIES IN

THE LEGEND

CONTRARY
could also be that Chandragupts Maurya's

to the traditional belief

in their nostalgic

grandeur,

derived from his Peacock

(in Sanskrit) and

Throne since

surname may have 'Mayura' means a peacock

the courts of mediaeval Muslim

intrigue, vice, cruelty

rulers

were botbeda

of quatar'.

and

torture. There waa no aoope for tbt

Maury a may be a derivative of Mayura. In that

promotion of art or other higher values of life In that atmosphere. AH talk, therefore, about dance, painting, music and building art
having been encouraged
is

cast

Um

famous Peacock Throne usurped by Shahjshan could be

baseleeas. In fact with the bejpnninf

traced back at least to Chandragupta Maurya,

Another possibility could be that a Hindu ruler

literary geniua

who was both

Muslim invasions, were worried about

of

all

progress ceased because most of the citizenry

their

own

physical security and the safety of of intense terror long

and a warrior could have ordered the Peacock Throne, iinee in Hindu mythology the peacock is the mount of
Goddess of Leering, Saraswati, and the warlord Kartikeya ^emi. One such ruler in ancient India known for hia valour, aebouaahip and devotion to truth, was VikramBditya, the founder to era in 57 B. C. It may be that the Peacock Throne
brtfc the

their wives

and children. In such an atmosphere

nothing thrives.

building like the Taj Mahal preeupposet

period of peace and prosperity.

Mr. l^habCnandraMajumdarsaya*/ltimad-ud-Ihnua,
of Nuriahan,
tells

father

$mt

ua that aa many as 5.000 women

Issues of

nestled

Mogul harems... the male

of the ruler's

some of

the

woman

had to

wj

the

Muakm emperor

Sfcimjahan grabbed together with the

undergo solitary confinement

for life."

When

auch

- * *j

Aahal had been initially

toe conqueror of Arabia,

commisaioned by King Vikramadilya.

own
(

progeny, one can very

well

inis^nttba to

of the citizenry

a majority of

whom

belonged to a ndlgi*. and

alien ruler Brides culture highly detested by the Muskm rampant among the ruling

^ta

hmto

sodomy was an noblemen; how eunuchs formed

c^I^notsuchan*t
ofaDart?

*J* ^^"" m H~l^

Important

thirsting of servants they kept, a nobility were always the Muslim rulers in India terms. tt*J* To put it in the layman's of

**
""J
the

for

^ ^
bo
Iwanasaw

ends

meet.

All

descriptions,

therefore

91. P. b.

*""+***'* Wajuipaw imimU

-n* Taj Mahal

-^

*A

Tempi" Pal**
InomaiKtcndaa In Tha legend

o/Mltb no doubt there used to

UK
t suite expense for peopto to

7^

In tan wealth ebbed and swelled. ruler's

poor and

for forkful project like The fand! treasure-reserves just not there. deceased queen in were Taj Mahal to bury mediaeval Muslim chronicler* were Contnry account, written by the ruler and ensure a steady motivated by the need to flatter themselves. Basking in the sunshine share of the ruler's wealth for wangled for themselves of ntfsl favour, the weaned chroniclers sharing in his spoils. a cushy Job of praising the ruler sky high and

Zo.

a***!.

Almost a* soon as

** * MM-*-* <* ~vre U ^ **

of

pnwaw

vl* m4 revd In mft Shabjahan's despoUc era when the ^bjarta count* for But the presence of the pleasure pavIUone ia yet

Mw

n^
tW

dnrf

proof that the bnndnrie* {corridors) are there because lbs originFited as a Rajput temple palace.

another (nnvuic J -

,l

the whole story of the buDding of tha Taj Mihnl in bhiff and bluster Is apparent from yet another weak link in to* traditions!

How

account.

On page 165

of his Handbook, Hoene stoles,

"H

bhih!y

probable that the remains of

Mumtaz (brought from Burhmpur

lay in the temporary

where they had

lain for six

months)

tomb

near the Masjid Baoli for about nine year*.,. When they were finally removed to this tomb (in the basement of the so-called Tbj Mahal]
is

typical instance of

how

the history of Indian

monuments

and tbetr architecture has been based on wild conjectures is found (the governor of in Heme's HandimfF ' 'Alirnardaii Khan
Kandahar) probably introduced the bulbous dome, which

not authoritatively known."* Since such an important detufl as resting plow ii Tnlsshaj* the removal of Mumtaz's body to its final monument specialty after all the pother about Shahjahan having built s
arises whether the Ts] doe* in fact for her burial , the question and Shahjhnn or whether the contain the remains of Muimat meant to be mere scarecrow lo usurp an

some regard
of the Taj

es a marked feature in the decadence of Saracenic architecture in

India
:

cenotaphs were just

a striking example being found in the

dome

ancient Rajput palace 1

Mahal." Tha shows bow

inflated with endless

traditional theories are conjectural

bubbles
:

Another Instance

"probables/*

On page 209, Keene says

tomb
of Rakshi Salabst

"The
f

Cbauaatb Khamba

is

believed to be a

Khan'

(Sahjaban's chief treasurer). The words Chsusath Khamba are a non -Muslim term. Ought not students of history to ask themselves
I

single detail of the Shahjahan About these around the cenotaphs. octa*al marble area enclosing an

Us m. ^L
Z~.

that riddla of the pathetic loopholes rnarbta kgend of the Taj concerns il*

fwy

"The

of

la*

who

fooled the

bills

of these expensive

mausoleums for

all

the Fakir

Mohammad* and Ukeer Ahmads

!

of Mogul times, including

d,

Badshahnama, minority the however, to competent

,

placed here in 1&

farndsrs, prostitutes, faquirs, sons,

Is

grandsons and great

^ dead predecessors?
t

such i thing possible within the ambit of human ft b constituted? Is it possible that those who built fetae-aeei or their children bull palatial

Ab
It*
Keene

-=^^ ^ ^ ^ ^
in

^**"*^ am
J

after ha laid

*s

father

passage invites

*m

the does not consider

tombs

for

>J^^^ ^m*MrtteH*ndl^

ihal

two

* *
- * . ttWBO,,

d*lh

hulding, at Shahjahan-s own authonties mor^ be calls the other he disbelieves the Badsbahmn*. by us repeatedly emph^i^ of history, mediaeval

tobe

of his wife would

previa

pavilions

motivated by the desire to

is

fort,*'*

ACsatfJcnfc ibd.

wrong m holding that competent" were more

^^^^^Z^ ^, ^ ^^
fof

^jT^**, u fc. * * matm gtuden" ****** q * (ym

^^^Z^d, ^^V^y ^ ^ ^ ^ w^o *"* NJ

***

^ ^
^
by

".

pliCtd f"

by

J-k oUnr the

tow

trustworthy. f

ttt

,htb-r

Tb# T>J Uhtl

r*

A Tempi*

p^
yVasteffl

gfrttim'i or

Am****'*

<"*>
ire

bird' of lbe 8aJn * fo*b.

,

TV (wiN

puniirihv

cooduaion

can draw than

it

that tbe

matUt

^
0*

interes

cholirs an"1 o^pl.

v"** 101*

Throne
hardly ibe

tbe sacred Shifting or the precious Q along there enclosing oi Um* Rajput owners of lb* Taj palace. Aurang^
niBH who would spend any money on decorating
1

8J tbe ^

tbe

*^nd &u
^^

^^ ^ ^ ^ ^^
so called

How

misguided y ** pratiJe palpably absurd tbe accusation against

^^ beeo
^

rom tng uj^gg^bed gristenoe lUtmad-ud-Daukh tomb. Not that

jjjey

gre original

Muslim buildings but ever since they were put Lombs the JaU and Mnrathas did not so much

hu h*d

frtbsr * cenotaph.

10

"^

Sleeman" says thai Koranic teat quoted on the queen's tomb template* with the words, "and defend us from the tribe of
onbeuevfrt,./" This ending
fa significant

"
f

object

But somehow propaganda has succeeded in ^Bcratch tbem. wrongly believe in the Muslim origin of making people

bat been to prove that the Taj

our whole point whs commandeered from Mahal

since

mediaeval

monument*.
a similsr experience ss Slecman.

We ourselves had
Once while on a
Krrvin for

an "onbeUevmg" family precisely to end that "tribe."

of tbe passage for quoting

The

choice

visit to

Agra Fort

we

asked a bearded Muslim,

on

Mum tan's tomb

betrays the purpose.

Ha

How

a steady barrage of propaganda kept

up through centuries
massive

has readied in misleading and befooling generations of laymen, scholars of history and architects into the belief that the

had rftta fort Sbivaji version, beotue only wanted to test the popular that question we had been confined we were dear that

which part ablutions with a potful of water, as to been incarcerated in by Aim**.. In airing

iTotr
in

own mind

9*4

md

magnificent mediaeval
to

monuments

are Muslim, though in fact

illustrated

tbcybdong
experience
i

an

earlier period t

may be

from Steeman'a
crossed over

vunt* to

in Chapter IV on page 29 of his book, in describing monuments in Agra, th<r author says. i

dla tant to a fumbling for an answer, pointed batting an eyelid or by the well within the area occupied sMt beyond a partition wall, victors. We then

Ham Start*

borne outside the

fort.

But the Muslim evm wHboul

nver

Jamun.

one

morning
back

ZyZ th^or. untenable

contemporary events.

by

to
I

look

amadod-D.^, Qn my way

at

the

tomb

of

asked one of the boatmen.

atodu* the lay public and senous from our own experience bow unscrupulous pcopb consistently misled by of history alike have been spoken through blaunt statements not only *uthent. C record of to I* in mediaeval volumes believed

ff*"*
^o uld

"One of the emperors of course

said he.

What makes you

think

7*
mad* Jy by emperors,
,d Mutt,B1
"

foregoing pages All that bas been said in the

to convince replied the

be enough

'B***
*
quieU*.

such things are

even tbe most credulous aspect o played on a gullible world. Every

contradictions.

km

vm
'tdZ'J^J!!!
but

trooper

who

bad

'****: who

~*

by

thHT

ZJ^l T?^* "* mh

**
hava .
cluft

of the Taj

ahak * <*

head '

therefore, try to reconstruct a true

originated.

thoroughly expo*Mahal by Shahjuhan stands account of how

The

falsity of tbe traditional

^?* "j*^' ^^^wmZ ^

^^ ^ ^ ^ >_^

- **'

****** mm* J*Z' _**

^ mfliw invwd)
omcsl.
Iblrf.

A number of clues discussed above not as a Taj Mahal originated as a templo and conch slwu ortagonal design, tridents, Om, llw ita top border, pleasure pavilion*, fixtures like ailvw

^ ^^& ^^
jugrandtur. ,

"^

^j
Jaijt[ft

lbt

rautnf.

**

Indian

moaaic flooring, rich hundreds of room*, names like Khawaspu

bpur. I*

"

Th# Ti) Mahal

la

t
g.^,0
full

A TVmpte Pat**
ntoonalaumdM In The

Ugmi

and of the choicest fruit

Dower plants boty

to the

Rajpuu,
largo part of the Tn) Mahal mi\ta r bkKked

and the ft.

of mediaeval Muslim chronicles Keen* Referring to the falsity fa attempting to belaud the acta observes* t '"Indian historian*, have oHct committed thcmsclwea to of their kingly patron a, subsequent scrutiny are rtmnwiis which ndpr lhe searchlight of

.. wilh nil mediaeval tombs in India, w lt . u. mo,., wheihw ih*u wnrt|w a, iUmaduddauln'i, bj Humnyun 'a, Iiimjiduddouk'a,

"M-

'IT***
***
IM!
1

^Ifnaul

&

Safdjirlimfl-

^**

" * tedw

ulse's

tomb.

found to be absolutely inaccurate"

Reene

is

mistaken

visitor standing at the back aflheTai redston* terrace looking at the Yamuna

Tbe

Mnh

In calling

may

well imagine that

if

thnm

Indian.

They were

nllcn

Muslims.

rtvat Jlwjnv*r there are 22 . monti in

"J"

nL^T ^Haft
60*'1

river-front alone,

In the

subsequent pages he confirms that "the cenotaph of

,

how many more rtwuM 'iw "J* from the back to the front of the basement gre*
The
rooms
visitor

Shahjahon

is

uraymmetrically placed

p. 172)

Then? arc

I -)

rooms

may

J^"Jj^

also well imagine that

if

in a line along the river face of the great

basement (p, 177)."

ttw

ADoul these rooms Keen* says

situated as a line of It

'

'The basement rooms are centrally

the basement of tbe redatoo* t* rnjw bo* easements could there be right upto the ground
in
levri

Qnder

its terrace;

rooms along the face of the Great Basement, and each of them is connected by a doorway

with an inner lobby running East and

West along

their entire length.

flows? From the ground level to tbe marble platform Ibtnr an two storeys with each storey consisting of scores of won*, Tat visitor Is not shown any of these. AH those rooms vtn do**
to visitors eversincc Shahjahen appropriated to be used as a Muslim tomb.
that

wbine Yam

From etch end

skhs. being

of the lobby

a staircase ascends to the terrace of

it*

Hindu manikm

the Great Basement, where

entrance dosed by red sandstone

Unfortunately, even today worn

it still being

ky

unsuspected until discovered a tmr

ymrs

ego,

the clue

we

are free, the free citizen of a free India

all

deprive

givm by a aaiaff window overlooking the river in each of the two mstemmosi rooms. The rooms, once frescoed and otherwise deco ruled being now fo darkness and infested by bats, cannot be
Whether they originally opened on to a gbai and gave admittance to the Taj from the river; or bang provided with window*, were used as cool resorts during the heat of the day, cannot now be decided." (Actually the rooms
explored without a torch or lamp.

of his right of free access to

apartment* of the pent Tai

fairy tides of

MiW,

Instead,

be

Is

being doped and duped with

a (ucfcd

Sbabjuban-Mumtaz romance.
That this ban to the basement chsmben
hn* besv

Impend

eversince ShahjabBn took over the Hindu mansion tn circa 1631. Trench waiter te is clear from Bender's notings. Berntw w a
India during Shab}aban's reign.

"amber

22. not 14),

uwrtimat Apart from the basement under tbe redstone fcrr*

roomi even uadi be another huge basement containing many from marble platform. The visitor who descendi bdleve that Ihsre chamber to tbe basement graves is made to
I

a very important clue to bow much is hidden rrn to, public in the Tai Mahal. The lay visitor peeping into the

The above

it

awn

*l
b"
nghUy

the mighty sepulchral handiwork of a doughty be ia being badly cheated and

tbe two greva onJy one darlc chamber there enclosing

But

that

duped

As Keene
sealed

i7far

pointad out.

ZmTbe trutl^darknes^ theni

many
vital detaHs

S.

*vmWlc of

Horn
i

of basement

chamber! He

hiding

d from the vWlcr about

^J."rm^f
^^
K(C0-

am,iM sn^ii r "W* "*" ^ "

" ,ju
f

inu>

- * *

"nyhin*. Shsbj,!

M; iny people being in hurry come the marblo building coniials of only

"I f

m. Kmm.lUMbook,

Ibid.

Uxmm, an aciunJJy

ground floor and one

'.

to sepulchral chamber

m ^^
a-jyi

h(flflnfnl

nm

are

many

spacious

tmlls

and rooma

sorrourtfliii


A Trmplm

TV Ti}
.

M*hd

P^m
IncontfouncfM In Tht Legend

tKwfe

of the inferior "fa the remainder

^ ^tflhr^^oarm-r
t*hind esc

**"*

f V"* ^d J,
y
"

Kail*, four octagonal

one behind each

now concern

ouraelve, with a TOr

^*

Thesc halts
^

r^ *-" pi b** S^: 1 "^ ^1 ndi

1

***

"*

oU " r

^ ^ ^ ^^
<rtf

connected by passages

chmnber
each

3l ^gh tbem
with, a

from the

Wire

*
has

^m

hull giving

Snce Vincent amth motion- on Attar the Greet Mogul that Babur dladT I cUa h bat A * who rated over Agra must have ipml at feast

Md p 9 of
th
.

_
hl

bo

rj v
Jaipal.

** ^^"tr^i
g^ c*iw n^T
Taj ,&.
1

* Ul*

.he

staircase

the upper storey,

fa the Taj palace as absolute owner* or a,

ttmZT^***

Uke Raja Mnnstogh and Jaiaingh on whom

-M^rif*- it^clMrthdttheymusthavelbeircounterparUi visitor sees no access to them

tfcTi^n.nL
underneath.
If

**

building of the marble the ground floor

the

many

hatts

ultimately devolved. According to the Persian p*t fort was captured by Mohammad Gbazrvtvi. i-a> a

J^C^T,
inus/Am
desperate asaiuU*

from

Whosoever ruled the

fort,

owned the

we com*

chamber tarn ihe ceotral sepulchral been seakd. Thus there is much th* uiose enimnces too have storeys of the unseal and discover in the basement
to inwMgale,
Taj Mahal
all

in the

basement

it is clear

to the conclusion that Jaipal bad owned the Tal, cm) lived in fL After him Mohammand Ghazfw aaould have Bisyod in the Taj at least occasionally though for aecurfty reasons he must

i$H

from the marble plinth to the

Yamuna

level. If

have preferred tbe massive confinea of the fort. The otben who seem to have been in occupation of the nearly 35 -room mtrhlt
suite of tbe Taj palace are
:

those chambers in the

it will

many basement

stories are brought to

Rajput rulers of the Tuar dan who

Uphi

fadlitate the piecing together or the

story of Shabjahan's

came
Jalal

to

power

after

Mohammad
again,

Gh&mnvi'a

invasion, Vlaheldav

usurpation of a Hindu mansion.

Chsuhan. Bahlol LodJ, SSkandar

Lodi, Babur,

Humiyun, Sbcrahah,

We would
chit the

draw reader attention to Keene's remarks basement rooms bore frescoes and other decoration. They
abo
like to

Khan, Humayun

Akbar, Manringb, Jagtisingb

nd

Jatsingb. ft

was from

tbe last ownar.

aQ vertkm

iavtriably

hsvt

til

been scrubbed off. This

is

yet another indication of the

admit t that the Taj property was taken by Shahjihm

into a

to bt oaovtrtad

Tij being an erstwhile

Hindu mansion. Shahjahan would not build

in

tomb.
generation!,
it

cores of ornate rooms

the basement

and have them sealed

Aa tbe Taj bad been a royal residence for

oocupW
fata

According to the Itedsh&hnanw there

j

were four serais each with

by those who controlled Agra.

the

It

is

cker that

must biva

rooms

in

Mumtazabad (which obviously was the name foisted

Ktm
In tbe

of

many

royal births and deaths aa

it.

is

evidenced by the

on the former Jeiaingbpura and

Khawaspura) , and a central chowk

te

reference to Babur" s death in

*|usjy) from which roada branched off at right angles. This

Agra Fort gaDery.

facing tba Taj.

testimony that the ancienl Rajput temple palace which ia Mwn as the Taj Mahal was surrounded by other huge buildings ** wiib network of roads. Thai is exactly what the term
lifia to

embedded

the Taj in the wall to mirror

Taj legend have convenient*

menmeric effect of the by tboir tbouaanda dreea

ia

^**J^ mytn.^t^dingh^^^
annual
the

-*-*
.

* -

Sanskrit.

Such a huge building complex can

Is

in arched recesses

ifiod

if

temple palace

ch

annen. ou,

irttt^TtTalLS^ ^ "*
lot* m

oriLtu,

* ^

^ nytgK
W
f

its

nucleus, u

tomb does

a very

common
still

and

affonJ

them
ttriides

glaas reflectors can

twiplc paiac mii

^^ and tnmuuA T and mma lomb

"""
i

deaUng
ahaU

be seen fld be In Rajaathan, and continue to

]^ "^^
m

^Prr. ortdkB

Such

ia* .*
to Rajpui

'JV #bc-ny iaeli.abHdd

women-a

architecturt, drcsaea. Saracenic

te*id

establishing

we

rather believe in purdah/' never think of glass reHoctors

-hmudJng or

W ^ ^^

Mirror

Tb# Ta) Mnhal

la

Ttojifc p^.
tncanaifltendea In

Th Legend

^^^u
t_tban
t

in

Agra

fort
1*

**

M^

* Hindu fort. More***. BCCeS9 du int*nmefit to th* P*" niM *d

***** * w-

of the fort

*Mch

overlooks the Taj.

It ia.

therefore,

and a wider region, tn addition 90 b eVed l ***?**

absurd

'"l. ^_ J railing and

even
all

and

-flW UiH during detention he consoled himself by catching "ny ? ,ass *** A furtl*r bsuitlity -^ppes of the Taj in &* would > old monarch, bent with age. sUnd inooraisleocy is
i

silver doors. Readera can well 'J*

wirr*,

-,_ ^-tuddj^^',0dwir
to

fa

<*
ill

these. It will

amount to a fabulous, the Mogul emperors together

single

'*"**

of

could

much on a

Z*1?Z'

*****

monument.

Besides,

gimpse

into a to catch a Deettog, his beck to the Taj reflected tiny glass piece with when he could as well have a clear, full, straight of the Taj

up

1'" tD the time to a

his

bedimmed vision

and peer

wealth on a

monument which would

who *!

blT*^

**

menials ? Moreover, such Isvishnes, ill uita a sepukhnUk temples or psJacea which can and do have such
nu^Iflcen*.

be the haunt of

Li! 12

^
Til

and direct view of

it

seated comfortably facing the

monument?
neck?
This

And would not such a stance give him a pain in the

is

yet another Instance of

how students of history,

Both, the entrance from the redstone quidrangie ink, the grounds a$ well as the entrance to the cenotaph chamber

fast south.

archaeologists

Had the Taj been an

original sepulchre,

its

entrance should hsvi

Altah for

and liy visitors have never bothered or cared to take stock of the loose bits of the Taj legend . and tried to rearrange them to
find out wbrther they add up to at least a coherent and cogent account, even if fictitious.

faced the west, because Islam allows communion with

both the living and the dead, only from the

This
ia

direction of the Rata.

trsditionnl claim that

a very important clue to refute the

the Taj Mahal originated as a tomb.

A government

peon, Aneesh

Ahmad, informed us that the

father Ensha Alia

tiny

Mediaeval Muslim monuments are almost always mosques ami

mirror was fisud there by

Jpbtb ago to illustrate

Ms

Khan, about 50

tombs, except

in a few cases. At the outset

it

appear*

strap

bow mirror- pieces decorated those walls under

Shahjaban used to see
mirror
is

that a long line of these extrovert monarcha built tombs and mosqoo

the Hindu rulers. Therefore the legend that the reflection of the Ta| in that

galore but seldom palaces.

It is

stranger

artJH

that the

of course a crude, cruel

who buDl

a palatial

tomb

for his predecessor. Boarding to cumnl

hoax.

Since readers

may

get a better idea of the results achieved

me. labour and money spent on mediaeval memorial "jn,t by comparing them with similar recent projects. Let

blood white the l*u*r tradition, also thirsted for the predecessor's both those pfopeaUfa ruled. For argument's sake, if we assume building tomb* ought to be Lrue. then that practice of * From tot pool some uniformity and sense of proportion.
t

tuT^T^^f" ** te be believed an original

*

Gmm

'*

^^
tomb.

let

us compare the so-called tomb,

months, he
died.

of Humayun.
.n

with the Taj Mahal

if

to*

Humayun
six

himselT had hardly re-established

-SET %?': T* " m ^

bam
stent
i

neariy 17 yara

tt

^^T^V" *"** ^^ ** M|
"

f8n^ en tround * And crores of rupees have

Mahfltm OmtiA't * Samadhi
11

tn En and yet his so-called d walls. Akhsr. three surrounded by thrt defensive rrounded
Moguls, has a

He tomo tomb

tb time - ,abour
tally

"0Onh - modes, t^tively

^^^^ K ^^^S^ofifc.
uw
- jjj hlkal
'
.

^^^ Wh*
,
.

",...__

with the

onUjaTaJ.AndveitZ!! !^

^n-^ Raj*

***

Ume

'

labour ftnd

ull

**vaitty different,

monev spent Mahatma Gandhi's

Shahjahin. the second wife of grandest mauso of hlB consorta. has the magnificence, the Taj Mahal,

Mumtez.

"JJ^, *^**Z* w mA ^ ^^ ^ ^^^

an

ns among

MalaaJ. Thb, tt
.

1**

univaraal

UJshm ^ "id the beauty of the ^ fa !?* 10 rmmanfw!^ * Candhl hoving "nm*ndfd lava fpoin t
1

mausoleum would rank

first,

second ana

rest

ndMyDot

The reader may now reflect tomns wop history of tbo persona whose

*****

raoWng^

^-^

aiwaapr**"

Vially

]v^ er

^^

IV Taj

Mahal

A Temple Pii^,
[milliinniir- to The L*f*nd

1
^^^
wfaT

pslaos and misused

it

as a tomb.

f&da

e*>fc.

" ""
f

Rajput palace or y^ing whichever

that it

"handy
,

f01"

tb

burW

*" d n01 ftG f buiWin8

that JaWngj,-, yet there are several other the issue, proof. contention that the Taj Mahal originated
as >

Though we have observed

am

gJfBfl miuaolPi
|

importance of the individual proportion to the

I^ide the Taj Mahal tbe

designs.

entire

tap^

fata-

^Z"*
aw*
the tapestry

<

is

madeep o73tatl!.

supposed jj^y sr

^n^,

_,_

.w- followed the death of every Muslim ruler that fiiwl tbe
treasury, and even
if

original tomb, Shabjahan would allowed Indian flora to form the dominant feature have of

Had the Taj been an

rL any dusive control of tbe

sTVto would be bother to spend
it

be

design inside the mausoleum of his wife.

I5*tf

STw
It

of

on an infructuous, sentimental wmnmg than commemorating a dead predecessor, would supervise the building succession? *** who

because tbe

u> argue i the Taj happened to be Hindaa their motifs got incorporsted jn the Taj design It must be remsnbersd

It it idle

workmen employed on

that

it

is

tbe person

who pays the piper that calls tbe tune. U<xvrm

soul, rrmfcob

be do it? caiotTOctian. and bo* would

when

it is

a question of tbe peace of the departed

may be noted

that the so-called

is called

Humayun Tomb

in

New
It

and motifs of a detested religion would never have beat iGoved

to be Incorporated in the ornamental patterns
of the Ta}. In fact

DAi
f

suU fonna part of what

tbe "Jaipur Estate."

which tbe Hindu ruling was. therefore, one of tbe temple palaces was a temple unity of Jaipur held in fidM. Tbe Taj Mahal also
palace

the whole idea of having such a luxurious tomb buDl aid having decorative patterns made inside it is frowned upon in blamk reticfea

re

owned by the aame family in Agra. Architecturally, both similar, except that the grandeur, magnificence and delicacy

and tradiion. But Shahjahan had no alternative but to put up with them since he had taken over a ready-made "heathen" moonmant.

of iht Taj surpasses that of tbe Delhi

monument.
"

Those who argue that mediaeval Muslim rulers freely aDowsd must eooaidsr adoption of the Hindu style and art in their monuments
that even in tbia 20Ui century,

Tbe undisputed ownerehip of Jaistngh over tbe

ft

"Taj" before

when

the edge of orthodoxy bat

will

waa taken over by Sbabjahan,

in

a very crucial detail. In fact, tht mass of evidence vailable before ua. Jaisingb's title to the
la is

considerably blunted, no group of Muslims

to plan building a
ibcplaining

ever dare or caw

tomb or

mosque

in the tanplt style,

Taj property

tbe kingpin or the pivot on which the whole case

turns from tht traditional Shahjahan orientation to earlier Rajput

origin

and ntf*ta jiresence of Hindu design* wort basis of Hindu decorative patterns in tbe Taj, on the

away tbe

employed,
An* court of law, where men of worldy wisdom preside and who do not sDow iheh- Judgment to run away with nostalgic, wny-orientd myths, would at once see the importance of tbe m* uianimousiy conceded detail of Jtisingb'a ownership of the Sstory scholars have blundered precisely si this point *abjshsn built an original tomb they presumed u* only an empty plot of Un all along *
records
listed

is

futile

on another ground
proved to be

also.
fictitious)
art.

(which

we have

""Vj^

Muslim names as the

sole designers and

Hindu Their having any love or penchant for

question.

***"

^^^
^ |wilfln

One must

also

remember

that the

"

tu ri P templea. works of art. writings. dominant used to be one of the primary and

'* *

taLrTl

\H^ ^
*.
that

d from Jalsmgn

But

"

***

** **

Muslim ruler

that the Tai

much

less

Suhjahm acquired a readymado Usnple

motifs in their

^* ^^ md ^corporation promote, the ^J^^^^ to&mtx* * monumenta AH T*~7^,^

in India.

How then could the

t

^^

1- rf evwy

^ ^^

the

coorfl

a suparfld"*

readera that historians and

architects alike

the TnJ

M nhat

li

A Temple Pal**
Intonslstonrioa In

TT tfRwid

ii*.

belfcved

^;dunss ^thout
worse
li

and tombs to be original mediaeval mosques to go into ihe origin feeling the necessity

a? m
finding that the Taj Mahal as a palace or i town. The main entrance to the Ta| Mahal ia also from the massive gateway of k,.i Can,. In too the f!mmis
i

*.

that in

innumerable instances

when

these

Vim.

w-nrfaa. and

archil

at contrary to
t

became aware, to their utter discomfiture, buildings existed even before written claims the

Vu.hw.nath torn* prt of the lowo the town.

^ ^
1.

tXm

HT^ Um
,

.,

J
nw ^
a

**

'** )

dlh
'

of the persons

tharown graves and raised their own mausoleums in advance. India) t Akbar'a mi Hoshang Sbabs tomb in Mandu (Central Agra and of Ghiasuddin lomb at Skandra. the Cbini-ka-Rsuza in in auto- tomb -building by Tklgfclak in Delhi are said to be essays
"dog"
the respective

Uxy

explained

whose tombs they were supposed lo be, them away by Uw speculation that the deceased had

of a ghal and tending place for bosta, also points to the inevitable conclusion that the Taj Taj was
palace.

The existence

Ump*

The 22 underground chambers

while being redundant in

a tomb are necessary in a temple

The aame can be and about the Basai tower and the many annexes which have been referred
palace.

lo earlier.

monarchs who cared a hang

for

anybody or anything
While
all

whflf alive and

who went through

It is

their lives as

though they alone

accounts argee that before Siahjahin look

il

ow,
that

the Taj property waa owned by Jaisingh, they

differ hopcleaaly

would never die.

Deceased

the height of absurdity to believe thai the

built

monarchs or courtiers
ridiculous

their

own tombs, Nothing

concerning the mode of acquisition.

We

have already seen

II amid

am

Shahjahan's

own

official chronicler
in

Nulla Abdul

has recorded

be

mare

and puerile. The straight, true and cogent

Rajput -built mansions of old were
it

Bpbnition

that the Taj palace was acquired

exchange far some landed estiU

is

that captured,

used for the burial of Muslim monarchs. Since

elsewhere
in his

in

Shahjahan's dominions. But B. P. Solemn wards

plot

did not

sound

very decent and dignified that august t over during their lifetime were not

book* that the

was "acquired for a nominal

price.'

monarchs who had lorded

provided a fitting burial by

Significantly enough, Abdul

Hamid

fails

to point out which pbt

wir successors, the latter have tomba. as Jahangir claims to

chiiecta

where was given

in exchange,

the as Saksena faB to say what

left false

accounts of having

built

nominal price was.

forged Shahjahan had no scruples in ordering a pnnce, to historians While to be written. This fact Is known his mgninU "* Shahiahan had turned a rebel against

having realized

Akbar's tomb. Historians that statements like those of Jahangir

built

have

and

rate* account.

atner,

fuming to be thebuilders of their

to

respective predecessors*

5K ^ ^^
m
f

*" ** * ***.
*** ^oved
ne
?
in

and

e
perversLs.

from Indian historical texts.

bad, therefore, bee, written the account of Jahangir's reign of thai chronicle,
officially blessed

UibtKlp^ !^T

lhe decorativ Patterns in the Taj

thecourUcrswl^Sh^
had begun to rule was
a fake

^^Z^^^ ^"^'^Z*,
at

'^

the tatwr

of the record lo be in the possesion

intolerable

JahHW** * * written and

,

*^^
^^

built the
fc,

*iU around

n,^
1*
'

iT "'
f

breok in ** wnUmiiLy. Had wmbli would have had u aeparete

father bhang. ^. for the one written L his about toe ? therefore, if fanciful forger.es SJwhjaban own under Taj Mahal were fabricated

^^ "^'fj^*,** * ^ ^^ I
nobility

gnl

^^ M ^^^
rf nuyuiofrtfiW
Ifl

* Taj Mahal

u r! **"*

UjWn ter *" and seclusion.

and encouragement.
It

* * wan

reinforce* our

Weal

dnre often argued that mediaeval Ada similar to the

ia

^^
men***

lu

mdxa,

* *

TTw TsJ Mnhil

In

A TV-mpIr PnJic*

m!f mrin^TftdM In

Th* t^imd

p^lWl Ko* Db

ihtfllm n*J*"

a^Hnfrit} fc*W*

Ghasnaw

^ ^^ safari
L&TstMm ****
to the
rndfjl

on1y hjlve Mahal. jt and the Taj constructed. It i ^j, v ho go* the latter p^naits of this view that Muhammad

waM

^n

ia

Havuig proved by t Wtdence citod that not an ongrnal tomb out | pre-Musllm

have gone on
they

record
'

^^

'"

wfde e

be pertinent to find out who built it m(J wrT? perhaps the Pothi Khan* dt. the archive) lop-secrel documents of the Jaipur royal

W^ ^^ ^
it

T., Mlhrt

"

^ iiLlL^'
\m
know,,

v^l

** ^"

family, tround

p^hc. Compared t lAn* irt was voy

rf tbdr hold

mastery and
primitive-

*Wl^acWeved

in India

and of the Sikarwal Rajpuu. roundere of what Fat^hpur Sikri. could be useful in throwing some
them. Such an
effort is

Imposing monuments

tight. Those bavins access to such recorda would, therefore, do weli to brows* through

an eraof revolt set In. Widespread in a miDewum of unrest, in which ,nd detraction ushered tabooed and ail education came U) an end. pursuit of art adventurous marauders not finding the Tan* BTOtrpi haded by peaceful occupation in their own wtorrithal to Ave or pursue any

^thc^k^hi

bound to be immensely rewarding v otherwise for refuting many myths of mediaeval history which h currently a confused and tangled mass of motivated Anglo
falsehoods.

Muslim

Those who Mumtaz Mahal

believe that the Taj Mahal derives

its

name from

like India taneHnds cart covetibus eyes on lands

potifa

abounding

In

TamMnm
building

has

recorded

in

his

autobiography

that

while

may not at all be buried in it. Secondly, her name was not Mumtoz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani, Thirdly, in the Fenian script the name of MumUtz ends in "t" whOe that of the Taj in 'J'; hence
it

lying buried In

are mistaken. Firstly, she

nuasaerinf the Hindus he used to spare stone

masons and other

the word Taj

is

not derived from Mumlaz, Fourthly the proper

Taj Mahal. like a beautiful

workmen ind

artists to

be driven across the Punjab and

build

Muslim term would be Mahal -e -Taj. not

dowager robbed of
its
all

other northern regions to

West Asia to

tombs and mosques

m grand as

the

monumajta he found
all

in India,

Saoce Tamerlain and

and
other invaders followed a set pattern,
it

her wealth, the Taj Mahal stripped of sll embellishments looks magnificent even In its present bare, sombre spleo mournful role. What a spectacle of grandeur and

Tsraerijun's observation is reminiscent of the practice of all

must bave

presented in

its

days of regal glory when bedtdwd

such as a

mediaeval

*m

invaders of forcing hundreds

to go to

with

trappings scintillating fixtures, furnishings and

and thousands of Indian

tamm

Wtst

Asia, get converted to Islam,

in

and

settle
stall

town to bufld
-'

monument*

i- [..undated from fatf*

West Asian lands with tools,

raflinf. trees, silver dcon. gold lush garden of rare fruit and flower Pacock Throne - its gem-siudded marble grills and a resplendent powerful Bajput mHog walla echoed the hurry and bustle of -

^^1 f "*** md " StoUT *?****

*****
i
r

*iteto n must
being built to
wert*

in and day out. visitors pay. day Ttu* visits that streams of station or the bua hurrying from Agra railway

architecture needs to be
in India

monumento

andTck may

be

-awful described as truly

one. Such visits have in no

and reJnfoTring the misleading Taj

of

^~ -^^7,2
^ d '~"*
y

>-*j

^*^
on

-awe" by

the traditionally
ia

Asian countries.

average visitor

already in

^'^J^Zf^L ^^Loes
tnince

Tij. tb*

are

power the scene. His thinking parrot " further deadened by the many lnfornilon or paid his or her ears by volunUry

"^T" "V^ j^unmad W

P-.

The T*J Mahal

1*

A Tempt*

hilar*

Iji,miia*nci In

The lK<md

f
wTi>rl,

zn

and

^Srt
vll

aTis ~~4j.i*h
In

stupefied, confused, overawed thwcwjfhty dated, bawmwit tombs, the forget thjrt around tin

the outermost entrance to the receptiew-^-^ approaches by the asphalt road from the ,

md m
*

the

first floor

above the cemiUiphs

redone ****** An
as a lmb formed

ibowi

JLTar?
to
,

& roams

main

octagonal central

marble

edifice

the epicentre of an ancient Agra townshhj

tolersta

^^^
town

ar.

! ^bartf
'

Taj MahnJ

This v<w

the peari -white central RfljpuL

nwbte

in

Siah}ahnn swmj to have MbMv. The only changes which laying Koranic texts on the walla and around Ji arv
raising a burial

Shahjahan'a temperament being unable to ownership of a fairyland temple- palace, he

unsuitable
for
habitation

o* h

r,^

decided to render!

any longer and converted

is,

iSt

arrJwaod

mound

in

the basement and cenotaphs

mausoleum. The Taj Mahal

In thr

Pracock Throne room. Contrary to popular belief. fowunic

utjj occupy only an infinitesimal fraeUon of the immense wall n*e, and that loo in the flat surfaces around the arches.
Visitor*

therefore, yet another link in the mediaeval Islamic tradition In India of 1000 -year- old the conversion

of conquered Rajput palaces and temples Into tomt*. The sunt is repeated in nearby Fatebpur fitkri.

coming away from the Taj generally carry the impression one room
in

The minds of some have become

in

so throughly conditioned to
left

that therr is Just

the basement for the graves and

the traditional Taj legend that they would rather be

undisturbed

mother above
told that

that

for the cenotaphs.

They express surprise

if

smug oontemplaUon
by what may seem a
is

of Shahjabans mythical love for Mumtaa

on the three marble floors together there are 23 rooms

as having led to the creation of the Taj, than be asked to substitute

it

and inside the marble plinth are 1089

dfrnmsirim of a temple palace.
Bui that
ii

rooms which add up

to the

less romantic but true account of the origin

of the Taj. In fact the concept of the Taj having originated as

not

all.

Below the marbJe platform

level

basement under the

Yamuna

are

down to the perhaps three more floors

a temple -palace
that
it is

both more romantic and

plausible than the ides

a doleful monument. But even

so. for those

who

prefer

madr up of

scores of rooms.

delusion to history, and

dogma

to truth, there

neither

my

cur*

As one proceeds from the city towards the Taj, even whDe outermost entrance to its predncts is yet half a mile away,

nor appeal. Such

may

include both lay readers as well as those

Z \Ztn f* ** ** * m im
-bout

r^l^i"^ T "

th. on the right yards from the road ..From the stone tower a wall
,d

*nd

history, are called students, experts and scholars of evidence sssembW with an open mind will of course ponder over the

who

the forgoing pages.

as the

*"*"*>* ^ U*

rising ground at

regarded The present book must not. however, be known aiiU word on the history of the buMng currently rection in a new-fl is only the first

Mahal. In fact

WW
ms

* ^ ^j was tt^?J?"** "*"~* * inverted "* ^ * W. M "tomT **"'

tt i

discovering claim to have succeeded in

is

that thr Ta t

*-**"*
*

Ttw tower just mentioned shows ih*t bT watch towers

Whether it w^wigi!*
fabulous of that to look into every nook and corner

rfwtbonty

Taj. This wall could

belL onT^i

Hr?""^

_*.

pTOUxtiv* **

ttknriv *

"*

nd

bo Oding- complex.

The reader may tbawaO on

have noted thai

~ ^orT^*^*"*^

conceding

A Rajp* earlierbook titled Taj Mahal was ouM a guess that the Taj Mahal ^J*** when we century A- D. IjiWt

"

*T"^*i^
'

^.^Asctkai

&

"

Um

&

^^

rf

4th

H Tty

Mahal

I*

a Temple

P^
InransditfendM In TrMr legend

m niir^" **

Sh*hjihn commandeered the

bufldj*.

SB
for further research provided by u*

^
ba
built

U^^h't mansion from Mansingh's grandson JaisbK h oorrobamled thni||h ft did not o.r'hypoUMii fully
f to

th.t

# Ve

the building. whk* Hindu ruler commissioned

the very spot and the document* which may be evidence unroveUing the mystery about the origin

h.
hST

uT"^
Mafcf *

j^r ,

came

**

of th! ri\

*> cal,ed

Bateshwar

inscription

The future researcher should go

to the nrf.tor,*

crystal -wWle temple dedicated to Lord Shiva had urtittfac thai v I IRS A. D. fa %ra around

back of the marble platform of the Taj Mahal * ",, end he will see staircases by either of which he m,y ctfmb 4<Z to the storey underneath.

TW

^^

endeavour of other researcher* mi of theGcnrrnrncnls archaeology department to trace the Hindu Usury of th* Taj Mahal We have a strong suspicion that Shahjahan
|

*hoold

now be

the earnest

bu hidd
Mahtl

about the Hindu origin of the Taj the marble platform, and beneath the chamber which fa
vaJuable evidence

On the nvenridc n fir* row of 22 stately rooms with their walli and cdtinga still bearing ancient Hindu paint patterns. The riverside will -aha ventilator*
n

What one

sees inside

is

astounding.

have been hastfly sealed

even has

witii brick

and lima by Shahjahim

remain*

This

Mid to contain the rod grave of

Mum lax. Keene

has been so crudely done that the

fining

unplunmd

and

has stated that

cavities for scaffolding, Thia shabby scene serves as

even the two staircases leading to that

storey had been sealed.

anil -climax because while historical fiction has for three long centuries

luddh; one can

atorey,

now go down those

stairs into the riverside flank

credited

Shahjahan

with

raising

fabulous,

pearly

whit*,

Sat the major portion of that storey lying directly ndemorth the marble platform has been sealed by Shahjahan

soft-ta- the- touch marble mausoleum, the hidden chambers nrvml

that he has been a cruel usurper and desecrator who did not
to scar the magnificent building with
stories. This
is

with

hratiaU?

brick

mi

time.

mide walUhg-up

of

all

nether

aahjabaa nothing to hide, he wouldn't have sealed the nrintffc lbs marble pfctform down to the

graphic proof of bow Indian history has been lumod

foreign domination,
ft.

Yamuna

river

topsyturvy when India was under

"*> possibly the Usement under the ground surface.

.pnXt^^T ""^ + *hbZ!rU ^ "** k ^fr "

g

"" ***"**

that

"

b8Cau

P^naru^ofJzrl ** ** the -Tfr !l3e, ' property ^ecourfa judgement men?ly taa,u "* * * la find Lhc rourt t^!"* e 0Wnef
Jf

^^
in
le

"* P^-Shahjahan history.

we

Mahal

n L been

The rooma vary in size from 12 to 15 may be about 12 ftto 22 ft. in length. The ceiling Shahjahanrooms are rendered dingy and dark by
In

width and 20

when the two the stately ventilators. Only

iron doors at

^
HJjn.

Theat

JJ^ *e h*

not the creat r

,nR of 8 rt of
'

f tbe Ta i * law which convict*

'

entrance slabs placed over their

. ton***

**^ n^?* *;* theT form another ia*^" W*tt the popular *n oT " ** ***** "*"* ^
1

*"***** or* j! 7

cf

U>ten property

aJ =ould

were removed during running that Une of rooms

about 320
ft.

^^*b
parallel

well

diftB d,

Adjacent la the

-*

^J* ^ S? * *? * I U * - ** *W wJT.i^f ^ "* <*** ^w.

onjw

out

ft,

j^
'

belief

first

very important

WJOn

kL

for

*** research,
tl-t

has been

long corridor rendered * corridor is about marble ends just where the lntr^twidl( Su P pcrt[ngU1

"T^i.han'i ^d.^ pfah-d-*

^ *n* * JL^ ^^int*^ om^P^ *nW* ^

***^JJ
-aJar
1

^ ^^ ^
stiW m

b.

on*

^ rtjU-Uy

^
*

u. ino*

the

are

One very

two doorwayto tbS atorey

immediately

^^ *T lN *>

insi --U

marls-

ba^^

valuable aid

Hm TbJ
ftl

Mahri

li

Tample- Pauw,
tftCTJfifllMimdM to

The Lcjrmd

Awrmwi

^
to

alkw

wir>- Ml

,* bride -ml few *".:(iml walls Vfry thick. ( r of drbns, Bui SfiW> haw to be employed lo remove the filling of Wwururs will and sealed storey, i hn hidden

** a**** *" d "P rriolw, y ra,wl "I* with Their flUlcr layer has crumbled and

m
Government haa never iWfci
rf

Firstly, the Indian

WW

Taj

even the Indton Government arbitrarily rename the Taj Mahal aa Abo* Mahal Secondly
(

eWlirS*
nW
)

^oearch

it

first cslabllaha. thst the Taj

Mahal

^1"^
britf

o.

ori^n of the T^if Mahal lie* hidden. fvtdmet n^irdinj? the Hindu inscriptions and Hindu ;mv be iHnl Sfhahjahnn pulled out Sanskrit premises, dumped them in the nether stories, idol* from the Tiij

by the ancient king Ashok. Thirdly, wen if ft* Ta Miha , , to bo renamed Pakistan should have nothing to do with a bnau the Taj Mahal is Indian property. Fourthly the MO-patr-aM
that the
is itself

term Taj Mahal

a
*j"

is

Islamic because

it

derives from

misplaced. The term

MumUu
it Is

ends

in

"x"

white

MumUi ths usm

Mwkd

ihut evidence mid barred the nether stories.

ia

Taj* ends In

which

clearly indieeu that 'Taj - ass ooihinf

a graphic example of how very grossly remiss has the Government of India been. Every irhtrflfafr' department of thy
This

to do with Mumtaz. Moreover

is

highly doubtful whether

is

MumUa

at

nil

buried in the Taj since her gravo

muT

intact in fur

must be spending millions of rupees on excavations In wild optn country for away from their administraLive centres and yti thvy have steadfastly avoided opening up the stories of the

ymt

they

oway Burhanpur and

no date
is
is

also because in the entire Shahjahan legend

fancied burial in the la]
u.

mentioned for MumUa's

also significant that the building was referred to

in
it

the "Taj"

Taj Mahal from the redstone terrace

downwards

to the

ground

level

even prior to Mumtax's burial

as not*d by the contemporary

and perhaps even to the basement lying underground below the

French visitor TavernJer,

rmrbed

level,

Removing the brick

fillings

in

the two doorways

-

mentioned above won't cost even a paltry Rs. 100/

aShisble evidence regarding the Taj

and yet very

Mahal
in

itself

and other aspects

Of

its

history

may

be hidden inside

the form of inscriptions,

scripture*, treasure, idols,

and mysterious stairs leading to other

hidden apartments and stories.

Our discovery that the Taj Mahal for from being a 17th century Islamic mausoleum, is a much more ancient Hindu temple palace
is

having wide repercussions

Several travel agencies and guides

aw

since ceased rvferring to the Taj

Mahal as a monument of

sensual lot*

On

on

inform the visitor of the Taj as against the traditional concoction.

special request official guides

Another significant reaction was reflected in a speculative report by an Urdu daily of Pakistan titled one

Nami-Waqt
irofced

in

j--.

/ fttanrj

1974

Tn.-

report

the rear thai

wemment of

renaming the Taj Mahal as Ashok report sparked off a debate in Pakistan's National When a member urRed the Pakistan *> Government to lodge at with ib Indian Government against renaming the Taj-

India intended

Hy a

lot of

misunderstanding pervades the whole issue.

HhIjiw*

fllnxrf

<f

KvMtmni

HAi'ii

VWIi

2.

'ton otbor pofot In fnvim

j il
f
_.

Itml Konmlfi t4>KUi hnvo

BAIJlNCi: MIAN

SIIKET

OF EVIIWNCI

D
fo
Llui

""
In

<

f,,M

^ ^*y
ark,

b Sl

,,"/

^ ^"^'A
i
*!

rr>

T|

LiMJ id^^ k._

iroch IniNrrfpUonv oxlnt

TrtJnn on the cileHor of ih,

I? P
i^'

"* nl ta

^^
**

**

AJmcir and on tho M-cdfa)

Kmyb
"

Mr

**" R *
1
-

7/>lrfa

knrrwn to bo

only dubious virJuo.

3,

for^ry. Th okhln K.

JJL^I?' Uwntfw, w " "' *

IN 1108

<hfl|r(<r

wo

mcni^Miliiki unci urn mart x tho ovidonri

both for and ntfaJnat

tin* tradition*)

lvwid,

bring

homo

nadir tb hoJlawnonj mid fnUlly of (ho Iradtiiiaml

The third point In rnvour of l ho currou v*^, u omo ohronidm credit thu buUdlnn r ih* *' Tbi to raHrrvatlont on ihb pdol r in^ny Muslim
.

'hi J

U^-md,

ammt
*bJ*

Wo

luvurinbly Individual.

lh#

Jmiglh

rind

quantum

iif

mital |B raidhUHh that thn

the ovidtmco vrv havts boon TAiJ Mnhnl to nn mcloni. !>.!,,

I
I

inU^t tn*mlng tt
cr.i|

chrontderTw^w
ibny U

and hunumring tbo

Shithjnban's

dtapoMi under

whom

lnplr-palat which

n oommnmWi.

iih only fupiTfiriNl rhange to eorvo

jim

by flh^|flf| Bn lim j a tomb for unc

U(|IH |
i

court chronlclnr Mulb AMul umqalvocnUy ndmiti Unit Arjumand Ibnu Ikum
buHixl in MnniilnKh'tf
llnvlnir
piklsco.

own

^^^J? JT?
llwnw
ilk,

i^
II.

MumUu
thit
Tftj

In favour of lha current bollaf ttuil

Fa)
Mr.luit

it

we

con*,),,

on iy
;

luw

^^

wo*

Shnhjnhiiri
Jlnd

wlllnml mibaUmliiil rmirvaUofl*

^
la

who
thoso

built

DOtod DOW lame ovi tht acuity thrw point* bo wlvnncod In rnvour of Ibtr inuJIUnnj] vwiton of tho
are,
In tho forogolng pngra.

couU
Mahal

wo shall mmnwrim tho wdhty nvidenco that wehavomuihalM

i W* admit
**ar and

Uiat U.orv

u rn-Ui. bamn^i

four aopulohnd
llf

moundB

, TaJ whjrn

|n the
I|Jft(

^^
mi

Wo
1.

hovo cited

flvo direct prooft to wtabtlnh that tho TnJ

(

It

uniriiHTL

Hindu

palaco. Theoo nro

Shahjahan's own court chronlclor Mulla Abdul

ilamld't

ndmUalon.
ihM

nJ
B

lh

.1

"" r TOM3rv " u '>^-

"

woll

known

2.

Mr.

Nufttl

Ham SlddJquJ'tboolt,

Th* City offy.

mUn*
pl **&

tho nnrno pnaition.

ST^ Ji 7
*
<*

A,l,SUW

T^"
M-nWd

'

* -P*Me burial

3.

Tavorntar'a tostirnonv too wrtoWiahai that

thiit it

a lofty

U^m

obtained, ami

waa a world

tourist attraction <min brf<w

Muiutnx'a burial,
4.

Kmporor Shahjahan'a
'Vi ia

groat

(wt

(rrandfalh,

Mabur

Mmok*

rofor to the Tnj Mahal

KM

yoara bafora

MumUi

^1 111

n.

'

'

" ""* "

whooo Mwnli tho

r.

auppoaod to bt.

TTui Rnwlopttfdi* Brttmaitx

htMbmW
'

rHy l pr-uin. Murom jind shahjahaii

^ ^**
f

** *

^^ *l* ***
wh
could bo tnowi

tho Tty Mnhid buildinM ooraploxoomprtaoi *' or a llld ntablm. Thnw are all adjunrta

*\ ^^

mpH

^ om
W
'

or a Uanb.
In addition to tho above

w* hava

. (

nU-f*WP*---'"

The

TfcJ

MahAi

I*

A Temple Pakca

Evidence BoliinoB Sheet of

go even the

^
^
g.

nd not a lomb. (Tno M-h. Alaya) full of turmoil and warfare as - ShaW-han** reign wis as of India. He could not therefor*. riff Muslim mkrs rf inclination to launch on such peace, security or

additions end alterations required in eanvtrtin* i Kinds palace to the semblance of a Muslim tomb were made by oomptJBng labourers to toil for a mere meagre food allocation and by kmpeoinf
leviea

on subservient
.

chieftains.

Zt

If

a stupendous

monument

like the Taj

Mahal were

specialty

wealth,

Mahal. project as the Taj a, ambOloia kchery and proflfRacy ruled out any special

consort, there would be ceremonial burial built for the burial of a not go unrecorded. But not only is ibt burial date and it would

Shahjahm'a
to

but even the approximate period during which date not mentioned Banu Begum may have been buried in the Taj Mahal

grtUchmifH

Mumtax. whose mausoleum the Taj

has

been

Ariumand varies from

15.

six

months

to nine years of her death.

latter

mwnjnmiiirrf to be,

Mumtaz was

married to Shahjahan when the

was

9 Siahjahan was
could

cruel,

bard -hearted and stingy; aa auch be

soft

new

hive the

artist 'a

heart and

liberal

patron a

house a corpse. jTDrrouny to lavish wealth on a building to

10.

children in his times used to be marriwl 21 years old. Royal their teens. This shows that Arjomsod tow before they entered + was Urns no mason why s umpteenth wire. There

was Shahjahan

MuIL Abdul Wamid

Labor*

the court chronicler, mentions

buried in a she should have been

16.

special

monumentbirth Arjumatvd Banu was

no architect, and estimates the cost of the

Ra. 40.00,000 which dearly shows that
11. Shohjahan,

work done to be only no new building was erected,

not

Having been a commoner by monument, entitled to a special

17

whose reign was supposed to be a golden period

left

mention of any out-af-tf* -n* History makes no special

of history, has not

even a scrap of authentic paper about the

cooitrcdJon of the Taj Mahal.

conanisaioning the Taj,

There are no authentic orders

no correspondence for the purchase or

hefb0<3y *
nf art Jlad N.

tnyiwhwn of the so-called site, no design drawings, no bills or rsoBpU and no expense account sheets. Some of those usually
produced or referred to have already been proved to be forgeries.

bem

one. be

was no 18. Shahjahan

8 re 3aiJ

Had Shahjahan redly been the conceiver of the Taj Mahal, he need not have specially instructed Mulls Abdul Hamid Uhori
12.

heart would not have had the to 'build io have toiled

art tovci\ es

^^^^lan^of lb--* " *

^J^ ^^
the

*h
fc

dd

to forget

memioung

or describing

its

construction* in the

ill chronicles, because the grandeur and majesty of the Taj lb* ftoart achievement of a ruling monarch could never be lost gbt of by a paid court chronicler.

ein.onso(iwimtoSS *l induce IK*u1 dv>l,! in . 0 ( JJi .** story

is

T-f apparent* ti * *
pal.ee

*"
W

ration,

oo a

u-rpcO ram

** M* wM, TCnde

infuriated

workmen brake

H " >

a*h Julian could not even in Ms wildest dreams conceive

teg such

Korgcou. project

W
run

There

no reconi In

ccriunU
i

i*fl

|i apparent from the fad that u, thai t miLlip the WOfkcr> toil

M m ** "", -J

without giving ihern any cauh payment. Tavemler um in* fihah|*hi couM not mumhiil even timber enough for
1

DUr varioua other

women from

" ^^"nt

Some accounu have

also pointed out that

tonple-^ce. not . umo. u>m.rhl.'"' 2 1.Benthen

fc

,**
*

C8T 4 C?M.

m
owrbw
g.

Th# Tn| Mahal

!A

Temple

p^^

Balance Sboet

erf

Evident*
fct

p*N rf

*Wch

to

superfluous for a tomb,

32.

TV plan Wlf wilb *"* HM"

btiHdtnif consists

hStctl design and

ni

that Shahjahwi levied Maharajas and that tV cdld

The reports

Uv tniDtmi itm*,**^*!"
\

tpidfkaaiona

basements, on tbe upper floors and in K* eorridon, m the two dearly boars out the contention that ,u numerous towrr*. which a temple palace. mosnt to it

TV entire T*j

of over 1000

room*

along

, over 10. 12. 13. 17 or even 22 yr. -ccept them. T^y fitin with our We

was too shrewd and hard .headed to .pond treasury, and would lose no opportunity of
the local people.
of his

Jt^L^T cm. BhiZL, ^^ ^ ^"JJJ*"

Sr.ce

made

taxing and penvcuu

poliUcal capital

cvm

own

out of ths tZ'l

the R*j

wife. While

on the one hand hn compdlwl

24,
Ifast it

TV

many

annexes, guard and guest rooms, etc.

prove

b a tanple-palncc. The pleasure pavilions in the Taj promises amid never form part of a tomb but only of a palace
25,

and Maharajas to pay for the alteration* to the temple. [*!** by one of their own kith and kin, so that it may be convert*] into a tomb he made tbe labourers and arUsoni toil on a
t

n^

um

TV

Taj complex bouses a pair of

Nakkar Khnniia,

i.e.

drum houses. Drum

but
if

bouses are not only superfluous in a

tomb

the transformation work drugged an pace over a long period,

ration.

That

is

why

at n nail's

a positive misfit because a departed soul needs peace and

the other hand

33.

The designers

are variously mentioned by Weston xhahri

drum house is a necessary concomittant of a temple- palace because drum beats are used to herald royal arrivals and departures, summoning of the townsfolk for royal
rest.

On

to be Europeans, and are claimed by Muslims to be Muitum, whlk the Imperial Library Manuscript contains Hindu name*. WhtigrxaUr

proof

ia

needed of the utter

falsity of the traditional Taj atory 7

announcements and proclamations and announce divine worship time.

28.

34.

The Taj Mahal had a grand

garden.

gmvoyarri

new

TV

Taj building complex also contains a

all

cowpen which

used to be part of
Ti

Hindu royal and temple premises.

aim* tht Haa boasts of luscious fruit and fragrant flower tm, graveyard orchard b revoltlp*. of enjoying the fruit and flowers or a

The Sanskrit words "KaJas" and "pranchi*" (fenced off open spaces around the dome and other structures) would never
have been
28,

Tbe garden could

palaw, therefore, only have been the adjunct af a

35 The trees, moreover, were those

bearing Sansknt

nsma,

the Taj premises had

it

originated as a

Muslim tomb.

and

Champa, like Kclaki. Jri, ft*. select sacred plants at that,

TV decorative patterns and

lotus,

Maulashroe, Harshringar and Bel.

motifs throughout tbe Taj Mahal

are not only entirely of Indian flora but also of sacred

like

Hindu emblems

36.The designer of the Taj

la

unknown.

tV
If

which

infidel characteristics,

according to Islamic

would never allow any peace to the soul of the Muslim

lady.

any, lying buried beneath.

any expenditure. 37. Far from causing him Shahjshan. to be a veritable gold mine for stone was buried in a stripped, cold, which were

The
entirely in

galleries* arches .

tV
I

supporting brackets and cupolas ere Hindu style such as can been seen all over Hajasthsn.
its period

was robbed of

alt

its

costly

trappy

Shahjahans treasury.

every other auapidaus aspect of the Taj,

i*

xmitmction

variously staled u>

hkh aaam

V 10,

12, 13, 17

or 22 years,

The Taj Palace Rajput and Khawaspura which are

38.
in Sanskrit

the is located in

|" ^*^^^ *****

mi
an op*
plat

Wi^ ^* ^
****
i-

rf^HmUb

proves that
I

tV

traditional atory la

a emotion.

*nlff a busy

not locality and

BdtV d

TwerniBr'i tertlnwny tVt he saw the commencement

of ihta

tran^Uicnt our*

^^

as

ia

sometimes claimed.
,o U th.H*l entrance faces

|lbMn

wob

tradjtionaj

<*.

39. The Tnj Mahal

building
it

west. should have faced

-_
*i
to tJ
41

The Taj Mahal

t*

TVni|il

j^^

Its

4ww*Uw
Taj imi|4(

end nwrble work

palace built

latitat oxactty

with th*

Aawr (.Uparl
IN-

dro

!W7.

piuW h

Hj eoler iwriphmd redttamr wall,

mwM

various other annexe* ouiajfo for courtiers nnd

pi^

CHAPTER

XXVlti

41 Akbaron Ms
r*i
Jaljeiigtyajra,

ir|y visits to

Ann used

to stay in Khawnspura

which cltwly shows that he stayed in the Taj.

Bermer, another foreign visitor to Shnhjnhan 's court. tUa rare magnificence and no ui that the nether chambers bjid
43

METHODOLOGY T1IAT LED TO THE DLSCQVKRv

nqn-Mualim wan allowed entry io them, Thnt shows the hush -hush maintained about them.
4*.

B*rn lb* tirm Taj Mahal doesn't

re in any

Mogul court

DURING OUR discussions with eminent historians

them side-tracking the

reocnis-

wt Q fUn found
historical

Issue of the soundness of our

An frgltah
for about

visitor.

Peter

Mundy who was

In India only

year after

Mumux'i

death mentions the Taj Mahal

discoveries by questioning the validity of our inathwMogy altitude of finding some fault or the other
illustrated

That

to avoid the truth

ae one of the moat spectacular buildings.

1"

ble audi points could be

brought up

by the Aesop's Fables story in which wolf having made up his mind to devour I lamb accused th* biter or tatter's
of maligning tbe wolf.

in

favour of our

rather

but

-e

brieve

we

We,

tame

have said encough to drive the point

therefore, read the works of some lading

implicit respect
all

to the reader.
pa]ac<? by mjausJftB .Tsvevsrd ought to be rectified by removing Arjumand ibey really are in the Taj Mahal, to her original
,

lights of historical

methodology who command lbs

a^jta-iMofeprf lhvmn(iu T8j u mple

and allegiance of teachers and professors of history world

over the

"".

Imagine the pleasant shock which we experienced when

w found
In

that the masters of the subject have emphasized th* very principles

hSnpUr

t!!?2L^

Ukvwim StahWiW- remains

'

which

we have

been

instinctively following

and

stressing

our

historic discoveries. Contrarily. the very teachers and professors

***

Shiva

UanpiT

^^

and researchers of history who swear by

cenotaphs and re-conse

those masters' methods

the, tatter street .

have flouted almost every

important. That explains

principle which

very

why

and presented, abounds

of serious errors.

in

Indian history, as currently t*n;ht misconceptions galore or the dimensions

A few
Akbar was

instances of these errors are : 1 great and noble, though his deeds
1

The *Mcrt*
Int justify hit being

greet grandfather of the tyrannical Aurengicb. 2built many ICke Sher Shah and Fcrozshah Tughtak with having

poJacesand townshipa and presiding and though their regimes were Ulea of unrelieved plunder
fnrta.

overmixletsdjriifuY

t.

Road

this

author a boo* tided IMto

&&>

tW H5w

'

^
Mr Uwdotogy That ld To The

Hkow,
Ml

The Taj Mahal

HI

I*

A Temple

IV^
and on the dctcUv*.typ* ippmKh
of historical methodology, Indian hiatorfet .aaertion* of undependahl* medieval

^. to reall* H l

"^^Tbunt in Htad"
--*

* *

*** -caned

mediaeval Miialim tomb, Mttilim *" P*Hindu

m hUitori(^
Mu-Um
calls

^^
of

nnZ^T "^^
chri

^ Lai
^

(mw
or

are

"

rtsult of

tolaJ nsTect
first

^^

*Wcd
ver
it

more panegyrics. Sr H. M.

E(UotT

tw

^
*Z'
wch

J****

ta

niasarcfa

The requirement bistort methodology. rf dtuctiwtype approach. Prof. W. H. Wabh *

one or the
**
,.,

frauds." Dr. TeMtori con.idj^ yet our bistonea call TugUakabad i fort b,
bears his

52 2

name, witboug

p Tughlak b*ua
gate-eraaber

realiainj that

evny

rr^-Wbai
-originB]
it,

a statement in a historian reeds

be knows his job,
is

automatically accept sources' he does not

to an occupied buflding. and his without MkinK he had the need, time, money, acumen, know-bow
security to build
It;

own name

^^

rtw

pact
is

ft.

and

if

at

^
it

all

be

built

it,

#pA, ^

if

always

critical.

He

why he downed
ii

has to

soon afterwards. In the same

to

gullible vein,

Ahmedabad

credbud

to believe. dadd* whether or not

Ahmadshah, and

Firtreabad to Rrozshah. If

the

tab

CtBu^wood comparefl a historian's procedure with that of a case of the historian is exactly oatactfo- Fref. Walsh adds, "The

or our historical conclusions, then Allahabad must be admitted to

have been founded by

Allah himself.
is

-1 He

also

must be prepared

if

necessary to doubt even hia

The other

essential for historical research

legal

appraeh
it enjoined

A
Wananf the historian against
gullibility,

magistrate taking down

confession by a suspect

Prof.

Walsh observes/

"W*

can btfiewe that there is

that

good evidence for the past without

it

8 by law to forewarn the suspect that he [si not bound to make a confession, but if be chooses to make one. his statement would

Wwntif

any propositions about

are beyond question...

;

be used against him but not

in his favour.
if

Muslim

chronicles

in
but

buaerieal fact*

have to every case to be established

They

are

such interested statements and must,

the parties in

at

all,

be used to confront

Otwtr aknpiy given."

whose favour

they

make

chauvinistic

dams,

M**odologW

never in their favour.

Langlois

and Seignbos advise historians to

ea tvwy affirmation with an a priori distrust- The historian .mat begrn fay doubting. In Indian historical research w^ncies, anomalies, contradictions and absurdities have
'

When we

argue against placmg any

faith in the accounts of

pro

unquestioned or have been glossed over. For ach as that the Jtutub Minnr was built
Kbiiji

Shams-i -Shiraz Afif or Abul Fail , or when we may have written ffluat that a Banter. Tavernier or Mooaerrale mean thai they abouM never be accepted as Gospel truth, we do not
again win never be consulted or quoted Such a view of inquiry. and would detract Tram judicial methods
.

assert that evwrylhki<

?^?** 0r ^ * \T an of them partly. ^"ddin J

^^wuinwh**

or by Ferozshab

to deal with hereafter.

either believe every

It

would not be

right to

" ^"*V* <^

J* -

ta>mcat

word of the above

or that

we do

not believe any.

cannot be
is

^^J^.^
I.
IgfeMlflll

*
-"

qufay
'

truth

"^Mrch and so to fails to smirfyua/

discovery.

it" affair. Admissibility of evidence

word baa to be
drcumstanee*
carefully
in

carefully

"^^Phaablaidon "doubt- and

"wu&ka"

which

it

may have

* "J ^JT*
been r*

never a pad-ff-

scrutiny. gone in to. Sometimea. altars**

7- Elliot
8.

CM*. Indian Criminil Procw-urt

& Down,

History*

***

KawsiW-

'

"*'

* TV Taj bA

M*h*l

TVntjile

py,^
Htfthodtilogy

Thai
the-

IhmI

To Tto lUtamry

wm

be

itatfvrfy I- *" 1

vnTriii
HjfiOaaa

to

from other aoujroea, aowP1** for wrToboratton C0U ' d cct *** Whil<?

^^
1

*^ ^
,

even be that

decided had

to commit auidde but was mynj

the work of the historian and nrHMOB the rwemblance between dMt of tbr tawyw.

the prindpTos of legal In |SB>, uadorljnod

LH ftntoy h W^ to the H** ** Association Ixmdon, approach mentioned

1
,

above,

, case th. no* would be the death as a auidde to a truly i-i m wound In the body'a back. Such Jn refuting tbe written word with

^ g^ ^

sUtrt^j

*-

"* w him
to

haa been

sadly

lacking in

the

Dr G- J. Renier, also holds Another well known metbodnlogist. "The law by Its fastidious adherence nhr. He says.
same

conclusions.

^
Is

ZT1 !T " ^
,

^ ^"T^- -2 U ****\I*m

Blw4
ta

""

concrob.

"'eriinbJB|>n

^1?^"^ ** mnv * **
ia oriainal

Ktorioi)

exercises seltcontrol and sacrifices to the rules of evidence deliberately Bid again its ehnnrea of reaching a conclusion. Law is justifiably
i

fourth requirement for historical research in Indian h -story unfortunate*. every

In h.story

or employed

exacting and

more

critical in its

handling of evidence than

,,, '

or mst.tut.on deahng

^ ?* ^^^^*^- l^
iUnv

m%

history

iht historian vrbo lives in a world of rtotJvity.

looked upon both

toj*

Current Indian histories have

legal

shown scant respect for such

marshalling and sifting of evidence. For example, even though

public and by himself as an historian. Prof. Walata uoMrv* S "Historians often lack the insight required far .jsquaw reconstruction.., and find themselves driven to recite babied

bv

tact*

Qilf-i'dozen
Taj

names are being bandied about as architects of the Mahal, its period of construction varies from 10 to 22 years,
ii

without being able to

of imaginative reliving

fit

them

In

a coherent

picture.

The proa*

is central in historical IhlckinK. Collingwooa*"

iu cost

speculated to be

Ba. 91,7110,000

anywhere between Rs. 400.000 and and the Ttrikb-j-Taj Mahal document has been

reports a statement by Bradley that the

historian's criteria! ia

something he brings with him

this

to tbe study of the evidence,

md
Uw

branded a forgery by Keene. to

in

name

only a few of the loopholes

something

is

simply himself."
of
historical

auhjahan legend, nobody seems to smell a rat because the a legal "noac." Such a poor case would be Uinnm out of any law court at the very first hearing. But in
the
historical face tacks

fifth

postulate

research

that

researcher- historian must not suffer from a

to traditionally handed

false sense of loyally

down

notions. In other words, a twl historian

'rebel'

or historic*

it

is

being paraded as the Irrefutable truth.

should be something of a
Logic

and not

u trada-nniontil.

Oat

third aid necessary for historical research la logic. Jwth/ called the science of sciences

afraid to raise the standard of bis conviction can

because

it

deals with faultless

researcher in any researcher that

*

field, let

alone history. Dr

new be a Ifanier rmmna

la

ln
th

mng which
conchisfcina in

is

a basic requirement

for arriving at correct

*no blind surrender to

his predecessors

demand

any
*

field.

from the historian." Prof. Walsh

eX8mp1

trot ah also enjoins on the

ito

1^ h*
if

lf a *> <* 'hat committed suicide for which nobody ahould be

PmAk**

"W*

kind, trivial and to freely use general knowledge of every handed down to him in checking up facts or can***

McMW.
In

aub wound
141

aTd^Jr^ <*

a Planted forgery. In

discovered in the body's back, lbtl tbe is *<* murder

i.

***

"

the tendency has been Just the contrary. attempt to quart!* toe the traditional line, and every

<^'V?2
b"
-

extreme case

it

could

dogmas

is

and quackery. branded as rank heresy

U$ Wteo

to

hm* m* HHH*.

We
Ibid

wonder

what

pdUfad.

communal,

12. P. 160,

HUav

** ****>"

**

'"

Mi

Th* Taj Mahal

A TWipJc

p^
CHAPTER XXIX

ervnudkisl malady afflict* the Uchcr or professor of history *> a to pwmwMWiMy gag him against raising any hyp and cry about

the innumerable ataunUtbw thnt masquerade in Indian and world Mfftory as sanctimonious and profound truths ?

he not be ever able to break free from the shackles of false aca-domic loyalties I Must he spend his life in the ignominy nr rvr*fJng the self-same falsehoods even after we have exposed
Will

SOME

CLARIFICATIONS

the fraud to

thonf

of thia book no doubt radian* now thn Eavihiahan legend of the Taj Mahal Is not after i|] ihit niib* the

SEVERAL READERS

as had been

presumed might still

entertain

some doubts

is I visoalbi

from the letters they write to me or question they public meetings I address on my historical findings,

ask

mi

at

Those doubts

persisting despite

my

elaborate deraofiikn of the

Shshjahnn legend graphically illustrate the damage that a Ik repotted over centuries can do to the rationality of men all aver u world
It is,

therefore, that

propose to answer those

questions in this

chapter.

Question

While you have pointed out a number of ctscrepMck. legend how b It you bava Di the traditional Shahjahan that the Taj Hand not adduced any positive evidence timml was built by Hindu rulers in pre-MwOtm

The
Firstly,

above question several presumptions in the positive pro* have been

**"
*"**

number

of

prJL, **..

For instoncej

the Badshahnanta, has been

**
.

was laK^ as Raja Mansingh's mansion

Jaisingh for Mumta*'*
burial-

say thai the "Tas-i-Macan

^^^ ^ ^J^*, ^ ^^ W ^^ ^
to

i*

purposely which existed already was was . burial because it

Mumlaa'a
proof

that of the Sanskrit

Mahal could be an

earlier tompl*

The fourth

positive proof

trident pinnacle, cobra

garden and embossed

^wer

P^^^P^^? ^^
patu-maon

"^J'^** 'W W"

graph*

^^f^L ^^JtT^^^ &"*" ^"

tlsM the

^*

^^

for

^utfrdp***
1*
""

as

displaying the cenotaph chamber

"

3K
The
fifth

The Taj Mahal

pewliiw proof
of Aurangrob's

A Temple

p,^

gonw OtartnesUona from the replies that government or India

voluma.
Question
:

ia

letter.
is

The olhor

not correct. In law -courts murderer* and chants ore being convicted everyday

presumption thai

negative' proofs aro nol.

enough

Mr M H Milb h r**^ lham rcplia, havn bn n^rata^ r ^ **

I

and

all

ewer the world

if

the basis of so-called 'negative' evidence.

enrolling. Criminals

Hardly

anybody caught actually murdering or

-Liue details are discovered Inter.

Since Shahlahan wanted to pai ra

wifea tomb why

arc detected and convicted daya or years after the crime

when

he nol pullet 4ht and other Hindu motifs?

did
lay any

^ ^ ^^

^j*

some

tell

in la iters trying to sell off

a costly

Take the case of a man diamond. The very incongruity

citizen to detain the pedlar

Shahjahan himself never intended to

of audi a situation

is

enough for any

of the diamond and charge him for fraud or theft. Because in such a case cither his beggarly dress must be a disguise, or the so-called

Taj Mahnl as his own construction atnee his court chmuder Lh admits having commandeered it from Jaisingh Moreover even if Shahjahan had desired to misrepresent the building ss bin own
creati

Mm drin* te th.

diamond may be o fake or

not be legal, in

that

was an impossible task because Shahjahan*

ownership of the diamond must such an instance one does not desist from detaining
his

contentpcrari*

themselves had participated

in taking possession of the Taj Mahal

the suspect merely because one has not seen him steal the diamond. So what ley- men mistake to be negative' are in fact very positive
proofs of the kind that are accepted
point to be noted la that
in all

from Jaisingh and erecting Mumtaz'a grave inside it. Shahjahan may nave wanted to pull- out the Hindu trident pinnack or lb* Taj out of fanatic Muslim hatred for Hindu motifs bui had bt
done
that, the

day- to-day affairs. Another

to the Taj

dome would

have had a gaping bole which wwiJd

when the claim of Shahjahan

it is in

Mahal

disproved, that building, situated as automatically becomes Hindu property.

is

have resulted

in flooding the building

when

it

rained

Shahjahan run
not

Hindusthan,

and bis courtiers were too shrewd to allow their fanaLicHm to away with their discretion. The Muslims of those lima did

Question

haven't you given a precise Hindu history of the Taj Mahal ?

Why

have the knowhow to

shaft had
it

repair the crack or hole

left

by the trident

reSearch that needs to d ft. Taj Mahal has not yet been done. One should

^f u ITT * ^
all

* e ***
have
all

to

the

seventh*

the

been pulled out. The trident abaft wwera over 31 erect to iuch a. high above the centre of the dome. To stand embeded deep height quite a length of the pinnacle shaft must be
into the
its

buildings

the complex and the

was therefore impossible root without doing damage to the dome.

dome.

It

to pull

It

out from

MaW. Many

,U underground chambers which have been sealed

Question

Is

erase**? not the pinnacle shaft a Muslim

is

crescent A MtuHm cr*** The pinnacle shaft is not a Muslim ttaoat. snj is al* i never horizontal. The Muslim crescent

dide except

for

little

gap

at its head for crescent

'

distinguishing trait is that a

Muslim

IH bottom. What

-*W;^ ^
*
Ts)

m^T J
it

hi
f

^!^'

mmitonsd
an arforto u

~
1

,00k f0r simflaf

ln

-*.
H ndu
'

***" *
is

its wrtre a central shaft jutting out from the Taj Mahal dome ia a Hindu mo

'"""T^ (bow
TeaatnlsWl
jUVfltbeawro***

* Mi
. .

*> Tar

that

building

wh,ch

ruler actually

wh bisecting a horizontal curved metal P** of that of a semicircle. A full-scale replica the east In the red-stone courtyard to
closely study
it

^^*
p.

mm^h uJ^T ^T *n " we true origin

Be,t
f

m P0Wvr h JUtIf bll** ,n ii T uw Taj u Mahal w itujiorw.t

Idea oT to get a real

dome

looks like. There one

may

ctear"*

^^^ ^
1
'
if

^ ^m
.

^ mbU
**t l*

to

^j^

Th# Taj Mahal

! A IWnph pg^
gopw OartflotkiM
, miilcflding
subterfuge to daim tha building former

two leaf-patterns bending Hindu kalian (pot) with the hy Hindu coconut at the out on ther side and supporting Himalayan foothills have top Hindu and Buddhfrt temples to On
fa

Mord

identical pinnacks.

QuoOm
This

Is not the pinnacle shaft

on the dome a lightning- conductor

? hoisted by the thai British administration

it

employ even so much a watch^, ever naving to , Munlima displayed an uncanny a*irM mediaeval disinclination of the Hindu to disturb even fake
rellidous

forlrtm-,^
<*

^T
dakate

, ty***

one of the many

all

popular misconceptions.
the ancient Hindus
it

The

trident

This Muslim practice of planting false tomba overnight open land or buildings continuea to our own day.

<\

pinnacle fixed over the

lightning conductor for

dome by

may be

a good

we know, but

has not been put there

Quiion

Why

are Western visitors with

all their predilection for

by the

British.
:

research and laming not convinced about of the Shahjahan legend of the Taj?
It is

Una fabric*

Qucsifc*

Are not the words Allabo Akbar (God

in Persian

is

Great) inscribed

wrong

to believe that the average Westerner

hu

a gnato-

over the pinnacle 7

all

So what

ShabJDhan had Persian lettering scrawled

its ancfllary

over

concern for academic truth or a greater attachment for knowkdgi and research than an average Indian. A Westerner u as thiSa*

the Taj Mahal and

estate.
If

buildings after misappropriating that

lettering is inscribed also

end

hypocritical aa any other human. Aa a third person from i

therefore

some Persian

on the

pinnacle

it

does not prove that Shahjahan built the Taj Mahal.

On
was

whether a building in India is iltribuuri third country he hardly cares The Western visitor to only jntenatart to one person or another.
of the building. The Western riaUr in getting a visual impression away by the sentimentalism bout tonal Ion. ia also easily carried

the other band that over -writing only proves that Shahjahan
a usurper of the building because those

words Allaho- Akbar do

not occur on the full-scale replies inlaid in the red-stone courtyard.

Had Shahjahan been the builder of the Taj the words appearing on the meUl pinnacle on the dome should have appeared even on
the replica in the courtyard. In fact
it

was the Britisher Cunningham

who

susuallod
:

it.

Qacstfoa

Who

started the
floated

myth

that Shahjahan built the Taj ?

The myth was

had buried his wife

by some latter-day Muslim chauvinists

it

calibre must be rated much Wow thai In this respect hia mental *' Westerner does not rate that of an average Indian. A debilitating, uicapsotetfegmw sexual craving for a woman is a A inspires creative acthity. That emotion never infuses or to nUr lacks the tin* -d tachmtko from a Western country also * controversy about or look into any local be jp*d visitor is orone to bunding. Moreover such .

^onjjr

and court-flatterer*

who

government version, and regard

felt

degrading to admit that Shahjahan

in a

secondhand commandeered Hindu mansion.

misum

ww
aD

repetition thereafter people

came

aa attempts at cranky oW ladit and journalists with a ceotune*

the Taj Shah ahan as the creator of Weston their blunder. Consequently

*^^ "^""^JS* "

the

to believe the

myth.

the

myth

also had ita origin in a popular misconception.

^ ^ ^^W ^ lT^1i^!;
U
bUried

mediaeval Hindu buildings are littered with Muslim **itoo guided to those buildings associate those buildings

Unt

*"* h

way to suppress A few Westerners have, however,

all

news about

cum

-J
^

.n^ f

**" *

of

Z m ++
wi* rf

^ **

tbe buDdiiiB
Actually

,,

u ^-

being convinced of

my

Taj thesis-

* S

Quests

Why

have not history

^^an *" to*** *~

rthfrtri"^

"^^ **** iLT"*^ grave *Vtor

* <-

tbe graves

your version?
thesis thalU* the* firm belief In my concurr*>* They have conveyed their

moundll were onjy

^^^ m

AnumberofNstoryt**ch^a^^^

^ ^ *~
1

"*-

m
]

Ttw Taj Miihnl

hA

Tcmpl B p^..

Sonw aarincUow

and by quoting mr in Ibelr booka, articles, vmMjan contact those who hove noi n^-i." *j Inures. Moot and UttmwL Moat of openly iSjaarHi papers of lhdr 0W| * " am'y either ra8*00
j

^
new

m
a

havo been backing and propagating

wmass

tone*;

with

me

iwvr

t
foo

reticent

"

thy

3C8

to J**" 8011 tbc ,tm lf* ncct, Pted belief,

or are afraid

"w* ihtf wou,d **

profeailomlly estrsciaed.

bv tbefr bosses, or or have loo deep retlgious or poliUca]

1 1 ti

^m "*
Some

Such are the various motives arising from of the character which have made teachers, profasora and human ofndah with history abut their eyes, ears and minds against dealing thai fuiding about the Taj Mahal.

mmkmm

CMMltsiaila to accept even

to the credit

research finding which, they fed,

Question

Why
If
ft,

Uw

universities

top brass of history fo and those manning the archaeology, archives and
of the Hindus,

did rulers like Shivaji not recapture the Tij Mahal ? were a Hindu building be should have known
n*.
ia

tourism departments of the

Government of India are afraid

that

admitting the bouowness of the Shabjshan legend of the Taj would

based on a misconception. India teemed with buildings and massive forts. India had hundreds magnificent of as beautiful as the Taj Mahal. Many such are imntianed buildings
Hiiss

question

cause tbam considerable professional loss of face and

embarrassment.

Ai

wage-Mmm

guided by worldly

aOent and sponsoring or teaching

wisdom they prefer keeping only the Government -stamped

chroniclers themselves. Gaping with wonder, Muslim by Muslim chroniclers, Tor instance, have noted that there were in Vidians

wsfcw. The average mHn prefers to go about peacefully with hit avocation and not get embroiled in any agitator* even for the truth,
\

and Mothura magnificent and towering mansions ftarnpka which could not be recreated even if five thousand labourer* worked for
200 years. It is therefore wrong to think thai the Taj Mahal was the only magnificent building in India on which all Indians should

would with as
Taj Mahal
if

much unconcern
is

teach the

new

finding about

and when that

served to him on the platter

of Government acceptance.

have concentrated to prevent it from railing into th* hands of tin Islamic Invaders, When the whole of India from Attack in the far
north to Arcot in the far south bad passed into Muslim bands stand uj reason with all its mansions, temples and forts* it does not demand why the Taj Mahal alone could not be saved. And the
to

*y

la generally prone to avoid * newly discovered truth about the Taj Mahal considering
l

large section of

Muslims

"*** Lr^JT ? address^ to me Ieltart tf WeErd suppressing this *-* and .

P^sorvai loss to their chauvinistic prestige. "* eXtenL f and

Some
yfle

implied inference that since

no Hindu seems

to have been
(l

swam
to free

^^ ^
^^
'

of the TO} Mahal

it

must not have been

a Tfindu building

wrong-

a war Warrior- patriots like Shivaji were In 'fad wsginK

domg alien Invaders^ the whole of India from the stranglehold of and ownership or al so their very object was to regain control
buildings

5***.

Ldoo
btdcad

bwtaL

'

r*
f

tbt Taj Mah]

***

* ,0k BWay fr^T "* fiee ua .wl"""*.

'

"" "*
l

As allc
'

frwn th 9
1

findin K

CapeComonn Moov and territory from the Indus to * enough rulers like Shivaji had not developed ***J^ continuing till l Mogul as Is apparent from Mogul rule
<

^rrassment

T****ml

. dW

* * * "

Question

If the Taj

Jaipur court papers should

Manslngb's Ms Mahal was known as due 7 offer some

Taj.

m**

*d by ^^ of tha bcoTj^ *** T** - * th** Published, h<?y nUJy * P*Jr. t% bjv wZ t"
ism eoad*,

^^ ^

^'^'"f

Us, doctoral studenta they y or hone*y to admit that

Of couree they should. But tndar dwars himf tn and Kapsd archives known as Pothl Khnna it and key the ruler's own lock and U.v and nntcti P rtcMy "JV"^ u^docummi* probacy proba y to study the documents The reason was On* wiW ^ idim M'**" record InUmate domesUc dealings with ^^^ipJfl^ R,tf**
i

ray*^ unfortunately th*

^
^

rt

considorod

most despicable and unworthy

Th* Taj Mahal

I*

Ttthplg

p^
mm*

a*,*,

cUririortJoita

m
should be compelled to publiih ih*.

_ u,Hc illustration of bow

iC

*vnty WPP"**

is

such records have boo, the obliteration of even the provided by

Jsjaingh
critical

That

Museum

documents.
s

^
bow

QuoUoa
therefore* At * time,

If

the Taj Mahal there

is

ii

magniflomi
it

when bolh Jaipur

flindu baiWtog

territory

is It

no mention of

earlier 1

Maipur't royal

'J

i.

systematically abducted and Muslim Evaders it will need all the ingenuity by the allm can muster to trail the rape of the Taj

women were being

Historians and the lay public

asiuie researcher

Mahal through a
rifely gtosa

maw

of court papers which

may

have

tried to

royal bouse,

prized possession of the Jaipur over the seizure of this heard of a Tew contemporary individuals I have met or

Mahal was built by reference to it earlier. Hereafter to detect any source books with eyes wide open they may

the bdirf that Ota Til Shahjohan had become mentally inespadtatsd
if

lulled Into

they re-read their

ho styling themselves to be historians claim to have skipped through

wnw
papers of the Pothi Khana.
i

detect a number of Taj Mahal. In this book itself it has ben ibown references to the that tho Mogul emperor Babur, the great treat grandfather af

They vaguely speak of having

mm
of

document purporting to be a deed by which an open pfot land in Agra was sold by Jaisingh to Shahjahan for building
1

Shahajohan, does mention the Taj Mahal and in fad Babur died Babur' a daughter Gulbadan Begum is also ibown in the Taj Mahal.
Tamerlaln was also mesmerised to hove alluded to the Taj Mahal. the Taj Mahal A similar intelligent revision of all previous records

Ibe Tnj Mahal on. One such person

met was Dr. A,

L. Srivaslava,

by

head of the Department of History of the Agra University for a

number of years. When asked what was the purchase price mentioned
to the

and chronicles could reveal many more references. Moreover with names of roads and localities getting changed with every new rap fa our becomes difficult lo identify what we call the Taj Mahal
it

document be

said there

was none. One may weD measure

faith

the professional calibre of

such persons from the pathetic

they put ipso facto in such a shady

own day with what it may have been dty difficulty Is that when in a
magnificent mansions
it

called in different eras. Another

there are

many majsi
Whata wn

document. Talking of a purchase

is like

is difficult for a

contemporary rasa

documwii which contain* no purchase price who was not the prince of Denmark.

talking of Hamlet

Such people wearing Anglo-Muslim bunkers are incapacitated Tram carrying out any
meaningful research in mailers which require careful James Bond type tracking. These peopJe lack both the legal training which can out viui evidence from the misleading and a Uvely rational, A faculty which can quickly react to mining
I

separate identity. establish in specific description their that * about every such building b

would say

*"***
if

* difficulty I, grand and massive. Yet another bunding invasions and massacres . da maoata a temple once in changes hands and (. used
that

t*

onLhm
Question

^^^
^

the or vice versa, one loses track of

:

or misleading

SL2T m

^2 betWeW

******* to

ctad to a very

1628 and 1632 A, D.. shouH dose scrutiny to find tome clue at the

^ 5^ra

*"**&'*

transactions with the Moguls.

Why

did

not the Hindu

record or per*" the Ta] Mahal leave any

^ * P
lttfWl

bufldfafr identity of the

rsr4m homes, *!. forts, temples, mansions,

This

ia

just lite

Wn whv

""

f*ttothi th.

jmu

T^

" purchai,e 9***

1

**umwt.

It is

also

Kashmir to Cape end conquest from

forward
in

Cornorin In th.

n^

^^ ^ ^
tew-tofll

v farms m*

Mohammad*-***

Ur

m U

press our own dny to

^riSS*** *JZZ.
or

"* ft-tysW.

^VTT ^^ ^^J Ww
*
i orders of in*

PUTCW

* "** r

B-IW
Mulial

S
in

177 in

tracts of doscendiinto ? When large "" Invadera and the subject iopl

Museum

Jaipur

Tj

owned by

and captured buildlngf rw the o"of years, can one ejcpect

^ <^^ "^ ""

^J^Zm w

^ ^^
loat

rotwg"

ta

^>

for

hua

and to

Tne T*J Mahal to A Tern,*,

p^

gon^
II

aarlflcatlona

la the outer to hang "

door of lb*

buildinic indefinitely in the

remote date ha or some of bis descendants would har*th*i * ownership of the building ( Do not epidemics, ^restored uj the earthquakes and exigencies of service change the

ww

nMBicTW,

riot*.

life, entire fMlla-n of

eurroundingi even in

and displace people from their original one's own life time I Do not ftunDin

to any rational faw us. suggest themselves when one otherwise alcp, into fibni^T complex of the dimensions of the Taj Mahal If one is ma of being in a temple- palace complex one would have on hand and take great care to go Into every
.

also

makea one impervious

w21 ^^

of eve ry storey to have a vbual

corridors,
galleries,
halls,

fill

and fed

fine of

rami IV into several branches wi tbout anybody rtiinct ? Do not families the common ancestor in the direct rtfTwnhcrmg even the name of genealogical ascent? And in such vicissitudes spread over

m^H^L nookUTa^l of the va^

nether- chambers'

porticos,
,

ante-chambers,

terraces, gateways

visitors to the Taj Mahal

stable*, oulhousea end the ft, should hereafter not only ip**

*j

enowh
ibonld

for anybody to retain original a thousand year* was it possible documents? Would they not get' lost, stolen, burnt, eaten up by

lime to
side

make
It

from

a round of the Taj building complex from Ebj inner end to end and from bottom to top but they

water? rodents or termites or get destroyed by

QttoUoe
:

elso

make

a point to lake a peripheral round

of the

premasa

Do you mean
built

to say that the present Taj

Mahal was

from the outside and inspect the many

lie

red atone mansions thu

If

by Shahjahan after demolishing an earlier Hindu

just outside the surrounding massive wall.

the public decide

building?

to exercise this right of theirs, the Government would be compelled to throw open the closed, barred and concealed apertmititi of the
this

No. The whole point of

thai the Taj Mahal as
It
it

book

is

to convince the reader

muiti-storeyed Taj Mahal to the

public. There

is

no reason why

stands today, as each one of us sees

today,
all

is

the very building that Shahjahan

it
I

commandeered.

If

a Government charging an entrance fee should restrict public entry Ckmrnmenl and only to the cenotaph chambers. So long as the
the Taj Mahal the public were duped into believing that
ia

at
it

h# did anything to

will

say he disfigured and despoiled

beauty or
its size.

nothing

bet he did not add anything to

its

The

original

Hindu Taj Mahal was

much more beautiful. Its pearly -white walls oow look scarred with blue worm- like lettering. The original Hindu temple- palace complex had many more pavilions and ancillary
buildings as is apparent

have been alright bet but a graveyard, such restricted entry may public must wke up to hereafter both the Government and the
their

respective

duties

fegardlng

the

assessment

of

the

Taj

temple - palace- complex

Question
:

wt

see today

ita stories

all around. The Taj Mahal a truncated and disfigured monument. Several of from the marble plinth to the basement below the Yamuna
is

from the ruina

Even

fc bidden, plundered , neglected and sealed. The lovely painted thai adorned the waDs of those underground
scrubbed by the alien vandal
:

complex has a Hindu temple palace why not 1* ^ by Shahjahan aa a tomb rake up the past?
if

^ "fT*
st that,

why

chambers have

important This question raises several

a country which has lost

its

Does

it

make any

difference whether

one views the Taj

Mahal aa a Muslim tomb or as a Hindu temple-palace

regain it. it a point of honour to to its original to misuse should be restored

complex?

palace the Taj Mahal as a Hindu temple one s *** makes a world of difference to cost fncurntf the style of architecture, the

t^X?Z ^^ stm^ ^ ^^ ^ ^'^ ^

roi

^'^J
^

aa***

iu .nudity,

*Wvfoue

to

i*

pJST
that

size of the

accommodation provided.

room

sheltering

**** h

bounds

""^ ** " makes

rVili

reaoarch ought to be a
truth
ia

one

in the Taj building

complex.

ipby covered up by myth and Fourthly, history concerns

"f^
ins

"u

^^ *&***
^^
b

^^^^^^ y that -

*d

past.

TnaTaj Mah.1

T.

a Tfcm,^

**+

gonw c3arinatllom
though she has been Uantommed as th* a. a stony Tnj Mahal. My task in fa* involved w evidence, arranging it. analyain it
over,

^a,

pfth history

ft

to

b^"

to a*k

why ra^

wisdom ever considered blit^ |hp pi superfluous irub)eet it would hjrvt imwcaattry or jfht m Snoe no aMintr^ in th wwM haa done an by kijiatotion. t public wants historical research U> go on doggajy impitod Ihit the to
Rid the
public in iu

h^
j

B and arguine cTi readers themselves as judges the whether the vaT' warrants Lbe concbaion that Shahjahnn
or only commandeered and re-examination of
it.

^^ **
t
,

*fDl '*

** ta

tbad revealing imlhi where

^^ ^ hiddcn under a P

But

mu8i

l1e of

falsehooda
j*

all

Uantmr
CTporuni

pure research sans iu

in the field

Immediate applicability

the evidence

of history as in physical sciences,

very important clues had been very cleverly suppressed or foolishly and carelessly

*m*oJZVl ^ oZTt"
wl
*
I

mn d

that

gkWovJ
for

neglected

QttMkm z Why

did several generations of historians fail to discover

the truth about the Taj

Mahal which you have done ?

gullibility

Tavernier's noting about the Taj Mahal had been only quoted and completely rtisunderstood all

kuJ
Th,

hiaSv

thaw year*

Badshahnaraa admission bad

Thai

was because they allowed their

doubts.

to run away

eitber been suppressed or fcfgoUai

An

elderly scholar

vaii their research faculties.

stalled
all

They put implicit

faith in traditional

frankly and

for glaring

They remained content with slipshod discrepancies in such vita] details as the
its

read the Badshnhnsmi twice or thrice voluntarily confessed to me that he hod ad ikmg
fifed

who bad

to notice that

on page 403 of Vol.

I,

ShabbJhiuVi own Badshahnnmi

the Taj Mahal,

toefc
.

period of construction,

its

designer,

{court chronicle) admits the Taj Mahal to be a commandecrd Hindu building. Unfortunately I met many Muslims claiming to be hurtonnra

of

my dam

in the Taj inscriptions

about Shahjahan building

who when confronted

interpretation

with that passage

tried to foist

ntne

tuxsrrs

and the aknee regarding the datea of

Mumtaz's death and

her

how some element* in Iruui whose academic eyes have a communal squint look upon history
it.

on

That

fllustrales

Whit new evidence could you possibly adduce when so many great names in history had preceded you in research **rding the Taj Mahal ?
"tocesaora in historical research
f

not as a sacred record of the truth about

as a crooked implement to twist facta to
Inclinations

past

bappminp

bat

suit their

mm vagnwa,

and

predilections.

met a

large body constituting the

lb* Indian History

top brass of history, at the Mysore session of

had gone about

their

atkadjisical

manner. They proved very complacent, raoe Pmu, ' 1 doubt* and find a cogent answer *o have brought forth no special evidence. My
l

Congress (in December 1966) to whom I distributed four-lai that the Taj i printed extract from the Badshahnama admitting
and * to a Hindu mansion. Their reaction was surprising They just blinked without saying even s word in

"PP'^'J'VJ
i
'

*i Pfo* inspector who receives an anonymous

9 art a blank notebook. eetigation

wata
at tat

to reaches the spot to investigate carrying

by way of rejection. To
reason to keep discreetly

me

it

appeared they had an

silent.

They sported

big reputa

**
*
"

The evidence

is

found

ha

* * U aboTl ^ T! J*"
'

not carried by the

department heads of an institution or of a history Hindu mansion e the Taj was in fact a commandeered

Adn^I

h' i hme 2

ta *"*

P****

amOarly*

birth

and an

what they had taught and believed all toad 1 Inconvenient and embarrassing. That ^ highly the general run of people, no mailer how

their

^^pto\ w^^^^
.

** ^
&

hi?(l

VI

bOatL

?!? my

nmbuJct 2? MboaC2m
to
'

wbat new evidence

after

*-dat,ofM L Muim * 1

yrs

Mumltf '
to bis***

** prefer to stick to traditional Ilea than tmth if admisson of the truth to likdy
bit

to

accurately recorded

of inconvenience in income wd

Z---***"

**h to unknown

L'JM

convroksice, fHlhy

Tb Taj Mohnl

In

A Tmt*,,

ft^
n*li v

B(M)r

curincationi

historical Lru,h WIW or propaipUn* *** Unfit was only their maiuvvd

no consideration. What
ego,
1

<H md

I*

" P"*

humdrum,

mundane

a^dar.

QdsiIm

Though lb* Badshahnama admits that a Hindu mansion was commandeered for Mumtaz's buna) do not a couple of lines towards the end refer to the summoning
geometricians and laying the foundations of a building ?

foundation** used ad-nau^ by .*Hld the chrtJoJd|r Moreover digging . trench to bury . fraudulently justified as "digging the foundation " H*| Muslim pntrona really built any tomb, mosque, fort, ea*

o^""??
bJ?"
and!

contemporary chronicler have appends tht nam! blue-prints, account sheets or copies of court orders and uch documents ? Would he also not have written a
uld not the

wbokt book

construction of a fort or founding of a

half -a- dozen lineal tbe project in

city instead of dJamiaaini

Separating the troth subtly adulterated with a lot of falsehood

teats the
it

may

the Badshahnama passage be noted that the entire narration about commandeering

me* tie of the

real researcher. In

Question

building and

burial of

Mumlaz

Don't you believe that Shahjahan' s leva for Mnmtxt was inducement enough for him to commlsjwn the Tn

in

it

has been disposed off

in

half-a-dozen lines. This is one significant point which should impress

upon the true researcher that the

fabulous Taj Mahal
is

much vaunted
The other point

This question calls for

construction of
to

a myth.

be noted

my

It is not a question of History must have evidence for vmy belief or your belief.

many

answers.

is

and then talks about emmoning not masons but geometricians. They were needed to
design different sizes of Koranic lettering

that the passage first refers to the burial

claim.

The claim that Shahjahan had

phoney.
if

an infatuation

for

Miuntat

is itself

From whatever
history ever

history you

may
ia

have read you

of

Hindu mansion

at different

on the walls of the usurped heights. Geometricians were also needed

wQI recall that

makes any mention

it

my

Mogul

having a special attachment for his wife

to Jahangir for Nurjahan.

only wiUi regard

Those who claim

that Sbahjahim lad

point out state and

to dig a central trench in the octagonal

floor and a similar burial trench in

chamber on the ground the room in the basement.

Another point to be noted

is

that a very large

any special out -of- the -world love for Mumtai must repeated references to Shahjahan neglecting affairs of

number of mediaeval

Muslim chroniclers make use of some pet phrases of which "laid the foundation' is one. Thereby they vaguely but shamelessly ascribe usurped Hindu building to their own alien Muslim patrons. They fly avoid a direct assertion as a sop to their own conscience
'

have keeping closeted with Mumtaz. In that case history would

alluded to a

guard posted outside the amour chitmber

or a board

of their own contemporaries point the fraud in claiming authorship of others' buildings for their patrons. Historians must know that contemporary Muslim chroniclers deftly avoid making any explicit claims about any sultan courier building anything. i They only use such slippery ***r as 'laying the foundation Therefore that phrase used
lest
.

an escape valve

some

embract bung declaring something like "Emperor locked in Um disturb." of the Empress,... Very busy... Sorry... Don"t the love-itoriat there is no such evidence nor is there any book of
of Shahjahan -Muintaz Tike that of
it

Romeo and

Juliet or Lafla -Majmi.

I

.Muni* to believe in any special Shahjahan an tncaptcM must also be realized that man *s love for a woman is
is

wrong

debilitating

'

the n ^emotion. Sexual love, the love of vigour. for a woman never infuses one with any flwU

**T W

'

litL^ t^ ^ M*^Z*^
burying Itumtca
tin

**7^1 ^hit hoodwink

^oabanama must be understood to slake *t the ***"*** wtd to

fraudulent.

gloss over the

readers about hi* royal patron Shahjahan

emotions like love for God or for one's own own mother or Son inspires one to perform ***' craving for a woman only goads one to crtow*"
suicide

aM ^V

^
-

a second-hand mansion of the much-detested

and murder.

my

Vay

<"*" ^
*"**

KUlUb,e -

been
only

historical research

bom

absurd to lalk of U- TO and Mumua out of the love or Shahjahan

It la

'"*

^ sire

up

two things born out of man -woman

love

^^ '^ ^ T^^, ^
<

ifortpt.

never a building.

You may

your verify this from

:-m

ngifcMfcAt

mm
CHAFTEaxxx

r-,
l

A PICTORIAL ANALYSIS

rfp*fc*-^r
afaft

fSam dam

to

Of %j
-

*teri
a. .

mm]

Mi 2

r-

=xrv

- _-

Th T| Mahal
one* buried.

UA

Trapfe

ratae.

A nctoHal

Analysis

m
^

with
It

queen's body

funeral procession with a aetled *ild be that only a fako

An

aerial

view.
rt

Mumtaz's body) waa wtge- managed ^oiyin (supposed <o contain regal, Mogul pressure to post-haste to nur Agra to exert deadly'
apture
and
confiscate

towers at
river.

Tejomahalay. trnn* ptfnlb -corners on the south banc of th* men*

The white marble

Two

Identical red-stono building* (ach with thnw

the

Jaipur

ruler's

bejewelled

royal

Tfejamnhafnya temple -palace complex in

Agra on the specious pretext

royal

domes) facing the marble edifice from theautml watt meant to be reception pavilions for royal or religbua congnwiaQB,

mr,

of Muxntan'i notarial there and

turn the sacred

Hindu
IjuJamic

The

Tejomahaleya temple-palace complex into a bare,

graveyard

grim

central marble building and the flanking mlatona are all even storied with octagonal featureo, which la rpedality. Seven -storied octagonal
in

bo&W
V*flc

buildings ere mmuVxiaj

Remayanic descriptions of Ayodhyi.

The ground -plan of the orthdox VedJc octagonal Tejomuhwlaya shrine In Agra where Mum Lai's exhumed body is supposed to have been
interred again
.

Why

this sacrilege ?

rorecourt of In the red-alone

climbing up the

are 3 the garden) vtsitora marble platform

made ten

^J^^ie* b*w ^^habw-

tune the tmdilion from the

J**** that t

Had the

.a <> li edifice originated

"ms

have been allowed inside. th. grounds. Note burial

Shoes!"
***"

|-wr

*** m

t Shir-

u*9
rt

ih0<-

** j^p* H

The Tij Uahl

Is

Tn^ p^
A

pictorial Analysis

This
la

the main central marble edifice (a v^m the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Shiva's Tejoting
signifies the

iMI> "

radiating divine light. Thii structure with four or five stories in marble and

emblem

mbtenMr* lili '*'

t

t,

fa

red-swne which can be observed from the rear river-banlc garden level is two stories above the river levd/To
gate and turn
left in the

^r^Z!l
n
reach the

stream one has to go out of the

standing

on

the

peripheral will by the eastern northern direction along a gradient. There sandy river bank one tees the

towering

two -stories -high red stone wall with irches sQ along jt* imgu, whose ventilators have been crudely walled up by Shibjafaan

from

33 meticulous count will rewal

.^harc^tn u*

fontn

of the eotnnc* rcfa.

seen infroot in between the two I***g

Since the marble platform
to

^^

m*tJf

a, nt*
J

^
JS

^^ w m

rehoB. Consequently tbe

*^r ***** psn" u marWe *JJ*

TO* Taj Mahal

I*

A Temple Pabc

Pictorial

Annlyi
D|

tfN

** ***
oar

show ***
.

vaulted arches on two levels gj^y be seen torie in marble, Tl "^l, -" constitute ^ikh
*

TO*

if

lb P00

to r Ab0Ve U
*
'

"""^

sW<l rf

*"
.

tw

***
lav

tf

the dome with four toTaee it the base of This terrace may be counted ftar comers-

"Ti tarta
g^

tfft.-high hall enclosed marok. Or the nearly

entran(* ** fourth storey " may be ****** rr of the dome. t, i fc from U which one sees when standing near Mumtaz*s The axam tone dame outside seen in the above |g cndcotd by the M[j|IB f Tweefbremost of the sp** inside that outer marble dome

"^

ptaio.

wner dome leaving only a footstep- wide narrow tack sandwiched between the inner dome and the outer dome, [UMiitiJata the inner dome. ttog ws^h oat may

ute bp by the

9rer there
of

ee two

solid

domes one inside another with a

lot

ipst

**)
1

uparating
i'

their tops the story that

a solitary tear which

Ik* dMds from

i

the top of this outer

dome on

every

Mumtaz
It

"near" the Tas-i-makan whicb foretgnef* used to vWt,

fat-avoanjgbt at the stroke of midnight drips on

Mumtaz's cenotaph
faculties

so that the world

may admire."
grab,

Tsvemier's deduction

is

mliUlun.

baaw.

t ibeer erotic , romantic nonsensical canard floated

was Shahjahan 's

as

lust for wealth which

made him

toe Mumta*"

**

r' "iinm-jnengam intended to benumb the logical

tradition
i

death

an excuse to

rob

and dnecrate tbe Hindu

temple -palace.
water drope keep dripping

a ahlinam.

It

the

memory

of that

from a pitcher drip which has

Shahjahan

This western gateway has assumed importance

in

modern lima

because tbe main bus depot and railway

bustling

station of the popnto

U

to the deceptive Shahjahan legend. to

Agra

dayi city lies to that direction. In olden

lbs

e nunrfe-iran

^By

make las ghost weep over Mumtaz's

at ipedfiad hours.

elevated gateway at the left (not seen in the pictore) ****j" T*)gwi * to be the main entrance of the Tejganj alias A narrow street of that township runi jtraajbt fran

* Mwl *wded *** "P*30*" parking area rod- stone verandahs with ** -Stt^n.' i4,'4 r.i^r ver ~ ^"* "* *tirs parking area *" % wdi tapoaft. **'<* efcc**^* **** **<* Tavernier describes as

*mun w^im

l,

" ahg

^mh
r

fe

*^*!~Z** ^^ tot*" a worid-attracUon was IW ^^^^ ^^ TtjgM towmbip which ^ ^ g^ common defense
cross the parking

an*

into the lofty

tho marble Tejcmahalaya shrine. Though that shn*

it

basically intended

of the people of the

as judged
thil

defensive

wall

enclose*

both

Tejomahalaya ahrine. That township and tbe Hindu ahrtoe.

Taj Mahal did not

**

ye*

Tfei

J
J .-i i

er *

,!lT!L T"I'

vWt0r "awtook the term

purposely
buried

originate as a royal
1

"J"
I '

to

^biahaji

been built ma a royal Mualim cemetery Moreover detached from the Hindu townahip-

rJ

^ ^^

^^ ^^

^^^ m
ft

tht

Uad

rrwy

^km

The Ta] Mahal

Is

A Temple

Paiac*

Analyw* A pterin
I

Z7J

mJU) and

Wwr on the k"F of mmon wtw* dealbs "* 8 *

a
'

of a lee frequent occurrence.

woman member

m ng
f

aw" to the right and left of the gateway run around a3 those quadrangle with central gateway* on tU f r ^e entire spacious

sides.

where

entrance to the Tejomahalayo parking forecourt Thii I* the eastern royal Hindu elephants used to sway. The in ancicnl times

rot-wast- highway

runs

right

through

in:

eastern

wte/Uau gateways past the shopping arcades alongside the tofty to the Tajmahal garden. The rectangular majestic parking court wilb utately red -stone gateways in the four cardinal deserve world admiration for its perfect ancient Ve<jic

While the gateways at the east and opposite this gateway and the one
elevated,

J"

w^ ^ *****
,n

indicating

their

<"* importance becaus

*
lofty

to ih.

imittl-ittrwd and township while the other (being

^
.

*fll

cUtaaura] town and landscape planning. Passing out through km gateway if one turns left to proceed to the river bank adiant one sees a ud] opening Into a quadrangle being cowshed of thai temple sine* Mc fcni times. It to tana Gwwntla.
>

the garden of the holy-shrine.

J
If

The gate seen above bears

which

U* fflctert

^^
J* ^Jy ci*.
"*

fii|#

modem

fenciw rustic pronunciation

the inner-side gUJ and

Seen above is the one goes out through the g>

""

^^ T Jtm

fon*otirL
t

*nJ

the

Immediately turns about J the * the Tejganj side, one can see Canesh whicn niche because the Idol of U>*&

Ihe to gaze at

Jj

^ ^y
be*

nj

ape* '<*" brotan

>**

lwniW P

Shopping

arcades.

such

n
l^rv

Tb* Tj Mahal

It

A Temple Pal**

per Vadfc custom. hua bewn

r
|

upwHwJ

and dwlroyed fter

Pictorial Analyst*

Cfcthjihan took bold of thr

Th* 1>jn^*fM'* shopping arcade ha* had at iis cm Lor eastern two other flanking the Shrw gate, and wwwrn earners,

wteWiary aaitfad-tempJu. This octagonal ,. dome io the south we* comer b lbe jj^j!?
g
"

straight Vedie pinnade piLdiir shaft,

* whU*

nf

**

"*

a.tnfcuted to an
ia

har**^ fctunniaa Kbumm.

It

inscribed on

that

9eems to

^m

las

away the deaecration of lb Hindu shrim.

8^^ ^ JTjVT

^"uning

J
The Taj Mahal
Hindudivine
sentinel

UA

Tempfc

p^
the

Pictorial Anilyali

rrt

-^responding

shrine

On

top of the lofty gateway

row

^^
,

kaUishaa (pitchers) representing

11

Ru draa

gny the

Begum's shrine That is mere hearsay since Jrtj^J iv Sarhandi a rose to somehow explain bears no name. That ts tht <*nc**P* desecration of a temple.

-^

has since Shahjahan's

torn been

desecrated and

Lord Shiva.

1 *

* ""* !** ^<**Uona <*

fnnteur to

i that Sarhandi Begum (one of Another intriguing detail cenotaph identical in build and gnhjanafTt royal wives) hat a that of Satunniss Khanam, a mere maid. Such

interior of the muM-atoried vaults entranc,.^ fadta. first to the rectangular garden and then to the wonder marok
at the far

The

end.

J1

in the Shahjahan legend have comparative incongruities abounding scholars which is a major fault eacsped the attention of modern

of their research faculties.

chauvinistic

They are

all

prone to admit traditional

the least

Muslim canards at their face value without making effort to cross-check and cross -question the details.

The
tickets.

lofty multi -storied

entrance gate where visitors buy entry

a small office

The Goverment archaeology department has

behind the booking window.

The

officer in

charge has the keys

Visitors

to

the
'

locked

wen -storied

complex.

paying

the

governmental levy to enter the Taj Mahal premises do not get their

money

worth because they are allowed entry only to an infinitesimal

portion of lbs sprawling complex.

TTie temple-palace
floors

management
duties.

to ,,tt sutfr used

work <>

**

on various assigned

red The carved decorative

and exterior of

this

out minutely observed turo. two three-in-one Ganesh imK>

^ ^^ W#*^^^ * **" j * ****# *f TJ^ *** ^ ~ * ^j ** *i-

i-

wiih a frontal facing in

IN

middle.

w
ft* T*J
fffl

Mahal

a Tempi, p^^
A
Ftctnrbl Annlyida

On

the Tojo Mahnlyn temple- priJace comply, A panoramic view of central marble water tank at Lho far ^J Wthrr irtdr "' tf> p
the far ri^hr

OJ

Hank are two Najjar khenea (drum and

miJsi(

Indicates that the slab hides the atjjrs inside the marble p] B tform

iw>a
may

.^

lead',

tn

hu rti of
1

building similar slabs at

also

Untied

spoti on

have

stairs

hiddn

^ Z ^^

ZT^T **

On

either

V one on
s
1

nsnk of the marble

left

edifice are

two

identical buildings.

fa the so-called mosque, one on the right beyond the trees is the so-called jawab. ^iwppropnalion by Shahjahan both these

the

teen above the tree*

pivflkinB of the

were receplion TejoMahalaya Vedic temple palace complex.

rontal

^lace-

T
-ad

of the octagonal martwo Tejomahalaya The step, from Lhe garden lead to the red stone When? are *** standing. Tne seven arches in
,

view

^^

fT

"' to lh murWe

I** 1

*'

'rem the

right

UP

oTTwrhIL
on

CUmbB UP

fool

k^

"*

l * a P"

^e marble
mar We
hollow
slab.

plinth,

*quure
|

WM

Stamp your

hear

sound.

T**

AS

">

Ti

Mahal

I-

Tm^

^
two

below. As per our estimate the marble to a* chambers plolfonn S3 f S3 = 1069 chambers as judged from the 33 con*** of von etang the M^i^fLh as well as the equal breadth.

Pfctorlal Analysis

3^

The marble Taj Mahal has

sfi

identical vaulted lofty

fe feet ahead of the stab on which

yew face the vaulted

you stamped your foot marble entrance arch, you will notice

the four directions. Their lemple decor Koranic extracts were improvised to fill the
j

ut^wwn

wm chin]
cavities.

pnlle] rows of inferior reddish stoneslabs. That fa because thn uprooted Nand) [the celestial bull] associated with Lord Shiva,
posited there faring the

the

western

archway.

Shown above
ih*

1*

Take a cfa*

look

marbl-

was main entrance arch leading to the sanctum vbere Mumlai's cenotaph now covers the Shivling or the snot nf
the Suv&ds, Thai Nandi having

been uprooted the spot was paved

vtta injerior stone.

Two symmetrical staircases leading to the upper floors are located

inside the

of the main lofty arch.

nm
l

or right.

mrkna

turn But the doorways are kept unjustifiably locked by *fagvcal Survey of India denying access to ordinary visitors
itudoita to the upper stories.

on the right and left To reach them one has to enter the doorway the centre of ibe main lofty vaulted arch and then
in

snuD doorways seen

the arches

** gold

snd^^;^

"

d0Q "- g ,d

"***

* oto

.tone frame* -round the

to notice

vertical

dJ*imJlur ahl" the poteh of

^J^^of m** -

""

m
lWt,(
#.,..1

fh*

Tto|

Mahnt

I.

T^m4o iw^j

A flrtoHnl

Annly*|i*

I'nlrhM nlnro

qti ol wr

y vWbln
,

1>M

IJ*"L

*|IH!M

JiMfi In**

mi

llii"

Vi'iHi'al

Mun III,.

t|1

l tiw ooUi^iinl owiitnil (iwrcltim l,y lU *Ui of U l|M

h w

n^
](j(

In

thb w,l fc'*ta

VWW
J'
8

.u^
,*
miil

In

WMU

tKiiiHru

placq t

|W

|(>n

m,rt4

p(

w kii wnich

"^
dirh

lWp

ton** 1* f Abo noUeu Uw by n**- IT tt tuu UHn hiphiarily MlM

1

wdfiUlnwr n**
J

***

roeuwgutir

^ wyii*

'

"

ptvfcm

B*j

hiu. t

and

nIuhIu*.

m
nTthT*>

TJii!

Til Mabttl Is

A T*mjj] p^ BCu
covenipa

Pictarioi Analysis

bow

also betrays sfmtfar patched

This north arch too has Lht

patch BfW

] *

K*inrw rating.

to tD Su ih* In th* rtKUwgular ventilator above ft, ardl and

ame ub

*.mi

marble stop.

JB III

I III

.,,,

Thft Taj

Mahal

Is

A Temple Palm*
entry tickets are The gateway at which *t the knee-lcvd with inside and" out,
Issued, is decorated
s hunting depicting
in profile

Tbf Koranic cover-up patchwork on lop of the indent tuflcd

enlntnce arch.

both

three-in-one Ganeab caricatures; two such Ingeneoua endostnu a frontal one in the middle. U, flanks

on

Cobras lined up above a string of inlaid tempfe bells pattern form lb* upper border of the Taj

Mahal. Both cobras and bells hive sacred associations in Vedic spiritual lore.

magnified view of cobra pafra.

^
,

To* Taj Mnhn]

II

A Ten,,*,

p^
sealed

factorial

Ana|yi

^
men

marble plinth and Lhe recUingular ventQaiop -IV arches in the them (allowing light and air to lhe chambers atone *ch one of

Um

plinth) inside J*

may **

ro' nuUf,y

observed to have been

atones fixed vertically and horiamtaUy along afl four sides were improvised to no p nv arches on out fdo1s of Vodic deiti es nd loft *fter *"*

ne Koranic

^j^

vities

&nakril

wnh

marble slabs.

We arrive ot
*

the above conclusion because (l) a close inspection

the

marble

irames

enclosing

the

Koranic

extracts

?vbh arches at Lhe bottom of the next page enclose the

which load to the tap of the marble plinth symmetrically from the right and left.

^Tbe

Nandi tlord Shiva 'a bull) occupied the spot where the dad in white robe* is seen tending facing the entrance, l wn* uprooted at Shabjahan'a orders. That spot was patted up lalw mLh inferior reddiah
slab*,

Wdent shaped designs

in

w*r
bod

inlay filigree at the

two

of the

France and
vch.

the trident-shaped red lotua

at the apex of ih*

The Taj Mahal

T*

A Tempi* P*Uc*
A
Pictorial

Analyse

rwftu patches of marble of different shapes and lints (2) the Koranic eytrads are random, haphazard out-of- sequence and incomplete (3) On hoi d*y$ with the visitor's feet burning on the marble
plinth, a fierce sron beating

close-up of tbe upper pan of . on snake -shape brackets which

n^
**""

-_

dialing -

down on the head and the eyes burning

trait.

The minaret* served

towera at right.

aa W8ld)

"T ********
dttrift

with inUsnse sunlight radiated by the white marble sheen even devout Muslim knowing Arabic won't have the heart or even tbe
steady head or patience to crane and strain his eyes and neck
alternately vertically and horizontally to

light

^^rt

make any head or

row

tail of

that

message of

Allahline is

Above the horizontal Koranic

bell

an

inlaid

of temple
raised

designs.

Above that

is

the

row of cobras with hoods

facing one another.

These arches along the eastern side of the plinth are an indication
of the

row upon row of rooms

plinth.

(total 1089) that lie hidden inside

the marble

Closely

scrutinize

how

the

archea

and the

rectangular ventilators above have been sealed with marble slabs of different sizes and lints.

Plrtorial Awiljn**

A tpfann doae up of ti* oct^onal has* of the marW* minanrta.

Tb* arch**

indicate thai there ire

chmntwra

inside.

"n* archta
with martri

and lb* nvt-aniFulHr vmKutort tbove hive bvn

dowd

Mumtai'a lomb In the crypt (b*^.-., u llcbrl up with marbla tight of

v*rvi

***

that ih SHvling hrrt ha.

ffcbe tw5 horizontal tin** and patch** of varying tints nrr showing.

or

cowvd up

by U

tilhJ^T^*^ ^ww ^ *

am

Tb* Tnj Mnhnl

I.

A Tempto Ptii^ A
Pktorial Analynki

Shahjahan- eeiwUpb end MumUs"* cenotaph Oil ri K | lt > fn the crypt NoiJc* (hat the marble base of hlumUix'st cwnUtph it fw* plain. lis lower part loo fa plain (though ahe hiia been lorn tomnwl as the heroine or Lhc 1hJ Mahal dhow) while i,h ul
of J9uih|flhsn has
,.,'

Conlrnrily the thousands

a*
r

filigree
i, l(l ,j,l

decoration

all

over. Thai -dip

uj.
l.v.

in
(!

nn indication
l,,r
,

rWlniJod * city under thriu of 1lirniL ** jjjWI jpnrtb te uproot all lb gold railing (around the ShivKng),

by-lanenof

labour?
fr

U to<m,n^2^^*<

Hh

hnm,v|

dn

Ok.sJ

r.ih

|(-i

M|;

|,

slutted in the marble lattioa and the golden on the SiivHnga. and transport

Biw]!^ ^-Wdid
to the

hit fabulous templf -palnw.

Ihem

T "'**"" * M^t W
t

rt0f

,|t

WBUf

AfUr one enters the

Into spacious halls

Softy arch

from lho mnrblo platform one

all

which form a pvrumbulatory passage

aruund In* central octagonal sanctum. That

windum

too htu
in

on

all

four sides

lkit

only lho south entrance seen

picture hni been kept open since Shnhjuhan'a time.

All

these outer and inner entrance* laid silver doors which are
Ilimlu
(

common to all ranowned

Ihose were uprooted nd ranged un the outer marble plinth before being fri riled oway to Shaitjahan's Mogul treasury.

VedkO

shrinwi,

Kunijwan visitors to jhe shrine around 163) A. I). noticing ihn uprooted costly fixture* auch as silver doors ranged on the marble plidfonn misunderstood them to havo been ordered by
Shshjahan to be used
In the

budding,

^XL'xi.jr^T

11

Lrl

Tb. Taj Mahal

I.

A T>mp| u

,^

Pictorial Annljmld

H we*

confronting him with a trumped-up. dire, 'JJ^Mogul cupfUd oy ultimatum. imperious. Islamic 4 | paH U ya the left and right of framed decorative panels te
Notice ti
depict the doorway. They

toomm

mode unscrupulous, cruel plunder motive which Swihjahan mnkft use of Mununa'a interred body .od stingy hi * crafty plat to msLan(j"ieoijsly t mere r wn in his fabulous temple-palace Maharaja of Jaipur of
this
I

a* both th. *. , mZZ2~

the

EE*

embossed

Om- shaped

Dhatura flowers

The and ooochshefltvpe foliage. below conchsheB design depicted

pond

at the left has the sacred

Neither Shnbjahan nor Mumtez could have been buried hert because this chamber is on the 4th floor above the river turf aw.

Corpses are invariably buried la mothermrih and cenotaph in floors. Consequently this so-called Mum la*' a
octagonal chamber
itself

WW w

ttooe

rtua central

or the sacred spot from which

(Vedlc) Shlvlmg either oovera the sacred Hindu the ShivUn wsa uprooted.

Ttw

right -elde panel deplete a plant with flowers

shaped

like

Mumtez*
beside
it.

the aacrad Vedlc chant

(Om)

&

in

Shahjahan a so-called cenotaph, and below the the basement chamber

chamber. white though the rest of the eenoteph alongside and the two
are
ell

Notice the base slab of

**. decorated with profuse inlay ceacJaphin uai white marble base slob of Mwnl*'e burial in la a teU-tele sign of the faked
stories

^ ^H ^/ 3t ^^ * ^
MiunU.

u J""*"^*

^f h
p
*

--

cenotepha have two red -atone '"3U river level. Therefore oven ^!_ to have bato cover*! Sfcivling ^'fTL.,. to be fakes. The basement Evtn ollwtw** u MunU* cenotaph aa In the by Mumtaz'a fake hJj(h4n and <* cenouipha cocftiw why should there be tw that ai on two floors? That meana

i*^ boo *

^^ ^ ^^^ ^^^
chimbr
.
,

^T ^^^ ^ ^

Th* Tty

MflhaJ 1*

Trait*.

p,^

A
n

Pictorial Aiialyl*

.dil.ion

nay

be

|udg]

fan,

i,

mTi

/Uhtavndliani.

Aahtaputra,

^
fchw

Aahtixlhauj,

Mangalaahtak and Saatang namankar. An'

M^MrtoTT*'
pjKtra fefa!

concentric circles depicting the octal VedJc progression

Sbahjahan and

Mumtaz must be fake. Why should there be even pair of fake cenotaphs ? And since one pair of cenotaphs is fake the crucial question is which is the fake one. The one In the lower or upper chamber? Or does each floor contain one fake and
and Mumtaz?

the genuine cenotaph alternating between Shahjahan

Itisi

pity thai world scholars boasting of high

reputations in history, architecture, archaeology,

forensic science

have been so somnolent for y wire as to allow the preposterous Shahjahan - Mu mta?. legend , stained with carnal love, to pass muster in spite of being riddled with
s myriad loopholes disclosed
editions of this

academic muscology and the last 350 and odd

and discussed in the half-a-dozen book during the last 28 years ?

would do weO to stand still near Mumtai's cenotaph marble lattice for a few moments unitl the dazzle of the hot sun outside vanishes from their eyes. Then they may took up st the dark concave domed ceiling centre from where hangs hain which held the golden water pitcher dripping water on
Visitors
inside the

tbt Stvivang below

(now replaced by Mumlaz'a cenotaph). Around the book (from which hangs the chain) is a sketch
jnoentnc
circles. In the smallest

innermost circle are arrows Around it is another circle aerpmta looking down on the Shivling underneath. Around t is wider circle of 32 trident*. Surrounding it is a bigger ktlm bud8 Even lhi mathematical progression o^jdtipkw of 8 U. a a 2 16 x 2 , 32 x 2 , 7* of sigxuficance and has no relation with Islam. The praponaeraUng ligruficanoB of Vedic 8 in
ring the tsghi surface directions.

Tt S^Vi

"

>:ht..:*m

WO

Th Taj Mahal

I*

A TVmpto p^,
(which

pictorial Anlyai
aril

Th* octagonal lattice around the cenotaph of has replaced or cowred the sacred Shivling) has in
total of

MumUu
its

upper border

HW

The upper border of the octagonal marbl* butu. pitchers. The pfflara marking specific diviaW
left

^'^'^
dbrt

pitchers,
like

and tome oblong

bathing

some rotund and striped (seen to the left) vases The rotund striped pitcher ia seen
The
alias

by solitary pitchers. Count torn the far with on* pitcher. That ia followed by , row
f,

,
(

of |,

underneath with a stream of milk. decorative flora on the vase and other parts of the Tajmahal
the Shivaling

a pillar

surmounted by a

pi^Tr
nm
hmq.
in

ZC^ *
1

solitary pitcher.

Tr*

Tejomaholgya

is all

native to India. Such decoration in the orange,

three pitchers. Those are followed by the entrance irch pitchers on its two pillars and three pitchers
I

^^ Jl
8ttc

Vedic colour behoves a Hindu temple or palace but never a fttamc sepulchre.

sombre

count.

alt

along the

lattice lop,

adds up to

between
pitchen

wkkh

figure has a sacred Vedic spiritual significance.

TV

Tn) Mahal

A Tcmpfo

p^^

Pictorial Analynii

laDs^wHh

central octagonal sanctum am such specious Surrounding the part of the walls paved wJU, marble) tl fl<*jr and lower

complex which Raja Jaiatngh of Jaipur (2sn of the Moguls, owned (by succession)
in

lfc

.7 iW

"y)

>

**W

cub*

perambulatory passage with aperture in ihe rornoie forming the central deity throughout the affording a view of the

archways at the left and pmmbuliiion. as per Vedic custom. The '9 orders. to have been sealed nt Shahjnhan ritfbi may be been

lattice enclosure of the sacred Shivling used to be stuffed with precious stones, gems and jewels. The Shivling been replaced by Mumiaz's cenotaph. The chain banging com the centre of the concave domed ceiling used to hold the

Hie octagonal

hft

pilcber dripping water on

the Shivling.

A gem -studded

fold railing

rakd at Rs. 800,0007- in 1631 A, I). stood around the ShMing, The ancient legendary Hindu peacock throne is also

umiiaed u, have been In this Tejomahateya temple palace. It was BM lure of audi fabulous wealth which impelled Shahjahan to hastily occupy and rob the Tejo Mahalaya temple-palace

Mogul emperor to Shahjahan em*-to to grab the throne. Consequently when In 1628 his treasury was empty. He was rf Ui & *n for ways and means to enrich his treasury. ^^
Shahjahan was the
first

murder

all

hi,>H

^^
^
u

^"J^

Mumlaz

provided that opportunity Tejomahalaya temple-palace complex being

ta 163*

we

su|ll|tfB

**

* **

Maht*

A Temp,,

p^
A
tfc.

pfctoHal

Analyst
*ft

for Murofca'a burial Shabjahan ordered hfa troops u, occunv premises, transport its wealth and cosily fktinga u

ibo

treasury and raise cenotaphs inside. That

objectives in

was

fulfilling three

on* move. The objective* were (I) Robbery Weakening the Rajput Maharaja through impoverishment (3) femCl an Hindu centre of worship out of iconoclastic
Islamic frenzy.

Motfu

^p

^nce

rising from of the marble dome. The pinnacle fa known because of the alack of pitcher, which

close-up or the gOded pinnacle

ajiuT*
it

c^ie

^ ^

extensively tampered with.

take a dose look at the marble patchwork frame* -round the Koranic exacts {bebw the top v C nt,tatorJ indicating how the undent Tejomahalaya temple-palace complex baa beer

Readers

may

The curvy shaft seen

in the

upper

portion

on Lord Shiva's forehead. Above

&

>

"

^
*J^i
bikamaJ

nan K o-leaves curving on either aide with i repre* Such a coconut -topped pitfiber

h Vpiic

^P

tradition.

_
An ert
in

Tlw TJ Nihil

)A

Temple

PaIacv

A
rrplica or tha pinnacle is intoJd in bluish stone-ehipi

Pictorial Aro-lyait

u*

rwlstone courtyard on the eastern side si the fool of the

currently dubbed aajawjib.
rvpltea is said to

Tbo

full-aca]* repjid of Lhe pinnacl, on

W uo

chips in the

red-***

cflurty.nl

bufldinir

fool of
111

u* dunt h

tf*

oo called **,. aU)ri*|

jBWllb

buMi

_ "^ Jl "
.

rt

>

* .*
-,

The

measure about

ft.

and 6-3/4 inches

topped with a coconut diaptoywj

Vcdte significance,

| the

east* ntvanJi

the metal pinnacle on giving one an idea of the exact height of

the dome.

iwwi

*"

The
th*

floor replica of the pinnacle haa

no

lettering

on

it.

But

uppermost oblong- pitcher on the pinnacle -shaft if minutely otaerved reveals some Islamic lettering embossed on it.

The

first British archaeological chief in India

was Sir Alexander

tool

Cunningham (whose declared aim was to use archaeobgy as a

to convert
all

Indians to Christianity and perpetuate British rule

retired

over India )
la

He had

from lb* army engineering corps.

It

surmised that he sent some British soldiers to the top over

a scaffolding, equipped with a flame- thrower- stove to soften the

curvy pitcher surface with red -best and press a stencil into
imprint the Islamic slogan Alla-bo-akabar. But
it

it

to

is

said that the

persons

who

carried out that metallic forgery have also stealthily

t*nrilk>d their

own names

'Taylor' etc. underneath or

I

on the other

side of the bulging pitcher.

could never

make

it

to the top of

the

dome (from
1

lack of adequate facilities to climb that high).

Yet

suggest that researchers and bureaucrats

who

value the truth

facilities

and are resourceful enough to muster the necessary climbing

investigate the suspected fraud

and forgery mentioned above.

The Taj Mahal

la

A Temple

A
Palace

Pictorial Analyst!
act

from which the large white corner of the terrace Th& It background- Only the lower portion of the large dome rbe* in tl Hindu lotus petal design is seen. dome gfitued with the

Cobras form the entire upper border edifice with identical lofty entrance
directions.

of the

arch*

^T^
i

nn^

T>1

"**

That

Is

a Vedic trait. T** cobra,

with Lord Shiva.

The red stone

flight of steps

tba

white (closed) door to enter the hoUow dome may be canity observed (beyond the cupola and the gateway
spire)

tcTa^l^ w * "**W

on tbt

right-band-side. As one enters that doorway one has to travent feet distance before reaching the bay hall inside. That pravn 13
that the

dome
the

story

thai,

made up of angry hammer

is

13

ft.

-thick masonry. Therefore the

stroke of a disgruntled mason made

such an accurate tiny hole

as to allow juat one drop of i daad

only on moonlit

Shahjahan's tear to ooze on Mumtaz's cenotaph

nights
is

a typical specimen of the

fraudulent details that mikt

up the concocted &T3ahjahan-Mumtai

legend of the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal

3)rt

i%

lempii*

PaJn

Ftclorin 1 Anitlyirfe

in

^y

frame of the nick The part of 0 marble Not, .he PPthan to counterpart on the nghl. Also .* fe marb!* i* backer Vedic *** *h * ri *bt "^ 1efl ob*m Ibr ** away and niches were patched up yJom were chiselled

with broken bit* of marble, Readers are advbw4 to *, the niches and door frame* with a magrifyfo.

realize the colossal Islamic da*****, close attention to of the entire Tejomahalaya and marihandling

fa******

^V
V

rectangular ventilator frame Also observe the The right flank oblong atone is a black -tint patch.

temple-^^ ^Jf

n^ ^ ^^
arches

>

Jib: v

embatyfag -circular folda are a Hindu architecture speciaUtv. Tha hybrid genu term *Indo- Islamic architecture' was forged by bafftad Wotem

Observe

the

two

arched

niches.

The

scholars to be

who mistook
.

captured and manhandled Hindu

buMop

Muslim For instance readers may closely observe the barianlaf

w
The Taj Mahal

A Temp}*

hi
.Ijb line

Piiac*

ftirtnrlnl

Analyili
...

dabbling.

two niche*. Tbey betray path WOfk briow the arches of the horizontal narrow marble strip at the Also notice the
crudely patched up.

riverside rear view. The

ocuumd

Wi^i

consisting of pieces of marble of different lints top of the pkture

part of the seven^storied building wbi ch as a moaque from 163] A. . Tn P

part of the so-called Jawah. stone wall In that wall is
is

* <** H j*J^ *****

and

sa*

Cow*!*

JIl + " *
'

* to

flSear

This

the loft side of the west arch. Notice the broken design
left

lower port.on

,s

the plinth. Tn* Upper

r.he

horil^l^^ * * 1W
^ J^jfi?**

n* own
dn !I

patch at the

nd the cracked niche panel at right. The lea -hand

the space below

two marble

side of the marble

fewer frame has an imperfect diagonal black line running down slab has been haphazardly the middle which shows that a random
used to cover

lo^ m

lowers,

^T"

the

paved with red stones, forming the bus of the mHrble

up some Hindu

details.

There are two doorway*

close to the
visible)

in

plinth (not

**n

in th,.

prtff)

two tow- -

above the

ptinth-lin*

rhe pKnlh and the * recent t*o iterw

probably *

Below the
together
in

plinth there

pnd plus the two stories in red stone

make prince Aunngvb's

lh the seven stories of

tetter 10

hh

Likewise the two ftnnkins

(of which only the two

nAtfm*

uU,wul

^^j ^ ^ ^abai. f^ ^^ ^ ^ ^
U

wk**^'^
*
f
_

"f^,' "

corner towers arc

l!

*
J
'

th0

rw are referred to as the mosque * abrupt confiscation of the whol*

*'

^ ^,

abow picture)
r

a*
*

^ ^

g^b^

vm

A. R.

IH

The Tty Mahal

It

A Tempi*? Palace

Pictorial Annlyaia

The three dome* of the to -edited mosque are n misfit in Su** Islam has only one Allah and one prophet for whom
third

Mam.
is fe

This eo-called mosque toe

In the picture is three-storied.

Is

the

**,

dome? Moreover
Raba
in

the qibto
it

(I.e.

the prayer niche)

fit

The

not

storey,

aligned to the

Mecca as

should be

a genuine mosque.
I

Abo when
building

there are three qiblaa instead of one

hey couldn't

all

Thes^led ventilators above the *"? lea mar* the upper storey, while the thw. a!
form the topmost storey. There
reaching
are three
*

th3L^ ^cn ***

pt

-^

Ml

T^

"" 1 *

* **

be aligned to the Kaba at the same time. And since the twin

down

on the eastern flank

is

a non -mosque

it

automatically

to the river level and ,

m*T* "* *"** '^

*"

making

In all seven,

^wieah J? "**an bum^,

follows that its identical counterpart to the west is also a

non - mosque.

Only buildings with the same function and purpose can have an
identical design.

There

is

an

Identical

twin -building facing the marble Tsj

seven -storied red stone marble- top, Mahal from the cut. Wbi
Is advertised

the edifice seen in the above pteturc

mW
I

because
to* .a

it

stands on the wesL flank

its

twin on the eastern

F

a fronud

^
f

of the

*wuhalsya from the west

maaM mQgqw fadnjf ^

At the right rear comer

mm
be

is

justified

Intelligent

in

to* down

wad

bank Six atorfcs and one bdow the river level. Ukcwise. the marble Taj one red .tone basement under the ground, two

i f***
md
iton*

may

a genuine
will

*". by Islamic bluffs as a 7**>' * web visitors must not be taken in by seven-rtcried buMta*

^
f

mosque
In

is

never a

storied red-atone, marble

to the river

-top tower of this are above

atone- Thirdly the Vedte ochrecolour on the eastern flank is a non -mosque to " on the western flank too must be nw m,?T!Li

never be

n*n the

to be

remembered
their uses

that

if

two

bitdimgs are
identical-

river-level u |lwarda

and four

stories

hape
the

too must be

eastern

flank

non-mo***

"

^^^^ ^ ^^ ^ _^in

^^J? j*"^ ^^^

&* **
<*,

um

JIT.COM

Tti*-

316

Taj MahnJ 1* A Temple Pal ac,

pictorial Armlyeli
JIT
.

mrtern side must also --vr, rch or the above

ihouJd have been, had
it

be * non-mosque. The qibln

building
is

U.

the central

not aligned to Mecca as it boon raised as a mosque. The muezzin's

close-up of the octagonal

wen.
at

reaching

down

to

the river

^^
nortW

level

the

the lone Muslim caretaker in the so-called miotni loo is missing. If he lights a dim lantern and guides mosque is talked into cooperation corridors of the seven* storied edifice. one IhiWffh the dark through the identical seven -storied Alternatively one may romp on the east. On the red -stone pavement at the foot of

Tejomahfllaya complex.

^* *

**** U*
<-

building

the

rt*m
may

building is a full scale replica of the gilded pinnacle

shaft that stands rooted in the Taj

Mahal high

dome. Thereto

dearly *ee that the design shows a metal pitcher (based on the midpoint of a curving shaft) with the sacred Vedic coconut placed on curving mango-tree leaves. That the pinnacle replica is

one

displayed on the eastern flank

is

significant because of the

importance

of the East

In

Vedic

life.

The two flanking

buildings

were

reception -pavilions of the temple-palace.

xat.com

The Taj Mihnl

911

A Tcmpln

Pa^
At

A ftcurlal

AnHy*
,i.

murbie ptlnlh baa

f

rt

* toil a

^ton
M

WtyPl

A close-up of the southern wing

^d

such identical oetaRonaj thl courtyard arc earner* of vhich along with In* marble towers at
pavilion*,

of lh

the trident designs inlaid at the two houidI and at the central apex.

-!.,!

""Km

Wo,

"Lr

corners of lh

n* *
1

Plinlh scrved

wa,ch lo*W8

fop

am* 8s larnp towers during the night so during the day Tejomnhnlaya tcmplc-psta, could identify the
<*"* ni8 ht5 '
special significance in
In light* in

J
boWa

^ ^^1^

fnsned op

aci^wi has a

Vedfc tradition which

in
all

that

sway Cod and the sovereign hold

ten directions.

eight surface directions while the pnnaclc The octagon represents the

Consequently

foundation to the nether world. poinu to th* heaven and the octagonal patterns abound in Vedic (Hindu) temples

and palaces.

11* inverted lotas cap on top of the dome is also a Vedic and face apeoafiiy because in Vedic etiquette the hands, feet, eyes
of respected and doted individuals are invariably referred to as lotus-heads, lolus-feet. lotus-eyea and lotus face. Personal names
seefe as

Kama]. Rajeev, Mrinal, Saroj are

all

synonyms

of lotus.

Beyond the river stream

may be

seen a similar redstone tower

vfckh indicates that there used to be bathing ghats on either bank

which were iVmnfahed at Shahjahan's orders. Boats also used to
ply hi those days across the river

stream. Iron rings fixed in

the redstone wall at the rear of the

Tejomahalay were meant to

the ooau.

bank are remnants of KTBcicrea which were razed by invading Muslims. But

The

ruins on the other

" guides

vying to impress gullible visitors

in

a hurry mislead

ur by
blade

bluffing that those constitute the foundation or a

urbts mausoleum which Shahjahan intended for himself. bus the Swbjaheo legend serves as a merry bandwagon in which my number of audi Muslim bluffs could be shoved by anybody
immetely.

When even

the white Taj Mahal isn't Shahjahan's

its

b* couldn't even dream of raising

black marble match

Now

ki. white toarWt lake a dose look at the

*lifc

t^ "1
<

HI

Th* n.J Mohnl

A TeniHp

1^1^

A
square window above the eni ranee arch. Abo nolle h] and gag the rf pinion of the red stone base of the window

FfcUMilll

AlmlH*
ii

cMprH

Such close JnspedJnn from lop lo bottom, inside mnj Tejo Marwlqya temple. pa\mx complex of every ttUk* forming iV will reveal bow the gngmg and Muling, blocking and barring or
thousand* of rooms and hundreds of ventilators, staircases nnd doorways, uprooting idols and burying I hem inside Healed chambers
Ixj

disfigure

imperii
lotlinjr

and defHr a world -famous specimen of glorious and V<dic architecture wilh the help of thousands of labourers
unpaid
lo

was misunderstood by contemporary European visitors such as To vernier. Hornier and Peter Mundy as construction of u mausoleum
the

crack

of

whips

All thill

was o

colossal misunderstanding

and misrupresenlalmn.

When

the casual, stray, foreigners, ignorant of the local language

local

paturad to the

Mur.Um supervisors inquiring as to what

were informed that
technically,

that furious 'building activity' for? they

it

was a mausoleum being readied for Mumtnz. That was

and
tragically

ironically

Lrue

but

factually

il

was

There
vandalism

is

an exact twin of

this

Nsgar Ktuuu

juat opposite on
aid*

accompanied by imperial Mogul robbery on a gigantic scale.

the eastern border of the garden

to

like this

one an tha western

Ea

between them in the centre of the rectangular garden

a marbW

Note the pairs of cobra design on the red -stone panel at the
of
in<.

cistern.

What ore the cobras there

for

if

the building

waa a moaqui

Such symmetrical planning is an

while

hall mark of Vodic architecture

Islamic constructions

are

all

confused conjjlomcmut of

Jumbled -up, pell-mell pal term

edifice

on the next page

literally

The octagonal marble- lop lotus -petalled cupels Khana and its ochre stone, matching thu Hindu flog,
is

of the Kagtr
is

yet pr^thw

ma,
temple

Wd

even to this day known meaning a drum house. Every prominent

as

distinguishing Vedtc trail.

palace has such pavilions

where sacred,

soft

Though only three

garden-level
it

trains used to be played on the ahchnai to Ibe beat morning and evening Tejomahslay temple prayers
txmgPBgulions. CorrespondLnnly

could be that

*i stories of this edifice nre underneath there are four

will (o the massive defensive

seaw

Ui

m*

reaching

down through
rear.

Mm

music

[a

taboo both

complex) at the

mosques and

mausoleums.

Moreover

music

sncl

To the
between
like

right about 50 yds.

away

is

the

are lotelly ruled out in burial grounds we are told Thwefora the

where the dead

Is

Nagar Kluma

y<*

'^ Nagar Khana and the nn octagonal tower outwardly. Hal

this

W "^^

***
^os*
P
s

00
Mnhaluya
mluut

of the temple palace origin of Tejo

Tajmahul

even -storied well with circular stairways w*t*r level lolly inir with the nearby river level-

leading ri*bt

CM

m
(V.

Ttw

Tii)

Mahil

la

A Temple

Ptf&c,

Pictorial Analysis

to*er

the seven stones served as a royal treasury. eapaitjnenb. in (he lowermost storey so that nnuTt-choais used to be well for safety in case the premise -uw br pushed into the Cashiers occupied the to a superior enemy. iU> be surrendered u tUsd on the "P**1" storfeKher ofndais *l stories w^e '"*
in
.

m#

of

the* **"<*

**

-ncieftl

a***" 1 *

"**^ knives
It

The correapondinK tomb of Satumth. t what is dubbed a* Fatohpuri

Ba^JSZT ^ ******

Ite waUT
roadsaoJsm

in

natural airconditioner with the well served as

to

no

(liable

breakdowns)

involved.

Such

ingenious

l^umitof
ataff ,

of nature to

human needs
is

requiring no maintenance

equipment or funds

a unique speciality of Vedic architecture.

Encyclopaedias and other reference books carelessly record that

the Tajmnhal complex consists of guest

rooms guard rooms

,

stables

hopping

arcades

and

pleasure

pavilion a.

All

these

are

All this

shows how

the !avisb> extensive, ancient, ucrvd, Vdlc,

pilgrimage

Hindu

Tejomahalaya

complex

in

being

wfldfr.

indiscriminately, loosely and wantonly contained y ea tiroqw*

and tombs of nondisseript harem women

been hardly ever mentioned
to histoid

*tio bad not

evm

i dwxtrt

roof over their heads during their life-times mid

who* nam**

hn*t

Aa onecome, out of Iteomlon,

.d ton,,
loft

0**OU I-*""**"*
tho

to

pd

on the

.oft

toil

gotowoy

Wwtenaocaa of a Vedlc abrine and not of premises cluttered with TPHi. The picture above deplete pilgrims
a kitchen for
the aide of

while .

little

further on tho

M*
o*n

into tho

boing

ml mS co si

1631 A. D.

is

*J"J^ * b "*, JT "oodcenpt mo^

r

H
tht

"<

^
rw
,

'

'

;<

tan

- now

poiniad out

what wta an earlier sentinel tempi* standi Begum', tomb.

What we have shown above

only

in t sculptural islamic forgery abounding

The Itynuiha) oompte* li **< wUh im army of technicians and scholars

'

^^

usldsrs

^ *

OT:iiK-]?.

Th# Taj Mahal

Is

A TVmple

Pa^
K
to
Pictorial Analyirii

miniv

ww
all

m>

nook,

comer ami

wall

from the crypts

pinnae** of

wO.HundwlJof

Including the seven storfoi the seven storied edifices nwnt. staircases and balconies sealed by Shah jaha

vf) have to be opened up

and pried into.

Mnhol "I met on old prdener k of the Taj and he toTd going on inside the Taj no
the closed rooms.

^^^r,^r^*** }***
u

He saw

with

stacked on the four aid* of Hindu saw him there he i, d^7' room without permission. The

Uw^^""** n*,S *
11

hC, '^ *

*>m,

job

poor f("r forthwith but evenrfnee, he hathL to people who would believe him. He T,t!. the undent faith of the land where ,n accept Islam, by the sword.
left
.

^ ,*
of

***^Z
<*
T

wwrataT. wn * " u
ta
'
bis

^ ** A*^^^^
L ^
,
.

l^^

H **V

TheghostsofShahjahan,Mumtiaindan,k

men and women

fierce

buried in the

and cruel so as to force Govern^ and academicians flaunting high qualification*

T^^**+
t

the world to desist from disclosing tbe incessantly for the last 350 and odd years. This is a tad cxamuJ on tbe frailty of human character They would rather put up with falsity and fraud than disclose the truth and be damned.

*JF25SX

and

aodtJ.^Z

Through tbe threadbare

presented in this book our

discussion of the Thj Mahal Issue objective is to awaken and den scholar!

The four cenotaphs ought to be dug up w<\ examined for the rauou that Shabjahan and Mumtaz, just two Individuals.
arvtbeen buried in two cenotaphs each. Thai clearly shows two of those four cenotaphs are fakes Then Lb question
.

and bureaucrats to the fact that historic edifices throughout tbe world advertised as Muslim are invariably captured property. Tim
the so-called Cardova mosque and Athambra
in Spain, the A)

Acpa

and

Dome on

the Rock in Jerusalem, the Shah-i-23nd and Tanwtow

a which of those are fakes

i

the ones in the upper octagonal

mausoleum in Russia, the Ghazni tower in Afghanistan and the numerous forts, palaces mosques, mausoleums and townships advertised as Muslim in India will be found to pre-date bdam If
the present gullible and shoddy methods of namesake research are severely shunned.
historical

or in Lhe basement chamber ? What is the purpose of ? What are Lhey hiding ? And how- does wpaam away Mumtaz'* cenotaph in Burbanpur 7
fake cenotaph*

lundreds of Vedic idols

must have been buried or walled rijmabal eornpto .hould be apparent from the analysis tto book. A corroborBUon was unexpectedly recently tWe published by a fortnightly titled India Tunes
It.

Untfl
fa

published

my discovery

in

1965 A. D. that the TJJ Mabifl

miwsi not a Muslim mausoleum but a captured and * temple - palace called Tejo Mahalnya, for over 300 yean
'<;

**Atofton, D.C.. U.S.A. on page 12 of the issue &. mi. To* ml* of the article, contributed by Mr.

;<f

"au.

T.

U.S.A. was Karhnla

in

in

Falehpor

a* a nuuw the world of difference in viewing tbe T) Mahal or as a temple palace.

been completely oblivious of the abounding boh- JJ""~ page. TW> " in the edifice such as the one shown on the next

^bJ how when

1978 he visited the Taj

(wt h When one stands near Mumtax's cenoUph the ancient sacred Shivhng) and looks up a*)**.

^ ^^

.^j

^
Th* T*J Mahal
concave domed
oslina* the holy
la

A Tempi*

PbJ,^,

Rctorln) Analyst
Igji

Hindu pattern shown below. the Aw Trom the con in- of he dome surrounded A m^ dhafn hang* 'he ^ifr* Vodfc JI cUons A "nd them is br ihsftl P^'Jnif J*rd Shiv is always associated with Jfi cobras, since
1

lofty red - atone gateway to T ,try tickets in decorated (t abotit the

The

darter ct

surface) by the above continuous and out.

Ww?

Whcre

^
h^
&*r

dMih J* UV

frWn iht

* '"win* bh

OwnH,i
,

the cobras are In th* circle around

.12

tridents, the special

missile of I^rd Shtv.

of Hi lotus circles represent petals of the myslic All Ihwe concentric taut mad* up of multiples of eight.

Hie outer wider

circle is

made up

I
Peer at
it

carefully to realize that the entire bunting

ii

msdt
In

up of such

cleverly wrought .three -in -one Gsnesfa image* (two

profile at the right

In the centre).
in

and

left

with trunks raised and one

is

frontal

Lord Ganesh

appropriately at the entrance iwi

Vedic saffron colour.

are likely to Tf carefully counted they

in exact Vedic multiples of 8.

on the Cenlr a very ancient historic city ttn between Khnndwiiand Bhusawal junctions,

Burhanpur

is

to of the building on the next page bears witness

for the upkeep of captured Hindu

of their pinnacles
historic sites
Is

proof of our succinct and dartr**" the construction is all Hindu

Asirgarh

^ Wu *^j^ ^^ Vnf^9 'T^ ^ f^

,i

^"*
.11

^ MluUra

Burhanpur and the nearby

*>

Th* Tij Mihd

la

A Temcfe Pa*

A PfcUJfW Analyrfi
Taj Malud was

toosjiuliiy to

north or south on imTgrimaie. Hindu royalty proceeding

Hindu implt
rt

pafck*
l

military expeditions.

tw
,

magnificent and majeatie before

cemetery

*wJ ^ fca *'eagb

P|

Burhanpur has many magnificent mansions which are currently

being described as mosques and

The whole spacious quadrangle

the Taj garden
la

outside the

Wty rtnsw

to

tombs of

alien Islamic Invaders,

lined

by such

stately

ihoppng are*

became of protracted Islamic occupation.

one such ancient Hindu royal palace captured by the Moghuls. Mumlaz died here during her 14th delivery around
This building
is

court.. describe* t> * baar of ii the French visitor. Taveraier baa* around hm. outstanding Hindu tempi* bavt seen

AD

1631 A. D, while the

said to be buried in a

and Shahjahan were camping here. She

Hindu pavilion in front of this palace, shown

in another picture earlier.

Tba corridors
Hindu. They

at the

approach to the Taj Mahal are typically

may be

seen In any ancient Hindu capital. Note In*

two octagonal towers (cupolas) at the right and left top in the photo overleaf. Only Hindus have special names for the eigW.
direction!
in

vtd

celestial

hieioric bufldinga

guards assigned to each Any octagonal feature ibould convince the viaitor of their Hindu
.

ongin. Guaida. palanquin -bearers and other attendants resided in bsndreda of room* ilang numerous auch corridors whr-n tbf

m
Visitors standing
its

Th* Taj Mahal

A Tempte

Fa] aco

Pictorial

Armlyds
*1

on the marble platform of the Taj Mahal facing

f

entrance arch should carefully study this design which adorns rts top, Th* uppermost pattern is that of rows of cob
lofty

The dome of Ite

rt

mm

Mahal bearing * W(h|A "l -rusting cigtaUmeUil Hindu bDm T^ ni^T*^ *ta
Tfcj
*

facing ouch cither with

bunting of
bits of

bells.

hoods raised. Underneath them Is an inlaid Underneath them are koranic extracts (nkid
in
fill

a lightning deflector Ux>.

* *"> *

marble of different hues and sizes to

up

flaps left after

ctfrociinp Sanskrit inscriptions and Hindu decor.

The T*j M*hl

Ti

A Tempi*

p,^

Pictorial

AMlyiii

TUt pnnad* tm brm

Thm
has
t$

assumed by mawy to be an Islamic and alar or b %hmio* conductor installed by the British.
blindly

mm*tr*

of the caretesa

manna-

in

which Indian history

ton studied lDJ no*

Visually identifiable things like thit

pm nack

too hMf bee mFsinterpeelfid with impunity.

dam*, beknr the

pimuicli*. in

figure of ihi> pinnacle ia

of I h? vn unmistakable Hindu sign A full-scale inlaid in the eastern courtyard

.

The

Tat us -top

Thr decorative ginfle around the lower pun of the dome idrfpiru k*us petal*, which id stricUy Hindu motif.

also

A dow-up of
liahaJ,

the upper portion of the pinnate* of the

*ftj

photographed from the parapet beneath the protruding dome.

The Hindu horizontal crescent and the coconut top together look like a trident from the garden level
lalaznte

elwtyi complete drcks leaving a

Thii Hindu pinnade had

cracenLa arc always oblique. Moreover they are almost little opening for i star.

m an

all these centuries teen misinterpreted Islamic crescent and star or a lightning conductor installed

by the British.

The emboned writing on the pinnacle needs a thorough forensic probe Researcher* must climb up to the upper -pan of the pinnacle ahown abov* to doaely dmpber the erode lettering on the piLcher
front

bdow the coconut

Alliho

design. It

is

suspected that the

fSn/t British

anrhaaok^cal chief in India, Alexander Cunningham got the Islamic

riogan

Akbar emboased on the metal surface with a flame -thrower atove. fine* Cunningham had mired as a Major Central from the British Indian Army engineering group it ia
bdUe**d thai

among

the trusted lieutenants

whom

he entrusted

th*L forging job

thir

own names
r

wm* one Taylor and others who took care to Imprint too at the same tpot at the front or back. Gen.

in

pursuance of that nefarious plan that

Mualims.
thpt

^"'^T.
g

aai

made

the first archaeological chief

in India

only

historical bridges towen. fort*, tn*iw***>

mc*

he had vuggoted to hia higher upa a cunning plan to attrf buta hE*orkal adlffcw in India to Muslim a to put them at loggerhead*
to Aiure perpetuation of British rule in India.
It

to invading
like

It ia

biw* chkan*

^ kvfe fW t^.
te

nide. a halter around Indiana historical

wkh Hindu*

wa

>M

XU

Th* Tnj Mahal

A Tcmpfe

p^

a picUJrW Analyris
building wrongly dubbed of the flacOdflB a* j Wlfa (__(,,. Jnifiiat Khana (community haul by alias Muslim W| _ -aketcbe* in courtyards are common ftaor
Hind., trait

Thts ful scalt figure of the pinnacle on the dome, has been iniaid in ibe red -stone courtyard of the Taj Mahal.

g^ri H

to

the

uackgammoo board which

is

Zv^
Zm

la

courtyard Thai the pinnacle design has been sketched on to*

aketcbod in

na nk to also significant since the east In Vedjc culiure.

a water pot)

of primordial important,

The coconut- lop and the bent mango

on a kalnsh
(i.e.
ia

leaves underneath
motif,

rerttau

Hindu shrines in the Himalayan foothills have identical pinnack*. Thaisstern location of the sketch is also typically Hindu. The length measura

a sacred Hlnda

almost 32

ft.

The apex of the

lofty entrance arches on

all

four aide* of the

Taj Mahal bears this red and white lotus Indent - tadtaUn* that the building originated as o Hindu temple The Koranic letumay

forming the middle strip was grafted after Shahjohan seised toe buudtng from Jaipur state's Hindu rotor, Notice the puicba of

marble of dissimilar sizes and shades around the Karon, making tracU were used only it dear thai the stones bearing Koranic
to
fill

and

cavities left after digging out Sanskrit inscription! Vedic idols around the archways on all four a'da of lb* Taj

up gaping

edifice.

One may

see

it

to the east

the foot of the rivemfde

wch

iVlorUl

Analyst

S7
sanctorum row occupied by Mumteas
fix* rs*.

This

is

Tne

flow

WWe perambulating around

'CW
deafens
all

this blooming qjJ drawn over the exterior of the octagonal cenirtl <**"* sanctum of where now . fake grave in MumUu's name,

ic*nteiion

the Dhatur. flower essential f0r Hindu Shiy* k b depicted in the .hup* of the ascred e JTTr* ?"
.

ccnlrl*

octagooal

*OM: Embossed daafcna of

^oJpa Jfbor

through the central door, cnsblod perambuWitu rlunj noen a<*P lncir eyS fixed " the Shiv * -rcon ,n *
to

"W

This perambulaUwy passage

originated as a temple.

is

yet another proof of (he

along the exterior aurfac* of the marble wall

.^ZT the contra! chamber one may .WZt

has been

eX having

chambers one above Hindu Shiva icona are consecrated in two two grave the other. Therefore Shahjahan had to raise and U otter of MuroUs - one In the marble basement
the ground floor to desecrate and hide both
oubJie

on l* view. That explains why two cenotaphs

^"**

Alio on the same wall (not seen In this photo) are embossed

to

be erected for a single corpse.

marble panels showing foliage of the conch- shell design which wain
i a aacred

Hindu motif.
Such are the rooms on of the Taj Mahal. The two
of the 1st floor
staircases

kudm*

Such are the magnificent marble -paved

shi/iintf,

cool,

while
floor

is re kept locked and barred since Shabjahw

Iheee upper storey

bnght rooms of the Taj Mahal temple palace's marble ground

Even thelowar third portion of the walla iseovcrod with roagni new t
marble mosek. The doorway at the left looks suspiciously closed a alone abb. One caui perambulate through these room* around
with
the

chambera Is Mogul troopers who encamped in Uw **** other **ay silver doors, the gold mflin nd
*o hotl

darkened by

^^ ^rj ^^ ggprf **

^^^

T^^ ^ a>m 4
t**u*

srbk structure
floor

water and cook meals.

Tlw Taj Mahal

\s

A Temple Pnlac* A
Pfctortal Analysis

ThffV,or

u*

*V

upper <r rooms cm * seen marble panels Shahjahan >wwtrioDed off their
wall* of such

Visitors

may

go to the back of the

al the foot the

or wafern end and descend down

to In.

*y- Bui

u H W -grill u TOr wnicti it up an iron,- K .. door which It keeps inside from the iron grill m the fnrni fa

^ iS&Sj? W
m* y
lb,

?|Z*

^*
vL y

" l th

* *

hlH

upp,,. pari n , \ r Mrt of'tbe

locked

"*

* "*

C V

**p

contraiing grave* rod engraving the Koran because he did nol

t wbmf

rocn to procure

marble matching the splendour of the

also so stingy as

n* mwKteum.

not to want lo nmcb even on convening a robbed Hindu temple into an

addressed four letters to Raja Jafeingh of nd tome sundry mv\to. That was adding Insult to

Lb* Tij Mahal.

Ho was

He

J^n*b

fat

W.

wrpt*d to supply marble to disfgure

^T^ltt^** "y
I

marble but afco

lAundmd lemple-paiace by littering it with ? And lhere">re "* nol only

^^
d

W(jrk|fr3

^ dwn
MurctM
"*rbW
f

l>

ih*

y>n*triol

tton^

one

at the

other end

piinUi

i^

*cb Btthp

** marWc platform

Two

such

western ends) behind Lbc J^ tner chambers.

The Toj Mahal

is

MB
Shiihjntwn had

Trnipfo pj

*ll

(>vcn

lhese

lwo

stairea *M-

It

wm

A
the

Pictorial AnnlynJH

time the storio flpn*^ lh n. ftul from themnrble ground floor have been barred to visitors, bttar ind above Mogul dictates and Muslim secrecy though still following

Mfch who
are

^Mahaii's

of

India

k<*pa conopiniloriaUy

W#

tang free IWffl

Mbful

'^m"*

ru,e -

Therefore th public must , jnTOmria? locked and sealed chambers in

*!l

kic]ttri

One

of the

S locked
hi

rooms

fn

mxrhl? pisiform of

Taj

MahaL

the secrel storey bene-nth the which the Archaeological Survey

Strip, of U ndent Hindu paint UJ> , n nl i n rubbed off by Muslim dBcr,,to

u,^*** U* **, moaumW^T ** * Wlll '*

to

Uvdoo^v Uomch boveh^^

ra

^J ^ h
n
Hjn|

^
tf

*** lhrt *f

l.

obfe^

The rooms may be ween 4oor- within d public knew that the Taj Mahal b gtoeJTj!?, room* they would inata en seeing U*
only peep inta ife grave chamber and
wh.1* of
,,,

T
U*

"*
'

*%

Til * mL lhflr

One of the

ffi

room,

in the

seer*

phnth of the Taj Mahal. Many

W ch

underorth
f

fctun*

th.

Thf Taj

MftbnJ ta

A Tempi*

MS
teng 1 unknown to the P" *** *** much ll If ihe pW>f
vffl Inwrt that
fi9 buildings.

p^
it

Pictorial Analysis

^w

M
tS

ilM

* *
all

IL

" ly
the

mbsIn *

in

' **">.

Ml^al

th*

gawmmwii

unseal

the seven stories i n

One of the 22 riverside rooms Mahal unknown to the public.

marble Taj wantonly diari^ it n doorway Such imperial Mogul
public. This

in
5'

Shahjahan

all

room

fJISV*' * * TW Cr^T* W * **4 vandault.^? ** *

tt

is

in

ih* red stone

the marble plaform. Indian history has in lauding destroyers as tfreat buildm.

mT
b^f
'

*ta% W
t

ff<im **

be referred to not as the

creator of

A comer of one of

he 22 rooms

in the secret storey immediately

of

and disfTgurer or the of the holy Tejomahalaya.

its costly fixtures

^^^
"

tUn* Tb^tn^jT3 ** m

iiZ"Jjt!!!7 *' *eren* }a

*X

Mahal. Note the strips of below the marble platform of the Taj Hindu paint on the wall. The ventilator at the left, meant for air

from I he riverside, has been crudely walled up by Shahjahan. He did not bother even to plaster it. Had Shahjahan built the Taj mausoleum what was the purpose of such 22 rooms ? And is
and
light

why arc they kept locked

Shabjahnn's
deliberately hidden

Such crude, unplastcred

building -work which

fillings constitute
is

much -flaunted

carefully and

from the public.

Th* TaJ Mahnl

344

fa

A Temple Pbjb^

Pictorial Analysts

of the 22 rooms in n secret , ^niilator of one sealed with unplastert^l bricks by bPi* middy been so perverted and Inverted that alien HjStorv has who spoiled, damaged, desecrated and
buildings,

Tills eaoteric

Hindu design
Its

xco

the 22 kicked rooms in the secret

of the Taj Mahal
.

Hindu

nM m ^ at bti ,_ name R^^ *

m
pai
is

** *
P**'*

Z?to* Shahjahan ZZ* historic Hindu

This crude

are being falsely paraded as unplsstered wall blocking the tail arched
building
i>

El venfcW Isfahan's grand CAS)

^togcal Survey
lone of the Taj

of India

work. Govt, of India's hidin* such waging and

^Hpic and span

Swhjahan

Mahal from the Public and fraudulently passing Hindu features of the Taj Mahal as the creations

Taj fled Shahjahan built the

MW

sealed an such elaborately painted rooms rooms only Even now one can enter these

be^ J-JMo^
if

J F-

one can

remove the archaeology department to

its locks.

Th# TkJ
340 flunk of the

Mahd

A TVm| Jo Pntn w

pictorial Analyris

On U* tnnw
in

rd *ton*

22 locked rooms Cin tbe secret storey bout .__ ^ iho mnrbk* platform) fa this corridor about

m
enables one to identify even a hare plinth Hiajj. Jfcwrrtaor i> pitch dark bwauaeShiihl^iinhMaeai^^^^^

allowing light and air.

"^"Wmiihrt*,

Many such doorways

of chambers

in secret

atones underneath

the Taj Mated have been seated with brick and lime. Concealed
inside could be valuable evidence such as Sanskrit inscriptiona, Hindu
idols,

the original Hindu model of the

Tiij,

the deaecratwi Shiva

Lings, Hindu scriptures and temple equipment. The Congress Govt

in Delhi
is

deliberately refraining from opening hundreds of such

sealed

chambers

inside the Taj Mahal for fear ef enraging

historians worldwide.

Muatos

and exposing the incompetence of

Besides such sealed chambers there are many which

locked by the Government. The public must

in

kepi

raise its voice to hare

these opened or should institute legal proceedings.

Development Area, Shree P. N. Sharma of F-26 Safdarjang

New

Delhi -16

who

tbeae chamte peeped through an aperture into

In 1934 A.

D. saw a pillared

carved on the hall with images

pfl

Ksrve Road. Mr. Ganu an optician of Swapna Neguri.

also had a glimpse of
vital

P^e o

some

dark of those hidden

*^"^

But Taj Mahal. evidence of the rape of the Hindu

8.5 a. brood and 320 ft, long. Note the scallop design at the base of the plinth Huppurung the arches, This is Hindu decoration which

The Taj Mahal

la

A Thnpl*

p^

pictorial Analysis

, Mumta*'*, to Ibl rear riverside. TO, te tbe to go one mny notice that the few-Aorta]

Most people content to

_,
-

riv^T
!

***
f "" n

below

Not, at the left indicating that in the arrb there ar. , ibfl row of arches In the upper of

||

two more Aortal

marhv *

in red atone.

In addition to the Tour atoriea in marble, this one arches in the 5th atoroy.

^ ^' that n ^^ rtdfUw,

lra

\Z^ ? ^ ** *
"'* i

**

TttlT*

*"

The th storey

lies in

the plinth

in the low**

photo. In another photo a doorway would be awn

p*^
f

In the left

of the plinth, indicating the presence of apartment* Inside where one could emerge on the river for a hotb.

TW a riverside view of the Tij Mahalitortw marble structure above has under it these two pboUj down to the river level. The 22 rooms shown in other
This
is

*""**

were teen-agers then and

idols. <m

felt

baffled

by the incongruity of Vedic

wrmi was ftdvertbwd

BO hlarnji won ijff4Pl!< oleum.

sreb u behind that line of arches seen in the middle. Each gro hy Hindu lotus discs in white marble. Just above lb*

kat.com

360

Th Taj Mahal
In the bfc corner of the plinth is a

)A

Tomja,

p^

ngtfbl

Analyirf'

m
by the
tiny white

doorway indicating that inside the plinth are many rooms sealed by Shahjahan, OnJ could s**P out <* tn * " ver ^nk fnjrn l "* door at the left. Tho 7th storey is surmised to be under the plinth below the
Is

the plinth

^wr
rt the

level indicated

p**

ahowl

ground

photo Hash. Aa one stands on the red .tone pavernmt of the marble plinth of the Taj Mahal, the red .none J, left-hand extremity houses the weft *
>bovfl

o3 ?

because every ancient Hindu mansion had a basement. Excavation to reach the basement chambers should start under this door. There
is

an

identical

door (not seen

in

this

photo) at the right corner

of the plinth

traditional treasury well of the Hindu tempi* n&wa chests used to be stacked in the lower stories. Treasure Accountant* ^niers and treasurers sat in the upper stories. On being beaiwed

This

was the

marble chamber and the basement) are above these two red stone stories, That raises a

Mumtaz's

so-called graves

(in the

suspicion that

Mumtaz
?

is

not at

all

buried in the Taj Mahal because

to be surrendered to the enemy the buflding had the treasure used to be pushed into the water for salvage later chests after For real research, water should be pumped out Q f this recapture. WG 1) to reveal the evidence that lies at the bottom. This
if

weB

is

bow
th

can a corpse be buried on a stone base two stories above

river level

Her mock -burial was a mere ruse to capture ant plunder the Hindu mansion.

near the so-called mosque to the west inside a tower been a mausoleum thia octagonal Taj. Had the Taj
well would have been superfluous.

of the marble
multi- storied

An

aerial

view of the Taj Mahal

in

alias

Tejo Mahalaya, ancient

Hindu temple palace complex

Agra. For the last 300 years the

world has been fooled into believing that this stupendous edifice

was buBt by the 5th

commemorate one of

his dead wives

to generation Mogul emperor 9iahjnioi Hanking - Mumtaz. The two

in

Swings
apartments along This ia the massive octagonal well with palatial the descends right down to its seven stories. A royal staircase

although identical, only the one

the rear

is

known

jt

mosque. But since the building on the east ii a nan -mosque jt* counterpart on the west must also be a non mosque. Thougl
a
is

being misused aa a mosque, its qfbla

i*

not aligned to the

The TnJ Mahal

muezxln'a tower.

A Tempi* Pal^ A
Pictorial Ariftlyiil"

Kab* and

ft

tJs lc

m
them
lip

The Taj

MaM

hut seven stork*. 3S* of

sealed and

tarred cflivwitfiif rich evidence.

The marble building

in the

centre

" symmetries) ones. The one in the foreground t flwifo) by one. The one in the background is being mfercpna unfed I, tbr tastfm west. Those should not have mosque because ft Is lo the
if

been identical
at the foot

only one

was to be a mosque. In the courtyard

of the eastern building

inlaid o full- scale replica of

left

lb trident pinnaclebuilding,

The

tiny

tower at the

near the western

aldoses I huge octagonal seven -storied well.

This

is

a riverside view of the Taj Mahal. The four-storied

it

marble structure above has under

these two stories reaching

in other

down to the

river level.

The 22 rooms shown

photos are
is

behind that line of arches seen in the middle- Each arch

flanked
level

by Hindu lotus discs

is

In

white marble, Juat above tbe ground

the plinth. Io the left corner of the plinth notice the doorway

indicating that inside the plinth are

many rooms sealed by Shahpihan.

One could step out to the river bank from the door it the leftThe 7th storey is surmised to be under the plinth below the ground
because every ancient Hindu mansion had a basement. Esrawition U> reach the basement chambers should fUrt under this door-

Mumtai's o-caJled graves

(in the marble

chamber and tbt

That misaa a

beaement) are nbove these two red stone storiw

^scipdon tow can

that

Mumtaa

is

iwt it aH buried

In tbo Taj

Mahal beeaoat
ftoriae

corpse be buried on a atow haaa two

the river level ?

The TJ

Xlahil

UA

Tfenpfc

p^

PAVANA

VAAUNA

wrHvi

GAGAMA

TAMA

The square diagram to the

right above enclosing nine equal

Above
in

is

a sketch of the Brahadeeshwar temple of Tanpvur

in the arris!

divisions, pertaining to the Vedic deities personifying

cosmic forces,

Tamiln&du province of India. The layout of the Taj Mahal shown

view of the Taj

forms the sanctum of every Vedic temple, and

is

known

as Ihe

on the front cover of this book and

Vtu Purosh

Mandal.
is

shown hereunder being

then endowed
in

identical

proww

ihst so -called Taj Mahal

That square sanctum

an octagonal frame

originated as a Shjv temple centuries before the 5th generation

depicted in the diagram at the left, That is the contour of the

Mogul emperor Shah>ahan,

All

sanctum of the Vishnu temple at Decgarb (India) and of every

other Vedic temple.
Figures 8 and ICH are considered very holy in Vedic tradition

ancient churches in Euncje follow the

same

layout because

they too were pre-Christian Vedic temples which

wot

misused as

churches by invading Christian zealots

because of their cosmic signi fiance . For instance the distance between 108 times the diameter of the sun, the distance from the earth to the Moon is 108 times the diameter
the earth and the sun
is

Three centuries

later

Mohammedans

too emulating Christian

usurpation advertised and misused captured Vedic temples and

palaces as Islamic

mosques and tombs.

his

of the Moon,

modem computer

calculations are octal;

satellite?

Emperor Sfashjphan himself and

have been very honest
Taj Mahal.
tn

son and successor Auranpub

into space are octagons], and so on.

laying no claim to the authorship of the

So much so that the very ram* Taj Mahal doesn't

contemporary Islamic chronides.

figure in their court records or

Contmrily Shahjahans letter dated 3 Febrraiy

No. 35. earlier No. 46) in the State Archives
in

16

tfistad

&

BDcaoer (lafia).

"tossed to Raja Jaisingh orders marble from the Makrane, <puny (in Jaipur State) for Islamic tempering in ih* Taj MataJ and dif^cta
Utat the marble be delivered at the 'buildings* in the ftkui

capul

TW TsJ

Mahal

to

A TWipi,

py^

A PictorUI Analywi

Agra signifying the Tnj Mahal complex comprising of several aevn itorwS building* K needs to be noted thai all Mogul records shun the use of the term Taj Mahal like a plague because lhal la the
holy Hindu, Sanskrit

Vedk term, Tejomahalaya (Sbiv) temple

Sovital

calW

historians
detail.

all

over the world are totally ignorant of thii

The

bufldlng above located in

Agra
title

I*

being currently dubbed a*

ithnad Uddaula, That being a

conferred on Muslim courtiers

is

absurd to designate a building by thai Ulk-

Tbe Muslim canard

is

that Mirxs Chios

Beg who held that Utlt

regent . had during the 4th generation Mogul emperor Jehangir'i corpse By whom that grand palatial building raised over hb

By

daughter or his ton -in-law emperor ? And palace for it where are Ghias Beg's corpse could command such a wmn alive and kicking the palaces in which Ghias Beg lived
his wife, son.
i

gaffiNe in gulping Historians the world over have proved highly failed in their academic dut>

such Mualim canards and have totally to closely cross- question such bogus claims.

Emperor Mirza Ghias Beg was the father of Nurjshan. had her husband Jebangir being infatuated by Nurjahan'a beauty, of his teaming murdered to kidnap and detain Nurjahan as an inmate
pot* of harem. Consequently her father was elevated to the tWdaula. minister and was decorated with the title Itinwd

Sato

had a large harem in the usual Uustm Even so there is only one pair of cenotaphe in the csntrai Mrs of the above building for Mr. and Mrs. (Which

The

latter too

had one loo many) Chins Begs

3M
But that
is

Th* Tal Muhal

not
all.

1.

Tim,,**

^
INDEX
Wh
84. 85, 109.115 Abdul Karim

is

Every room of the above palatial buiMf cluttered with Mr. and Mr*, pair* Of Muslim cenotaphs

ihou"h

ffvcry

Mualim

dSgni Lory had scares of wives

Is

And yet none of Lhe cenotaphs bears any name, that those cenotaphs BTO mere Muslim sftaimps and scare- crowto occupy Hindu mansions.

girnmirki

BSkramJit 139.

Had the above budding own really raised over Chios fk^'s corpse how come other Mohds. and Ahmcds and FaUrnaa and Ayeshas
rest there incognito ?

Abd Fnznl 345 Ahmad B7, 11' Ahmad -bin Arabshah

I

Brown, Percy 167. Chsmanl Begum 133.

Chanda. Ramesh 186, 197.
Chandl Sewa 176,

194

Had the building been asombre multitudinous Muslim mausoleum

Ahmedsnah Abdul 88 119. 157,221,224.

Akbar79.89.
226. 236-

why

should

And why

walls be adorned with decorative painted designs ? should the building have three stones built in exquisite
its

Chandragupta Maurya 212. Chandrsmauleeshwar 201

Collingwood R. G. 15. 244.

Akbarabadi Mahal 133.

Alaptagin 118

multi-coloured gleaming marble ? Besides the two stories seen fn the photo above the third is underground. All such consideration!!

Cunningham
Daniel 154.

166. 167. 174. 199.

Alimardan
Allah 245.

Khan 211
KhElji 157,

prove that the above building

is

the king's palace built during Raja

Dara Shikoh 65. 131

149

Parsmardidev's regime 500 years prior to Shahjahan, as mentioned it* the Sanskrit inscription quoted in an earlier chapter.

AUsuddln

Daubl
Dells

Afaal 131154.

Alimash 157.

DauktKhan
Shirffll 180.

The above
and replace
it

analysts should serve to alert honest historians

Amanat Khan
alt

VaUe 130.

over the world to totally jettison the current gullible mode of teaching

Ambedkar

71

De LaeL 133.

by the

legal

mode of

judicious cross -questioning or

Anderson 153.

Der Spiegel 26.

every claim and assertion

Aneesh Ahmad 222

Asaf Khan 13,
1 33.

Aurangxeb

53,

6*,

73.

Ill,

Dhama B. L. 127. Dome on the Rock 31 Diwanji Begum 160.

Dawson J
Elliot Sir,

141*143, 151, 213.

18. 40. 50. 138. 210.

Austin de Bordeaux 116.

Einstein 12.

Azam Khan
Azizulls 99.

139.

H.

M.

18, 19, 40. 50.

Axcexoodeen 110. 111.

58, 59. 110. 138, 145, 152. 153.

155. 157, 177. 21 0, 245,

BaWH.12,
2S7

146-150, 179,221,

Earn 84,
Fatah

Khan

42.

B&gw&n-fM
Bahlo! IjhII '221.

Fatehpuri Mahal 133,

Fergusson 125. 161

FcrtreshahTughlak 157,
Galileo 12, 26.
2-13.

Bakhtawar Khan 89,

llannuhar 81.
H:r.v.ml
;"18
I

245

Gandhi.

Mahatmo

222.

Brnier 75. 87.90. 110. 132. 133.

Gauharn 131.

1%

215.

Geronimo Vironeo
Ghosh. Arvind 23

116. 125-

Ahaglrath Bhil 139. Uliawani 206.

Chhuuddin Tughlak 225

Ibsdtfl

Bcfum 150, 2."

1.12.

Ml
Indti

Harvard UnhrrsUy 27

Mi
130.

U7
'

"25,

HawetlE.B.69. 116-118 125-127.

129,172,
Hernu (Himu) 119, 154.
Herbert

^
la *

Mohd Ghprl 1W.

Mohd. Ibrahim 44.

237,

Kasim Khan

Oak P. N.

33. 191-193.

KeeneH.
133. I2. 207.

C.

I35>

ina*'

Mohd
Mohd.

tea

Afandl 116

Paramardi Dev, KaUi 199.

Parikahil 140.

Jalal 195.

196

Thomas

2M. 215

ffindallSG.

21a'

i2'

143. hd Kaalm 138.

Parvez, Prince 154Ptra 84.

Mohd Khan 89-91. IW.

Mohd. Prophet 27.

Hoshang Shah 226,

HunwyunSS,
Huriri

149. 150, 166,167,

Khan Jahan 138-140. Khan Zaman 140.

Pratt School of ArchlUsciure 183.

Piice,

Mohd Sadtk Khon

Mahd. Shah
tfig

89. 138.

Major 153.

1T4. 204. 221.

Khawaspum

44.

Princeton 30.
PrilhviraJ 140.

Nka

176, 220.
131. 160.

131

Tbribim 125. 147, 148, 204.

Inayil
India

Khan 89. 138 Book House 22.

Khusru CKhossrau) Khwajs Abul Hasan

Krishna 146.

Mohd. Sharif Ranif 89. Mohd. Woris 89. 138.

Moinuddin

Purenchond

70,

Ahmed

109, 112. 129,

Roghu

138.

175, 177. 169, 160. 170-172, 157.

Rat Bharat Malla 89.

Kutubuddin

India Allah

Khan 222.

In

116.

Ismail

Khan Rumi

Lakshrninarayan 140. Langley 15*

Moinuddin Onfall 14. MonseitnUs 245

Raja Basil 141

Rama
120.

83.

84.

Mubarak Manzfl 119,

MukhcrjiS. P
Multa Abdul
85. 115.
51. 57, 80. 83.

Ramlal Kashmiri 84.

Itfnvad-rjddaulah

2H.
Jafar

68. *"' 211 200 '

219.

Langlots 244.

MufazzalKhan 89, 117.

1.
ifiS^
I

Ram
12. 40.

Singh 217.

Latfulk 88,

1.1

Renicr G. 3. 15. 247.

Khan

132. 133,

Mahabat Khan 138.

Hamid Labor
100,

Rudradaa Khajanchi 109, 110,

Snbuktogfn 118.
Sadutta

Agsl Singh HI. 221

Gutabrao 70. -J*****!! JaaanaraTT, 131

Makammal Khan 84, Makramat Khan 109.

Manilqaj 140.

115,

130.

132.138,140,142,160,210.211.
227, 237, 238.

Khan

141.

Safdarjang 59.
frequently)
72. 73. 78. 133.

m m .St"*3
J*"* ".42. 45.8,
J^Khwa,

Manrfque

116, 133.
12, 32.

o.

Mansingh

42

148, 149,

Mumlaz (occurs Mundy Peter 63,

,

Saksena B> P. 116, 227.

Salim Chisti 14.

154, 156, 221. 232. 249.

134

Manuccl Nicolao 132. 163, 236.

l&\ 242. Murad Bakih

Niujaraja,

Sanders J, H. 194.
131, 141, 144.

Margabandhu
Marshall, Sir

192.

Nadir Shah 210.

116,

Sang Bemkhal 140. Sankey. Lord 15. 218.

I

John

Rao Dr. M. S. 186.

Sarhandi

Begum 78.

79. 134*136

Massachusseis

Institute

of

187.

Schiller F. C. S- 244.

Technology 27.

Nupolean 49.

Sefgnbos 244.

******&
*d
j

nud Khan 87. ^1*. Marvin l|. t W< WO. 207. 251.

Norasimhniao P. V. 191, 192.

l87i

Sen S. N. 58.

Nar Singh Deo

138.

Shuh
Iluzbar
si

Ismail Safwi 1#>.

,.7-

^,"r wants:

Mohd- AmEn Knrwfni 89. Mohd-Wn KaaJm 257 Mohd Ghaua 14 ^nd-Ghiiiannvi 28. J 18. &l, M2H.
!

Nuwub Ibrahim Jung 88.

Nixnmuddin 14. Nurjnhnn 133, 21

Khan

ih Jahan

(occurs fivquenLly)

Shahji 133
Shaht-iar 131.

NiaiunShah 138-140.

Shah Shu ja 131.

139, 144.

|ftfl,

Shahu
I

10

Nuiulltas5mSiddii|uMI,12,

IS,

Shama-I-Shlrw

Afif 245,

The Taj Mah

Shanand Satyadeva 23, 24.
Shayista

fo

A Temple

fc^

OTHER BOOKSBY^HRjQAj
Published

Khan

133,

Taylor, Bayard 109, 207. 208 Tessftori 245.

Ujla 138.

By

SherShahm
Shta32,
125,

HINDI SAH1TYA SAIUN

151.198.201,202*

Umaid Baksh
Valmlkl 83.

131.

201-236. 208.
Shivaji 217

Vaze K. V. 126, 127,

World VedicHhritaci
\ History
In

Shukrullah Arab 42. 44.

Verma R.
216,

S, 69.

Of Histories

$ikandarLodi221.
Sleonan
217,

VikramadiLya 212.
115,

W.

H. 109.

Vishnu 199, 200, 207.

Vishaldeo 59. 221

Smith. Vincent ll. Ufi

221.

m,

two volumes The author has successfully proved in rhiv book that Sanskrit language was spoken and Vcdic
Culture prevailed throuyhout the world before the rae

149.

Waldemar Hansen
Warls 133;

76, 77.

SuriaBano
Syed

Walsh W. H. 244, 247.

131
ifif),

of Christianity

Muhammad LaMf

Wazii'

Syed Sulaiman Sahib Nadvi 88.

Tamer-tain 28. 144. 228,

Khan

42.
ia5.

Williams.
Zafar

M5

ity

iqa

Evan T. Khan 140.

fti.

Somf Bm
I

.\kk.s

Of

Indian
in

Hmkh U RfMLtn
incites

he author,

mis book

some hlundos
is

Wnieru,

ZaLmulla 84.

*.

12.21.50,^72.
123.

122.

Zorawar

of Indian Historical Research This popular work

Oak

>

most

1.17

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hATiwn

Pam<i

PNOak

hasg-u-n such e

kkss ~

xat.cqm

14
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like

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vd him
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I

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?
' hie

--.'

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hum

'mm

imnwprt1

'P '

muled il

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