In the historic city of Agra, a legal plea has been submitted to the local court in Uttar Pradesh, advocating for the execution of Hindu rituals within the premises of the Taj Mahal. The plea asserts the Taj Mahal as an “ancient Shiva Temple.”
Duly filed on a Monday afternoon in the Civil Judge Senior Division Court by the ‘Yogi Youth Brigade,’ the petition explicitly calls for the offering of Ganga water and Jalabhishek at the Taj Mahal during the Mahashivratri celebration.
According to the petitioners, the Taj Mahal is more than just an architectural marvel; it is, in fact, a “Shiva temple known as Tejo Mahalaya Shiva Temple.” Therefore, on Mahashivratri, they contend that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) should grant permission for the performance of Jalabhishek within the Taj Mahal.
Notably, the issue of converting the Taj Mahal into Tejo Mahalaya was previously raised during the Urs of Emperor Shahjahan, prompting legal action by Hindu organizations. The case, initially scheduled for March 4, faced a delay due to the recent demise of advocate Sunil Sharma, leading to a postponement until March 22.
The current plea, seeking authorization for Hindu worship at the Taj Mahal, has been presented by Kunwar Ajay Tomar, the state president of the Yogi Youth Brigade. Advocates Shiv Aadhar Singh Tomar and Jhamman Singh Raghuvanshi represent Tomar in the Civil Judge Senior Division Court.
In their plea, the petitioners specifically request permission from the ASI to conduct an anointment ceremony with Ganga water on Shivratri, involving four officials. This ceremony, they argue, should acknowledge the Taj Mahal as the Tejo Mahalaya Shiv temple.
Kunwar Ajay Tomar, the petitioner, contends that the Mughal era witnessed the demolition of thousands of temples, replaced by tombs and mosques. He asserts that the Taj Mahal was originally the Tejomahalaya Shiva temple, preceding the Mughal intervention.
Shiv Aadhar Singh Tomar, representing the Yogi Youth Brigade, delves into historical details, citing the construction of a Shiva temple named Tejomahalaya Tejomahal by King Param Dev Dravidev in Agra in 1212. Tomar suggests that the Taj Mahal, completed in 1653, underwent modifications, as indicated by Aurangzeb’s letter to Shahjahan in 1652 regarding structural issues.
Symbolism plays a crucial role in Tomar’s argument, emphasizing the presence of Hindu temple symbols such as Kalash, Trishul, Lotus, Coconut, and Mango tree leaves on the outer walls of the Taj Mahal. This, he contends, aligns with the architectural elements found in Hindu temples.
Remarkably, this fresh petition arises more than six years after the ASI had previously stated, in an affidavit to an Agra court, that the Taj Mahal was a tomb constructed by the Mughal emperor for his wife Mumtaz, responding to a plea asserting the Taj Mahal’s status as an ancient Hindu temple.