Real History of "Taj Mahal" "The Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal built the Taj Mahal. It was built in 22 years (1631 to 1653) by 20,000 artisans brought to India from all over the world! . Many people believe Ustad Isa of Iran designed it." This is what your guide probably told you if you ever visited the Taj Mahal. This is the same story I read in my history book as a student. NOW READ THIS....... No one has ever challenged it except Prof. P. N. Oak, who believes the whole world has been duped. In his book Taj Mahal: The True Story, Oak says the Taj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz's tomb but an ancient Hindu temple palace of Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Mahalaya). In the course of his research Oak discovered that the Shiva temple palace was usurped by Shah Jahan from then Maharaja of Jaipur, Jai Singh. In his own court chronicle, Badshahnama, Shah Jahan admits that an exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in Agra was taken from Jai SIngh for Mumtaz's burial. The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur still retains in his secret collection two orders from Shah Jahan for surrendering the Taj building. Using captured temples and mansions, as a burial place ! for dead courtiers and royalty was a common practice among Muslim rulers. For example, Humayun,Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are all buried in such mansions. Oak's inquiries began with the name of Taj Mahal. He says the term "Mahal" has never been used for a building in any Muslim countries from Afghanisthan to Algeria. "The unusual explanation that the term Taj Mahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal was illogical in atleast two respects. Firstly, her name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani," he writes. Secondly, one cannot omit the first three letters 'Mum' from a woman's name to derive the remainder as the name for the building."Taj Mahal, he claims, is a corrupt version of Tejo Mahalaya, or Lord Shiva's Palace. Oak also says the love story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale created by court sycophants, blundering historians and sloppy archaeologists. Not a single royal chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates the love story. Furthermore, Oak cites several documents suggesting the Taj Mahal predates Shah Jahan's era, and was a temple dedicated to Shiva, worshipped by Rajputs of Agra city. For example, Prof. Marvin Miller of New York took a few samples from the riverside doorway of the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed that the door was 300 years older than Shah Jahan. European traveler Johan Albert Mandelslo,who visited Agra in 1638 (only seven years after Mumtaz's death), describes the life of the city in his memoirs. But he makes no reference to the Taj Mahal being built. The writings of Peter Mundy, an English visitor to Agra within a year of Mumtaz's death, also suggest the Taj was a noteworthy building well before Shah Jahan's time. Prof. Oak points out a number of design and architectural inconsistencies that support the belief of the Taj Mahal being a typical Hindu temple rather than a mausoleum.Many rooms in the Taj ! Mahal have remained sealed since Shah Jahan's time and are still inaccessible to the public. Oak asserts they contain a headless statue of Lord Shiva and other objects commonly used for worship rituals in Hindu temples. Fearing political backlash, Indira Gandhi's government tried to have Prof. Oak's book withdrawn from the bookstores, and threatened the Indian publisher of the first edition dire consequences. There is only one way to discredit or validate Oak's research. The current government should open the sealed rooms of the Taj Mahal under U.N. supervision, and let international experts investigate.
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Supporting article from :
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/was_the_taj_mahal_a_vedic_temple.htm
This presents photographs (listed below) that show the Vedic influence found in such buildings as the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and other structures in India. It also presents photos of drawings and art that have been discovered from other parts of the world, such as Arabia, Egypt, Greece and Italy, that show a definite Vedic influence. No matter whether you accept all of this or not, it nonetheless makes for an extremely fascinating and interesting story. Take a look and decide for yourself what you think. Also, let other people know about these, or download them to print and use them for your own displays in your temple, office or home.
We have all heard how the Taj Mahal, which is considered one of the great wonders of the world, was built as the preeminent expression of a man's love for a wife. That it was built by emperor Shah Jahan in commemoration of his wife Mumtaz. However, in our continuous effort to get to the truth, we have recently acquired some very important documents and information. There is evidence that the Taj Mahal was never built by Shah Jahan. Some say the Taj Mahal pre-dates Shah Jahan by several centuries and was originally built as a Hindu or Vedic temple/palace complex. Shah Jahan merely acquired it from its previous owner, the Hindu King Jai Singh.
This controversy is something I have explained more thoroughly in my book, "Proof of Vedic Culture's Global Existence." So, for those who want to know the details of this issue, you can find it there. And here is the photographic evidence that will provide greater insights into this. The point to consider is how much more of India's history has been distorted if the background of such a grand building is so inaccurate.
These photographs are taken from an album that was found and then smuggled out of India. On the back of each photo there is a stamp mark that says, "Archaeology Survey of India." This signifies their authenticity and that they were the property of that institution. This means a number of things: That the Archaeology Survey of India (ASI) has been researching the evidence that proves the Taj Mahal and many other buildings were not of Muslim origin, and that they know this information but remain silent about it. It also shows that in spite of this evidence they refuse to open up further research that would reveal the true nature and originality of the buildings, and lead to understanding another part of the real history and glory of India.
These photos are black and white and were found in a simple photo album in India. Except for old age and some water damage on some of them (creating white spots in areas), most are still in relatively good condition. Each photograph was accompanied by a typed caption taped in the album near the photo, each of which gives a very interesting explanation of the subject and the Vedic influence recognized on the building and what it means. The captions accompany the photos on the following pages just as they were written in the album, so the style of English and the explanations are kept the same. I did not write them myself. They are obviously written from an Indian perspective. Whatever I may say about the photos are displayed in brackets [ ]. Otherwise I let the captions and photos speak for themselves. Some of these photos will show areas of the Taj where the public has no access, or what is rarely seen or noticed.
It is because of the manipulation of history by invaders that the true greatness of India and Vedic culture has been stifled or hidden. And it is time that people everywhere realize how numerous lies and false propaganda have been passed around as if it were the truth in regard to India and its past, as well as its art, archeology, and the wonder of its culture. India and its Vedic society was one of the preeminent civilizations of the world, as I explained in "Proof of Vedic Culture's Global Existence." Now, through the increasing amount of revealing evidence that is being uncovered, that greatness of India's past and its contributions to the world are gradually being recognized. It is because of this that it is now time to rewrite the history of India.
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ADDITIONAL ONLINE ARTICLES
"The Question of the Taj Mahal" (Itihas Patrika, vol 5, pp. 98-111, 1985) by P. S. Bhat and A. L. Athavale is a profound and thoroughly researched and well balanced paper on the Taj Mahal controversy. This paper goes well with the photographs listed below. It uncovers the reasons for the rumors and assumptions of why it is said that Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal, and presents all the inconsistencies of why that theory doesn't hold up. It also covers such things as the descriptions found in the old Agra court papers on the Taj; descriptions and measurements of the building in the old records; Aurangzeb's letter of the much needed repairs even in 1632 which is unlikely for a new building; records that reveal Shah Jahan acquired marble but was it enough for really building the Taj or merely for inlay work and decorative coverings; the observations of European travelers at the time; the actual age of the Taj; how the architecture is definitely of Indian Hindu orientation and could very well have been designed as a Shiva temple; the issue of the arch and the dome; how the invader Timurlung (1398) took back thousands of prisoner craftsmen to build his capital at Samarkhand and where the dome could have been incorporated into Islamic architecture; how it was not Shah Jahan's religious tolerance that could have been a reason for Hindu elements in the design of the Taj; how the direction of the mosque does not point toward Mecca as most mosques do; the real purpose of the minarets at the Taj; the Hindu symbolism recognized in the Taj which would not have been allowed if it was truly Muslim built; and even as late as 1910 the Encyclopaedia Britannica included the statement by Fergusson that the building was previously a palace before becoming a tomb for Shah Jahan; and more. A most interesting paper.
"An Architect Looks at the Taj Mahal Legend" by Marvin Mills, is a great review of the information available on the Taj Mahal and raises some very interesting questions that make it obvious that the Taj could not have been built the way or during the time that history presents, which makes it more like a fable than accurate history. This suggests a construction date of 1359 AD, about 300 years before Shah Jahan.
The True Story of the Taj Mahal. This article by P. N. Oak (from Pune, India) provides an overview of his research and lists his 109 proofs of how the Taj Mahal was a pre-existing Hindu temple palace, built not by Shah Jahan but originally at least 500 years earlier in 1155 AD by Raja Paramardi Dev as a Vedic temple. Mr. P. N. Oak is another who has done much research into this topic, and such a study is hardly complete without considering his findings. The evidence he presents here is a most interesting read, whether you agree with it all or not, or care for some of the anger in his sentiment. Mr. Oak has presented his own conclusions in his books, most notably Taj Mahal--The True Story (ISBN: 0-9611614-4-2).
The Letter of Aurangzeb ordering repairs on the old Taj Mahal in the year just before it is said to have been completed.
The Badshahnama is the history written by the Emporer's own chronicler. This page shows how Aurangzeb had acquired the Taj from the prevous owner, Jai Singh, grandson of Raja Mansingh, after selcting this site for the burial of Queen Mumtaz.
This site http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A5220 gives the BBC's view on the Taj Mahal and briefly explains both sides of the story, that maybe Shah Jahan built the Taj and maybe he didn't.
THE PHOTOGRAPHS
The following photographs are divided according to content and accessed through the links. Click on the photo number for access:
| Taj Mahal Photo #1 | Aerial view of the Taj Mahal |
| Taj Mahal Photo #2 | The interior water well |
| Taj Mahal Photo #3 | Frontal view of the Taj Mahal and dome |
| Taj Mahal Photo #4 | Close up of the dome with pinnacle |
| Taj Mahal Photo #5 | Close up of the pinnacle |
| Taj Mahal Photo #6 | Inlaid pinnacle pattern in courtyard |
| Taj Mahal Photo #7 | Red lotus at apex of the entrance |
| Taj Mahal Photo #8 | Rear view of the Taj & 22 apartments |
| Taj Mahal Photo #9 | View of sealed doors & windows in back |
| Taj Mahal Photo #10 | Typical Vedic style corridors |
| Taj Mahal Photo #11 | The Music House--a contradiction |
| Taj Mahal Photo #12 | A locked room on upper floor |
| Taj Mahal Photo #13 | A marble apartment on ground floor |
| Taj Mahal Photo #14 | The OM in the flowers on the walls |
| Taj Mahal Photo #15 | Staircase that leads to the lower levels |
| Taj Mahal Photo #16 | 300 foot long corridor inside apartments |
| Taj Mahal Photo #17 | One of the 22 rooms in the secret lower level |
| Taj Mahal Photo #18 | Interior of one of the 22 secret rooms |
| Taj Mahal Photo #19 | Interior of another of the locked rooms |
| Taj Mahal Photo #20 | Vedic design on ceiling of a locked room |
| Taj Mahal Photo #21 | Huge ventilator sealed shut with bricks |
| Taj Mahal Photo #22 | Secret walled door that leads to other rooms |
| Taj Mahal Photo #23 | Secret bricked door that hides more evidence |
| Taj Mahal Photo #24 | Palace in Barhanpur where Mumtaz died |
| Taj Mahal Photo #25 | Pavilion where Mumtaz is said to be buried |
