Dr.B.Kalyani, M.A, M.Phil, B.Ed, P.Hd, Senior Lecturer, RMK Engineering College
One enters the huge gate to have a glimpse of the dream in marble. The milk white building of Marana marble in its maiden beauty stands before him with all its glamour and grace-a challenge to all the huge structures in the world.
There stands the main building on a raised platform igniting the tourist to the white dome capped by a brass trident. The octagonal building has four gates on the four sides-one being open for the visitors.
The gates are all arched and have latticed walls. Crossing the huge red and white sandstone gate one faces a volley of camera men on the platform ready to associate one with the unearthly beauty of the building for ever. A few steps down and one walks between sprawling lens and green hedges. The two stone paths flank fountains in a canal. One finds oneself among peoples from different nations and states al engrossed in the appreciation of the white palace before them.
A two minute walk takes one to the platform on which rises. the big central hall where it is said king Shahjahan enjoys eternal sleep with his wife Mumtaz defying even the claims of death. In the centre of this hall under the echoing dome lies the grave of Mumtaz. Shahjahan’s grave is by the side of the central grave. The dome above is painted in Rangoli style.
One has just to come out and enter a dark chamber down through dark stairs to see two graves said to e the original ones. The four corners of the platform have four beautiful minarets-all in white marble. On the four corners of the main building too there are four cupolas all in marble. No one is now allowed either to reach the interior dome hall or the cupolas or to go up the minarets. On the back flows river Jamuna with approach gnats connected with the wall of the building. It is said that the beautiful building was built between 1631 and 1653.
Four years together a number of people have noticed certain features in the whole structure which create a doubt in the mind that Taj Mahal is originally not a tomb as it has been declared. The myth was at last exploded by two archaeologists from the USA who took some marble samples from the main building.
A chemical analysis has shown that the building must have been built at least four hundred years before the times of Shahjahan. The analysis supports the claims of Mr.P.N. Oak. Director of the Institute of Rewriting Indian History. new Delhi. he claims that the people throughout the world have been kept in dark by some historians and other vested interests. Much evidence has been collected that goes to prove that Taj Mahal (The crown among palaces) is actually the building of a Shiva Temple.
According to the old history of Agra there should be five Shiva temples in Agra. But now there are only four. One has conspicuously disappeared. An inscription has been found at Bateshwar, a religious place 36 miles away from Agra depicting the unparalleled beauty of a Shiva temple built in the vicinity of Agra in 1155 A.D. by King Paramardi Dev.
The time is round about the same as claimed by the American archaeologists. Taj Mahal has been claimed as the central building of a very big Taj Complex spread in some acres of land.
A keen observer can find a large number of signs that go to prove that the building is not a tomb. There is a belt of lotus flowers around the waist of the main building. The inner circular lattie is considered as the ‘Parikrama’.
A British architect has stated that there is an identical building of Shiva temple in Java built by ancient Hindus. It is high time that the government appoints a Commission of archaeologists, architects and scientists to prove the authenticity of this ‘Dream in arable’ as a tomb or a temple converted into a tomb.
Agra has been a tourist attraction due to this beautiful building and benefited a lot in the past. It would rather look strange that it is due to this famous building that this big city of Uttar Pradesh has been put to a disadvantage.
Vested interests in the governments and the political circles do not allow new industries to establish in Agra on the alibi that the gas, smoke and chemical discharge pollutes the air spoiling the marble.
There has been a demand even to shift the Mathura refinery which is more than 45kms away from the Taj. The Taj of course cannot be shifted from its present lap of river Yamuna – the industries may.