Agra: A recent incident at the Taj Mahal has sparked controversy after two youths associated with a Hindu nationalist group offered Ganga water inside the iconic monument. The act, captured on video and widely shared on social media, has reignited debates over the religious significance of the site.
The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha claimed responsibility for the act, stating that the youths believed the Taj Mahal to be the Tejo Mahalaya, a Shiva temple. According to the group’s national spokesperson, the youths brought a one-litre bottle filled with water from the Ganges and performed what they described as a “jalabhishek” inside the monument. In the viral video, the young men are seen walking through the Taj Mahal with the bottle on their shoulder, eventually reaching the main tomb area where they poured the water.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), responsible for security at the Taj Mahal, quickly intervened. The two youths were apprehended and handed over to the Tajganj police station. The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha maintains that the offering of Ganga water is their birthright and asserts that the Taj Mahal is actually a Shiva temple named Tejo Mahalaya.
This incident is not an isolated one. There have been previous attempts by individuals and groups to perform religious rituals inside the Taj Mahal, claiming it as a Hindu temple. Just a few days ago, a woman reportedly brought scrap materials to the monument, intending to perform a similar ritual, but was stopped by the police.
The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha’s spokesperson emphasized that their members had brought scrap from Veeresh and Shyam Soron and that the offering of Ganga water was a fulfillment of their claim. “Offering Gangajal is our birthright,” the spokesperson stated, referencing an earlier incident involving a woman named Meena Rathore, who was also stopped by authorities while attempting a similar act.
The Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most iconic monuments in India, has long been a point of contention for various groups. While the monument is widely recognized as a Mughal-era mausoleum built by Emperor Shah Jahan, some Hindu nationalist groups have claimed it was originally a Hindu temple.
The recent act of offering Ganga water inside the Taj Mahal has raised security concerns and sparked discussions about the site’s religious and cultural significance. Authorities are investigating the incident and the motivations behind it, as well as taking measures to prevent future occurrences.
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