IN THE HON’BLE HIGH
COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD.
(Under Article 226 of
constitution of India)
Annexure No.
Civil Misc. Writ Petition
No. of 2004
(District – Agra)
Institute of Rewriting Indian History Through its Founder President, P. N. Oak.
S/O Late Shri Nagesh Krishna Oak, R/O - Plot No. 10, Goodwill Society,
Aundh, Pune – 411007 and
another…………..Pettioners
VERSUS
Union of India through
Secretary,
Human Resources
and Development (HRD),
Government of
India, New Delhi. ……………….Respondents
That some
other glaring considerations are cited hereunder which are not necessarily
exhaustive, in support of the claim of the petitioner as under.
The Nomenclature of Taj Mahal is it-self the symbolic Tejomahalaya
i)
That the term, “Taj Mahal” itself never figures in any Invader Court
document or chronicle even in Auranzeb’s time. The meaning of the term “Taj Mahal” is a crown among residences,
therefore the attempt to explain a Mausoleum as Taj Mahal is ridiculous and
absurd.
ii)
That since the very name, Taj Mahal, means a crown place or a
resplendent shrine (Tejo Maha Alaya) and
not a tomb, it cannot be a Mausoleum.
iii)
That several European visitors of Shahjahan’s time allude to the
building as Tej-e- Mahal, which is almost the correct traditional, age-old
Sanskrit name Tej-o-Mahalaya. If Taj is believed to be a burial, how can the
term “Mahal” i.e. a mansion apply to it? Both the components of the name, viz.
“Taj“ and “Mahal” are of Sanskrit origin but not of Arabic or Parsian origin.
IN THE HON’BLE HIGH
COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD.
(Under Article 226 of
constitution of India)
Annexure No.
Civil Misc. Writ Petition
No. of 2004
(District – Agra)
Institute of Rewriting Indian History Through its Founder President, P. N. Oak.
S/O Late Shri Nagesh Krishna Oak, R/O - Plot No. 10, Goodwill Society,
Aundh, Pune – 411007 and
another…………..Pettioners
VERSUS
Union of India through
Secretary,
Human Resources
and Development (HRD),
Government of
India, New Delhi. ……………….Respondents
Relevant
Evidence for exposer of truth in relation to the Authership of Taj Mahal
*****(A) That If a psycho analysis of the emperor is
made, we will find that he was a cruel hard-hearted stingy person devoid of any
cultural or artistic softness, lacking any generosity to lavish wealth on art and
culture and particularly lasters of a man totally committed to physical
indulgence and such a person cannot build a world marvel in memory of one his
numerous wives. In fact none of the earlier or later Invader Emperors had
indulged in such a lavish sepulchral fantasy.
(B) That there is a record in history, by any
of the historians of any part of the country or by the Court chronicle of the
Mughal Emperor about the date of death of Mumtaz. If such a world-class
monument is built, over a span of 22 years to mark the man’s love for the
woman, then why was the date of death not recorded in the court chronical the
Badshanama?
(C) That the name of the test is Carbon-14 Test
which is well accepted scientific test to determine the age of wood.
(D) That
a piece of the wooden door (riverside eastern doorway) of Taj Mahal was
tested in an American Laboratory which revealed that door to be 300 years older
than Shahjahan.
(E) That there is a lot of architectural
evidence, which clearly indicates that the Taj Mahal cannot be a Invader
Monument architecturally. It does not have any similarity with any monument,
undisputedly built by a Invader Emperor or a Invader Architect.
(F) That the so-called claim, that the Taj Mahal
was built by Shahjahan, can not be satisfied the grammar of Architecture. On
the contrary its architecture that it was a Hindu Temple. The Architectural
design of Taj Mahal does not accord with the claim of Invader authorship of
such a building.
(G) That Well known Western Authorities on
Architecture such as E. B. Havell, Mrs. Kenoyer and W. W. Hanter have recorded
that the Taj Mahal is built in the Hindu Temple Style. Havell points out that
the ground plan of the Ancient Chandi Seva Temple in Java is identical with
that of the Taj in terms of architecture.
(H) There is nothing on record or in history
that Shahjahan had any special infatuation for Mumtaz. In fact history records
that he used to run after various other women, starting from his daughter
(Jahanara) to his maids he had many wives and besides a harem of five thousand
women. His special love for Mumtaz is thus a psychological absurdity.
(I) The Human experience indicates that Carnal
physical sexual love is an incapacitating emotion. A womanizer ipso facto is incapable
of any constructive activity. Thus a person like Shahjahan cannot build a world
marvel like Taj Mahal.
(J) That Encyclopedia
Britannica states that Taj Mahal building consists of guestrooms, guardrooms
and stables. Those are all irrelevant, inconsistent and absurd in a mausoleum,
since a dead wife would not go out riding or entertaining guests at parties.
Further it comprises of about 500 rooms. Residential accommodation on such a
stupendous scale is unthinkable in a mausoleum. The Taj Mahal has pleasure
pavilion which a tomb would never have. Apart from existence of other Vedic
tradition the most significant one is. The Interior of the Dark Dome rising
over Mumtaz’s Cenotaph has a figure-sketch of 8 directional shafts set in a
small central circle, surrounded by other circle respectively depicting 16
cobra, 32 tridents and 64 lotus buds. (the main dome is also lotuscapped). All
those motifs being multiples of eight are of Vedic significantly Cobra, Lotus
and Trident are always associated with Lord Shiva. The Mehtab garden is
innundated and looks desolate. Its scenic beauty will reappear only when the
floods recede”. The rear portion of the building complex remains safe is a
mystery. The stream keeping away from the rear wall has prevented damage.
Thus from Aurangzeb’s
noting, i.e “On Saturday too I visited
the spot and then I called on the Prince (Dara) who also paid me a return
visit. Then taking leave of all I resumed my journey (to take charge as
govrneor of the Deccan) on Sunday and today the 8th instant I am in
the vicinity of Dholpur…”
It is apparent that in 1652 A.D. itself the
Taj Mahal building complex had become so ancient that it needed elaborate
repairs. So what was carried out in 1652 A.D was not the completion of a new
building but the repairs to an old building complex. Had The Taj Mahal been a
building completed in 1653 it would not have fallen to the lot of a chance ,
lone visitor like Aurangzeb to notice the defects and order repairs in 1652.The
defects should have been noticed by the thousands of workmen and hundreds of
court supervisors who were supposed to be
building the Taj Mahal. And since
such serious defects had been in fact noticed a year before completion all the
tom-tomming of the “master –builders” of the Taj is utterly
unjustified. The builders of the Taj were no doubt master-craftsmen but they
were not Shahajahan’s contemporaries but Hindus of several centuries earlier.
Similarly it was not Shahjahan who commissioned the Taj Mahal but some ancient
Hindu king . Likewise the Taj did not come into being as an Islamic mausoleum
but as Hindu temple –palace. The builders of the Taj Mahal –ancient secret
revealed
“Tourists come from the world over to see Taj
at Agra and all marvel at the genius of
the architects that could plan and
accomplish so lovely a “dream of marble”.
(K)
They were commissioned by the
Mogul emperor Shahjahan to raise a mausoleum befitting his love for Mumtaz
Mahal , his beloved consort ; and they created this Wonder of the world.
(L)
“Yet, despite strenuous efforts
to discover it , their identity had
remained a mystery ;wild guesses as to their origin being foreign were abroad.
Even Bernier (1642 A.D.) notes only a rumour that the architect was killed lest
the secret of his art be revealed and a rival to Taj created.
(M) “But the secret has at long last been found
in a manuscript book discovered lately in the library of Mr.Mehmud Khan of
Bangalore. The glory of building the Taj belongs definitely to India,to a
family of Lahore architect, Ahmad, the father ,and his three sons. The book is
in Persian verses in the Persian character, its author being Lathfullah
Maaahandis, himself one of the three son architects and it is almost 300 years
old, falling within the last years of Shahjahan’s reign.
(N)
It has been declared to be
the only copy in the world, by the well-known authority on these matters , Syed
Suleiman Sahib Nadvi,Principal ,Shibly Academy ,Azamgarh.
(O)
“The book is in Mahandis’ own
handwriting .As is noticed from different verses, the author was a staunch
follower of Dara Shikoh , Shahjahan’s eldest son ,and when Aurangzeb finally
came to power, after defeating Dara Shikoh, the author and his family suffered.
He sent a petition to the emperor but as it was not heeded the family had to
retire into seclusion and poverty.
(P)
“It seems that the book was
very secretly kept by the family in fear of Aurangzeb ,as it contained verses
in praise of Dara Shikoh .The subsequent dates and writing on the last page
show that the book was brought and kept in the library of the library of the
historical personage Nawab Ebrahim Khann
Hazbar Jung ,the famous Mahammedan general nick named Gardy ,who sided with the Maharatas in the
battle of Panipat in 1761 against Ahmed Shah Abdali.The book has been in the
family of the present owner for
generations, but it was not noticed until Moulana Syed Suleiman Nadvi ,the well
known historian, author and editor of the Moariff (the monthly journal of the Society of Authors and Shibly Academy,
Azamgarh ,U.P.) Discovered it and, on information gleaned from it, read a
lengthy Urdu paper on the builders of the Taj in Punjab University.
(Q)
“In the verses on two pages of
the book described in the article, the author praises Shahjahan ,and speaks of
his father Ahmed, the ‘Nadar–ul-Asar’ (the unique of the world ),as supreme
master craftsman, geometer ,astronomer and prosateur .He was appointed
court architect by Shahjahan’s Ryal
Warrant ,and was the builder of the Taj
Mahal at Agra and the Lal Quila (Red Fort) at Delhi. He died in 1649,two years
after the Taj was built .The author his son and co-architect of the Taj learnt
at his feet.”
(R)
Article titled Some Facts About the Taj Mahal by
Mohammed Din, published in The
illustrated weekly of India dated December 30,1951.The article runs thus:
(S)
“When The Taj Mahal was built,
the many mechanical aids available today were unheard of; yet the extraordinary
ingenuity employed in its construction and the high degree of engineering skill
evidenced in its design make the mind pause.
(T)
Not less remarkable were the
talent and skill of the artisans employed. In translating this fabulous
architectural dream into brick and mortar, and area 967 ft. long and 373 ft.
wide was excavated to a depth of 44 ft. where sub-soil water was met .The whole
excavated area was filled in mass with rubble stone in hydraulic lime to
provide a common foundation for the three heavy structures, the Taj Mahal ,
Jamaet – Khana and one mosque which were to be raised close to one another.
About 20,000 men were engaged on this work.
(U)
“Over this foundation the
plinth of the Taj Mahal , 313 ft. square and 8 ft. high, was built in stone
with hydraulic lime mortar and marble
stone casing. The casing was laid after the rubble masonry was raised to its
designed height, then the marble facing was set.
(V)
“The main engineering problem
was to haul up the materials to the required height during the progress of the
work. This was done by constructing wooden
pillars of square timber posts bundled together and skillfully tied with
top levels at different heights, and so spaced as to carry a strong platform 40
ft. wide and a spiral roadway with a slope of 1 in 20, to permit loaded mules
and mule carts to run over it, and to hold dumps of materials for construction
work. This spiral platform was continuous and ran all round the dome, and
remained in position till the work was raised to its designed height of 240 ft.
above ground level. Special engineers were engaged to build the scaffolding and
platform, and 500 carpenters and 300 blacksmith were employed on this project
alone. The total length of the spiral platform was about 4,800 ft. The mortar
was hoisted by means of Persian wheels, which were fitted on the spiral
platform. These were worked by bullocks and mules.
(W) “The materials for the massive work were
brought from many distant places. The marble stone was obtained from
Makrana in Rajputana ,for which about a
thousand elephants were engaged. The maximum weight of a block of stone was
about 2.5 tons, which is the safe carrying capacity of an elephant. A number of
elephants were also engaged to work the pulleys.
(X)
“The timber for scaffolding
was brought from the Kashmir and Naini Tal areas. About 2000 camels and 1000
bullock carts were employed for carting bricks and light materials to the
construction site and about 1000 mules for lifting the materials along the
spiral platform.
(Y)
“The marble stone required for
drum and dome was dressed on the ground and then lifted and laid in position by
means of pulleys…
(Z)
“After the main dome and drum work was finished, work
on annexes and subsidiary buildings was taken in hand and completed in the same
manner.
(AA) There are four minarets at the four corners
of the Taj Mahal …
(BB) “The river Jumna was half a mile away from
the structure. After the building was completed , the river was diverted
artificially to flow alongside the Taj to add to the beauty of landscape.
(CC) “Contemporary Invader writers recorded the
names of those who designed and constructed the Taj Mahal, and the names and
quantities of precious stones used. It appears that Mohammed Isa Afandi, of
turkey, was the chief designer and draftsman. Among the other foreigners
employed on the construction, there were men from Arabia ,Persia, Syria
,Baghdad and Samarkand and there was at least one Frenchmen, Austin de
Bordeaux, a goldsmith.
(DD) The precious stones used included 540 pieces
of cornelian from Baghdad, 670 turquoises from upper Tibet, 614 malachite’s
from Russia ,559 onyxes from Deccan and 625 diamonds from Central India. The
construction of Taj Mahal was begun in
1632 and was not completed till 1650.It is believed to have cost more than a
crore and a half of rupees which in terms of the present value of money ,would be at ten times as much .Two
thirds of this were contributed by the State office and one third by third by
the State treasury of the province. The allocations of expenditures on different parts of the
structure have been carefully recorded in documents which are still existent.
(EE) “Shahjahan, magnificent in his kingship, was
equally magnificent in his sorrows. This exquisite memorial of an emperor’s
love was built by the sorrowing Shahjahan for his departed spouse. He
manifestly designed it to go down in history to a worshipful posterity; three
hundred years after, it is still acclaimed as one of the supreme achievements
of the architect.
(FF) The measurement mentioned could of course
always be taken from the erstwhile Hindu Temple palace, which stands before us
today as the Taj Mahal, and stuffed into any post-mortem of the construction.
(GG) The account of how the
edifice was erected is apparently the result of an hind-sight post-mortem
carried out by some contemporary architects, as far as they can visualize it
.As for the 500 carpenters and 300 blacksmiths and such others employed, we
have no special objection because that many would be easily absorbed in
erecting even a scaffolding around the massive Hindu Temple palace, which the
Taj Mahal is, to convert it into a Invader tomb.
IN THE HON’BLE HIGH
COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD.
(Under Article 226 of
constitution of India)
Annexure No.
Civil Misc. Writ Petition
No. of 2004
(District – Agra)
Institute of Rewriting Indian History Through its Founder President, P. N. Oak.
S/O Late Shri Nagesh Krishna Oak, R/O - Plot No. 10, Goodwill Society,
Aundh, Pune – 411007 and
another…………..Pettioners
VERSUS
Union of India through
Secretary,
Human Resources
and Development (HRD),
Government of
India, New Delhi. ……………….Respondents
The following
conclusions emerge from what Emperor Shahjahan’s own court chronicler has
recorded in the official history of the reign, Badshahnama :
1.The
Taj Mahal is a Hindu palace.
2.It
has around it a majestic and spacious garden.
3.The
huge building complex was obtained in exchange (if at all ) for almost a song,
i.e. at best transferring to the owner an open plot of land. This too seems
fishy because the location and the size of the plot of land are not mentioned. Most probably it was just a
blatant expropriation effected by turning Jaisingh out of his wealthy ancestral
palace. The detail that Jaisingh was compensated by gifting him on open plot of
land is obviously a royal Islamic bluff to cover up the fact that Raja Jaisingh
was blatantly robbed of his wealthy temple-palace.
4.The
Hindu palace had a dome.
5.Mumtaz
was buried, so they say, under that dome soon after her exhumed body was
brought from Burhanpur to Agra, if at all.
6.The
estimated expenditure (to transform the
Hindu Palace into a Invader tomb ) was Rs.40 lakhs .(the actual expenditure is
unknown ).
7.Of
the above sum , Rs.5 lakhs was spent on the grave and cenotaph and the balance
of Rs 35 lakhs on the scaffolding and
the Koranic engravings.
8.Designer
or architects are out of the picture, since the Taj Mahal was never raised by
Shahjahan.
9.The
Hindu palace was known as Mansingh’s palace during Emperor Shahjahan’s time
though it was in the occupation of his grandson Jaisingh.
IN THE HON’BLE HIGH
COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD.
(Under Article 226 of
constitution of India)
Annexure No.
Civil Misc. Writ Petition
No. of 2004
(District – Agra)
Institute of Rewriting Indian History Through its Founder President, P. N. Oak.
S/O Late Shri Nagesh Krishna Oak, R/O - Plot No. 10, Goodwill Society,
Aundh, Pune – 411007 and
another…………..Pettioners
VERSUS
Union of India through
Secretary,
Human Resources
and Development (HRD),
Government of
India, New Delhi. ……………….Respondents
The above account being
fairly plausible fits with the truth that the Taj Mahal is an ancient Hindu
palace commandeered for conversion into a Invader tomb.
In spite of this
fundamental vagueness we would have accepted the duration of the period during
which the Taj Mahal was a building if there had been any consensus about it
among historians. Unfortunately, there
is none .See how many versions are there:
1.The
Maharashtreeya Jnyankosh quoted (Pp. 35-36 ,Maharashtreeya Jnyankosh
,ibid,Vol. 15) says that the
“construction commenced in 1631 A.D. and ended in January 1643 A.D.”That
gives a period of a little less than 12 years .
2.The
encyclopaedia Britannica (P. 758, Encyclopaedia Britannica ,1964 Ed.,Vol. 21)
says “the building was commenced in 1632.More than 20,000 workmen were employed
daily to complete the mausoleum building itself by 1643,although the whole Taj
complex took 22 years to complete .Unlike the first encyclopaedia ,the latter gives
us two separate periods :one of 10 to 11 years and the other of 22 years. About
this latter period of 22 years we would also like to know why the mausoleum
needed a building complex containing stables and guard and guest rooms was
Mumtaz still supposed to go riding, casting away the burqa and escorted by
large cavalry contingents? Was she also expected to receive guests?
3.Tavernier’s
account runs completely counter to all Invader versions, which form the basis
of the encyclopedic accounts quoted above. The Encyclopaedia Britannica account is actually as amalgam of the
Tavernier and Invader accounts in as
much as it borrows the figure of 20,000.workmen
and 22 years from Tavernier while deftly weaving in it the 11or 12 year period
fancied in Invader accounts.
Tavernier (PP.109-111, Travels in India, ibid.) says he
witnessed the commencement and accomplishment of this great work on which they expended 22 years
during which 20,000 men worked incessantly .The cost of it has been enormous.
The scaffolding alone cost more than the entire work…”
Even
presuming that Tavernier arrived in Agra in 1641, and the work began soon after
his arrival there, it should have lasted from 1641 to 1663.But Shahjahan was
deposed and imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb in 1658 .How then could the work of
the Mumtaz mausoleum proceed until 1663,i.e. five years after his losing
control of state affairs ? And if, in fact, It did, what are we to make some
Invader accounts, which claim that the work had ended in 1643? Then again, is the
problem of the commencement of the construction still remains hanging in air.
4.Mr.Mohammed
Din’s article (The Illustrated weekly of India dated Dec 30,1951.) asserts “the construction of the Taj Mahal
was begun in 1632 and was not completed till 1650”.Mr.Mohammed Din seems to be
sure only of the date when the building commenced .If we take 1632 as the year of commenced then what are
we to make of Tavernier’s assertion that work started in his presence ?
5.Yet
another version estimates the Taj Mahal to have been under construction for 17
years .This is from Mr.Arora’s book (P. 10 City of Taj by R.C.Arora ,printed at the Hiberninan
Press,15 Portuguese Church Street ,Calcutta). He says “Shahjahan commenced
building the Taj in 1631,the fourth year his accession .The splendid mausoleum
was completed in 1648.
It
is not even certain that Mumtaz died in 1630.Even assuming that she died in
1630 she perhaps died towards the close of that year. In such a case is it
possible for the emperor to make a decision to build a dreamland monument, have
a huge amount sanctioned for it, broadcast his scheme to distant lands, have
artists prepare plans have them sent to Shahjahan, from among which, we are
told ,he selected one ,have a wooden model constructed ,the necessary workmen
collected, the bewildering variety of material ordered and construction begun
all by 1630?
6.
A like version is also found in The Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer(P. 19 ,Vol
II). It states: “the beautiful Taj Mahal (built 1630-1648) probably the most noted
mausoleum in the world.. etc .etc. All the arguments repeated above apply to
this Gazetteer version too, namely, that since we are not even sure whether
Mumtaz died in 1630, how could calling for mausoleum plans, selecting one,
ordering the building material etc. all be done just in one year?
Since
bricks (and timber) are generally bought and used soon after being marketed
(and are not stored for generations like diamonds, bullion and ornaments)
thermoluminescence is very helpful in determining the age of a brick-structure
fairly accurately. The carbon – C14 test is applicable to anything, which had
been part of a living organism such as piece of bone or timber. A living tree
continues to breathe in carbon di oxide while alive.But once it is dead the breathing
in stops and the dead piece continues to lose its carbon di oxide (including
C14) content at a known rate.
The
report published in the Itihas Patrika (a quarterly journal,Vol 4 No. 4 dated
31 December 1984,THANA)is produced hereunder….
Sample
1
“Wood
piece from door at North (east) end of Taj Mahal at beach level fronting on
Jumna River.
“Age
1359+ - 89 A.D. Thus there is a 67% probability that the age of the sample lies
between 1448 and 1270 A.D.
Submitted
by Evan T.Williams
Professor
of chemistry
City
University of New York,
Brooklyn
College,
Brooklyn,N.Y.,11210
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