Youths Recite Shiv Chalisa At Taj Mahal, Claim It’s Tejo Mahalaya

Amid the controversy over Taj Mahal is an ancient Siva temple, a group of youth recited Shiv Chalisa (hymn to Lord Siva) on the premises of the iconic marble structure in Agra on Monday. The incident created mild tension and the CISF personnel, guarding the area, quickly whisked them away. The youths were later set free after furnishign a written apology for reciting the Hindu religious hymn.

The youth are from two organisations - Rashtirya Swabhiman Dal and Hindu Yuva Vahini and claimed that Taj Mahal was an ancient Siva temple and was converted into a Maqbara (memorial) by Mughul emperor Shah Jahan.

Leader of the group, Deepak Sharma, is a well-known activist and had been booked for blackening the face of lawyer Prashant Bhushan for asking for a referendum on Jammu and Kashmir.

He said reciting Shiv Chalisa on Monday was auspicious and said it was basically ‘Tejomalaya’, a Shiva temple, which was demolished by Mughal rulers to make the Taj Mahal,” he said.

After being set free, Sharma said he would soon file a PIL in the Supreme Court demanding that Hindus be allowed to recite Shiv Chalisa at Taj Mahal since Muslims are allowed to recite Namaz there.