Saturday, October 6, 2007

Saving Taj Step 1

Below are the points by self proclaimed Historian P.N.Oak

1.The term Tajmahal itself never occurs in any mogul court paper or chronicle even in Aurangzeb's time. The attempt to explain it away as Taj-i-mahal is therefore, ridiculous.

2.The ending "Mahal"is never muslim because in none of the muslim countries around the world from Afghanistan to Algeria is there a building known as "Mahal".

3.The unusual explanation of the term Tajmahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal, who is buried in it, is illogical in at least two respects viz., firstly her name was never Mumtaj Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani and secondly one cannot omit the first three letters "Mum" from a woman's name to derive the remainder as the name of the building.

4.Since the lady's name was Mumtaz (ending with 'Z') the name of the building derived from her should have been Taz Mahal, if at all, and not Taj (spelled with a 'J').

5.Several European visitors of Shahjahan's time allude to the building as Taj-e-Mahal is almost the correct tradition, age old Sanskrit name Tej-o-Mahalaya, signifying a Shiva temple. Contrarily Shahjahan and Aurangzeb scrupulously avoid using the Sanskrit term and call it just a holy grave.

6.The tomb should be understood to signify NOT A BUILDING but only the grave or centotaph inside it. This would help people to realize that all dead muslim courtiers and royalty including Humayun, Akbar, Mumtaz, Etmad-ud-Daula and Safdarjang have been buried in capture Hindu mansions and temples.

7.Moreover, if the Taj is believed to be a burial place, how can the term Mahal, i.e., mansion apply to it?

8.Since the term Taj Mahal does not occur in mogul courts it is absurd to search for any mogul explanation for it. Both its components namely, 'Taj' and' Mahal' are of Sanskrit origin.

Analysis:
If you see Oak's analysis, this is more a critical thinking rather than giving any proofs. All those points prove nothing. Moghals settled here and there was a great blend of cultures between the Mughals and the Hindus as many Mughal kings married Rajput hindu Queens. Akbar who was grandfather of Shah Jahan had a Rajput Queen.
Aurengazeb too had Hindu wives.
He used to write poetry in Hindi. One of his couplet is:

Baithi raho qarar se, man me rakho dheer .. Sahab se vinti karo, jo bahuren alamgir.

Most mangoes carry Persian names. But two varieties presented to Aurangzeb by Prince Azam were named as ‘sudharas’ and ‘sitabilas’.
So presence of Hindu stink in Taj Mahal proves nothing.