An Indian Film Embraces a Taj Majal Conspiracy Theory
The New York Times • • world
Key Points:
- A conspiracy theory challenges the widely accepted history of the Taj Mahal, claiming it is not a Mughal-era Islamic tomb but has Hindu origins that have been suppressed.
- This theory, promoted by pseudo-historians, lawyers, and religious believers, disputes the narrative that Shah Jahan commissioned the Taj Mahal in the 17th century as a mausoleum for his wife.
- Despite being repeatedly debunked and lacking credible evidence, the theory persists, with proponents like lawyer Hari Shankhar Jain alleging authorities are hiding the truth.
- The controversy has reached popular culture, with Bollywood producing a courtroom drama film, “The Taj Story,” starring Paresh Rawal, which dramatizes the revisionist claims.
