A monument of national importance, the Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO describes it as a “masterpiece of architectural style in conception, treatment and execution”. This 17th century wonder is again at the centre of multiple narratives driven by ideologicy. In the process, history is being pushed into the shadows.
The latest attempt at building an ideologically-driven narrative came against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the Kashi Vishwanath Dham in December 2021. In an appreciable gesture, Mr. Modi showered flower petals on sanitation workers who work at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, to thank them for keeping the temple clean. But this heartwarming gesture soon became another reason to criticise the Mughals. Several news channels started comparing Mr. Modi with Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The point hammered home was that unlike the Prime Minister who had showered flower petals on sanitation workers, Shah Jahan had chopped off the hands of those who had built the Taj Mahal. In their misplaced exuberance, some politicians from the ruling establishment picked up the thread. In no time, social media was flooded with posts suggesting that the hands of workers who had built the Taj Mahal were chopped off.
The fact remains that this is a well-known urban myth. There is no historical evidence to prove that Shah Jahan did this. This urban myth goes back to the 1960s or at least resurfaced around that time. As this controversy has been raked up again, let us revisit written records to salvage the truth.
