The Taj Story’ Poster Triggers Row Over Shiva Temple Theory
Bollywood veteran Paresh Rawal has stirred a fresh storm on social media after unveiling the poster of his upcoming film “The Taj Story.” The poster depicts Rawal lifting the dome of the Taj Mahal to reveal a statue of Lord Shiva inside a concept that has reignited long-standing debates over the monument’s origins.
Directed by Tushar Amrish Goel, the film also stars Zakir Hussain, Amruta Khanvilkar, and Senha Wagh. While the makers have yet to comment, many online users accuse the film of promoting the controversial theory that the Taj Mahal was once a Shiva temple, referred to as “Tejo Mahalaya.”
This belief traces back to historian P.N. Oak, who claimed that an ancient Shiva shrine existed on the same site before Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal. Oak’s book, which made this argument decades ago, had also faced heavy criticism and rejection from historians.
The controversy resurfaced in 2022, when activist Rajneesh Singh filed a petition seeking a probe into the Taj Mahal’s 22 sealed rooms for alleged Hindu idols. Around the same time, BJP MP Diya Kumari, a member of Jaipur’s royal family, asserted that the land originally belonged to her ancestors.
As “The Taj Story” gains attention ahead of its release, the film’s poster has once again ignited the sensitive cultural and religious debate surrounding one of India’s most iconic monuments.
