Taj Mahal: Was it a Vedic Temple?

The Photographic Evidence

A Presentation Assembled by Stephen Knapp, Available at www.stephen-
knapp.com

This presents photographs (listed below in two collections) that show the Vedic
influence found in such buildings as the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and other
structures in India. It also presents photos of drawings and art that have been
discovered from other parts of the world, such as Arabia, Egypt, Greece and
Italy, that show a definite Vedic influence. This also presents articles that explain
the evidence for and against the idea that the Taj Mahal was a pre-existing
structure before it was said to be built by Shah Jahan. So, no matter whether you
accept all of this or not, it nonetheless makes for an extremely fascinating and
interesting story. Take a look and decide for yourself what you think. The articles
listed below are practically more important than the photographs that are
supplied. So be sure to read them.

The point of this presentation is that we have all heard how the Taj Mahal, which
is considered one of the great wonders of the world, was built as the preeminent
expression of a man's love for a wife. That it was built by emperor Shah Jahan in
commemoration of his wife Mumtaz. However, is this a true story? So, in our
continuous effort to get to the truth, we have acquired some very important
documents and information. Regardless of what anyone thinks, there is some
thoughtful information that indicates that the Taj Mahal was never built by Shah
Jahan. Some say the Taj Mahal pre-dates Shah Jahan by several centuries and
was originally built as a Hindu or Vedic temple/palace complex, and that Shah
Jahan merely acquired it from its previous owner, the Hindu King Jai Singh. This
is not unlike the many other buildings that were acquired by the Muslim invaders
to be used for their own purposes. The point to consider is how much more of
India's history has been distorted if the background of such a grand building is so
inaccurate.

PHOTOGRAPHS: COLLECTION ONE

The photographs listed below are taken from an album that was found in India.
On the back of each photo there is a stamp mark that says, "Copyright
Archaeology Survey of India." This signifies that they may have been the
property of that institution, or that they had researched the evidence that shows
the Taj Mahal and many other buildings may not have been of Muslim origin.
Thus, it would be good if they could open up further research into areas of the
Taj Mahal that would reveal the true nature and originality of the buildings.
These photos are black and white and except for old age and some water
damage on some of them (creating white spots in areas), most are still in
relatively good condition. Each photograph was accompanied by a typed caption
taped in the album under or near the photo, each of which gives a very
interesting explanation of the subject and the Vedic influence recognized on the
building and what it means. The captions accompany the photos on the
following pages just as they were written in the album, so the style of
English and the explanations are kept the same. I did not write them
myself. They are obviously written from an Indian perspective. Whatever I may
say about the photos are displayed in brackets [ ]. Otherwise, I let the captions
and photos speak for themselves. Some of these photos will show areas of the
Taj where the public presently has no access, or what is rarely seen or noticed
today.

It is because of the manipulation of history by invaders that the true greatness of

India and Vedic culture has been stifled or hidden. And it is time that people
everywhere realize how numerous lies and false propaganda have been passed
around as if it were the truth in regard to India and its past, as well as its art,
archeology, and the wonder of its culture. India and its Vedic society was one of
the preeminent civilizations of the world, as I explained in "Proof of Vedic
Culture's Global Existence." Now, through the increasing amount of revealing
evidence that is being uncovered, that greatness of India's past and its
contributions to the world are gradually being recognized. It is because of this
that it is now time to rewrite the history of India.

PHOTOGRAPHS: COLLECTION TWO

These photos (scroll down to find the list) provide a deeper view and a tour into
the secrets of the Taj Mahal. There are also a few blueprints of the Taj Mahal to
look at further proofs of the real purpose and function of the Taj Mahal. I thank
Mr. V. S. Godbole for allowing me to use these photos to present them in a way
so that everyone can see them through the internet.

ADDITIONAL ONLINE ARTICLES

"The Question of the Taj Mahal" (Itihas Patrika, vol 5, pp. 98-111, 1985) by
P. S. Bhat and A. L. Athavale is a profound and thoroughly researched and well
balanced paper on the Taj Mahal controversy. This paper goes well with the
photographs listed below. It uncovers the reasons for the rumors and
assumptions of why it is said that Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal, and presents
all the inconsistencies of why that theory doesn't hold up. It also covers such
things as the descriptions found in the old Agra court papers on the Taj;
descriptions and measurements of the building in the old records; Aurangzeb's
letter of the much needed repairs even in 1632 which is unlikely for a new
building; records that reveal Shah Jahan acquired marble but was it enough for
really building the Taj or merely for inlay work and decorative coverings; the
observations of European travelers at the time; the actual age of the Taj; how the
architecture is definitely of Indian Hindu orientation and could very well have
been designed as a Shiva temple; the issue of the arch and the dome; how the
invader Timurlung (1398) took back thousands of prisoner craftsmen to build his
capital at Samarkhand and where the dome could have been incorporated into
Islamic architecture; how it was not Shah Jahan's religious tolerance that could
have been a reason for Hindu elements in the design of the Taj; how the
direction of the mosque does not point toward Mecca as most mosques do; the
real purpose of the minarets at the Taj; the Hindu symbolism recognized in the
Taj which would not have been allowed if it was truly Muslim built; and even as
late as 1910 the Encyclopaedia Britannica included the statement by Fergusson
that the building was previously a palace before becoming a tomb for Shah
Jahan; and more. A most interesting paper.
"An Architect Looks at the Taj Mahal Legend" by Marvin Mills, is a great
review of the information available on the Taj Mahal and raises some very
interesting questions that make it obvious that the Taj could not have been built
the way or during the time that history presents, which makes it more like a fable
than accurate history. This suggests a construction date of 1359 AD, about 300
years before Shah Jahan.
The True Story of the Taj Mahal. This article by P. N. Oak (from Pune, India)
provides an overview of his research and lists his 109 proofs of how the Taj
Mahal was a pre-existing Hindu temple palace, built not by Shah Jahan but
originally at least 500 years earlier in 1155 AD by Raja Paramardi Dev as a Vedic
temple. Mr. P. N. Oak is another who has done much research into this topic,
and such a study is hardly complete without considering his findings. The
evidence he presents here is a most interesting read, whether you agree with it
all or not, or care for some of the anger in his sentiment. Mr. Oak has presented
his own conclusions in his books, most notably Taj Mahal--The True Story (ISBN:
0-9611614-4-2).
The Letter of Aurangzeb ordering repairs on the old Taj Mahal in the year
just before it is said to have been completed.
The Badshahnama is the history written by the Emperor's own chronicler.
This page shows how Aurangzeb had acquired the Taj from the previous owner,
Jai Singh, grandson of Raja Mansingh, after selecting this site for the burial of
Queen Mumtaz.
Taj Mahal -- Time to Tell the Truth, an analysis by Dr. V. S. Godbole that
shows how the Taj Mahal was not built by ShahJahan but was the Palace of Raja
Mansingh.
The Distorted History of the Taj Mahal, by Dr. Dr Radhasyam Brahmachari
shows how pervasive the false history of the Taj Mahal is and how it developed,
but how it should be corrected.

THE PHOTOGRAPHS
 Collection One
The following photographs are divided according to content and accessed
through the links. Click on the photo number for access:

Taj Mahal Photo #1 Aerial view of the Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal Photo #2 The interior water well
Taj Mahal Photo #3 Frontal view of the Taj Mahal and dome
Taj Mahal Photo #4 Close up of the dome with pinnacle
Taj Mahal Photo #5 Close up of the pinnacle
Taj Mahal Photo #6 Inlaid pinnacle pattern in courtyard
Taj Mahal Photo #7 Red lotus at apex of the entrance
Taj Mahal Photo #8 Rear view of the Taj & 22 apartments
Taj Mahal Photo #9 View of sealed doors & windows in back
Taj Mahal Photo #10 Typical Vedic style corridors
Taj Mahal Photo #11 The Music House--a contradiction
Taj Mahal Photo #12 A locked room on upper floor
Taj Mahal Photo #13 A marble apartment on ground floor
Taj Mahal Photo #14 The OM in the flowers on the walls
Taj Mahal Photo #15 Staircase that leads to the lower levels
Taj Mahal Photo #16 300 foot long corridor inside apartments
Taj Mahal Photo #17 One of the 22 rooms in the secret lower level
Taj Mahal Photo #18 Interior of one of the 22 secret rooms
Taj Mahal Photo #19 Interior of another of the locked rooms
Taj Mahal Photo #20 Vedic design on ceiling of a locked room
Taj Mahal Photo #21 Huge ventilator sealed shut with bricks
Taj Mahal Photo #22 Secret walled door that leads to other rooms
Taj Mahal Photo #23 Secret bricked door that hides more evidence
Taj Mahal Photo #24 Palace in Barhanpur where Mumtaz died
Taj Mahal Photo #25 Pavilion where Mumtaz is said to be buried

Collection Two
This is an additional collection that provides a closer look at the secrets of the Taj
Mahal as supplied by V. S. Godbole from England. You can look at the ones that
interest you the most as described below, or go through them like a slide show
by using the "Next" links on each page.

Taj Photo # 1 Typical view of the beautiful Taj Mahal

Taj Photo # 2 View of Taj Mahal from West looking East
Taj Photo # 3 Entrance Gate on the West side
Road between Western Gate to Eastern Gate is around 1000
Taj Photo # 4
ft with several rooms on either side.
Taj Photo # 5 Note the veranda. The architecture is typical Rajput design.
Taj Photo # 6 View of the entrance through the South Gate
Taj Photo # 7 South gate entrance as painted by Thomas Daniell in 1789
In a detail on the gate, we can see what would be called
Taj Photo # 8
Ganesh
Taj Photo # 9 Details of the South Gate with Vedic design.
Wall decorations as seen here are typical Rajput design on
Taj Photo # 10
South Gate
Taj Photo # 11 The graffiti, i.e. Koranic inscriptions later added by Shahjahan
The Trident designed within the lotus, both typically Vedic
Taj Photo # 12
designs.
Veranda on the West side of Entrance Gate, probably for
Taj Photo # 13
public assemblies.
Taj Photo # 14 Examples of the Dhotra flowers in the marble work
Now you can see the "3" figure of the OM design within the
Taj Photo # 15
carved marble flower
Here is an example of the conch shell design in the central
Taj Photo # 16
petals in the flowers
Taj Photo # 17 More conch shell decorations in marble carving
Carved marble doors and decorations on the exterior of the
Taj Photo # 18
Taj Mahal
You can see blocked doorways and windows where there are
Taj Photo # 19
several rooms in the 19 foot high plinth.
Taj Photo # 20 Decoration on the side of blocked up doorway
Taj Photo # 21 A view of the outside of the central Cenotaph Chamber
The interior of one of the rooms around the cenotaph
Taj Photo # 22
chamber.
Taj Photo # 23 The Cenotaph chamber with marble screen
The Cenotaphs, or the supposed graves of Shahjahan and
Taj Photo # 24
Mumtaz
Taj Photo # 25 Top of octagonal marble screen with beautiful inlay jewelled
 work that surrounds the cenotaphs
Basic blueprint of the Taj Mahal that shows stairways to upper
Taj Photo # 26
and lower floors.
Here you can see the upper floor above the cenotaph. Each
Taj Photo # 27
room has a balcony.
The Vedic style design on the under-side of the dome over
Taj Photo # 28
the central cenotaph chamber.
Taj Photo # 29 Cobras in pairs at top of wall, another typical Vedic design.
Taj Photo # 30 Typical Minaret on the Taj Mahal.
Taj Photo # 31 The design on the underside of a staging on the Minaret.
The Baoli Burj water well, going down seven stories to water
Taj Photo # 32
level.
Taj Photo # 33 The so-called Mosque at one end from the Taj
The so-called Mosque at one end from the Taj with evidence
Taj Photo # 34
it was converted later into a mausoleum
Replica of pinnacle design of the top of the main dome in the
Taj Photo # 35
garden
Taj Photo # 36 Survey plan of Taj Mahal by Col Hodgson, 1825.
An early photo of Taj from the riverside clearly showing 2
Taj Photo # 37
hidden basements
Photo of Taj Mahal from Yamuna riverside showing rooms
Taj Photo # 38
with grills in the marble plinth
Blue print of the Taj Mahal showing cross-section of Central
Taj Photo # 39
Edifice in a book by J Fergusson in 1855
The blue print plan of the Taj Mahal showing stairways that go
Taj Photo # 40
down to the 22 basement rooms.
Typical view of the 2 basement floors along the Yamuna
Taj Photo # 41
River.
Here you can see, not far from the plinth of the Taj, the steps
Taj Photo # 42
to go down to the 22 rooms
Decorations on outside of upper basement floor with a ventilation
Taj Photo # 43
grill built in for the apartment.
Taj Photo # 44 Ventilation grill in the design of the outside of the apartments
Taj Photo # 45 Entrance to lower basement floor that is now bricked up.
The timber door where Prof. Marvin Mills took the sample that
Taj Photo # 46
proved the Taj predates Shajahan
Taj Photo # 47 Close up of the the steps that go down to the 22 apartments
Taj Photo # 48 Another of the secret stairways in the Taj Mahal.
Taj Photo # 49 After we climb down the steps we see a doorway to the
 passage on right of the hidden rooms.
Taj Photo # 50 Typical roof painted design in the 22 rooms.
Here is a typical tower (Burj) that is in familiar Rajput style,
Taj Photo # 51
not Islamic in any way.
Stone rings for anchoring boats for river transportation
Taj Photo # 52
amongst the residents in the Taj.