Allahabad High Court Issues Notice to Centre on Taj Mahal–Tejo Mahalaya Petition

The Allahabad High Court has issued a notice to the central government after a petition was filed claiming that the Taj Mahal, the iconic 17th-century Mughal mausoleum in Agra, was originally a Hindu temple known as Tejo Mahalaya. The notice compels the Union government to formally respond to the petition's arguments in court.

The Tejo Mahalaya claim has circulated in Hindu nationalist circles for decades, popularised in part by writer P.N. Oak, whose theories have been dismissed by the Archaeological Survey of India and historians as lacking credible evidence. The Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and India's most visited monument.

The High Court's decision to issue a notice rather than summarily dismiss the petition means the claim will receive a formal legal hearing, at minimum requiring the government to file a counter-affidavit. Legal observers noted that courts have previously declined to entertain similar challenges to the monument's history.

The case is likely to attract intense public attention given the Taj Mahal's status as both a global heritage icon and a lightning rod for debates about India's Mughal-era history. The government's formal response to the notice will be closely watched by historians, heritage conservationists, and political observers alike.