Kanwariya stopped from offering Gangajal to Taj Mahal, claims 'Lord Shiv came in her dreams'

On Monday, Meena Rathore, a right-wing activist, tried to offer 'Gangajal' at the Taj Mahal, claiming Lord Shiva instructed her in a dream. She was stopped by authorities and redirected to Rajeshwar temple. Sanjay Jaat of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha supported her action, asserting the Taj Mahal is a Shiva temple, a claim refuted by the ASI.

On Monday, a Kanwariya attempted to offer 'Gangajal' at the Taj Mahal, claiming that Lord Shiva instructed her to do so in a dream. Meena Rathore, a member of a right-wing group, was stopped by the monument's authorities before she could proceed.

Rathore explained, “I visited Tejo Mahalaya to present 'Gangajal' as Lord Shiva appeared in my dream and instructed me to do so. I carried a kanwar for the offering, but the police prevented me from continuing.”

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Assistant Commissioner of Police Taj Suraksha, Syed Areeb Ahmad, reported that Rathore was stopped at the west gate barrier and barred from entering the Taj Mahal. Ahmad noted, “In the end, she chose to present the 'Gangajal' at the Rajeshwar temple instead.”, reported TOI.

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Sanjay Jaat, the spokesperson for the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, defended Rathore’s attempt to offer 'Gangajal' at the Taj Mahal, asserting it was their "right." Jaat explained, “We are entitled to present 'Gangajal' at this location because the Taj Mahal is actually 'Tejo Mahalaya,' a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva”, he said. Jaat noted that Rathore arrived in Agra after journeying with the Kanwar from Soron to Kasganj.

The Taj Mahal has frequently been at the centre of controversy, with some right-wing groups claiming it was originally a Shiva temple. However, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) refuted this claim in a 2017 court statement, affirming that the monument is a tomb and not a temple.