A woman carrying a kanwar on her shoulders attempted to enter the Taj Mahal to offer 'Gangajal' on Monday, claiming the monument was a Lord Shiva temple called 'Tejo Mahalaya.'
She was halted by 'Taj Suraksha' police at the west gate barrier.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Taj Suraksha, Syed Areeb Ahmad, confirmed that the woman, identified as Meenu Rathore, was stopped at the barrier and was not allowed to proceed further.
Rathore, who claimed to be the district president of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha in Agra, insisted that she be allowed to offer the 'Gangajal' inside the monument, which she referred to as 'Tejo Mahalaya.'
Rathore stated that she had been called by Lord Shiva in a dream to offer the holy water at the site. "I came to Tejo Mahalaya to offer the 'Gangajal'. Lord Shiv called me in my dreams and I brought kanwar to offer at Tejo Mahalaya.
But, they (policemen) have stopped me from going ahead," Rathore said.
After a brief standoff, Rathore decided to offer the 'Gangajal' at the Rajeshwar temple instead, Ahmad said.
Sanjay Jaat, spokesperson of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, supported Rathore’s claims, asserting, "It is our right to offer the 'Gangajal' in Taj Mahal as Taj Mahal is 'Tejo Mahalaya', a temple of Lord Shiva.
She brought kanwar from Soron ji in Kasganj and reached Agra after two days."
This incident comes amid ongoing controversies and claims by right-wing groups that the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, was originally a Hindu temple.
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