The Taj Mahal Conundrum: A Temple, a Tomb, or Something More? The debate over the origins and nature of India's most iconic monument has been simmering for years.
Recently, it reached the courts when the Allahabad high court directed the central government and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to respond to a petition challenging their rejection of an application seeking permission to survey the Taj Mahal.
At issue are claims that the Taj Mahal is not, as widely believed, a Mughal mausoleum built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.