Explained: There are 22 secret rooms beneath Taj Mahal; Know what lies inside

The Taj Mahal, perhaps the most famous monument in India, is named as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. The iconic white-marble mausoleum, built by Mughal emperor Shahjahan to serve as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, is the one of the most visited heritage sites in India and across the world.

Over the ages, akin to other heritage sites, the Taj Mahal has developed its own lore and mysteries, and one these ‘mysteries’ has fueled a conspiracy theory by right-wing groups in India who claim that the 17th century mausoleum was built upon the ruins of an ancient Shiva temple called ‘Tejo Mahalaya’ and there are 22 ‘secret rooms’ beneath the Taj Mahal where idols and figurines of Hindu deities are stored.

Are there secret ‘rooms’ beneath the Taj Mahal?

Yes and no. There are indeed ‘rooms’ in the basement of the Taj Mahal, but there is nothing secret about them. These are not really rooms,  rather a long-arched corridor in the mausoleum’s basement with door attached. The area is regularly cleaned by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) but is kept under lock and key for security reasons.

According to experts, the basement rooms provide structural support to the mausoleum and minaret.

What’s inside the ‘secret rooms’?

Over the years, several conspiracy theories have popped up about the contents of these secret rooms, with many claiming these rooms are part of a hidden underground chamber meant as a refuge from the searing summer heat. But the most controversial one, which has made the Taj Mahal the topic of a heated debate, claims there are idols of Hindu gods and goddesses in these rooms, making the mausoleum a Hindu temple.

In 2022, the Allahabad High Court quashed a plea filed by a BJP youth wing leader who had claimed that the Taj Mahal is actually a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and had sought a detailed investigation into the contents of the “over 20 locked rooms”.

A few days later after the top court’s decision, the ASI released pictures of the the so-called ‘secret rooms’ in a bid to quell the spread of misinformation being peddled on social media platforms.

Notably, the rooms were open for public visitors till about 1978.

The ‘Tejo Mahalaya’ controversy

 

The mystery about these secret chambers beneath the Taj Mahal is the one of the backbone of a popular conspiracy theory among the right-wing in India, which claims that the mausoleum was a temple during ancient times. In his 2022 plea, a BJP youth wing leader claimed the Taj Mahal was previously known as ‘Tejo Mahalaya’– a Shiva temple which was “perhaps built in the 4th century to serve as a palace”.

The petitioner had claimed that the Taj Mahal was completed by Raja Paramardi Dev in 1145 A.D, as he implored the court to help shed light on the “real history” of the monument.

However, despite all the claims, there has not been a shred of evidence to prove that the Taj Mahal is or ever was anything but a tomb built by a doting husband in memory of his beloved wife.