(This has reference to yesrday's debate on NDTV channel)
Ayodhya– by: Bennet Paes The demolition of Babri mosque in 1992 was a national shame, leave alone a disaster. Not just this mosque, but any religious worship-house of such a long age and use as this one, needs to be kept out of harm’s way. In the case of Ayodhya, if there was a wait of 400 years, another four hundred would not have erased the myth of lord Ram’s birthplace. On the contrary it would have given further credence to India’s culture of tolerance. After all, history talks eloquently about the tolerance shown by Hindus to early migrants like the Jews, Parsis, Iranis, the Muhghals, the Portuguese, the French and the British, in return for which innumerable houses of worship, majestic monuments and world class institutional buildings dot the Indian landscape. All of these today constitute an integral part of India’s heritage. Historian P.N.Oak in his book: “Tajmahal - The True Story” places massive evidence that this piece of beauty is not, in fact, an Islamic mausoleum but an ancient Shiva Temple known as “Tejo Mahalaya” which emperor Shah Jehan commandeered from the then Maharaja of Jaipur. Based on this precept, taking away the Taj Mahal would leave India bereft of the only wonder of the world left behind by the Muhghals in India’s custody. Would any Indian worth his salt dare do a ‘Babri’ to Taj; or for that matter re-write history, calling it by some other name? (Excerpt from my book: SIMPLY MY WAY)
