DUBAI: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) stated in court last week that the Taj Mahal is a tomb and not a temple, in its first such statement after six lawyers filed a suit claiming the site is a Hindu temple in 2015.
In April 2015, six lawyers filed a suit with the Agra district court claiming the Taj Mahal is a temple in honor of a Hindu deity and added that Hindu devotees should be allowed to worship inside the building.
The court called on the central government, Union ministry of culture, home secretary and ASI to file their replies, the latest of which was filed Thursday by the ASI.
In November 2015, the Union ministry of culture clarified that there is no evidence of any temple within the grounds of the Taj Mahal during a session of the lower house of India’s bicameral Parliament, the Lok Sabha.
On Thursday, the ASI made its own statement.
“Historically and even according to records as available there is an ancient monument named as Taj Mahal alone at the bank of river Yamuna at Agra duly declared by the government to be of national importance having gained the worldwide recognition as the 7th wonder of the world. As per available records right from the British period since 1904, the monument Taj was declared a protected monument by notification on December 22, 1920,” the ASI stated in its affidavit on Thursday.
The body also challenged the jurisdiction of the local court to “hear and decide” the case, according to the Times of India newspaper.
The newspaper reported that “the archaeological body categorically denied that no such temple or Shiv Linga, as stated by the plaintiffs, existed in the Taj Mahal.”
The ASI further stated that the claims of the six lawyers were a “concoction” of their imaginations, according to the newspaper’s report.
Taj Mahal a tomb, not a Hindu temple, Archaeological Survey of India tells court
Taj Mahal a tomb, not a Hindu temple, Archaeological Survey of India tells court
Cambodia takes back looted historic artifacts handled by British art dealer
- The objects were returned under a 2020 agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the family of the late Douglas Latchford, a British art collector and dealer who allegedly had the items smuggled out of Cambodia
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Cambodian officials on Friday received more than six dozen historic artifacts described as part of the country’s cultural heritage that had been looted during decades of war and instability.
At a ceremony attended by Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many, the 74 items were unveiled at the National Museum in Phnom Penh after their repatriation from the United Kingdom.
The objects were returned under a 2020 agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the family of the late Douglas Latchford, a British art collector and dealer who allegedly had the items smuggled out of Cambodia.
“This substantial restitution represents one of the most important returns of Khmer cultural heritage in recent years, following major repatriations in 2021 and 2023 from the same collection,” the Culture Ministry said in a statement. “It marks a significant step forward in Cambodia’s continued efforts to recover, preserve, and restore its ancestral legacy for future generations.”
The artifacts were described as dating from the pre-Angkorian period through the height of the Angkor Empire, including “monumental sandstone sculptures, refined bronze works, and significant ritual objects.” The Angkor Empire, which extended from the ninth to the 15th century, is best known for the Angkor Wat archaeological site, the nation’s biggest tourist attraction.
Latchford was a prominent antiquities dealer who allegedly orchestrated an operation to sell looted Cambodian sculptures on the international market.
From 1970 to the 1980s, during Cambodia’s civil wars and the communist Khmer Rouge ‘s brutal reign, organized looting networks sent artifacts to Latchford, who then sold them to Western collectors, dealers, and institutions. These pieces were often physically damaged, having been pried off temple walls or other structures by the looters.
Latchford was indicted in a New York federal court in 2019 on charges including wire fraud and conspiracy. He died in 2020, aged 88, before he could be extradited to face charges.
Cambodia, like neighboring Thailand, has benefited from a trend in recent decades involving the repatriation of art and archaeological treasures. These include ancient Asian artworks as well as pieces lost or stolen during turmoil in places such as Syria, Iraq and Nazi-occupied Europe. New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the prominent institutions that has been returning illegally smuggled art, including to Cambodia.
“The ancient artifacts created and preserved by our ancestors are now being returned to Cambodia, bringing warmth and joy, following the country’s return to peace,” said Hun Many, who is the younger brother of Prime Minister Hun Manet.
