New Delhi: Government has not found any evidence that the Taj Mahal was a Hindu temple, Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma told Lok Sabha on Monday.
Sharma was replying to a query about the evidence claiming that the Taj Mahal was originally a temple.
Recently, a lawsuit claiming the Taj Mahal was originally a Shiva temple, was filed by lawyers from Agra. They also demanded that its ownership be transferred to Hindus and Muslims be restricted from offering prayers at the location.
The Archaeological Survey of India had earlier dismissed the claims that the 17th century Mughal monument is a Shiva temple.
Sharma said government is aware of the suit and that it has not observed any affect on tourism because of the controversy.
Taj Mahal, one of the wonders of the world, is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife of three, Mumtaz Mahal.
Today, The Taj Mahal is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture and is widely recognized as the jewel of Muslim art in India.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, the Taj Mahal attracts some 3 million visitors a year.
