Read Online The Taj Conspiracy by Manreet Sodhi Someshwar - Free Book Online Page A

wondered aloud. ‘And how much time would it take to make those changes?’
    ‘A couple of hours.’
    ‘That’s a narrow window. Late night, when the Taj is closed—somebody who could access—’
    ‘The artisan was not alone.’
    ‘Why do you say that?’
    ‘The average artisan is schooled in what is a family tradition and isn’t well-educated. The import of the changes, however, suggests an erudite mind. The change is minor, but the significance of the change is immense. Masnooee is an intriguing choice of word. It conveys a lot. Forged. Made in imitation of something else with intent to deceive.... Deceive . Therefore the questions arise: deceive whom, and why?’
    With an index finger he tapped the Persian text. ‘The original epitaph conveys: Here lies Arjumand Banu in her illumined grave. The changed calligraphy says: This is a counterfeit grave. The import? You, the visitor, have been deceived. So, the question arises: if not Arjumand Banu, then who is lying here? And if she does not lie in this grave, then this mausoleum was not built for her. If it was not built for her, then the story behind the Taj Mahal is false.’
    Mehrunisa wagged her head. ‘The tampering turns the story on its head.’
    ‘Exactly. Striking at the very foundation of the Taj Mahal. The person behind the change wants the public to question whether Arjumand Banu, the heroine of the Taj Mahal, ever did lie in the tomb chamber. And if she did not, how accurate is the claim that the Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved Mumtaz?
    ‘The second change, in fact, adds weight to the question that has been raised by the first change. Listen: what is concealed and what is manifest . The person is stating now that things are not as they seem—something has been hidden while another has been revealed ... If that weren’t bad enough, it’s an inscription from the Holy Quran...’
    ‘If word got out that it had been tampered with, it would create serious trouble.’
    He nodded.
    ‘Chirag tale andhera.’ Mehrunisa whispered. ‘If this is what Arun Toor was referring to, we already have a murder linked to the tampering.’
    ‘A bloody potboiler. Only this one’s too close to home.’ Professor Kaul snorted.
    Around them, night had fallen. Bats had emerged and flew about, some frighteningly low, Mehrunisa observed. Their thin cries sounded in the air. Mangat Ram, who had come to gather the tea things, clucked his exasperation, muttering about shrieking bats and bad omens.
    Unknown to him, both members of his audience were already aware they had encountered something ominous. They sat in silent contemplation until Mehrunisa spoke. ‘That someone is trying to discredit the Taj seems obvious. The questions then are: who, and why?’
    ‘Lord Bentinck?’
    She frowned. The name sounded familiar, yet not quite.
    Professor Kaul allowed himself a half-grin. ‘Lord William Bentinck, governor-general of British India, from 1827 to 1835. You see,’ he leaned towards Mehrunisa, ‘through its three hundred and fifty years of history, the Taj has had its detractors. Hatred against the Mughals, who were seen as invaders destroying Hind’s heritage, spurred them. In the early eighteenth century, the Jats from nearby Bharatpur ransacked the monument, taking away two chandeliers that hung over the cenotaphs, the silver entrance doors and lavish carpets that adorned the mausoleum floor. Later the gold shield over the fifteen-foot high finial at the top of the main dome was removed. But the British proved to be the most dangerous. Lord Bentinck, ostensibly in India as a British administrator, was to find his calling as a scrap-dealer when he planned the demolition of Taj Mahal for its marble.’
    ‘Demolition?’
    ‘In 1831, John Bull , a Calcutta newspaper, reported that the governor-general wanted to demolish the Taj and auction its marble,’ the professor nodded. ‘But the highest bid was only 150,000 rupees and the Taj was