Taj Mahal Urs: Agra Court to Hear Plea Against Observance, Free Entry

A right-wing organization has filed a petition in an Agra court seeking to prohibit the observance of the Urs at the Taj Mahal and challenging free entry during the event. The court has accepted the petition and set a hearing date.

In a recent development, a right-wing organization known as Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has filed a petition in an Agra court seeking a prohibitory injunction against the observance of the Urs festival at the iconic Taj Mahal. The organization has also challenged the practice of free entry inside the Taj Mahal during the Urs period.

Agra Court Accepts Petition, Sets Hearing Date

The Agra Court has accepted the petition filed by Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha and has scheduled March 4 as the date for the hearing in this matter. The three-day Urs festival is set to take place from February 6 to February 8 this year, marking the death anniversary of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who constructed the Taj Mahal in 1653.

Petitioners Seek Permanent Injunction, Object to Free Entry

The counsel for the petitioners, Anil Kumar Tiwari, stated that the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, represented by its divisional head Meena Diwakar and district president Saurabh Sharma, filed the petition in the Court of IV Additional Civil Judge Junior Division Room No 4 at the Civil Court premises in Agra. They have sought a permanent prohibitory injunction against the committee responsible for organizing the Urs celebrations.

Additionally, the petitioners have objected to the free entry granted to visitors at the Taj Mahal during the Urs period.

Petition Based on RTI Findings

ABHM spokesperson Sanjay Jat explained that the petition was filed based on an RTI (Right to Information) response that revealed neither the Mughals nor the British authorities permitted the observance of Urs inside the Taj Mahal. The RTI was filed by Raj Kishore Raje, an Agra-based historian, who sought information from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) regarding the permission granted for Urs celebrations and Namaz (prayers) within the Taj Mahal premises.

According to Sanjay Jat, the ASI's response indicated that neither the Mughals, nor the British government, nor the Government of India had ever granted permission for Urs celebrations to take place within the Taj Mahal.

Prohibitory Injunction Sought

Based on this information, the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has filed a petition seeking a prohibitory injunction to prevent the organizers of the Shahjahan Urs Celebration Committee, headed by Saiyyad Ibrahim Zaidi, from holding the Urs festival at the Taj Mahal.

Significance of Urs Festival

The three-day Urs festival involves various rituals and ceremonies, including chadar poshi (offering of a ceremonial cloth), sandal (sandalwood paste application), gusul (ritual bathing), kul (a type of offering), and others. On the final day of the Urs, a chadar measuring 1,880 meters or more in length is offered.