Taj Mahal once again in controversy after video of 'Shiv aarti' at site surfaces

Taj Mahal witnessed high drama on Wednesday when two men worshiping Hindu God, Shiv, inside the Mughal monument. A video, showing one of the two men reading Shiv Aarti inside the tomb, while another filming him using a cell phone was leaked on Wednesday. Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force that guards the monument has sought a report on the incident.

According to the sources in the force, the video appeared on Wednesday and was apparently filmed on Tuesday evening. Soon as the visitors reported that two men had kept some 'pooja articles' on the marble floor near the graves and were seen doing Shiv Aarti, officials intervened and the CISF deployed at Taj Mahal was also informed.

"The Director General of Central Industrial Security Force has sought a report on this. The Deputy Commandant deployed at Taj Mahal has been asked to submit a report related to the incident to the DG office, to the District Magistrate and concerned Superintendent of Police. Primary probe has revealed that the video was filmed on Tuesday evening and the matter is being looked into," a senior officer told DNA.

However, the officers also said that cell phones are allowed inside the monument and the two men were not carrying anything suspicious for which they could be stopped at the entrance. "Soon after the incident was reported required measures were taken," the officer added.

The Taj had off late been into repeated controversies, one of them sparked recently when the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department had released a booklet on UP Tourism, featuring most of the state's heritage and cultural sites leaving Taj Mahal. A few months before this Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in a remark that attracted criticism and controversy, had reportedly said that Taj Mahal did not reflect Indian culture.

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