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{/googleAds} These organizations in pursuit of their commercial objectives are desecrating a holy mausoleum revered by millions of people who visit and offer prayers at the Taj Mahal along the bank of holy Yamuna river in Agra. To give you a perspective, the original layout and design of the Taj follows the details of the main features of Jannat (Heaven) and the "Aayats" from the Holy Quran are inscribed at the main entrance. The mosque on the eastern flank attracts thousands of faith-fuls to offer prayers. A large number of people offer prayers and seek favors and mannats.

The hyped romantic love story is for consumption of the tourists, but historically the whole area around the Taj Mahal has been a site of religious significance. Emperor Shah Jahan himself is now looked as a friend of the Almighty and treated as a celebrated saint.

It is our concern that a huge hotel is now being built in Dubai. This will be a copy of the Taj Mahal in Agra and offer all kinds of opportunities for carnal pleasures of the body from gambling zones to bars and related activities.

Can we permit holy places being desecrated like this? If we do not arrest this trend tomorrow someone will come up with fake Muslim shrines visited by the devouts for the Haj yatra or replicas of shrines of other faiths. Would that be tolerated?

Remember, the Taj Mahal is no ordinary monument. It is a spiritual and divine destination whose original design came from the Farishtas. Now every year we have the Urs of emperor Shah Jahan who has been recognized as a saint.

The Taj Mahal is Agra's pride and Pehchaan. The Agra Municipal Corporation should be paid a royalty, if some commercial gain is made out of using the Taj as a brand name. The money thus collected could be spent on cleaning up the Yamuna river which is dying unfortunately.

We appeal to all sensible people to raise their voice and prevent mis-use of the brand Taj Mahal for petty commercial gains.

The UNESCO and the government of India should intervene and approach the international bodies for stopping this practice.

-- Brij Khandelwal, Surendra Sharma, Shravan Kumar Singh, Rakesh Sharma

* आपने यह अच्छा मुद्दा उठाया है। शहर के विकास का इच्छुक प्रत्येक व्यक्ति इसका समर्थन करेगा।

-- Bhanu Pratap Singh (bhanuagra@gmail.com)