Taj Mahal not to be a part of UP tourism booklet according to Up Government

Embedded in the heart of India is Uttar Pradesh, a land where cultures have evolved and religions emerge. The greatness of Uttar Pradesh lies not only in this confluence but also in the emergence of cultural and religious traditions along some of the greatest rivers in the Indian sub-continent – the Ganga and the Yamuna

Adityanath’s government in Uttar Pradesh has drawn criticism for not including the Taj Mahal in the official tourist ministry booklet in Uttar Pradesh. Taj Mahal, one among the Seven Wonders of the World is not a tourist spot according to the UP government. The structure from the Mughal era has been left out from a number of other schemes launched to develop infrastructure in Ayodhya, Varanasi and Mathura, which has prompted critics to call the Budget a Hindutva one.

This tourism book comprises lots of things as like it has CM’s photo, various things that Up government has promoted for tourism, Poor Puritan Vikas Yojna, Varanasi Ganga Aarti, temples of Mathura, Governors and Chief Ministers indulging in Pooza, Ayodhya, CM’s home city Gorakhpur, Kumbh Mela of Allahabad but the only thing which is missing in this tourism book is Taj Mahal which is one of the wonders of 7 Wonders of the world.

Although criticised, the government’s move did not surprise many as Chief Minister Adiyanath had made it clear in June that he did not believe that the Taj Mahal “reflected Indian culture”. On June 16, he had said that foreign dignitaries visiting India are now gifted epics like the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayan instead of replicas of the Taj Mahal and other minarets.

Others believe that neglecting the Taj Mahal will harm the state’s tourism. “Agra has three World Heritage sites and deserved a better deal in the budget,” said Secretary for Tourism Guild of Agra Rajeev Saxena.