AGRA: Noted historian and leading authority on the Taj Mahal, Ram Nath, has shot off a letter to UP CM Yogi Adityanath contesting the latter’s “belief” that the 17th century monument had no connection with India's culture or heritage. Nath, who has written over 50 books on medieval history and several research papers on the Taj, said Adityanath had brought his “50 years of hard work to naught”.The UP CM had courted controversy on June 15 in his speech in Bihar’s Darbhanga when he stated that the Taj does not reflect Indian culture. “Foreign dignitaries visiting the country used to be gifted replicas of the Taj Mahal and other minarets which did not reflect Indian culture” Yogi had said.The 85-year-old historian also gifted one of his books to the CM and requested him to go through it before making any controversial statement over the monument in future. "There is a deliberate attempt to erase medieval history and contributions of kings of that era, just because they were Muslims," Nath told TOI.“I am writing this letter to you in reference to your statement that in which you said it is a common building and rejected it as a part of Indian heritage…Taj Mahal is situated on Indian land on the bank of Yamuna river. It was made by Indian workers using Indian bricks and mortar in the medieval period in the Indian architectural style.” Nath wrote.“Moreover, it (Taj) is constructed by an Indian king (Shah Jahan) using India money. He is the same king who gave the 17th century Sanskrit poet Jagannatha , the title of ‘Panditraj’ and compiled dhrupad songs of a 16th century poet in the book titled ‘Saharas’. Had you read the book ‘the history of Mughal Architecture’, you would not have given that statement. Is it justifiable on your part to negate the Mughal era and contributions made during this time without reading about them,” he further wrote.Along with the letter, Nath also gifted one of his books on Taj Mahal. “Please accept it. It will clear your myths,” Nath said. Nath was appointed associate professor in 1979 in the department of History and Indian Culture, University of Rajasthan Jaipur, from where he retired as professor and Head of the department in 1993.He taught ‘Islamic Civilization’, ‘Sultanate and Mughal History’ and ‘Medieval Indian Culture’ (including Architecture) to Graduate, Post-Graduate and MPhil students. Nath also lamented an attempt to term Taj Mahal a Shiva temple ‘Tejo Mahalaya. “Show us any such similar temple and a king who had this much of capital to build a similar temple anywhere. This is totally absurd and useless. They do not have evidence or any logic to prove this,” he said.