The book under review ‘World Vedic Heritage – A History of Histories’ is written by a great research scholar PNOak after years of research on this topic.

This was written back in 1984 and I have read it a long time ago in amazement. Some of the topics like the Taj Mahal was a Hindu temple, Vedic stanzas are in the Qur’an, Aurangazeb’s tomb is in a courtyard of the goddess temple, etc. I was very attracted to it. As I am reading this book now, it still fascinates me.

Although the issues are controversial, the author has provided ample authoritative evidence for readers.

The author says that the dome of the Taj Mahal in Agra, near New Delhi, the capital of India, has lotus petals. The lotus petals in the inlay work encircling its base, the inverted lotus on top of the dome, and the trident pinnacle are all Hindu and Vedic features indicating that the fifth-generation Mughal emperor Shahjahan only requisitioned the Tejo Mahalaya Shiva temple.

Most of the area around the main building is under the control of the Archaeological Department and visitors are not allowed there. Oak says there’s ample evidence to prove his point in those areas.

The book has 92 chapters in 1312 pages. Vedic culture in the East, the Vedic past of Japan, China, Korea and Manchuria, Western Asia, etc. They are covered in detail by the author. Supporting his theory, the author has given 56 photos also in the book.

The book is an interesting read. The book argues that the first immediate reaction of a large part of the public when reading an unprecedented thesis such as the one presented in this book is likely to be shock, disbelief and rejection. But the forcefulness of the argument, the continuity of the story thread, and the completeness of the evidence are likely to be persuasive factors, ultimately making the subject more palatable and acceptable.

A detailed bibliography is also attached at the end of the book citing 114 sources.

The reader can draw his own conclusion after digesting all the facts presented in the book. Lastly, after reviewing the contents of this book, one will get the impression that Indian history definitely needs to be rewritten properly.

Purushottam Nagesh Oak (born: March 2, 1917 – died: December 4, 2007), commonly known as PN Oak, was an Indian writer, notable for his Hindu brand of historical revisionism. Oak’s “Institute for Rewriting Indian History” published a quarterly newspaper called Itihas Patrika in the 1980s. He has written more than twelve books. He was on the editorial staff of the Hindustan Times and The Statesman newspapers. He joined the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and served as an officer class I for a long time.

In general, those who are interested in the history of India, must read this book without fail.