For much of the world, the Taj Mahal is a place of wonder. By far the most famous monument in India, it is visited by diplomats and romanticized in films. Its origin story — built by a 17th-century Muslim ruler as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, who died in childbirth — is taught in classrooms and honored as a UNESCO World Heritage site. For generations it has been a national emblem of artistic excellence and cultural sophistication that transcends regional rivalries, politics and religion.

Yet in recent years the Taj has also become a contested site, targeted by those determined to recast India’s pluralist history. The symbol of love is now a flash point in India’s historical antagonism between Hindus and minority Muslims, a battle between historians — a battle over truth, identity an

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