Pardon us for asking: does it matter if the Taj Mahal does or does not make it to the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World? And pardon us for also asking: is the ongoing television and newspaper campaign, urging Indians to vote by SMS, for the Taj any more than an attempt by cellphone companies to keep the cash-registers klink-klink?
For starters, it is not the UNESCO or some independent audit body doing the ranking. It’s a privately funded Switzerland-based organisation called New Open World Corporation, set up by a film maker called Stephen Weber; although a gang led by UNESCO’s former chief Federico Mayor drew up the shortlist of 21.
The organisation or the poll has “no scientific or official stature“, as Egypt has rightly said, while laughing that the Pyramids have to contest for a place.
Maybe, the demands of modern media and marketing require the original list of the seven wonders—made by Herodotus and Callimachus nearly 2,000 years ago—to be updated. Maybe, the seven modern wonders drawn up by the American Society of Civil Engineers look a little ancient, now.
Maybe, also, in tune with the times, the new list should be made to seem more democratic, user-generated, participatory. Therefore, anybody equipped with a cell phone or an internet connection—but who may or may not have visited Shah Jahan‘s love note in marble to his wife Mumtaz—can feel he or she has had a role.
If Taj gets in, it will be a collective triumph. If Taj doesn’t get in, the guilt will be collective, too. In the age of GSM and CDMA, WiFi and WLL, you can exult or sulk at your own discretion. (Conditions Apply)
But here’s the truth which will only please the VHP-Bajrang Dal wallahs who suspect there is a temple underneath the mausoleum: The Taj is not on the list of the seven ancient wonders or the seven modern wonders or the seven medieval wonders.
It’s only there on the list of the seven tourist wonders, which too was drawn up by a private body. And yes, it’s on the Word Heritage List of UNESCO.
You can always ask the question if the Taj deserves to be there on the list of the Seven New Wonders in the first place. And the truth can sometimes be a bitter cliche. Sure, it’s eye-catching. Sure, it’s the only immediately recognisable landmark if somebody were to ask you, “Where’s India?” But a new wonder?
Hmmm.
The other question to ask is if we should be falling into the insular trap of campaigning for the Taj and the Taj alone by shutting our eyes to all the wonders that exist around us. Manmohan Singh isn’t telling us to do so, although Brazil’s President Lula de Silva used a radio address to tell people how to vote for Rio’s Christ the Redeemer.
The government isn’t setting up free internet terminals for us to cast an online vote although Peru’s government has set up computer parlours to enable people to vote for the ancient city of Machu Picchu.
The only people urging you to click “Send” are doe-eyed television co-anchors who look lovingly at each other and ask “Have you voted for the Taj?” and newspaper ads urging to join the crowd by sending an SMS to 4567.
“Daav par hain Bharat ka samman
Kijiye Taj ke liye matadaan”“Dainik Bhaskar urges you to vote for the Taj.
Because, just your admiration won’t do”
All this would be perfectly all right if only the newspapers and television channels would reveal “that the cost to send an SMS is Rs. 3 for all the following operators Prepaid and Postpaid: Airtel, Hutch, Spice, Tata Tele, Reliance Info, Reliance GSM, BPL. Exceptions: Rs. 1: MTNL Prepaid and Postpaid, BSNL Prepaid; Rs. 0.8: BSNL Postpaid.”
And all this would be perfectly all right if only the cellphone companies and media houses would also reveal that they get a portion of the money that is charged for each SMS sent to the “short code” 4567.
Fortunately, the body which is conducting the poll comes clean on its website.
9. Do telephone calls and SMS generate revenues for New 7 Wonders?
Yes. We have, in partnership with our technical telephone partners, established the world’s first global premium voting platform. A very small portion of the revenue from each call or SMS is goes to New7Wonders and will help to fund the entire project.
On the other hand, what is essentially a private campaign is being painted as a show of national identity. As if we are all in this together. If we are, if this is about India, why cannot the cell phone companies charge us nothing for the votes they want us to send?
Because it’s about the money, Mani. One news report said last week that the Taj was short by 30 crore votes. Imagine the “small portion of the revenue” likely to accrue to the cell phone companies if even a portion of that shortfall were to be met.
Maybe three bucks isn’t much for you, but for everybody?
Maybe a new wonder ranking for the Taj will get more tourists. But does the Taj need the publicity when there are hundreds of great spots crying for attention?
Maybe, the contest will further kindle interest in history, culture and architecure. But if the Taj is the first (sometimes only) stop on every tourist’s itinerary without it being on any great list, does it need a certificate from Lisbon this Saturday?
So to the question “Who gives a f*** if Taj Mahal makes it or not?” there can be only one answer: the cell cos.
Agree 100 % .
Who care if someone somewhere disagree ….. there are so many wonders in karnataka alone…….. its all your bent of mind.
Stop this nonsense voting
acknowledging the idea of Zulfi we can have voting for
Seven Wonders of the Karnataka:
1. DG
2. HDK
3. Ambanna
4. KRV
5. Jaffer S
6. B’rappa
7. JH P
8. A’murthy
9. N Murthy
10. MS S
11. HD Rev
12. SM K
Note also that Herodotus couldn’t give a shit what any Indian or African or American thought when he drew up his list which, by and large was restricted to Mediterranean civilizations.
But the fact remains that the original was essentially a travelogue written by a well travelled historian. Surely, any half a million of the same in our generation would list the Taj as a “Wonder of the World”.
Im still amazed at how a poll can decide/ should be alowed to decide the seven so called wonders? on what yardsticks?how ludicrous, bizzare and vulgar! Assuming that the voters are of high intellect, is it fair to assume that they would have got a chance to visit all of them atealst?This is horseshit boss..
KP,
You said Manmohan did not ask for voting.
Here is the text of the mail I got from National Portal. Obviously, my tax money is feeding these idiots who can make it to another equally illustrious list at http://www.419eater.com/html/hall_of_shame.htm
Text of the mail for proof that India government has lotus eaters on its rolls
***************************
As you may already know by now, the official list of the ‘New Seven Wonders of the World’ is being finalized on the basis of votes polled in by people all across the globe.
‘Taj Mahal’, the magnificient marble marvel in India has made it to the list of top ten contenders.
There are only a few days left before the voting process would end and the New 7 Wonders of the World will be announced during the Official Declaration Ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday, July 7, 2007 i.e 07.07.07.
As a valued patron of National Portal of India and as a patriotic Indian, we urge you to vote for Taj Mahal to be included in the list of seven wonders.
The voting could be done in any of the following ways …
Online Phone SMS
Visit the Official website of the New 7 Wonders Foundation, the body deciding the 7 new wonders at
http://www.new7
wonders.com
and cast your vote.
Remember, for casting your vote, you need to Register with this site and each registration allows you to cast 7 votes.
Cast your vote by calling any of the following International Numbers
+423 663 90 02 99
+44 870 062 3748
Your calls will be charged at normal international call rates. During the call, you can vote for two of the 21 final New7Wonders candidates, using the codes for the candidate. Remember, the code for Taj Mahal is ‘Code 20’.
You can also vote by simply typing TAJ in an SMS and sending it to 4567
The cost to send an SMS is Rs. 3 for all the following operators Prepaid and Postpaid: Airtel, Hutch, Spice, Tata Tele, Reliance Info, Reliance GSM, BPL. Exceptions: Rs. 1: MTNL Prepaid and Postpaid, BSNL Prepaid; Rs. 0.8: BSNL Postpaid. Only providers indicated above accept voting.
You may click on the Banner ‘Vote for Taj’ on the Home Page of National Portal of India (india.gov.in) to know more details on all aspects of voting.
Click here to read more about ‘Taj Mahal’, the epitome of beauty and architectural marvel.
REMEMBER, Online, phone and SMS voting ends at midnight GMT on July 6th (the night between July 6th and 7th). So hurry and ensure that Taj Mahal stays as an eternal Wonder of the World …
Portal Co-ordinator
(http://india.gov.in)
Passst wonder aaf the waralDu… Namma Kalasipalya Bus styandu
negstu..namma kengari kerae ( Vrushbavathi) .
Well, a few years back a lady was asking me to watch the Tamil movie ‘Jeans’ to find out the Seven Wonders of the World!!! Well, she argued with me that Taj was already one of the seven and that I had no idea what I was talking about. Well well, there is no point in arguing with a person who bases off her geography on Indian movies, is there?
I need to ask her to SMS, lest Taj loses the ‘wonder’ tag. Ohh, that would be so horrible to imagine…God save us, er SMSers!!!
ok.. i just voted for the great wall of china. what next?
@sisya, u get a fully paid subscription for THE HINDU
You will find a similar although not such an extensive chain on thought on my blog http://scattered-tidbits.blogspot.com/2007/06/7-wonders-list-private-has-no-heritage.html
I agree this is a campaign which has been carefully crafted. Just yesterday my team put it on their daily agenda to vote for the taj. I really dont know how that thought came across but as long as it is a 5 minute detour I really didnt dive deep.
anand
What an utter waste of time.
Why not Hampi? with its rich architecture (yeah, some of them are gone now, I know)..
Why vote for something that was built by a ruler from the taxpayers’ money, exclusively for his personal fulfillment??
Why not Mount Everest?
Its ridiculous to decide on such things by vote..sick!
People who vote in these polls without having visited atleast two places listed should be officially certified as morons! There’s nothing else here. Move on…
But Churumuri can take the idea from here to find interesting things about India.
Which place you have visited is the best and why do you think so?
How many states/UTs have you visited?
Which train (that you have taken) is the coolest?
How old is the oldest temple you have visited? (estimates shud be ok)
How many rivers (major ones) have you crossed (not by air)?
Why Taj?? I think India the country where it is built itself is the greatest wonder of the world!! Wat say??
Very true.
‘It’s only there on the list of the seven tourist wonders, which too was drawn up by a private body. And yes, it’s on the Word Heritage List of UNESCO.’
Just make that ‘World Heritage List’
–
well written
taj mahal
tal mahal to be one of 7 wonders [yes]
taj mahal
taj mahal
taj mahal
taj mahal india
TAJ MAHAL INDIA YES NUMBER ONE
YES TAJ MAHAL
TAJ MAHAL INDIA
This is a really good & insightful read into the hollowness that is actually part of our “Indian-ness” & “patriotism”…
Kudos to you for writing something which dares to break the norm that is the “Indian spirit”…!!!!
Intially I didnt believe that voting happened. In that I personally felt online voting itself was too much…on top of it sms voting.. Absurd!!!!!!!!!
I was mocking my friends until I saw the article in :The Hindu” newspaper. What then?
Encouraged my friends to continue voting on my behalf.
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Sorry for putting a link to my blog.
This topic sure got my goat and I’ve written about it here – http://rand-rambler.blogspot.com/2007/07/what-in-number-and-other-rambling.html
I am glad to see that there are several of us.
Why not Mount Everest?
Pranky, we are talking about the wonders which are man made, not the natural ones dude.
Can u please send a mail about “SEVEN WONDERS OF WORLD” in regional Kannada Language.
Waiiting for your soon response.
Please help me.
There are many controversies surrounding this monument. Some people claim that it was a Hindu temple that was “converted” into the Taj Mahal. Whatever be its true origin, it represents India’s rich cultural heritage.
Screw the politicians and chance-mein-dance mediocre businessmen.