Okay, go ahead & Vote for Taj, but come back & `Save Taj' too!
I received yet another chain mail today on how I should be a true patriotic, true national and should not only 'Vote for Taj' but also all others in my circle to vote too for this `most amazing wonder of the world.
This is exactly what I have been talking about on this blog. I had to tell the friend who had forwarded the mail with a request that I host the 'Vote for Taj' URL on all my sites and get the world to know about Agra's pride.
Per se, I am not against this voting business. To prove that I am giving the 'Vote for Taj' link myself here. I have voted myself some years ago, but the hysteria whipped up by mass media and chain mails is missing a crucial point that we hope to highlight through this blog: health of Taj Mahal.
Everybody, just about everybody is missing this very crucial point. I believe that by being as paranoid and passionate about it as we are to get it perched right on top of the Wonders list, we will be able to take Taj Mahal to another level.
In an era where subtle romance is reduced to being kitsch, monuments like Taj Mahal are testimony to an era that can rekindle that bygone feeling by its mere sight for generations to come. Not for nothing is this mausoleum revered by people the world over who sometimes visit India only because they want to see `The Taj Mahal'.
Even as we continue to do our evangelism for Taj Mahal well beyond 7-7-7, we will for once be reasonable and give in to pressure and requests from friends and host the `Vote for Taj' URL as well and do our own bit to push Taj Mahal up the ranking as far as possible in this farcical 7
Wonders circus! At least, if you vote through this blog, you will also spend a few minutes how important it is to `Save Taj'.
I do not mind being flamed by people for my views on
this issue, so the floodgates are open to those who may want to do so on this blog, or otherwise. And yes, I totally agree with my friend when she says "I've had the privilege of visiting this beautiful monument and it deserves to be there for our future generations". Amen!
To Cast Your Vote in Marble via the Internet, click :
http://www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=409
- Nerosax
"Vote if u must, but SAVE Taj too!"~Read More
I received yet another chain mail today on how I should be a true patriotic, true national and should not only 'Vote for Taj' but also all others in my circle to vote too for this `most amazing wonder of the world.
This is exactly what I have been talking about on this blog. I had to tell the friend who had forwarded the mail with a request that I host the 'Vote for Taj' URL on all my sites and get the world to know about Agra's pride.
Per se, I am not against this voting business. To prove that I am giving the 'Vote for Taj' link myself here. I have voted myself some years ago, but the hysteria whipped up by mass media and chain mails is missing a crucial point that we hope to highlight through this blog: health of Taj Mahal.
Everybody, just about everybody is missing this very crucial point. I believe that by being as paranoid and passionate about it as we are to get it perched right on top of the Wonders list, we will be able to take Taj Mahal to another level.
In an era where subtle romance is reduced to being kitsch, monuments like Taj Mahal are testimony to an era that can rekindle that bygone feeling by its mere sight for generations to come. Not for nothing is this mausoleum revered by people the world over who sometimes visit India only because they want to see `The Taj Mahal'.
Even as we continue to do our evangelism for Taj Mahal well beyond 7-7-7, we will for once be reasonable and give in to pressure and requests from friends and host the `Vote for Taj' URL as well and do our own bit to push Taj Mahal up the ranking as far as possible in this farcical 7
Wonders circus! At least, if you vote through this blog, you will also spend a few minutes how important it is to `Save Taj'.
I do not mind being flamed by people for my views on
this issue, so the floodgates are open to those who may want to do so on this blog, or otherwise. And yes, I totally agree with my friend when she says "I've had the privilege of visiting this beautiful monument and it deserves to be there for our future generations". Amen!
To Cast Your Vote in Marble via the Internet, click :
http://www.new7wonders.com
- Nerosax
"Vote if u must, but SAVE Taj too!"~Read More
Taj Mahal & the maddening blunder
It is quite interesting to note that of all organisations the one that matters most - Unesco - has categorically denied it has any hand in, or supports, the 7 Wonders campaign mounted by a Swiss Website. This campaign was launched in 2000 as a private initiative by Bernard Weber, the idea being to encourage citizens around the world to select Seven new Wonders.
Vote for Taj campaign took off from this and has been going on in bits and pieces of broken chain mails in people's mail boxes for past few years. It has gathered steam as the deadline to vote has drawn near on Triple Seven, or 07-07-07 . In short, it is madness right now!
"In order to avoid any damaging confusion, Unesco wishes to reaffirm that there is no link whatsoever between Unesco's World Heritage programme, which aims to protect world heritage, and the current campaign concerning "The New 7 Wonders of the World," says a statement on Unesco's Website that few people perhaps know about.
"Unesco's objective and mandate is to assist countries in identifying, protecting and preserving World Heritage. Acknowledging the sentimental or emblematic value of sites and inscribing them on a new list is not enough. Scientific criteria must be defined, the quality of candidates evaluated, and legislative and management frameworks set up...."
"The relevant authorities must also demonstrate commitment to these frameworks as well as to permanently monitoring the state of conservation of sites. The task is one of technical conservation and political persuasion. There is also a clear educational role with respect to the sites' inherent value, the threats they face and what must be done to prevent their loss."
There is no comparison between Mr Weber's mediatised campaign and the scientific and educational work resulting from the inscription of sites on Unesco's World Heritage List. The list of the "7 New Wonders of the World" will be the result of a private undertaking, reflecting only the opinions of those with access to the internet and not the entire world. This initiative cannot, in any significant and sustainable manner, contribute to the preservation of sites, says Unesco.
- Nerosax
"Arre, ab to Ah Taj kahiye janab!"~Read More
It is quite interesting to note that of all organisations the one that matters most - Unesco - has categorically denied it has any hand in, or supports, the 7 Wonders campaign mounted by a Swiss Website. This campaign was launched in 2000 as a private initiative by Bernard Weber, the idea being to encourage citizens around the world to select Seven new Wonders.
Vote for Taj campaign took off from this and has been going on in bits and pieces of broken chain mails in people's mail boxes for past few years. It has gathered steam as the deadline to vote has drawn near on Triple Seven, or 07-07-07 . In short, it is madness right now!
"In order to avoid any damaging confusion, Unesco wishes to reaffirm that there is no link whatsoever between Unesco's World Heritage programme, which aims to protect world heritage, and the current campaign concerning "The New 7 Wonders of the World," says a statement on Unesco's Website that few people perhaps know about.
"Unesco's objective and mandate is to assist countries in identifying, protecting and preserving World Heritage. Acknowledging the sentimental or emblematic value of sites and inscribing them on a new list is not enough. Scientific criteria must be defined, the quality of candidates evaluated, and legislative and management frameworks set up...."
"The relevant authorities must also demonstrate commitment to these frameworks as well as to permanently monitoring the state of conservation of sites. The task is one of technical conservation and political persuasion. There is also a clear educational role with respect to the sites' inherent value, the threats they face and what must be done to prevent their loss."
There is no comparison between Mr Weber's mediatised campaign and the scientific and educational work resulting from the inscription of sites on Unesco's World Heritage List. The list of the "7 New Wonders of the World" will be the result of a private undertaking, reflecting only the opinions of those with access to the internet and not the entire world. This initiative cannot, in any significant and sustainable manner, contribute to the preservation of sites, says Unesco.
- Nerosax
"Arre, ab to Ah Taj kahiye janab!"~Read More
Taj is No. 1, but are the Wonders meant for listings only!
Ever wondered why do we have only Seven Wonders in the world as big and myriad as ours? There is no reason why a planet so vast and so full should forever continue to have only Seven Wonders!
At all times, there should be a Unesco-compiled and maintained list of official Wonders of the World where each nation can nominate its entries. A panel comprising experts that are multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-national should decide a list of 10 or 20 Wonders that should then be relooked once every decade to include or exclude any entry.
It is preposterous, and indeed foolish, to go on thinking ourselves that such a fascinating planet with so many civilisations can have only Seven Wonders at any given point of time!
Why then should we whip up such mass hysteria for Taj the way our mass media is doing by blindly apeing what countries like Brazil are doing! They need it for Christ's sake, we don't. Don't go on doing Lula-i-doodle!
- Nerosax
"Seven Wonders ... But why Seven?"~Read More
Ever wondered why do we have only Seven Wonders in the world as big and myriad as ours? There is no reason why a planet so vast and so full should forever continue to have only Seven Wonders!
At all times, there should be a Unesco-compiled and maintained list of official Wonders of the World where each nation can nominate its entries. A panel comprising experts that are multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-national should decide a list of 10 or 20 Wonders that should then be relooked once every decade to include or exclude any entry.
It is preposterous, and indeed foolish, to go on thinking ourselves that such a fascinating planet with so many civilisations can have only Seven Wonders at any given point of time!
Why then should we whip up such mass hysteria for Taj the way our mass media is doing by blindly apeing what countries like Brazil are doing! They need it for Christ's sake, we don't. Don't go on doing Lula-i-doodle!
- Nerosax
"Seven Wonders ... But why Seven?"~Read More
Taj Mahal needs certificates... No way, says Agra
Agra: We are happy to note that there are saner voices within media. Unfortunately, it is not quite so with TV channels and FM radio stations which have been going all over town crying hoarse, asking people to vote as if Taj won't be Taj without your vote! But as we said there are people who are questioning the silliness of this whole thing. Fortunately enough, many of them belong to Agra and they are finding this whole thing rather repulsive. Read on ...
`Vote for Taj': Will you, won't you? Never mind, please do... We need revenue after all. So what if people are taken for a ride!
According to saner voices in media like Brij Khandelwal who has written in Times of India recently, questions are now being raised about the credibility of the current campaign to vote the Taj Mahal for the first position among the new Seven Wonders of the World.
"The whole campaign is a big media hoax. Nobody has authorised this Swiss Website owner to do the grading of monuments. How can a private entrepreneur launch a global campaign like this and the whole government machinery gets used to hype up the campaign to fool the gullible masses. Each phone call costs Rs 6. In a poor country why should ultra jingoism be promoted by commercial interests," asks president of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society Surendra Sharma.
As per the government of India's tourism department chief in Agra Sudhir Kumar, the campaign was a private one and those who were supporting it were doing it in their private capacity. "The campaign is not backed by any government agency though we feel it is good and in the interest of the tourism industry as a whole to promote the Taj Mahal as number one wonder."
K Mishra, a senior official of the UP Tourism department said how can people vote when they have not seen the other monuments. "It is arbitrary and wholly one sided campaign. Obviously people of Agra would vote for only the Taj and those in China would vote for the Great Wall." Mishra said his own department had nothing to do with the campaign. "Our DG in Lucknow has already made everything clear on this issue," he added.
KK Sharma, deputy superintending archaeologist of ASI in Agra said the campaign to put it simply is "economic exploitation of the sentiments of the Indian people, like the Yanni show earlier. No two monuments are alike and should not be compared. It is an injustice to the status and dignity of the Taj Mahal."
Interestingly, the Agra circle of the ASI has been rather indifferent to the campaign, so the Bhopal circle of the ASI headed by KK Mohammed has descended on Agra to impart a momentum to the campaign. The ASI has circulated banners, pamphlets and appealed to the people to vote for the Taj.
While the tourism industry has been promoting the campaign in its own interest, several other NGOs and government agencies have got involved in the promotion business. District Magistrate Mukesh Meshram himself headed a procession two days ago to mobilise support for the Taj Mahal.
Prof R Nath, a Mughal historian, says the whole campaign is fake and uncalled for. "The Taj is already a taj (crown). it needs no certification from any authority. Wonders are those that can not be replicated. It is in fact foolish to compare one with the other. We should also be asking who has started it all and why."
Most people Mr Khandelwal talked to denied any knowledge about the promoters, but said they thought it was a government-sponsored move. A hotelier said "we thought since the district authorities were taking so much interest it must be government supported or backed campaign. But if the government agencies have not supported it then all the exercise will go waste,"
- Nerosax
"Taj Mahal needs no certificate"~Read More
Agra: We are happy to note that there are saner voices within media. Unfortunately, it is not quite so with TV channels and FM radio stations which have been going all over town crying hoarse, asking people to vote as if Taj won't be Taj without your vote! But as we said there are people who are questioning the silliness of this whole thing. Fortunately enough, many of them belong to Agra and they are finding this whole thing rather repulsive. Read on ...
`Vote for Taj': Will you, won't you? Never mind, please do... We need revenue after all. So what if people are taken for a ride!
According to saner voices in media like Brij Khandelwal who has written in Times of India recently, questions are now being raised about the credibility of the current campaign to vote the Taj Mahal for the first position among the new Seven Wonders of the World.
"The whole campaign is a big media hoax. Nobody has authorised this Swiss Website owner to do the grading of monuments. How can a private entrepreneur launch a global campaign like this and the whole government machinery gets used to hype up the campaign to fool the gullible masses. Each phone call costs Rs 6. In a poor country why should ultra jingoism be promoted by commercial interests," asks president of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society Surendra Sharma.
As per the government of India's tourism department chief in Agra Sudhir Kumar, the campaign was a private one and those who were supporting it were doing it in their private capacity. "The campaign is not backed by any government agency though we feel it is good and in the interest of the tourism industry as a whole to promote the Taj Mahal as number one wonder."
K Mishra, a senior official of the UP Tourism department said how can people vote when they have not seen the other monuments. "It is arbitrary and wholly one sided campaign. Obviously people of Agra would vote for only the Taj and those in China would vote for the Great Wall." Mishra said his own department had nothing to do with the campaign. "Our DG in Lucknow has already made everything clear on this issue," he added.
KK Sharma, deputy superintending archaeologist of ASI in Agra said the campaign to put it simply is "economic exploitation of the sentiments of the Indian people, like the Yanni show earlier. No two monuments are alike and should not be compared. It is an injustice to the status and dignity of the Taj Mahal."
Interestingly, the Agra circle of the ASI has been rather indifferent to the campaign, so the Bhopal circle of the ASI headed by KK Mohammed has descended on Agra to impart a momentum to the campaign. The ASI has circulated banners, pamphlets and appealed to the people to vote for the Taj.
While the tourism industry has been promoting the campaign in its own interest, several other NGOs and government agencies have got involved in the promotion business. District Magistrate Mukesh Meshram himself headed a procession two days ago to mobilise support for the Taj Mahal.
Prof R Nath, a Mughal historian, says the whole campaign is fake and uncalled for. "The Taj is already a taj (crown). it needs no certification from any authority. Wonders are those that can not be replicated. It is in fact foolish to compare one with the other. We should also be asking who has started it all and why."
Most people Mr Khandelwal talked to denied any knowledge about the promoters, but said they thought it was a government-sponsored move. A hotelier said "we thought since the district authorities were taking so much interest it must be government supported or backed campaign. But if the government agencies have not supported it then all the exercise will go waste,"
- Nerosax
"Taj Mahal needs no certificate"~Read More
