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Wah Taj!

SUBHRANSHU

GMRIT: On July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, Portugal, the results of the most awaited poll of the year was declared. It was not any election results of any super power country. It was the result of the polls for the New Seven Wonders of the Worl d, and the Taj Mahal of India had made it to the top seven along with the Great Wall of China, the Colosseum of Rome, Peru’s Machu Picchu, Brazil’s Statue of Christ Redeemer, Mexico’s Chichen Itza pyramid and the ruins of Jordan’s Petra. There was a great rejoicing throughout the country. Though these new seven wonders are rightly not recognised by UNESCO, still the joy of having an architectural marvel of one’s own country listed as one of the seven wonders is immense. The enthusiasm shown by the people to vote for the Taj has shown the love and pride we have for our country and its heritage. But this love should not be just limited by putting the Taj in the seven wonders list. We should see to it that it lives to its reputation of being a real wonder. The Taj is in a sorry state now. The colour of the marble on it right from the time it was built has changed from a bright white to a dirty black-white now. All this is due to pollution of the air around, acid rain effects and other harmful undesirable reactions on the Taj. The proposed Taj Corrider which was planned to add beauty to the Taj has instead spoiled the look of the Taj and become an eye-sore. The Taj is exclaimed as the symbol of love, but upon seeing the area around it produces a sense of disgust. The Taj Mahal which is the face of India to the outside world is losing its beauty due to our negligence and carelessness. The love we showed by placing it in the top seven of the world should now be transformed into care for the Taj and our other heritage monuments. We can do our bit to protect them by keeping the premises clean, encouraging restoration works on them and creating awareness about them to other people.

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