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Taj & The Number Game

What's with the Vote for Taj frenzy sweeping across the nation? Turn on the TV to be coaxed into voting for the Taj. Read the newspaper to realize what a heinous crime it is if you fail to vote for the Taj. Wireless carriers have jumped into the fray and offer you a convenient way of voting for and only for the Taj. Indian web sites have come up with countdown clocks and voting buttons to help you cast your precious vote for the Taj. Chain mails from fellow Indians beg you to do the same and make India proud.

Should the Taj earn a spot on a new list of the Seven Wonders of the World? Should it be solely because the Taj is in India and I'm an Indian? Whatever happened to meritocracy? If voting is supposed to be impartial to be considered judicious, why should my nationalist sentiments be continually fanned? Why should mobile service providers make it so convenient for me to vote only for the Taj? Why should FM lend its voice to the rising monotone?

Our brothers from populous China are equally worked up ever since rumor had it that the Great Wall of China may not make the cut. Media channels there have been similarly hogged by pleas to make the Great Wall stand tall and proud. Talk of two ancient civilizations that are now reduced to being 3rd world nations desperate to scavenge any pride that comes their way! Desperation has now hit a new high, it would seem!

If this is the mindset used while casting votes, the Seven Wonders of the World might as well be rechristened the Seven Wonders of the Most Sexually Active Nations of the World! I wish we could learn a few things from the US. Though the Americans have been amongst the most prolific voters, the Statue of Liberty is hardly in contention, it is learnt. Of course, I feel the Taj Mahal is far more deserving of a vote than the lady with the torch.

By the way, did you know that you can cast your vote multiple times? Too good to be true, isn't it? So if you're indeed a true patriot and wanna contribute to swelling national pride, go ahead and vote for the Taj as many times as you can. This is probably the best way you can do your motherland proud!

My favorite pick: The Great Pyramid of Giza. I will, however, refrain from casting my vote for the most deserving Seven. The whole exercise looks utterly silly and meaningless. And it helps that I'm no patriot.

Comments

Vivek said…
It's all about the money yaar, the telecom companies, the FM stations, the organisation behind this (which is not UNESCO) will all gain commercially, so .....

And I think the Taj kicks Giza's you-know-what.
Anonymous said…
I actually like this race. Infact I like all races. Having said that, I find all races to be mindless.

I wanted to vote for Sulabh Shauchalaya (http://www.sulabhinternational.org/pg05.htm). But then nobody thought of giving it a berth on the list. Shit!

As for the "great" monuments, does someone have details on how many slaves were used for the construction....
Deepanjan said…
It was decided in 2006 to pull Giza out of contention and place it in the list automatically. But I may be wrong on this.

Today's machines were not available when the ancient and medieval civilizations built the great monuments. Slavery was Hobson's choice.

Modernity is nothing but a march towards making the playing field flatter. It's all about untying birth from destiny.

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