Hi in yesterdays's ponniyin selvan group meeting vijaykumar raised a point of the Taj Mahal not evoking the same feelings as the big temple. there are people who feel that the taj should be in the list of the new wonders and some like "gnaani" in todays anandavikadan comparing the taj mahal to ilayaraja's music or kannadasans songs as all being wonders.(I however Think the present debate should be only about structural wonders) so what then constitutes a wonder? venketesh?
of the 7 ancient wonders 2 were in egypt, 2 in turkey, one in iraq and 2 in greece
only one survives today( the great pyramids)
The list that we know today was compiled in the Middle Agesby which time many of the sites were no longer in existence four were destroyed by earthquakes, one by deliberate arson and one dismantled by christian rulers for religious reasons. mahatma gandhi "is said to have listed" The Seven Blunders of the World
The seven blunders are: Wealth without work Pleasure without conscience Knowledge without character Commerce without morality Science without humanity Worship without sacrifice Politics without principle
with due respects to the taj - for me a true wonder - comes from a feeling fo awe, a deep sense of respect, something that leaves a lasting memory in you for a lifetime.
For me the aura associated with the taj and the reason why its being voted for ...aka a symbol of eternal love - is itself not convincing enough / based on substantial evidence available to the contrary.
Secondly as an architectural wonder ... working in stone to working in marble/sandstone arent the same.
can you compare the regal splendor of our granite temples standing in all their glory for a 1000 years despite facing the wrath of invading hordes vs a greying tomb.
our oranately carved stone pillars to the delicate inlay work of the taj.
an elaborately carved yazhi governed entrance vs the placid white steps of the taj.
i would rather vote for angkor - the largest temple complex in the world or if national interest still pushes then vote for our own big temple - for its grandeur, for its spendour, for its sheer scale n enormity, for the triumph of the human enterprise, for its longivity, for its craftsmanship, for its beauty ...just think of the first time you stood in front of the vimanam - taking in the sight, goose bumps making the hair stand on its end...its a surreal experience...which the taj never gave me.
Dear Vijay Taj whether is a symbol of love or whatever takes your breath away when you walk in.... The reason why our temples havent had th same publicity comes from the following reasons 1. They are places of worship not allowing every one to see the glory 2. the british promoted mughal art over hindu art as sexualism was part of hindu sculptures...which was too much for a 17th -18th century european....it all started with Kajuraho 3. Except Periyakoil and GKC and mammalapuram which were under ASI the rest have had a colourful renovation by the late CM thiru MGR which takes away the antiquity who will believe the madurai meeankshi temple and srirangam are 100s of years old???
> Taj whether is a symbol of love or whatever takes your breath away when you walk in.... > The reason why our temples havent had th same publicity comes from the following reasons > 1. They are places of worship not allowing every one to see the glory > 2. the british promoted mughal art over hindu art as sexualism was part of hindu sculptures...which was too much for a 17th -18th century european....it all started with Kajuraho > 3. Except Periyakoil and GKC and mammalapuram which were under ASI the rest have had a colourful renovation by the late CM thiru MGR which takes away the antiquity who will believe the madurai meeankshi temple and srirangam are 100s of years old???
My feeling is exactly the opposite. When I went to Taj, it was wow, i could not talk for a few minutes watching it from the gate. I mean, it was similar feeling when I see Periyakoil, this really took my breath away. I don't think we should undermine a splendid work just because it is mogul.
Dear Siva what i really meant was the magnificence of Taj really hits you especially when you walk past all those hawkers,urine smelling alleys and those sligtly clean gardens and enter the gate you are mesmerised...especially if its a full moon day...
Having seen it twice i appreciated the impact it has on a first timer when I visited it this time with my wife and kids they were spellbound
with BT I have alwyas explored bits of it from the age of 9 and have grown with it and its collossal
Always counted among the man-made marvels of the world by its admirers, the Taj Mahal on Sunday found pride of place in a new list of seven wonders polled by people around the globe.
Following are the new Seven Wonders of the World: The Colosseum, Rome The Pyramid of Chichen Itza, Mexico Machu Picchu, Peru Taj Mahal, India Statue of the Christ Redeemer, Brazil Petra, Jordan The Great Wall of China
other than the brazilian statue I guess taj is the yungest of the lot Among the places left out were Accropolis in Athens, The Statues of Easter Island , Cambodia Angkar, Hagia Sophia in Turkey, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Statue of Liberty in New York and Russian Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral.
at heart everyone is an art connosieur...the perfect proportions, the delicate interplay of light and shade - our mind is programmed to enjoy these. My words on the taj were not to belittle it in anyway, check out these pictures
but more to give vent to the anger on seeing hundreds of more ( as per my own opinion) brilliant works - that are being forgotten / not promoted.
personally happy that the taj is in, but hope that doesnt mean that Taj is the foremost of all wonders ---aka it has beaten out angkor or to that fact even our BT, its just populism /popularity of a publicity gimmick. so just give it that much,,
or to that fact even our BT, its just populism /popularity of a publicity gimmick. so just give it that much,, =============================================== Exactly, me to opine the same.
Very true sir....a pity, makeup is applied to hide belmishes, to make old look young....possibly they applied the same logic little realising old is gold.... vellikku tanga mulam poosalam, aanal intha moodargal vairathaivida, vaidooriythathai vida vilai mathippila kalai porulgalukku color mulaam poosi athan mathippai kuraithu vittargal/azhithuvittargal....its really a case of kurangin kayyil poomaalai.
i witnessed this sad comedy - at tiruvanamalai temple couple of years ago - the priceless pillars were being given a make over - some local picaso had chosen a mossy dark green color for one hall, a light sea blue for another - and that too applied such a thick coat - that you could hardly make out anything - the ornaments, the delicate work on the garments etc etc were all clouded in this paint screen .....ayyyyyo, ak kar silaiyai sethukka ach sirpi ep padu pattuiruppano, imagine the pain passing through his veins as he delicately brought forth his years of knowledge filtered though generations by word of mouth, passing through his blistered hands, into making this poetry in stone....ak kallum antha padaipalliyin uzaippirku aatharama puvi irukkum varai nirka aval poondu pala nootrandugal ninrum paarporai negizhvittum vanthirukkum...naduvil vandthavargal therindu sidaitargal - avargal virothigal - pagaivargal mannikalaam, im moodargalo ...ivargalai enna venru solvathu - sabippathu. ithai parthal sila murai ivai irukkum idathhil irunthu sithaivathai vida engo rockfeller museumil irunthu vazvathae mel.
vj
>>>>> Except Periyakoil and GKC and mammalapuram which were under ASI the rest have had a colourful renovation by the late CM thiru MGR which takes away the antiquity who will believe the madurai meeankshi temple and srirangam are 100s of years old??? > Regards > Sri >