From the 14th position to tenth to fourth,But competition is not over
Contributor July 2nd, 2007
From the 14th position to tenth to fourth, if all goes right, the Taj Mahal will be a shoo-in for the new Wonders of the World.
You have got emails asking you to vote for the Taj, chain SMSes have asked you to do your duty, and your friends seem to be talking about it forever. Now, it seems, the blue billion and their mobile phones have managed to get the 17th century mausoleum its due place in the sun. Going by the latest voting patterns, it is amongst the frontrunners along with Machu Picchu – Peru, Easter Islands – Chile, and Chichen Itza – Mexico to be one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
A month back, the Taj Mahal was at the 14th position with a mere 0.7 per cent votes. But, thanks to a media blitz, all that has changed. Now, with 12.6 per cent votes, it is amongst the top seven and is considered a shoo-in for the final list. China’s contender, the Great Wall of China, has also seen a dramatic rise in its fortunes . It has gone from 3.9 per cent 10.6 per cent votes, making it one of the top choices too.
Meanwhile, the Pyramids of Giza, the only surviving monument from the original list, is also assured a place on the list. Therefore, this list will have eight wonders. The contest is to be decided on the basis of votes received by each of the monuments, and the result will be announced at Lisbon , Portugal on 7.7.07.
Bharat Kapadia, chairman of an organisation that wants to ensure the Taj gets its due place, says, “There have been good developments, but it is still a long way to go. It is still a tough competition but India has rallied together.”
Vote for Taj