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Twilight of the Taj Mahal

bbc.co.uk

11–20 of 96 posts

Re: Twilight of the Taj Mahal

#11
post #10

"Incredible India", as the country's tourism slogan claims, is fast disappearing. I know this may get downvoted by fans of India, but I'm just saying it as I see it. If it matters, I'm of Indian origin too. First of all, India has everything it needs to be amazing. A young workforce, driven, technical people, a nice selection of flourishing industries, bucket loads of natural resources and abundant sources of renewab…

Wow, so very well sad! As another person of Indian origin, coolately agree.

Re: Twilight of the Taj Mahal

#12
post #10

"Incredible India", as the country's tourism slogan claims, is fast disappearing. I know this may get downvoted by fans of India, but I'm just saying it as I see it. If it matters, I'm of Indian origin too. First of all, India has everything it needs to be amazing. A young workforce, driven, technical people, a nice selection of flourishing industries, bucket loads of natural resources and abundant sources of renewab…

>While I was in Delhi about 2 weeks ago, my father asked me to advise the 17 year old son of one of his employees. I met the guy - a studious, fiercly competitive lad, but pleasant nonetheless. He wanted to become a doctor; I asked him "why a doctor?". His response was that he could make a lot of money in that field, specifically because people come to you when they're in need and in trouble. I then asked him "What about helping people? Interest in the subject itself? Passion?". He fobbed those questions off like they simply didn't matter.

You have to have a certain level of wealth before you care about "passion". Sometimes if you grow up seeing the consequences of being poor, the desire to never go through that again becomes your passion. That is why you then optimize your career to make money rather than follow your "passion".

Re: Twilight of the Taj Mahal

#13
post #10

"Incredible India", as the country's tourism slogan claims, is fast disappearing. I know this may get downvoted by fans of India, but I'm just saying it as I see it. If it matters, I'm of Indian origin too. First of all, India has everything it needs to be amazing. A young workforce, driven, technical people, a nice selection of flourishing industries, bucket loads of natural resources and abundant sources of renewab…

>While I was in Delhi about 2 weeks ago, my father asked me to advise the 17 year old son of one of his employees. I met the guy - a studious, fiercly competitive lad, but pleasant nonetheless. He wanted to become a doctor; I asked him "why a doctor?". His response was that he could make a lot of money in that field, specifically because people come to you when they're in need and in trouble. I then asked him "What a…

I don't disagree with you, however, the individual in my story was not "poor" - he was part of India's middle class. His father was being paid reasonably well at my dad's firm for the last 20+ years.

Re: Twilight of the Taj Mahal

#14
post #10

"Incredible India", as the country's tourism slogan claims, is fast disappearing. I know this may get downvoted by fans of India, but I'm just saying it as I see it. If it matters, I'm of Indian origin too. First of all, India has everything it needs to be amazing. A young workforce, driven, technical people, a nice selection of flourishing industries, bucket loads of natural resources and abundant sources of renewab…

>While I was in Delhi about 2 weeks ago, my father asked me to advise the 17 year old son of one of his employees. I met the guy - a studious, fiercly competitive lad, but pleasant nonetheless. He wanted to become a doctor; I asked him "why a doctor?". His response was that he could make a lot of money in that field, specifically because people come to you when they're in need and in trouble. I then asked him "What a…

Agreed wholeheartedly. The word passion is over hyped. And it makes very less sense especially when we are from a poor country like India where people run to make their ends meet.

Re: Twilight of the Taj Mahal

#15

Seems surprising to me that the supreme court is so involved in this issue. In the United States, the supreme court tries its hardest to avoid answering a question if it can, and certainly tries to avoid anything that looks like it's writing a new law. Can someone who is more knowledgeable comment on this?

In India, the Supreme Court is enthusiastically involved in many things. It considers it to be its job to keep the government honest, etc. See this blog post on the tenure of the most recent Chief Justice of India, by a lawyer and expert: https://indconlawphil.wordpress.com/2018/10/01/ends-without-... (See also: https://indconlawphil.wordpress.com/2018/10/30/constituting-... )

Re: Twilight of the Taj Mahal

#16
post #3

Though maintenance is an issue, I’ve been told another issue is craftsmanship. It was slapped together by slaves to serve as a tomb for the third wife of an emperor who had a harem of 2000 women yet saw it fit to drag his favorite into the battlefield for his comfort (she succumbed to complications bearing no. 14 in the 19th year of her marriage). They might as well let it crumble. It's a grotesque monument which tou…

Shoddy construction or not, it is a beautiful design. Can you recommend a source for that? I can imagine that he was in a hurry to have it built before he died.

Re: Twilight of the Taj Mahal

#17
post #10

"Incredible India", as the country's tourism slogan claims, is fast disappearing. I know this may get downvoted by fans of India, but I'm just saying it as I see it. If it matters, I'm of Indian origin too. First of all, India has everything it needs to be amazing. A young workforce, driven, technical people, a nice selection of flourishing industries, bucket loads of natural resources and abundant sources of renewab…

>While I was in Delhi about 2 weeks ago, my father asked me to advise the 17 year old son of one of his employees. I met the guy - a studious, fiercly competitive lad, but pleasant nonetheless. He wanted to become a doctor; I asked him "why a doctor?". His response was that he could make a lot of money in that field, specifically because people come to you when they're in need and in trouble. I then asked him "What a…

I am 37 year old Indian. I find it actually crazy that a 17 year old guy is solely driven by only money.

I always have this impression that kids are usually driven more by interest. But maybe it is only me.

Re: Twilight of the Taj Mahal

#18
post #10

"Incredible India", as the country's tourism slogan claims, is fast disappearing. I know this may get downvoted by fans of India, but I'm just saying it as I see it. If it matters, I'm of Indian origin too. First of all, India has everything it needs to be amazing. A young workforce, driven, technical people, a nice selection of flourishing industries, bucket loads of natural resources and abundant sources of renewab…

Whenever I step into Delhi, or any major Indian city, I feel like I'm stepping into chaos. The buildings are blackened and poorly planned. The sky, perpetually grey with pollution - India is more then few metro cities. It’s vast and varied.

Re: Twilight of the Taj Mahal

#19
post #16
post #3

Though maintenance is an issue, I’ve been told another issue is craftsmanship. It was slapped together by slaves to serve as a tomb for the third wife of an emperor who had a harem of 2000 women yet saw it fit to drag his favorite into the battlefield for his comfort (she succumbed to complications bearing no. 14 in the 19th year of her marriage). They might as well let it crumble. It's a grotesque monument which tou…

Shoddy construction or not, it is a beautiful design. Can you recommend a source for that? I can imagine that he was in a hurry to have it built before he died.

Not really. Just a comment by a visitor. It’s said it took thousands of slaves about 20 years to build but aside from the architect they may not have had expertise.

Re: Twilight of the Taj Mahal

#20
post #10

"Incredible India", as the country's tourism slogan claims, is fast disappearing. I know this may get downvoted by fans of India, but I'm just saying it as I see it. If it matters, I'm of Indian origin too. First of all, India has everything it needs to be amazing. A young workforce, driven, technical people, a nice selection of flourishing industries, bucket loads of natural resources and abundant sources of renewab…

Whenever I step into Delhi, or any major Indian city, I feel like I'm stepping into chaos. The buildings are blackened and poorly planned. The sky, perpetually grey with pollution - India is more then few metro cities. It’s vast and varied.

Yes, but the parent summarizes India quite well.
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