When my brother-in-law saw this picture of the Taj Mahal, he told the ramp was erected at Taj Mahal after a visit by Professor Stephen Hawking. Now if Amrit said it, I had to believe it but I searched for the Stephen Hawking connection with the ramp and the Taj Mahal. And sure enough it is true. Frontline carried the story in 2001-
There is heartening news for thousands of physically challenged persons across the country. The Archaeological Survey of India has decided to make its monuments including the Taj and Khajuraho accessible to them by providing ramps.
As a direct consequence of this decision, temporary wooden ramps provided by the ASI during the recent visit of eminent physicist Stephen Hawking would now be a permanent feature at the Red Fort, Humayun’s Tomb and Qutab Minar.
I wonder why should it take a Stephen Hawking to get a ramp at something like the Taj Mahal. Is that the kind of vision we have?
i never noticed this ramp … and even though i may have used it i never thought it was meant for this :)talking abt vision … its better not to talk abt it! we r hopeless even in the way we maintain our wild life sanctuaries
Sandeep thanks for sharing your thoughts. I most of the times do not think about vision and stuff like that but one is forced to think when faced with something like not having a ramp at the Taj Mahal till Stephen Hawking decided to visit it!
It is exactly the kind of vision we have.We are too busy with the negative stuff most of the time, you see, to have much time for thinking of such positives.
Surprising that a perpetual tourist favorite such as the Taj Mahal wasn’t disabled friendly!But then, i guess India isn’t a very disabled friendly nation anyway.The vision on tourist monuments is pathetic. We have such amazing architecture and know nothing about how to maintain them.
Amreekandesi, thanks for sharing your thoughts, I too was quite surprised to know that it took a Stephen Hawking to get the ramp at Taj Mahal.Sidhu I agree there are many positives in India but they seem to exist inspite of the system ratehr than because of them, what do you say?