I ask you to go and search for ‘Agra’ on Google. Follow the first link, Welcome at Officiald Website of Agra, the site is maintained by the Government of India agency, National Informatics Center, or what we all know as the nic.in site.
You get a bare looking page. Follow the tourism link. Of course, the first description is about the Taj Mahal. I reproduce it below. The highlighting is mine. And I mean this really from the nic.in site.
Completed in 1653 A.D., The Taj Mahal built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his favourite Queen, Mumtaz. Finished in by Marvel, it is perhaps India most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monuments took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, Masons and Jewellers to built and is set amidst landscaped gardens. Built by the Persian architect, Ustad Isa, The Taj Mahal the bank of the Yamuna river. It can be observed like a Mirage from the Agra Fort from where Emperor Shah Jahan stared at it, for the last eight years his life as a prisoner of his son Aurangzeb. It is a masterpiece of symmetry, Seeming to be floating in the air from a distance, and each revealed as an illusion experienced as one enters through the main gate. The verses of Holy Koran as inscribed on it and at the top of gate 22 small domes, signifying the number of years the monument took to built. The Taj Mahal has been built on a Marvel Plateform that stands above a standstone one. The most elegant dome of the Taj, with diameter of 60 feets, rises 80 feets, over the building and directly under the dome is the tomb of Mumtaz Mahal. Shah Jahan’s tomb has been irected next to her’s by his son Aurangzeb. Fantastic Inley works using semi-precious stones decorate and interiors.
Open Time : 6 A.M. to 7.30 P.M. (Friday is closed)
And I invite you to sample the whole page. It is full of such errors. I wonder who is responsible for managing the site? I mean who let this page go? As the page comes on the top for the keyword Agra my hunch is that it must be getting some traffic. I mean I never knew the Taj is made of marvel!
But then, I guess the Taj Mahal needs no introduction …
And NIC does carry a disclaimer. I wonder which ‘respective department’ maintains this masterpiece. And I wonde, wonder (thanks Atual for pointing out the error, see being open to feedback can do wonders for you) why don’t they invite a feedback from their readers.
“Disclaimer: Site designed and hosted by National Informatics Centre. Site contents owned, maintained and updated by respective departments. NIC does not take any responsibility regarding website contents”
That really is something! Maybe I should look for an English language proofreading job in India!
Incredible India!;)
Indeed bad English. however, after coming to France, I would say, thanks to the authorities they atleast attempted to put it in English. If you see French websites you will hardly find anything in English. And their English is also as funny as the page you cite. After all English is not our mothertongue.
Like Ketan said, I’m happy just by the fact that there is something put up atleast rather than leaving surfers clueless. And the language is ok enough to carry along. It’s times like these when I really wish Indic language support on computers is more popular. Should happen soon.
These sites are mainly for the tourists from west, hence i think they should work hard to portray the symbol of love properly.Did you leave a note to them?
I blame English language for all these spelling errors – why can not they make it a “fonetik” language? NIC folks are excused for making such trivial typing errors. Even you made an insignificant typo (see last line) – “And I wonde why don’t they invite…” [I believe there should be a comma (,) after “And” and “wonde” should be spelt as “wonder” (or “Vundar”?)] – Just kidding! Here is another example of “proof-reading went wrong”: http://mamtatv.blogspot.com/2007/04/idiot.html (Hilarious!!)Such dreadful errors are unacceptable. हिन्दी में लिखो.
Very amateur effort really. Its creates bad impression ’cause this info is targeted to foreigners. Mk
Who let that page go – one can just keep MARVELling …
हिन्दी में लिखो.But हिन्दी में क्यों लिखो if the website is for the International audience, and even if it is for Indian tourists, why do we assume everybody wants to read Hindi? I love Hindi as far as literature goes, but I prefer my information in English because it is widely understood language. I think it is high time we came out of this colonial mentality of disliking English and accepted it as a pretty decent international language.
In my opinion, again this is a case of “Chalega yaar, let’s manage.” Do we or don’t we want to attract tourists to India? Wouldn’t it be beneficial, and also good, if we could portray the right image of India by conveying accurate information to those interested?It is not that do not have enough educated people in the country and I’m sure there are several thousands who have mastered the English language too. I wish the “right” people would be placed with the apt job and responsibilities.But then again as Mridula states, the Taj needs no introduction.
Thank you all for sharing your thoughts. I too feel that if something is done, we might as well do it right!