Recently, people all over the world voted for the New 7 wonders of the modern world. Amidst much glamour (read as clamour), it was unveiled in Portugal. It is no surprise that our very own Taj Mahal featured in the list of nominations.

Understandably, people (especially, the youth) of this country went gung-ho about this - millions would have cast their vote, zillions of bits were exchanged (avalanche of SMS messages, flurry of emails). All this paid off - Taj came 4th on the list of new 7 wonders!!.

No doubt, they were expressing their 'Nationalism'. As it happens with cricket, this too assumed patriotic proportions - soon it became a matter of national pride. Taj is indeed beautiful, no doubt - A marvel that has attracted people for centuries. But, what does the Taj stand for? Going by popular belief, it stands out to be the epitome of love, as expressed by the Moghul emperor towards his wife. Or does it?

However, if some historians are to be believed, this love story is simply not so romantic. Perhaps, it is all made up!. Even if it was true, that is not all, there is more to it. Some people even claim that the workers who built this majestic structure were treated inhumanely and their hands were cut off after the monument was complete (to ensure that nobody else would employ them and build another similar structure). If this is to be believed, it is unfortunate that the such cruelty lies alongside this wonder, overshadowed. Ironically, Taj is one of the heritage sites recognized by UNESCO.

Is Taj Mahal a wonder or a blunder? Could it possibly be 'A Beautiful Scar'?