THE NEW SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD IN THEIR RESPLENDENT GLORY

The Taj Mahal was was named as one of the new seven wonders of the world on Saturday in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon. Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer, Peru's Machu Picchu, Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid, Jordan's Petra, the Colosseum in Rome and the Great Wall of China were also chosen as the modern-day seven wonders of the world, according to a global vote by about 100 million Internet and telephone voters.

Following are some details about the new seven wonders:

The Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum located in Agra, India. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned it as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Construction began in 1632 and was completed in approximately 1648. Built out of white marble and standing in formally laid-out walled gardens, the Taj Mahal is regarded as the most perfect jewel of medieval art in India.

The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall is the world's longest human-made structure, stretching over approximately 6,400 km from Shanhai Pass in the east to Lop Nur in the west of China, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. It is also the largest human-made structure ever built in terms of surface area and mass. The Wall was classified a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 1986.

The statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro

Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue stands 32 meters tall, weighs 700 tons and is located at the peak of the 700-meter Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park, overlooking the city. As well as being a potent symbol of Christianity, the statue has become an icon of Rio and Brazil.

The Incan ruins of Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu, a pre-Columbian city created by the Inca, is located above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, about 70 km northwest of Cusco. Forgotten for centuries by the outside world, although not by locals, it was brought back to international attention by archaeologist Hiram Bingham in 1911, who made the first scientific confirmation of the site and wrote a best-selling work about it.

The ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza in Mexico

Chichen Itza is a large pre-Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization, located in the northern center of the Yucatan Peninsula, present-day Mexico. The Maya name "Chichen Itza" means "At the mouth of the well of the Itza." Although this was the usual name for the site in pre-Columbian times, it is also referred to in the ancient chronicles as Uucyabnal, meaning "Seven Great Rulers."

The pink ruins of Petra in Jordan

Petra is an archaeological site in Jordan, lying in a basin among the mountains that form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. It is famous for having many stone structures carved into the rock. The long-hidden site was revealed to the Western world by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. Today, the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle Eastern culture.

The Colosseum in Rome

The Colosseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheater, is a giant amphitheater in the center of the city of Rome, Italy. Originally capable of seating around 50,000 spectators, it was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. The amphitheater, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire, was completed in 80 A.D. under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign.

PHEW! THE TENSION IS OVER: THE TAJ MAHAL FINDS ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE AMONG THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD

The Taj Mahal in Agra was included in the new Seven Wonders of the World announced at a star-studded ceremony held in Lisbon, bringing joy to millions of Indians who had voted for the 17th Century monument of love.

Brazil's Statue of Christ Redeemer, Peru's Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China, Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid, Jordan's Petra and the Colosseum in Rome were also chosen as the modern-day wonders, according to a global vote by about 100 million Internet and telephone voters.

The new Seven Wonders of the World were announced Saturday night at a glitzy event at the Benfica Stadium in Lisbon, featuring musical performances and was attended by several world dignitaries. Actors Ben Kingsley, Hilary Swank and Bollywood star Bipasha Basu hosted the ceremonies.

The grand monument in Agra was built in the 17th century by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.

The global poll was carried out by a private body called the New7Wonders Foundation.

Rahman comes to the rescue of Taj Mahal

After the national anthem and poverty, music genius A R Rahman has another mission -- the Taj Mahal. Rahman has composed an "anthem" to help gather support for the voting campaign to nominate the Taj Mahal as one of the seven wonders of the world.

"The Taj has always been a source of inspiration for me, and it is not just about the love between Mumtaz Mahal and Shahjahan but about eveyrbody's love. I think this monument deserves to be on the list of seven wonders of the world and we should all strive for it," Rahman told reporters in Mumbai.

The music director was commissioned to compose the album by IMCL, who are the official facilitators in India for the New Seven Wonders List that will be announced on July 7 this year in Lisbon, Portugal.

"In the preliminary rounds of voting, we saw that India had absolutely no vote share, and the Taj barely scraped through the final 21 nominees. To create awareness among Indians that they have to vote for the Taj, if it has to be shortlisted in the final seven, we asked Rahman if he would compose an anthem," said Bharat Kapadia of "India Unites for The Taj" campaign.

Rahman himself admitted that he "hardly had any time" to actually compose the song. "I finished the song this very afternoon. I have even co-written some of the lyrics myself, which is a first for me."

When asked whether the government had supported this initiave, Kapadia said, "We have approached ministry of tourism but they have not yet taken a final decision on whether they should participate. We are hopeful."

(Courtesy: PTI)