The Taj Mahal – the Proposal
“Will you marry me?”
Vinita heard David’s voice behind her as she stared, mesmerised, at the Taj Mahal’s stunning symmetry and exquisite inlay work.
She turned around to find David on his knees, holding the biggest diamond she’d seen, set in gold, a delicate peacock design, her favourite.
Sangeeta’s orange dress heightened the blush on her surprised but happy face. It was the ultimate proposal, the pièce de résistance of love and romance, something Vinita had always wanted.
Vinita was rooted to the spot, her heart threatening to stop and end her life. Her face was like stone, expressionless, yet hiding a million confusing emotions inside of her.
There was a bit of an argument last week. Something she couldn’t even remember the reason for.
In an impulsive moment, Vinita had said, “I think we should take a break!” David had wordlessly turned around and left.
She didn’t realise the enormity of that moment until now, when he had proposed to Sangeeta, and that too before their entire college gang, at a seemingly innocuous picnic party, which she had naively believed was for her benefit, to make up for the fight.
They were childhood sweethearts, goddammit! An impulsive spat, and he ends it forever? It was beyond forgivable!
When her thoughts cleared and she came to her senses, Vinita abruptly left, the cheers for David and Sangeeta creating a deadly tinnitus in her ears.
The beauty and romance of the Taj Mahal congealed in her heart.
The Taj Mahal Again
Her husband couldn’t understand her aversion to the Taj. How could he? She had never told him. They never visited the Taj in their 25 years of marriage. She always found a reason not to. He wanted to undo that wrong.
He booked a 2-day stay at a luxury resort overlooking the grand, imposing symbol of love. He told her he was taking her to Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
She didn’t realise the destination of their second honeymoon until the car turned onto the road to Agra, just a few miles before Mathura.
At the first glimpse of the wondrous structure, she almost threw up. It brought forth horrendous memories, memories that had seared her heart and soul.
The memory of David on his knees, popping the question to her. The memory of her heart lurching in joy, wondering how he knew that she secretly loved him. The memory of how she never exposed her love for David because she knew his heart belonged elsewhere.
The memory of her yes being rudely cut short in her throat when he suddenly got up and ran behind Vinita, even as their friends cheered. The memory of David stopping Vinita from going away. The memory of David telling Vinita that it was all a prank and that he could never imagine a life without her.
The ring was for her, he had said to Vinita. Vinita’s blush of happiness on her tear-filled face filled Sangeeta’s heart with a strange sense of anxiety, shame, and embarrassment.
The memory of David giving her an impish wink over Vinita’s hug, mouthing a silent thank you. The memory of his explanation for not including her in the planning of the prank. Vinita would never have believed it if the surprise had not been genuine, he had told her later.
The memory of bitter, unexpected, shameful betrayal that she hid in her heart for over 25 years. The memory of her utter naivete! For Sangeeta, the Taj could never be a symbol of love.
Author’s Note:
I’ve always been fascinated by the Taj, its stunning symmetry and intricate inlay work. I’ve been even more intrigued by its connection to love and romance. Somewhere in the dark recesses of my heart, I thought it was not possible for everyone to feel a romantic connection with this imposing monument. This story stems from this thought.
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
in collaboration with Tanvi Agarwal.
This story first appeared in the November 2025 edition of The Wise Owl, although that edition doesn’t seem to be available for viewing now
So many dimensions of love. I liked the way you have presented love in front of the most romantic monuments in the world.
I associate the Taj with over romanticism actually. It’s among the most beautiful monuments built by mankind, but I actually feel its unrequited love. It was built with such hard labour for the women who died due to a long line of childbirths.
Love for Sangeeta was a sacrifice. The association with Taj gives the story a real symbolic touch, and in the end, to each his own.
The reveal that the whole proposal was a prank, engineered by David just to get to Vinita, completely flips how you read Sangeeta’s story. Twenty-five years of silently carrying that betrayal makes her aversion to the Taj hit so much harder than any regular heartbreak tale. Such a clever way to show that even the world’s biggest monument to love can mean the exact opposite for someone standing right next to it.
The story comes alive in your words, Ratna. I like how the Taj was chosen to play a prank or propose but to me, it’s not the right place to declare your love. I always felt that a monument with two graves is a mausoleum. How can it be a symbol of love? When you read history and why Mumtaz Mahal died, is heartwrenching.
I was awestruck when I saw the Taj Mahal for the first time and wished someone would love me so much. But yes, each place invokes a different kind of emotion and memory for various people, and therefore for Vinita, the Taj could be anything but love. You weaved this thought beautifully into a story, Ratna.
Remember this story vividly from my earlier read. The fact that I remember it reflects your amazing writing. Such shades of love though for the life of me can’t think of Taj Mahal as a monument for love considering the horrific history behind it . Nevertheless a beautiful monument.
What a poignant twist! I never saw the prank reveal coming, and it makes Sangeeta’s lifelong aversion to the Taj so understandable. Lovely reminder that the same monument can mean completely different things to different hearts. Wonderfully told!
TAJ MAHAL is know as the symbol of love, and the proposal there is a wonderful choice. I liked the way you gave the twist to this story though.
People love creating lasting memories in front of iconic monuments but fail to realise how south things can go if everything doesn’t go as planned. Poor girl, wish she can get past the bad times and enjoy the Taj finally.
Taj Mahal for me remained always as a beautiful architectural monument no where I felt the essence of love in it and the reason behind its construction is not something I as a woman can appreciate. If the love was true then Mumtaz would not have died because of multiple childbirth.
I really loved it – the surprise when you realise it is Sangeeta and not Vinita who is averse to Taj.
wow what a twisted ending. Loved your angle of love. Enjoyed the story
I never saw this twist coming. But was a wonderful read..
A beautiful take on the Taj Mahal and the dreams surrounding it. The blend of history, romance, and imagination makes this story feel warm, nostalgic, and wonderfully evocative.