About two days ago I called my grandmother all the way across the country in Bangladesh to ask her questions about her beloved Taj Mahal gift. This gift was given to her by my grandfather who had loved here dearly and it is a special part of her life. It is a mini replica of the original Taj Mahal which is one of the seven wonders of the world. I chose to interview her because she is still alive and has the deepest memory of the Taj Mahal. I asked her all the questions in Bengali but will translate it in English.
Q: What does the Taj Mahal mean to you?
A: The Taj Mahal means a part of your grandfather still alive. After he passed away that was a symbol that would remind me of our love and all the happy years we spent together.
Q: Where did my grandfather get the Taj Mahal from?
A: He got it from India in Agra where the real Taj Mahal is.
Q: Why did he get the small version of the Tah Mahal for you ?
A: He got the Small version of the Taj Mahal for me because he couldn’t get the real thing for me. Even though it was not the real thing he thought it was. When he was giving it to me he said here you go “Rani Saheba” which means the Queen I bring my love to you that Shah Jahan brought to his love. Your grandfather was a history major and that was one of his favorite stories from history.
Q: How many years ago did he give you this Taj Mahal?
A: He gave me the Taj Mahal one year before he died so It was very precious to me.
Q: When my grandfather died how you did feel and how did the Taj Mahal make you feel?
A: When your grandfather died my world had stopped. I worried about what would happen to me and my children he was the only support I had. I was worried for my youngest daughter who wasn’t married yet because back in the day it was hard for girls without a father to get married. I wondered how I would live without him. The Taj Mahal helped me but it made me really sad. Even night I would write letters to your grandfather why he left me and I would write them in front of the Taj Mahal. This Taj mahal holds a lot of happy memories and one of the hardest and sad moments of my life.
Q: Why did you decide to give this precious symbol of your husband to your daughter?
A: I decided to give it to your mother because she wanted to take a piece of her father with her back to America because she didn’t have any memories of him expect of pictures.
Q: How do you feel about the fact that you may never see the Taj Mahal again?
A: I don’t feel bad because I know it is in a safe place with you guys and I know you are taking good care of it. It holds a special place in my heart but it also gives me pain. IIt isn’t parting away from me but it makes my life a little easier.
Q: Did you ever want to take it back from my mother?
A: No I never wanted to take it away from your mother because I was happy to give it to her.
Q: Do you still think about the Taj Mahal?
A: Yes I do but since its not in front of me I sometimes don’t remember but its not a bad thing because it is the sad moments that I forget.
Q: What is the miniature Taj Mahal made of?
A: It was made of Sheth stone it is a smooth white stone.
A: The Taj Mahal means a part of your grandfather still alive. After he passed away that was a symbol that would remind me of our love and all the happy years we spent together.
Q: Where did my grandfather get the Taj Mahal from?
A: He got it from India in Agra where the real Taj Mahal is.
Q: Why did he get the small version of the Tah Mahal for you ?
A: He got the Small version of the Taj Mahal for me because he couldn’t get the real thing for me. Even though it was not the real thing he thought it was. When he was giving it to me he said here you go “Rani Saheba” which means the Queen I bring my love to you that Shah Jahan brought to his love. Your grandfather was a history major and that was one of his favorite stories from history.
Q: How many years ago did he give you this Taj Mahal?
A: He gave me the Taj Mahal one year before he died so It was very precious to me.
Q: When my grandfather died how you did feel and how did the Taj Mahal make you feel?
A: When your grandfather died my world had stopped. I worried about what would happen to me and my children he was the only support I had. I was worried for my youngest daughter who wasn’t married yet because back in the day it was hard for girls without a father to get married. I wondered how I would live without him. The Taj Mahal helped me but it made me really sad. Even night I would write letters to your grandfather why he left me and I would write them in front of the Taj Mahal. This Taj mahal holds a lot of happy memories and one of the hardest and sad moments of my life.
Q: Why did you decide to give this precious symbol of your husband to your daughter?
A: I decided to give it to your mother because she wanted to take a piece of her father with her back to America because she didn’t have any memories of him expect of pictures.
Q: How do you feel about the fact that you may never see the Taj Mahal again?
A: I don’t feel bad because I know it is in a safe place with you guys and I know you are taking good care of it. It holds a special place in my heart but it also gives me pain. IIt isn’t parting away from me but it makes my life a little easier.
Q: Did you ever want to take it back from my mother?
A: No I never wanted to take it away from your mother because I was happy to give it to her.
Q: Do you still think about the Taj Mahal?
A: Yes I do but since its not in front of me I sometimes don’t remember but its not a bad thing because it is the sad moments that I forget.
Q: What is the miniature Taj Mahal made of?
A: It was made of Sheth stone it is a smooth white stone.
Nikita Zaman is a student and loves love stories.