Bush has blamed "the George W. Bush schedulers" for not arranging a trip for him to the monument to love, although the truth is Bush is never much of a tourist on overseas travel.

In toast remarks during a US-Indian luncheon, Singh told Mrs. Bush: "I'm truly sorry that the president is not taking you to Taj Mahal this time. I hope he will be more chivalrous the next time you are here."

The audience chuckled, then Bush took the microphone and said the sore subject had come up at home.

"Mr. prime minister, I'm sorry you brought up the Taj Mahal. I've been hearing about it from Laura ever since I told her that we weren't going," Bush said.

"So we pledge to be invited back and come back and we'd love to see the magnificent part of your country that we will be unable to see this trip."

The Taj was built by emperor Shahjehan as a tomb for his lost wife. The white marble structure on the banks of the sacred Yamuna river took 20,000 workers 22 years to build.

The 350-year-old Taj, one of the wonders of the world, is just a short drive from Delhi.