India is the home of one of the Seven Wonders of the world - Taj Mahal. This structure built of marble by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a love tribute to his wife would be a dream project of architects for centuries to come.
The historical evidences excavated from the Harappan & Mohenjadaro periods, give insights to the town planning,housing, market places, cross roads, public squares, parks etc., Civilisation in India had flourished along the banks of her rivers, off the sea-shores & in semi arid regions.

Depending on the locale, materials like wood, mud, bricks, tatches woven of palm & coconut leaves have been used. Huge stones had also been used to create archways, temples etc., Buddhists had initiated the method of hollowing caves out of the rocks. Hindus & Jains imitated them. Fine examples are available in Ajanta, Aihole, Ellora,Badami, Elephanta, Mamallapuram etc., Hindu temples were not meant for large congregational worship. Temples consist of Garbagriha, the dark nucleus of the temple to house the main deity. Pillared Mandapas with elaborate sculptures, sadas for dancing & wide circumbulating passages with other deities placed around the main deity constituted a temple complex. The vimanas or the gopurams tapers upwards in imitation of meru, which is considered to be the abode of Gods, over the Garbagriha.

The outer passage were unique though differing in design during various periods. The prominent forms of temple designs are the North Indian Temples & Southern Indian Temples.Some of the famous North Indian Temples are Puri Jagannath Temple, the Sun Temple- Konarak, Vimala Vasahi Temple, Mount Abu in Rajasthan & the Surya Temple-Modhera in Gujarat.Some of the South Indian Temples are Brahadeeswarar temple- Tanjavur, Kailasanadhar Temple - Kanchipuram, Vaikunda Perumal Temple - Kanchipuram, Ranganatha Temple - Srirangam, Meenakshi Amman Temple - Madurai, Kapaleeswarar Temple, Chennai. Mosques & Masjid were based on the Mecca design, also incorporating Indian styles. Five successive Emperors of the Mughal Dynasty took key interest in constructing forts & tombs. The forts at Delhi, Agra, Allahabad & Lahore, the Humayun Tomb, the Tajmahal & Jumma Masjid are confluences of Islamic & Indian style of architecture.

The Taj Mahal, Agra

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