The Taj Mahal is undoubtedly the most iconic and well known pieces of architecture in India. Commissioned in 1632, the Taj Mahal was built
in the memory of Shah Jahan 's wife Mumtaz Mahal a Persian princess who died giving birth to their 14th child. The main focus and
purpose of the Taj Mahal is the tomg. It is a large, white marble structure standing on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building
with. The top if the tomb is mounted by a marble dome called "the onion dome". The onion is decorated with a lotus design. The onion is
perhaps the most recognizable of the Taj Mahal because of its iconic tear drop shape that is connected to classic Indian architecture.
outside the actual building, the Taj Mahal has a large garden leading up to its front steps. The garden uses raised pathways that divide each
of the four quarters of the garden into 16 sunken parterres or flowerbeds. Halfway between the tomb and gateway in the center of the
garden is a marble water tank with a reflecting pool. The marble water tank is called al Hawd al-Kawthar. The garden is laid out with avenues
of trees and fountains. The charbagh garden symbolises the four flowing rivers of Jannah (Paradise) and refelcts back to the person looking
into it so that they can see themselves in paradise. In Islamic texts of the Mughal period, Paradise is described as an ideal garden of
abundance with four rivers flowing from a central spring or mountain, separating the garden into north, west, south and east.
Most Mughal charbaghs are rectangular with a tomb or pavilion in the centre such as the one in the Taj Mahal.
Lakshmana temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and was built from 930-950 AD during the empire of King Yasovarman of the Chandella .It
encases a sacred image of Vaikuntha-Vishnu; a figure of worship brought from Tibet. The temple is one of the oldest in the Khajuraho fields
and is also one of the most precisely decorated. It's covered almost completely with illustrations of over 600 gods in the Hindu religion.The
main shrine of the temple is surrounded by four freestanding subsidiary shrines at the corners of the temple platform. Both the Taj Mahal
and the Lakshama temple are places of worship and iconic pieces of architecture tied to the hindu faith. The outside of the temple are
carved in Hindu gods and prophets. similar to the Taj Mahal, the Lakshmana temple has stairs leading up to it's entrance but unlike the Taj, it
does not have a garden or extravagant surrounding of the building. in the Lakshmana templs, the shrines are created like miniature temples
with their own vimanas, sikharas,and mandapas; womb chambers with drawings and carvings of deities, or other forms or avatars of
Vishnu. Each mandapa has a pyramid shaped roof that increases in size as visitors move from east to west. These two buildings are both
located in India therefore they have a cultural and religous connection.
in the memory of Shah Jahan 's wife Mumtaz Mahal a Persian princess who died giving birth to their 14th child. The main focus and
purpose of the Taj Mahal is the tomg. It is a large, white marble structure standing on a square plinth and consists of a symmetrical building
with. The top if the tomb is mounted by a marble dome called "the onion dome". The onion is decorated with a lotus design. The onion is
perhaps the most recognizable of the Taj Mahal because of its iconic tear drop shape that is connected to classic Indian architecture.
outside the actual building, the Taj Mahal has a large garden leading up to its front steps. The garden uses raised pathways that divide each
of the four quarters of the garden into 16 sunken parterres or flowerbeds. Halfway between the tomb and gateway in the center of the
garden is a marble water tank with a reflecting pool. The marble water tank is called al Hawd al-Kawthar. The garden is laid out with avenues
of trees and fountains. The charbagh garden symbolises the four flowing rivers of Jannah (Paradise) and refelcts back to the person looking
into it so that they can see themselves in paradise. In Islamic texts of the Mughal period, Paradise is described as an ideal garden of
abundance with four rivers flowing from a central spring or mountain, separating the garden into north, west, south and east.
Most Mughal charbaghs are rectangular with a tomb or pavilion in the centre such as the one in the Taj Mahal.
Lakshmana temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and was built from 930-950 AD during the empire of King Yasovarman of the Chandella .It
encases a sacred image of Vaikuntha-Vishnu; a figure of worship brought from Tibet. The temple is one of the oldest in the Khajuraho fields
and is also one of the most precisely decorated. It's covered almost completely with illustrations of over 600 gods in the Hindu religion.The
main shrine of the temple is surrounded by four freestanding subsidiary shrines at the corners of the temple platform. Both the Taj Mahal
and the Lakshama temple are places of worship and iconic pieces of architecture tied to the hindu faith. The outside of the temple are
carved in Hindu gods and prophets. similar to the Taj Mahal, the Lakshmana temple has stairs leading up to it's entrance but unlike the Taj, it
does not have a garden or extravagant surrounding of the building. in the Lakshmana templs, the shrines are created like miniature temples
with their own vimanas, sikharas,and mandapas; womb chambers with drawings and carvings of deities, or other forms or avatars of
Vishnu. Each mandapa has a pyramid shaped roof that increases in size as visitors move from east to west. These two buildings are both
located in India therefore they have a cultural and religous connection.