Taj Mahal as a Mirror of Multiculturalism and Architectural Diversity in India

India is known as having one of the most cultural, ethnical and religious diversities in the world. being shaped by its long history, unique geography, diverse languages, religions, music, dance, architecture, customs and traditions which vary from one place to another within the country, it nonetheless possesses a commonality and unity. india’s architecture represents a fusion of different cultures and its architecture metaphorically strives to overcome cultural and religious differences. this paper studies the taj mahal as a case study of cultural fusion and diversity. taj mahal marks the zenith of moghul architecture and expresses a fusion of various structural traditions. these traditions include persian, central asian, pre-moghul indian and european architecture. early moghul rulers like akbar shah chose assimilation and incorporation rather than completely subjugating and eliminating the pre-islamic culture of india. the architectural diversity seen throughout india is a reflection and representation of the diversity and multiculturalism seen in indian society. by scrutinizing on the taj mahal monument, we observe how multiculturalism in india has had strong effects on cultural identity of india including its architecture.