Answer:
What is/was the Taj Mahal?
The Taj Mahal was built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife. For many, it is seen as a symbol of love
What religious significance does it hold?
The taj mahal was a place of worship but many people are confused about what religion it was created for but the main two religions they were inspired by was Hinduism and Islam
some examples are:
- the floral designs-the decorations were full of flower decorations so why not people or animals? In Islam, all human representation is prohibited, so there is none. The garden is a representation of Paradise, it is related to the representation of plants on the mausoleum.
- In Hindu imaginary it represents knowledge, the opening on the world and in a spiritual way the uniform and continual widening of the universe. This is due to its ability to deploy when in the water, Hindus believe that it has the opportunity to open to the world. The lotus is one of the elements proving the mix of culture of the Mughals.
So as we can see with the mix of significance in religion it's a good example of cultural syncretism it contributes to the spread of social activities and cultural beliefs from one country to another. It also mixed different cultures all over the world through religions, nationalities, ethnicities, and others. It is a good example of cultural diffusion because it unites cultures with their ideas, customs and practices.