Editing Architecture of India (section)

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{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
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| image2 = India Meenakshi Temple.jpg
| caption2 = Tamil architecture of [[Meenakshi Temple]]
| image3 = Patwon ki Haveli Jaisalmer.jpg
| caption3 = Patwon ki Haveli, Jaisalmer. Rows of sandstone haveli in Rajasthan.
| image1 = Ellora, tempio kailasanatha (grotta 16), 750-775 dc ca., tempio di shiva visto dalla terrazza del gopuram, lato dx (sud) 01.jpg
| caption1 = [[Kailasa Temple, Ellora|Kailash Temple]], [[Ellora Caves]] is an example of Indian rock-cut architecture.
| image4 = Taj Mahal, Agra, India edit2.jpg
| caption4 = The [[Taj Mahal]], Agra is the epitome of Mughal architecture.
| image5 = Dalhousie square.jpg
| caption5 = [[B. B. D. Bagh|Dalhousie Square]], built during British Raj period, is an example of the fusion of Indian and [[Renaissance architecture]].
|image6 =Padmanabhaswamy Temple Gopuram.jpg
|caption6 = Padmanabhaswamy Temple in [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]]
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'''Indian architecture''' is rooted in the [[History of India|history]], [[Culture of India|culture]], and [[Indian religions|religion]]  of [[India]]. Among several architectural styles and traditions, the best-known include the many varieties of [[Hindu temple architecture]] and [[Indo-Islamic architecture]], especially [[Rajput architecture]], [[Mughal architecture]], [[Dravidian architecture|South Indian architecture]], and [[Indo-Saracenic architecture]]. Early Indian architecture was made from wood, which did not survive due to rotting and instability in the structures. Instead, the earliest surviving examples of Indian architecture are [[Indian rock-cut architecture]], including many [[Buddhist temple|Buddhist]], [[Hindu temple|Hindu]], and [[Jain temple|Jain]] temples.

The Hindu temple architecture is divided into the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style]] of [[South India|southern India]] and the [[Nagara architecture|Nagara]] style of [[North India|northern India]], with other regional styles. Housing styles also vary between regions, depending on climate.

The first major [[Islam]]ic kingdom in India was the [[Delhi Sultanate]], which led to the development of [[Indo-Islamic architecture]], combining Indian and Islamic features. The rule of the [[Mughal Empire]], when [[Mughal architecture]] evolved, is regarded as the zenith of Indo-Islamic architecture, with the [[Taj Mahal]] being the high point of their contribution. Indo-Islamic architecture influenced the [[Architecture of Rajasthan|Rajput]] and [[Sikh architecture|Sikh]] styles as well.

During the [[British Raj|British colonial period]], European styles including [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]], [[Gothic Revival architecture|Gothic Revival]], and [[Baroque]] became prevalent across India. The amalgamation of Indo-Islamic and European styles led to a new style, known as the [[Indo-Saracenic architecture|Indo-Saracenic]] style. After [[Indian independence movement|India's independence]], [[Modern architecture|modernist]] ideas spread among Indian architects as a way of progressing from the colonial culture. [[Le Corbusier]] - who designed the city of [[Chandigarh]] - influenced a generation of architects towards modernism in the 20th century. The [[Economic liberalisation in India|economic reforms of 1991]] further bolstered the urban architecture of India as the country became more integrated with the world's economy. Traditional ''[[Vastu Shastra]]'' remains influential in India's architecture in the contemporary era.<ref name=rjadhav>See Raj Jadhav, pp. 7–13 in ''Modern Traditions: Contemporary Architecture in India''.</ref>