Taj Mahal, Agra

The Taj Mahal, designed as a tomb for the wife of a 17th-century Mugal emperor, was constructed by about 20,000 workers from 1631 to 1648 in Agra, a city in northern India. The massive domed structure was constructed in the Indo-Islamic style, using white marble and inlaid gems. At each corner is a minaret (prayer tower), and passages from the Koran, the Muslim holy book, adorn the outside walls. The bodies of the emperor and his wife remain in a vault below the building.

Golden Temple, Amritsar

The Golden Temple in Amritsar serves as the most important house of worship for the Sikhs. Originally built in 1604, the temple sustained repeated damage from attacks by Afghan invaders. During the early 19th-century reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the temple was rebuilt using marble, copper, and an overlay of gold foil. The temple sits on a small island and connects with land on the west by way of a marble causeway, foreground.

Dal Lake, Kashmir

These houseboats float on Dal Lake in the part of Kashmir under Indian control. This region contains a section of the Karakorum Range, which can be seen here in the background. Most of India's high peaks are located in Kashmir, including a number of mountains more than 7500 m (25,000 ft) high.

Madras, India

Madras, India The city of Madras is the capital of Tamil Nadu State in India. It is a major port situated on the Bay of Bengal. This a picture of one of the temples in India.

Calcutta, India

The city of Calcutta and its surroundings rank as the second most populated metropolitan area in India and one of the most crowded cities in the world. Located in eastern India, Calcutta serves as a major center for finance, shipping, and manufacturing.