Much of Indian architecture, including the Taj Mahal, other works of Mughal architecture, and South Indian architecture, blends ancient local traditions with imported styles. Vernacular architecture is also highly regional in it flavours. Vastu shastra, literally "science of construction" or "architecture" and ascribed to Mamuni Mayan, explores how the laws of nature affect human dwellings; geometry and directional alignments are key tools. Though primarily applied in Hindu architecture through the construction of temples, it has influenced poetry, dance, and sculpture—the latter among the traditional 64 manual arts under the purview of the shilpa shastras. The Taj Mahal, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by orders of Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, has been described in the UN