Grounded art

I need a Mughal art expert.

I've been examining these carvings and inlaid stone work designs along with those of the Taj Mahal and I'm fascinated by something.  Unlike designs elsewhere, and like those done by the modern-day inlaid stone artists, the flowers depicted are all firmly grounded in the earth.

Beautiful flowers have to grow out of dirt.

So often flowers are shown as something that float in space.
But this is realism.  Earthy realism--something I'm not sure the Mughal emperors (believing they were kings of the universe) had a very grasp of.

I'm also really curious about the two odd fish-like things flying past the flowers.  What is that supposed to be?
They aren't symmetrical at all.  Was there some significance to this part of the design?

I need an expert, with answers to my questions.  As it is, I'm conjecturing all sorts of theories.