Lotus Temple

By pravinpratap2007

Edit this page

The Bahá'í Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, better known as the "Lotus Temple" is met with an ever-rising tide of visitors to savour its beauty and bask in its serenely spiritual atmosphere. It is one of the most visited edifices in India, welcoming 4 million visitors a year.

The temple is inspired by the lotus flower which constitutes of 27 free standing fully marble clad petals. The petals are designed as a bunch of three to form nine sides along with nine pools. This depicts the nine uniting spiritual paths of the Baha’i belief which believes in oneness of all religions and mankind. The nine doors open to the central hall, having a seating capacity of 2500 people. The surface is made of white marble and the central hall is slightly more than 40 meters tall. The magnificent temple looks more graceful and divine as the dawn passes when the vibrant color lights impart it a lively look.

Construction work took almost 10 years and 800 engineers before it finally took shape and was open for public. There are nine reflecting pools that encompass the temple from outside.

The lotus in Indian culture
As an evocative symbol of beauty and purity, representative of divinity, the lotus flower remains unsurpassed in Indian iconography. Rising up pure and unsullied from stagnant water, the lotus represents the manifestation of God. The architect used this ancient Indian symbol to create a design of ethereal beauty and apparent simplicity, belying the complex geometry underlying its execution in concrete form.


Entrance is free, but the temple is closed every Monday for maintenance.

Hours
The temple is open Tuesdays to Sunday.
8:30a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
4:00p.m. to 07:30 p.m.

Access
The temple is in the South Delhi near the Famous ISKCON Temple. Take an auto or cab or disembark at Central Secretariat Metro station and take an auto from there.
http://www.bahaindia.org/temple/bahapur.html




Edit this page