Lotus Temple, Delhi
The Lotus Temple is a Bahai House of Worship, also known as Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, opened to the public in December 1986. Like all other Bahai temples, it is also dedicated to the oneness of religions and humanity. Followers of all religions are welcome to gather here to pray, worship, and read their scriptures. The Lotus Temple in Delhi is touted as one of the seven major Bahai Houses of Worship located across the world and the only one in Asia.
Architecture of Lotus Temple
The temple is built of Greek white marble in the shape of Lotus flower. Lotus was chosen as the symbol as it was common to religions like Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. The structure for the House of Worship in New Delhi is composed of 27 free-standing marble-made "petals" organized in bunches of three to form nine sides. The nine doors of the Lotus Temple open onto a central hall, that has the capacity of holding up to 2,500 people. The Temple is designed in such a way that no external lighting is required to light up the huge prayer hall. The light filters through the inner folds of the Lotus and diffuses through the entire hall of the temple, functioning as a skylight. With its nine surrounding ponds and the gardens, the Lotus Temple property is spread over 26 acres.
Lotus Temple Guided Tour
A short film on "An outline of the Baha'i - Faith" in English is showcased in the temple. If you are visiting in a group, you may approach their volunteers for an escort to the Conference Hall, where they will give you a briefing for about 5 minutes. Short films are showcased every 20 minutes, from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
What To Do in Lotus Temple
The Lotus Temple offers four main or 'core' activities to anyone who might be interested in pursuing them. These include:
- Children's Classes: These classes aim at imbibing values such as generosity, justice, kindness, unity, courage, truthfulness, reliance on God and service to humanity through Baha'i teachings.
- Junior Youth Classes: These classes seek to develop spiritual and intellectual capacities in children aged 11-14 years.
- Devotional Meetings: These sessions are aimed at creating a loving and harmonious environment within the community.
- Study Circles: These meetings are aimed at making a comprehensive study of Bahá'í Writings, Prayer, and Life and Death, and hence create a spiritual consciousness among the people.
Best Time To Visit Lotus Temple
Dusk and evening hours are the best time to visit this temple, as its beauty is even more enhanced by the floodlights during this hour.
Entry Fee and Visiting Time Lotus Temple
The temple is open from Tuesday to Sunday. The temple is open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm during the winter season (October to March). From April to September, the temple is open from 9:30 am to 7 pm. It does not take more than an hour to explore the whole complex.
Short film starts at 10:30 am and ends at 5:30 pm. Each short film spans for 20 minutes and they are run back-to-back.
Prayer timings are 10 am, 12 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm. Each prayer spans for five minutes and each prayer indicates a different religion.
Entry to the temple is free.
How To Reach Lotus Temple
Being situated in the capital of India, Delhi, Lotus Temple is well connected by the bus and Metro. The nearest metro station is the violet line, Kalkaji station. One can take hail an auto or even walk down for 15 minutes (1 km).
No comments: