Lotus Temple

Also known as the Lotus Temple, the elegant Bahai Temple is a marvel of modern architecture. The temple has become a landmark of Delhi and must visit for tourists to the national capital. With its distinctive design, the temple invites peoples of all religions and races to worship the creator of the universe. The temple serves as the Bahai House of Worship in the Indian subcontinent.

Visited by four million people annually; the temple is one of the major attractions in New Delhi. It is one of the most visited buildings in the world, surpassing even the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal. The spectacle had been beautifully designed in 1986 by an Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba. The building was designed as a lotus as it is common to several religions including Hinduism and Buddhism. The building is considered one of the wonders of the 20th century and the architect has been honoured with several awards for his feat.

The temple represents the Bahai faith which is broad in its outlook and emphasizes the unity of all humankind. It signifies equality of all religions and emphasizes on elimination of prejudices.

One of the most remarkable things about the temple is that although it’s been made by the Bahai community, the temple is open to worshippers from all over the world irrespective of their religion, nationality, ethnicity or colour. An exceptional feature about the temple is that it does not have any idols of any God. It just consists of a prayer hall for meditation. Unique prayer sessions are held in the hall which recites teachings from all the religions.

The temple design is composed of 27 freestanding marble clad petals arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. The prayer hall holds up to 2500 people. The surface of the House of Worship is made from white marble from Greece, which was also used for the other houses of worship of Bahai faith. Nine ponds surround the temple and it is set among lush green gardens and the whole property covers an expanse of 26 acres.