Bahai Lotus Temple
Wednesday, 20th June, 2007
Bahai Lotus Temple
Nehru Place, New Delhi
In the heart of New Delhi, located in Kalkaji, south of Delhi, shaped like a half opened Lotus flower, this temple is made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand. It is open to all faiths and is an ideal place for meditation and obtaining peace and tranquility. Bahai’s Temple is a marvel of modern architecture, which is visible from several spots in south Delhi. The lotus flower signifies purity and peace, a representation of the manifestation of God, to the people of India. This ancient symbol has been given a modern and contemporary form in the structure of the Bahai House of Worship drawing into its sanctum sanctorum people from all races, religious backgrounds and culture from around the globe.
It represents the Bahai faith, - an independent world religion; divine in origin, all embracing in scope, broad in its outlook, scientific in its method, humanitarian in its principles, and dynamic in the influence. It is a very recent architectural marvel of the Bahai faith.
Since its inauguration to public worship in December 1986, the Bahai House of worship has drawn to its portals more than 50 million visitors, making it the most visited edifice in the world. People have come regardless of the scorching summer heat of Delhi, which sometimes rises above 40°C during the months of June to September, and have braced the chill and cold rains that Delhi experiences during winter. They have admired the beautiful lotus form of the Temple, and have been fascinated by the teachings of the Bahai Faith, which believes in oneness of God, oneness of religions and oneness of mankind.
In the raising of the House of Worship in New Delhi traditional Indian means of construction were employed coupled with the most modern Western engineering design. Fariborz Sahba, Canadian architect of Iranian origin, spent 10 years in designing and project management, and with the help of a team of about 800 engineers, technicians, artisans and workers brought to realisation one of the most complicated constructions in the world. Rising pure and unsullied above stagnant, muddy waters, the Indians have seen this flower as worthy of emulation, teaching them to be detached from material preoccupations. This temple joins six other Bahai temples around the world. Each of these Houses while sharing some basic design concepts has its own distinct cultural identity embodying the principle of unity in diversity. The structure of the House is composed of three ranks of nine petals; each springing from a podium elevating the building above the surrounding plain. The first two ranks curve inward, embracing the inner dome; the third layer curves outward to form canopies over the nine entrances. The petals, constructed of reinforced white concrete cast in place, are clad in white marble panels, performed to surface profiles and patterns related to the geometry. Nine arches that provide the main support for the superstructure ring the central hall. Nine reflecting pools surround the building on the outside, their form suggesting the green leaves of the lotus flower. Translating the geometry of the design, in which there are virtually no straight lines, into the actual structure presented particular challenges in designing and erecting the framework. Not only was it difficult to align, so as to produce accurately the complex double-curved surfaces and their intersections, but also the closeness of the petals severely restricted workspace. Nevertheless the task was carried out entirely by the local labourers. Thanks to each one who contributed in its construction.
The Bahá’í Temple in New Delhi, however, occupies a unique position. Not only does it embody the spiritual aspirations and basic beliefs of the world-wide Bahá’í community, but, significantly in a land of myriad religions, it has begun to be seen as providing a unifying link, bringing divergent thoughts into harmony by virtue of its principle of oneness - of God, religion, and mankind. This, perhaps, is the secret of its unabated popularity.
Against the backdrop of a religious milieu which encourages the fragmentation of the Supreme reality into innumerable gods and goddesses, each personifying a specific attribute of the almighty, the Bahá’í Temple, with its total absence of idols, elicits bewilderment as well as favourable response. When the main entrance gate was first opened to the general public on 1 January 1987, visitors flocked to the ‘Lotus Temple’ out of sheer curiosity. The vast lawns, the massive white structure, the high-ceilinged Central Auditorium and a Temple without idols standing so near the ancient ‘Kalkaji Temple’ aroused the interest of all.
Indian visitors, from the most urbane to the simplest rural folk, expressed perplexity at the absence of any deity. Explaining the all-pervasive nature of the Creator which defies deification became a challenge. Many times guides helping to maintain decorum inside the Prayer Hall were startled by the astonished exclamations of visitors wondering aloud where the object of adoration was. Some of them, in their simplicity, paid obeisance to the lectern, surreptitiously placing a flower or two - an amusing as well as a touching sight. Awed by the beauty and grandeur of the edifice, they struggled to grasp the spiritual significance of this material structure.
As understanding dawned, a typical response became: “Few temples radiate the atmosphere of sublimity, peace, and calm so necessary to elevate a devotee spiritually as the Bahá’í House of Worship”. Other repeated comments included: “Where there is silence, the spirit is eloquent” and “One feels one is at last entering into the estate of the soul, the state of stillness and peace”. The visitors were aided in their efforts by the serenity of the Prayer Hall and the assistance of volunteer guides and staff who explained the raison-d’etre of the Temple. The innate sense of reverence of the Indian for the Omnipresence often manifested itself in the act of reverently touching the steps leading into the Prayer Hall.
Visitors from the West often came to critically appraise a structure which had gained fame as a marvel of 20th-century architecture. For them it was sometimes a grudging, sometimes a spontaneous realisation that the phenomenon called faith transcends logic and that the universal ethic of love envelops all. They, too, were humbled at this altar of faith and love.
The best time visit BAHAI temple is:
Summer: 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m
Winter: 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m
On every Monday this temple remains closed.
No matter what the identity of the visitors, from the Orient or the Occident, from North or South, of humble origins or exalted positions, all have been unanimous in their appreciation of both the physical grandeur as well as the lofty purpose of the House of Worship. One visitor commented: “The most beautiful experience. Its magnificence, charm and glamour are awe-inspiring. It reflects the dream of all humanity to bring together a new civilization for all people.” A renowned visitor from India opined, “Architecturally, artistically, ethically, the edifice is a paragon of perfection.
