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.
Core Activities at Baha'i Temple
The Lotus Temple offers four main or 'core' activities to anyone who might be interested in pursuing them. These include:-
1.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.
2.Junior Youth Classes:These classes seek to develop spiritual and intellectual capacities in children aged 11-14 years.
3.Devotional Meetings:These sessions are aimed at creating a loving and harmonious environment within the community.
4.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.
In addition to these core activities, Lotus Temple also hosts the
One Ocean Events,
which is a performing arts series celebrating the unity and diversity of humankind.
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.
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, Nehru Place station. One can take hail an auto or even walk down for 20 minutes.
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Where to Stay
If you plan on getting an accommodation near the Lotus Temple, you might want to try out FabHotel Conclave Inn, Oodles Residency, FabHotel Conclave Comfort, Basil the Residency Hotel and Eros Hotel among the others.
Tips
1. Lotus Temple is a place for silent prayer and meditation for people of all religious backgrounds. So one should not make noise.2. Prayers timings are 10:AM, 12:00PM, 3:00PM and 5:00PM for five minutes and a few prayers from different religions are chanted or read out loud. People are requested to not leave the Prayer Hall during this time, but wait until the prayers are over.3. Reading non- scriptural texts, delivering sermons, playing instruments and fundraising are forbidden here.
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