Lotous Temple in the heart of New Delhi, the bustling
capital of India, a lotus-shaped outline has etched
itself on the consciousness of the city's inhabitants,
capturing their imagination, fuelling their curiosity,
and revolutionising the concept of worship. This is the
Bahá'í Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, better known as the "Lotus
Temple". With the dawning of every new day, an
ever-rising tide of visitors surges to its doorsteps to
savour its beauty and bask in its serenely spiritual
atmosphere.
Since its dedication to public worship in December 1986,
this Mother Temple of the Indian sub-continent has seen
millions of people cross its threshold, making it one of
the most visited edifices in India. From its
high-perched pedestal, this 'Lotus' casts its benevolent
glance over vast green lawns and avenues covering an
expanse of 26 acres of land. Its soothingly quiet Prayer
Hall and tranquil surroundings have touched the hearts
of the Temple's numerous visitors, awakening in them a
desire to trace its inspirational source and capture a
bit of its peace for themselves.
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.
Twentieth-century architecture has been characterised by
a high degree of technological prowess; however, it has
been, by and large, unexceptional in aesthetic value.
The Lotus Temple provides one of the rare exceptions
with its remarkable fusion of ancient concept, modem
engineering skill, and architectural inspiration, making
it the focus of attention amongst engineers and
architects the world over. In the absence of
sophisticated equipment, the extremely complex design
called for the highest order of engineering ingenuity to
be implemented by means of traditional workmanship. No
wonder, then, that the Lotus Temple, as a symbol of
faith and human endeavour expended in the path of God,
became the recipient of accolades and world-wide
acclaim.
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.
The
physical sun, resplendent in its halo of light, has
traversed the expanse of heaven from east to west in its
fiery chariot. As it pauses awhile on the horizon before
plunging out of sight, it casts its luminous shadow on a
white 'Lotus', standing majestically on its red
pedestal, giving it a warm glow. An intangible aura of
fulfilment surrounds the 'Lotus'. Ark-like, it had
ridden the waves of people swirling around it during the
day with composure. The last ripples are slowly moving
away, casting longing glances behind at the 'Lotus' as
if beseeching it to take them back into its fold.
Special Attraction
There are four Prayer Sessions everyday. These Prayer
Sessions are unique, as prayers from all religions are
recited during these Prayer Sessions. Prayer Session
Timings: 1000 hrs - 1015 hrs (15 minutes), 1200 hrs -
1215 hrs (15 minutes), 1500 hrs - 1515 hrs (15 minutes),
1700 hrs - 1715 hrs (15 minutes).
Time to Visit : On all days except Monday
Preferred Timings : Summer/ Winter: 9:00 a.m. to
7:00 p.m./ 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Admission Fee : Free and open to all |
