Lotus Temple

                              The Lotus Temple also known as the Bahai House of Worship or Bahai Mashriqul-Adhkar Temple is one of the best architectural marvels in the county in modern times. The white marble structure is also called the Taj Mahal of the 20th century but it is so much more than just a splendid piece of architecture. It is a place where several visitors from all across the globe come for peace, meditation, prayers and study. Located in New Delhi, the Lotus Temple is a famous tourist attraction of the city. Unlike other places of worship which usually have an idol of a deity people pray to, asking for either forgiveness or something that they deeply desire, the Lotus Temple is a rather unique place of worship. It is known for its beautiful flower-like architecture and marvelous ambiance that make it a popular tourist attraction for people of all faiths.
                              The Bahai Lotus Temple is one of the world’s most beautiful religious buildings and a must-visit when in Delhi. The structure is made up of pure white marble The architect Furiburz Sabha chose the lotus as the symbol common to Hinduism, Buddhism, Bhai TempleJainism and Islam. Adherents of any faith are free to visit the temple and pray or meditate. Around the blooming petals there are nine pools of water, which light up, in natural light. It looks spectacular at dusk when it is flood lit.

                It is in line with the teachings of the Bahai faith believing in the Oneness of God, the Oneness of Religions, and the Oneness of Mankind. As such, people of all religions and races are welcome in the temple as it is a place to worship the creator of the universe and not one particular deity. There is no idol to be worshipped and people of any faith, case, creed are welcome inside. Even though everyone is welcome, no ritualistic ceremonies can be performed inside the Lotus Temple nor can anyone deliver sermons. However, you can chant or read scriptures of Bahai and other faiths too, in any language. You can even set them to music by choirs but you cannot play any musical instrument inside the temple. The Bahai community offers four activities called the core activities for those who are interested in the Bahai way of life. These activities are Children’s’ Classes, Junior Youth Classes,                
                Devotional Meetings and Study Circles. The temple is visited by more than four million people every year with an average of more than 10,000 visitors daily. According to Bahai scripture, the House of Worship cannot have any pictures, statues or images displayed inside. However, the lotus is not an essential part of Bahai scripture as it states that all Bahai structures should have a nine-sided circular shaped structure. Even so, most of Bahai temples have a lotus-shaped structure. The Bahai House of Worship in Delhi is one of seven such houses of worship. The other six are at Sydney in Australia, Panama City in Panama, Apia inWestern Samoa, Kampala in Uganda, Frankfurt in Germany and Wilmette in USA.