Phorum architecture lotus temple india. Lotus Temple: The Crossroads of All Religions
The Lotus Temple is located in south Delhi, in the Kalkaji area. This main temple followers of the Bahai religion, it was built relatively recently, at the end of the 20th century, but quickly became very popular due to its unusual architecture and is considered one of the pearls of Delhi.
Architecture and construction of the Lotus Temple
A site was chosen for construction near the metropolitan area of New Delhi, in the sacred village of Bahapur. As the city grew and developed, absorbing villages, the area in which the temple is located is now called South Delhi.
The architect of the temple, a Canadian of Iranian origin, Fariborz Sahba, drawing drawings of the new temple, drew inspiration from studying the design of the Sydney Opera House, built in the style of structural expressionism.
The temple was designed in the shape of a blooming lotus flower with 27 marble petals. All petals have a graceful curved shape; there are no straight lines in the building.
By combining snow-white petals in groups of 3, the architect received a rounded, nine-sided shape of the temple. Snow-white Pentelic marble was used to cover the petals, and the structure itself consists of concrete and dolomite.
The Lotus Temple building with 9 entrances is surrounded by 9 pools of blue water, as if this lotus is growing from a mirror surface.
Area of the territory on which the temple is located: 10 hectares.
The interior of the Lotus Temple, with a capacity of 1,300 people, is decorated quite simply: rows of marble benches in a semicircle, lots of light from the windows and a beautiful star-shaped dome with a golden symbol of the Baha'i religion. This is in accordance with Baha'i rules - there should be no altars, wall paintings or sculptures in the temple.
The main hall, which is 31 meters high and 75 meters in diameter, can be accessed through 9 doors.
The Lotus Temple took 8 years to build, from 1978 to 1986, and 800 people took part in the construction. The unusual project was awarded several architectural awards.
Over the thirty years of the temple’s existence, more than 70 million people visited it. To this day, interest in the temple has not decreased; it is one of the most popular tourist sites in the world.
The area adjacent to the Lotus Temple is clean and well-groomed, with flower beds and beautifully trimmed trees. The temple usually has quite a lot of visitors (on average 8-10 thousand people daily), so on weekends and holidays you will have to stand in line for a long time.
Who are the Baha'is
This religion originated in Persia in the mid-19th century. It was founded by Mirza Hussein Ali, who called himself Baha'u'llah. The founder of Baha'ism argued that God appears to people in different faces, and called himself the last incarnation of truth after Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Zarathustra, Krishna, Christ, Muhammad and the Bab. The word Baha'ism comes from the Arabic word "Baha", meaning "light", "glory", "brilliance", "splendor".
The teaching is based on the understanding that all humanity is one, all religions have general basis, and a person must know the truth himself. The equality of men and women, the desire for world peace and mutual understanding between representatives of different faiths have made the new religion quite popular: there are now about 5 million Baha'is in the world.
Working hours
The Lotus Temple is open every day except Monday.
In winter, the temple is open from 9:00 to 17:30, the entrance closes from 17:00.
In summer, the temple is open from 9:00 to 19:00, entrance closes at 18:30.
Collective prayer
Collective prayers are held at the Lotus Temple several times a day: at 10:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 17:00. For 5 minutes, representatives of several religions say their prayers into the microphone. Visitors are asked to respect the feelings of believers at this time and not to leave the hall.
Rules for visiting the Lotus Temple
Entrance to the temple is free and open to representatives of all religions and atheists.
As in other Indian temples, you must remove your shoes before entering.
You are not allowed to take photographs, shoot videos, or use a mobile phone inside the temple.
Visitors are allowed into the building in batches. First, tourists listen to a short story about the temple in Hindi and English, and then enter the temple.
While visiting a religious building, you must maintain silence, trying not to disturb other visitors.
The duration of the visit is 30-40 minutes. At the exit, volunteers hand out information leaflets about the Baha'i religion to visitors and invite those who wish to talk about Baha'ism or visit the thematic library. But this is not a mandatory part of the visit.
How to get there
To visit India, citizens of Russia and many other countries need to obtain a visa. Not everyone knows that a visa can be obtained not only at the Indian embassy or consulate, but also online.
Nearest station to Lotus Temple metro- “Kalkaji Mandir”, which is an interchange for the violet and purple lines. You can also get off at the Okhla NSIC purple line metro station.
On the official website of the Delhi Metro, you can clarify the route and find out the price of travel.
The Lotus Temple, officially called the Baha'i House of Prayer, can be reached using the Delhi Express. commuter rail. After getting off at the Okhla station, you need to turn right and walk along the street. Beikti Dan Suomi Marj towards the temple (approximately 25 min).
The Lotus Temple can be reached by on the bus No. No. 47A, 47ACL, 243, 311A, 411LnkSTL, 411STL, 427, 429, 429CL, 429STL, 433, 433A, 433CL, 433LnkSTL, 433STL, 463, 469, 480, 492, OMS (+) ( -), OMS ( +) AC, stop "Modi Mill / Small Industries Service Institute".
You can also get there by bus No. 47A, 47ACL, 243, 306, 311A, 411LnkSTL, 411STL, 427, 429, 429CL, 429STL, 433, 433A, 433CL, 433LnkSTL, 433STL, 463, 469, 480, 492, 493, 534, 534A, AC- 534, OMS (+) (-), OMS (+) AC, stop "N.S.I.C."
Connoisseurs of comfort can get to the Lotus Temple by Taxi, using the mobile applications Uber, OlaCabs, Mega Cabs, PoochhO (the latter application allows you to order not only a taxi, but also an autorickshaw).
Video of Lotus Temple in Delhi
The Lotus Temple is located in the capital of India - Delhi and is one of the main centers of attraction for tourists from all over the world. About 10 thousand people visit it every day. This popularity is primarily due to the original architecture of the building. The temple is built in the shape of a huge blooming lotus flower - hence the name. Officially, the temple is called the “House of the Baha’i Community” or the “House of Baha’i Worship,” representing one of the largest Baha’i temples in the world.
A few words about Baha'ism
The Baha'i faith is different from all other faiths. Baha'ism is a very young religion that appeared only in the mid-19th century. Its founder is considered Bahá'u'lláh, whose real name is Mirza Hussein Ali-i-Nuri. He was a native of Persia and preached the unity of humanity, religions and God. This is the meaning of Baha'ism: it is faith that unites all people. The basic principles of religion are the independent search for truth by believers, equality of men and women, harmony of faith and scientific knowledge, rejection of racial and religious prejudices. The Bahai Temple is open to everyone, people from different countries and faiths can pray there.
Humayun Mausoleum, Jama Masjid Mosque and others, capital of India.
The city of Agra is famous throughout the planet for the Taj Mahal Mausoleum, which is under the protection of UNESCO.
Lotus Temple - a typical Baha'i temple
The Lotus Temple, like other Baha'i temples, does not hold services or ritual ceremonies. And, of course, there are no clergy. Instead of them - volunteers who help maintain order in the temple and serve visitors. In addition, their duties include conducting various prayer programs. Programs can consist of reading sacred texts of any religion, as well as chants (it is important that they sing without musical accompaniment, which is explained by some provisions of the Baha'i faith).
The main symbol of Baha'ism is nine pointed star, which is always reflected in the architecture of temples: they all have nine corners and a dome. The temple must be round; no images, altars, or pulpits are allowed.
The Lotus Temple was built on the same principle, consists of 27 petals, combined into 9 groups of 3 petals, so that in the end all the canons of Baha’ism are observed.
Building architect - Fariborz Sahba- managed to build a unique structure without violating any dogmas. A round building with a dome without a single right angle seems to embody the harmony of this world, rising almost 40 meters and occupies a huge territory.
In the adjacent territory, by the way, there are 9 swimming pools, which are not only decoration, but part of the natural ventilation system: through them cool air enters the central hall, and warm air leaves through special openings in the dome. Thus, the temperature and humidity conditions that are comfortable for visitors are constantly maintained in the temple.
The Lotus Temple was built in 1986, that is, this is a very young attraction, but the place where the building is located has been considered sacred since ancient times, because it was here that the settlement of Baha Pur was once located, which literally translates as “the home of Baha.”
Lotus Shaped Temple
The temple looks like a blooming lotus flower. The choice of such a unique architectural form is due, first of all, to sacred meaning this flower. The lotus, with which many legends are associated, is mentioned in sacred Indian texts - Vedas.
This flower is given special significance in almost all Indian religions. Many gods are depicted holding or sitting on a lotus flower. One can recall at least the image of Brahma or Buddha, who is called the “heart of the lotus”. In people in Ancient India There was a common idea of the Earth as a huge lotus flower that floats on the surface of the world's oceans.
Lotus is still national symbol India. It is interesting that this flower is sacred not only for the inhabitants of India, but also for many other countries: for example, China and Egypt. In China, by the way, this plant was revered as sacred even before the spread of Buddhism: the lotus personified productive power, chastity and purity. So this form of the temple once again emphasizes that the Lotus Temple is for everyone, and not for people of a certain nationality or denomination.
Tourist information
The temple is located in New Delhi, the capital of India. It is very easy to get to it; every local resident will tell you how to get there or drive there.
Although the Lotus Temple is a popular attraction today, entrance to the territory is free. The only condition for those wishing to visit the unique structure is that to get inside, you must take off your shoes.
The story began 4 centuries ago, when Shah Akbar had plans to create a palace, the purpose of which would be to unite all the peoples in India under the sign of a single faith.
“And I dreamed that stone by stone I had built a sacred temple. Not a pagoda or a mosque or a church, but something sublime and simpler with gates open to the breath of heaven and truth and peace and love and justice found and settled in it.”
— Shah Akbar
The snow-white Lotus Temple is located near the central city of India, New Delhi. The location was determined by the fact that in ancient times there was a settlement of Baha Pur, which translated from Hindi means “Bhaha’s Dwelling”. Its doors opened to visitors in 1986 and are still open to everyone, regardless of faith or gender.
The temple was designed by an architect, a native of Iran, Fariborz Sahba, who has many awards in the architectural field. Construction lasted 6 years with the participation of 800 workers.
The Lotus Building in India is the 7th Baha'i temple out of seven, the others are located in Western Samoa, Australia, Uganda, Panama, West Germany, USA. Each of the built temples has an individual architectural design and 9 entrances that are open daily to everyone without exception.
Around the temple there are 9 pools filled with the purest water, which recreate the water space - the natural environment for the birth and flowering of the lotus. The structure itself consists of 27 concrete petals covered with marble white. The interior of the temple is completely devoid of any religious values or painted walls. The design itself carries deep meaning and significance.
Every day, the Lotus Temple is visited by 8 thousand people, which is comparable to the daily flow of visitors to the famous Taj Mahal.
In the Lotus prayer house you will not meet a priest, an imam, or any other clergyman, they simply are not there. But there are volunteers who are appointed for a certain time to help visitors and maintain the temple. Several times a day, volunteers conduct and plan prayer programs, which are also intended for everyone - neither faith, nor gender, nor skin color matters.
Visiting rules
An essential rule for entering the Lotus Temple is established for all holy places in India - before entering you must take off your shoes, which can be left without any problems in the free storage rooms. Cameras are located at the entrance.
Video filming and photography inside the temple is prohibited. Also, you must maintain complete silence and turn off Cell phones. These measures are being taken due to increased acoustics inside the structure.
Lotus Temple is one of the most amazing temples India, located in close proximity to New Delhi. The place for the construction was not chosen by chance; once upon a time the sacred village of Baha Pur was located here. Construction took 8 years, from 1978 to 1986, and the architect was Fariborz Sahba
The idea of building a Lotus Temple dates back to 1921, when the nascent community of Mumbai approached the Supreme Ruler for permission to build a temple. They were given the answer that a temple of worship of God would soon be built in one of the largest cities in India
But prophecies about such a temple arose several centuries ago, when the Mughal dynasty dreamed of building a majestic palace, and this was more than 400 years ago under Shah Akbar
800 people took part in the construction of the Lotus Temple. Upon completion, it became one of the most visited and recognizable landmarks in India. What is unusual is that the inside of the temple is completely devoid of religious objects and paintings. Instead, it carries deep meaning precisely as a structure, an ideal and symbolic lotus flower
The lotus is a sublime flower, which gives you a feeling of something unearthly, unnatural, especially when you are inside the temple. 27 stone petals made of concrete are covered with Greek marble, and the central hall can be accessed through 9 doors. The diameter of the hall is 75 meters, the height is 31 meters and it can accommodate 1,300 people.
Of course, there are many ponds and lakes around the lotus flower, and all this is connected into a symmetrical figure when viewed from above. And with the onset of darkness, a special backlight turns on, illuminating the petals, and it looks even more like a creation of nature, and not of human hands.
Lotus Temple is among
Lotus Temple in New Delhi - incredible architectural masterpiece world, built just over 40 years ago. The Baha'i religion is practiced here. In the last few years, the popularity of the temple has been growing rapidly, and in terms of the number of tourists only the world famous one can compare with it.
History and features of the temple
Baha'ism is a young religion founded in the 19th century on the teachings of Mirza Hussein Ali-i-Nuri (Baha'u'llah). The main principle of the doctrine is the unity of all religions of the world. Followers of the Bahai religion call their temples “Houses of Worship.” Today there are 7 such temples around the world.
The most famous House of Worship is the Lotus Temple in New Delhi. It was built over 8 years (from 1978 to 1986) under the leadership of the Bahai architect Fariborz Sahba. The shape of a blooming lotus was chosen for a reason, because the flower serves as a symbol of purity, chastity and strength. The temple building consists of 27 concrete petals covered with Pentelic white marble and one dome, which symbolizes the unity of all religions. The main hall of the Lotus Temple, with a capacity of 1,300 people, has nine doors (as in all other Houses of Worship). The structure is surrounded by 9 pools, creating the effect of a floating lotus bud on the water. And in the dark, a special illumination of the petals turns on - a mesmerizing spectacle.
Inside, the Lotus Temple fully meets the requirements of the Baha'i scripture: there are no sculptures or paintings, there are no objects of worship - a pulpit, a sanctuary and an altar. There are no priests here so that the believer can directly turn to God. There is a museum on site where visitors can learn about the Baha'i religion and the history of the Lotus Temple.
Information for visitors
Address: Lotus Temple Rd, Bahapur, Shambhu Dayal Bagh, Kalkaji, New Delhi, Delhi 110019, India.
Schedule:
- 9.00 - 19.00 - from April 1 to September 30;
- 9.30 - 17.30 - from October 1 to March 31.
Day off- every Monday.
Entrance to the Lotus Temple grounds - free.
It should be remembered that you can only enter the temple barefoot; shoes must be left in the storage room.
Loud speaking, photography and video recording are prohibited in the House of Worship.
Where is the Lotus Temple on the map of India
The Lotus Temple in New Delhi is an incredible architectural masterpiece of the world, built just over 40 years ago. The Baha'i religion is practiced here. In the last few years, the popularity of the temple has been growing rapidly, and in terms of the number of tourists only the world famous one can compare with it.