Lotus Temple

The Bahá’í House of Worship in Delhi, India, popularly known as the Lotus Temple due to its lotus bud like shape with 27 petals. It is a prominent attraction in Delhi. It was completed in 1986 and serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent.

It has won numerous architectural awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. The lotus bud depicted by the temple has been made as close to a real lotus which grows only in water, by providing water ponds all around the temple.

As with all other Bahá’í Houses of Worship, the Lotus Temple is open to all regardless of religion, or any other distinction, as emphasized in Bahá’í texts. The Bahá’í laws also stipulate that only the holy scriptures of the Bahá’í Faith and other religions can be read or chanted inside in any language; while readings and prayers can be set to music by choirs, no musical instruments can be played inside. Furthermore no sermons can be delivered, and there can be no ritualistic ceremonies practiced.

The Lotus Temple, has a nine-sided circular shape. Inspired by the lotus flower, its design is composed of 27 free-standing marble clad “petals” arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides.Bahá’í scripture also states that no pictures, statues or images be displayed within the House of Worship and no pulpits or altars be incorporated as an architectural feature (readers may stand behind simple portable lecture stands). The nine doors of the Lotus Temple open onto a central hall, capable of holding up to 2,500 people.

The central hall is slightly more than 40 meters high whose surface is made of white marble which has been got from Penteli mountain in Greece. The House of Worship, along with the nine surrounding ponds and the gardens around comprise 26 acres (105,000 m²; 10.5 ha).
The site is located in the village of Bahapur, in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. It is open on all days except mondays. Ideal time to visit the temple is 9:00 am – 7:00 pm (summer) and from 9:30am – 5:30 pm (winters). In total there are four prayer sessions in a day in each of which the prayers from all religions are recited.
Since its inauguration to public worship in December 1986, the Bahá’í House of Worship in Delhi has, as of late 2002, attracted more than 50 million visitors, making it one of the most visited buildings in the world. Its numbers of visitors during those years surpassed those of the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal. On Hindu holy days, it has drawn as many as 150,000 people; it welcomes four million visitors each year (about 13,000 every day or 9 every minute).
This House of Worship is generally referred to as the “Lotus Temple”. In India, during the Hindu festival Durga Puja, several times a replica of the Lotus Temple has been made as a pandal, a temporary structure set up to venerate the goddess Durga.

176 comments to Lotus Temple

  • PRIN.RAM MHATRE

    I had the luck and pleasure to visit.I was literally hypnotised with the celestial beauty and peace.

  • Marlene Willard

    This truly is the most beautiful building I have ever seen. I would crawl over crushed glass to see it in reality

  • sikander

    Beautiful temple,but waste of money,wish it could be utilised for humanity

  • theodore

    The place as seen from the pictures is very nice suitable for religious prayer. I wish one day, one day I will visit the place. Thanks for the architectural ingenuity design.

  • NARINDER KUMAR

    Beautiful. Lotus leades us to LORD. When visiting Delhi, one should visit this worship home.

  • GCSWarrier

    Marvellous.I have visited the temple on many occasions.The silent prayer in the temple frees anybody from the worries

  • Jaspreet Singh

    Fantastic place,I wish i should visit this place with my wife whenever we come Delhi

  • I really feel Lotus temple is the heavens on the earth, everybody should visit at once this worship home.

  • I really feel that, Lotus temple is the heaven on the earth, everybody should visit at once this worship home.

  • i really feel that,lotus temple is the heaven on the earth evrybody should visit at once to holly place.

  • sathiya

    Very Marvelous. By Hindu mythology lotus is the symbol of Lakshmi. This temple is a symbol of wealth.

  • Jayprakash Doshi

    very beautifull pictures and article is also good.

  • Maung Maung Jaim

    Wa!!!!
    Very beautiful temple.

  • wafai

    india the land of magic and beauty

  • David Pan

    Beautiful.I like it.

  • when ever in my life if visit delhi ll make sure to see this beautiful/wonderful lotus temple [ bcoz never seen such thing inmy life ].

  • Kuppuswamy

    There are so many such beautiful ancient temples in interior tamil nadu, very little attention has been given by the Government of Tamil nadu.

  • BharatBhaskar

    really so different temple,,i love this..

  • arun.vp

    Fentastick keep it up

  • sonali mamdyal

    beautiful temple,wants to visit once

  • urvish

    this is fantastic

  • P.JEGATHEESHAN

    wonderful temple.thank you

  • san

    Beautiful Indeed. Visited several times. Still want to visit more.

  • MANOJ K VERMA

    I have visited. No compresion.Great and beautiful temple to visit.

  • V Raghavan

    We visited this temple when it was newly built. Nice to know that it is kept beautifully. Will visit again, when in Delhi.

  • chezhian

    Very beautiful temple.
    already 3 or 4 times visit kar rakha huin.

  • No words to describe this wonderful architecture and beauty.

  • C.M.G. NAIR

    Beautiful temple.

  • Bhavna Govekar

    So Beutiful!!!!

  • The nice place Where we can 4get our worries !!!

    Really wonder architecture !!!

  • basutkar.kedar

    beautiful!!! I like it

  • Pradeep

    This temple is too good. Art work and ambiance is mind blowing. May be i will visit this place once. Thank you priya for this wonderful information.

  • khaddamlucica

    Lotus Temple
    Lotus is sacred to all Oriental and Asian cultures. It is used in many works of art especially in India. The Lotus flower has represented divine female fertility in the Orient for over 5,000 years. According to the Indian culture the lotus flower denotes prosperity knowledge and learning, fruitfulness and illumination. According to the Hindu mythology, the lotus flower is associated with Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wisdom and generosity. She is often portrayed as sitting on a completely blossomed lotus that gives a sense of purity to her form.

  • naseera k.

    i have seen…beautiful…..

  • Superb!!!!!!!!!

    I will visit soon with my family.

  • Sudheesh

    wonderfull

  • Ankur

    I want to go there but i always think only because of the work load.

  • Ravi Pipal

    i happen to see it once up above from the aircraft. It was simply breathe taking. As if real lotus is put on mother earth. Inside it is so much of positive energy, you feel in peace with your inner self.Thanks for the excellent photos.

  • Roopala

    Nice pics!

  • Devika Harnaran

    marvelous..no words to describe the beauty..hope will be able to visit someday

  • viswanathan

    it is nice and beautiful at the place and architectural will also nice

  • prabakaran

    good temple.we have to save this environmental surroundings.but we have to save and spend for ancient historical temples around in india. all the state governments has to take care of old temples. they have to spend some amount for maintenance, developments.

  • rickey

    ITS REALLY AMAZING TEMPLE SO BEAUTIFULL

  • ashok

    really so beautiful….i like

  • Hat’s off to Architects & builders for creating such a marvelous place.

  • Aju Mukhopadhyay

    Great as it is in consonance with Bahai Faith- I hail the architectural excellence of the temple and hope that this will help integrate inter-religious harmony-
    Best
    Aju Mukhopadhyay

  • Ravi Joshi

    Most respectable place to visit. I haven’t been there beacuse I live in Canada, but when ever I will get time I will be there.

  • Muralidhara Rao

    I was fortunate to visit this marvellous structure. Would like to visit again

  • G.N.SHAW

    VERY NICE..SEEN ..

  • neena

    its a beautiful place …..the lotus appears to be floating in the pool … looks divine 🙂

  • Anuradha Rai

    Beautiful Temple, wants to visit once

  • Rameshan

    wud luv to visit just once.

  • Devang Gohil

    Nice Temple

  • Devang Gohil

    Keep it up

  • Kushal PS MAhur

    Very nice picturs of Lotus Temple, I thank both who made it and who took the beautifull pics

  • madhusudan

    HI Priya, The lotus temple is really beautiful and I have already visited it. It’s great to be there. Why don’t you visit the golden temple which is in vellore. You will really enjoy seeing it. Have a great day and send me more snaps like this.

  • Vinay Punjabi

    awesome; one of the most beautiful man-made structures; divinity personified!!!

  • Baboosahab

    Really beautiful structure, but a waste of lot of money and intellegentia and human labour, could have been used for some productive works and thus not a source of inspiration or spiritualiy…

  • Sakhare Shweta

    Nice pictures and info

  • n.g.hegde

    It is really something different and attractive place.
    i had the occasion of visiting this place and the interiors are superb,like the petals outside.
    It is worth seeing place in Delhi.
    Nice photos and narration,

  • Wasi

    Millions of Dollar spent in this temple. But useless. If Japan like earthquack come then it will destroy and fell down to the earth. If the money invested for the betterment of Human life (medical, education and hunger) etc. Similarly in Abu Dhabi a beautiful Mosque built by the millions of Dollars. If you want to pray you can pray any where even on the street and ask the mercy of Almighty God.

  • suraj.............

    oh… it was realy good…

  • sangeeta

    i have seen lotus temple, this is extremly beautifull & everytime i want to see it, whenever i w’ll get time

  • Govind Talwar

    Superb,next tour to thr.

  • Muhammad Zaman

    wonderful building, I wish to see some time when I have time and money

  • Jyothi

    really stunning!!!!!!!

  • JEYANTHI

    A NEAT AND TIDY PLACE…. OUR INDIAN ARTS R CRAVED IN THIS WHITE MARBLE…. VERY ATTRACTING….

  • gopala krishna

    really india is great i proud to be indian i love to visit this place it should be one of the wonder of the world

  • Manuel Dsouza

    I have been there and was touched by the peace and tranquility that I felt in this well-designed place. The feeling is impossible to describe – you have to be there to experience it.

  • rj

    out class doesn’t look like that that its INDIA, its emerging sydney

  • mothilal

    Very Marvelous. By Hindu mythology lotus is the symbol of Lakshmi. This temple is a symbol of wealth. thanks priya

  • Seid Ahmat Ali

    The second paradis

  • Shakti

    I have been seeing this marvel from a road on the hill leading to this august monument and have passed by it several times, unfortunately I did not enter it. I am going to India in March 11, and GOD willing I would sit inside for prayer

  • Bita

    i am from iran.i want to say that its holy and royal place.the art of indian people.wow…

  • Lovely temple ,facinating India.

  • Anant Sheth

    First Birla Mandir, then Swaminarayan mandir and now Lotus temple.
    I missed it when I was in India.It is the best from all angles. Thanks for the chance you gave at least to see photos.

  • aroon saigal

    good one – it is bahai not bhai temple

  • Somnath Lokhande

    Very Nice Information!THANKS!!

  • Thank you,

    GOD BLESS YOU.

  • REALY, IT IS A HOME OF PEACE.

    THANKS FOR SENDING THESE PICTURES.

  • asad

    very nice,beautiful architecture…….asad.

  • Raaji

    Excellent

  • More G R

    Marvellous.I have visited the temple on many occasions

  • Sagar

    WONDERFUL…MARVELOUS….. yeh mera bharat hai… sarv dharam samman… ekta mein hi shakti hai

  • Rajalakshmi

    Lotus temple is a unique one of its kind. I ve visited it in 1992 alongwith my friends. Till now didnt get a chance to visit it. Hope to see it in the near future.

  • Rajalakshmi

    The BAHAI TEMPLE speaks of the EXCELLENCE of ARCHITECTURE and the WHITE colour represents PEACE. A place which is worth seeing.

  • Umeshchandra Vaidya

    Excellent photograpy.
    I will certainly visit this pious place.
    Congrats.

  • I have visited this temple, its amazing, every one should visit this temple at least once.

  • A temple in the form of NATIONAL FLOWER

  • IT IS SO NICE TO HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE IN INDIA, I LOVE IT AND OUR INDIA

  • want to visit in my life.

  • PAYASA SITA RAM

    BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE IST TIME VISIT THIS PLACE

  • mini

    i just love to visit this….wonderful:)proud to be an indian

  • rani

    BAHUT KHUBSURAT MANDIR HAI

  • ramya

    this is incredible….

  • Worth seeing place. The Bahai temple is unique of its kind and speaks of the EXCELLENT ARCHITECTURE.

    Seen it in 1992. Likes to c it once again in the near future.

  • s.govindrao

    beautiful

  • M SUBRAMANI

    After seeing the photo I am thinking I should visit this temple with my family I hope GOD WILL GIVE A CHANCE TO VISIT THIS TEMPLE.

  • Shangubi

    In order to worship God, the Creator of this Beautiful Universe, you need not waste all that money for a place of worship.
    God could be worshiped from any place, anywhere on the land, sea or air; from a tent, from the side of a road, in the air, on the sea, at home, even while walking you could be glorifying God.

    If you can spare that much money just to build a place in order to worship God, you could worship Him through the help of needy people who do not have enough to pay their bills to the greedy, inhuman professional doctors, or those who do not have enough to change a lamp in their place.

    Worship God through the help of people. Worship Him as you are eating a crumb of bread, taking a shower under clean waters, on the road to your place in your car, byke or bicycle, anytime, anywhere!

    For your CONGREGATIONAL Prayers, you could building four empty walls with 2 or 4 doors and stand there under the open space, under the dome of beautiful skies, and offer your thanks to Him for making you, providing your bread and clothes, etc.

    Hundreds of empty churches, mosques, temples, and such place are around the world with people void of true feelings of true worship.

  • arc olufemi shodunke

    ….a rare architectural masterpiece! The curve lines around it reminds one of “sydney opera building”. Surely, its importance to mankind is in the same level as that of Sydney Opera Building and so it should be given all necesary publicity and prominent attention. Indeed, its a remarkable tourist delight and a gift to mankind. Both the designer and the owner should be recognised with globally rated awards.

  • Dilip Sudame

    One must visit this beautiful place. I enjoyed a lot with my relatives and frainds.

  • narendra j.

    architectural beauty.

  • Balakrisna

    Main attraction is the temple is secular. People of any religion can come and offer prayer here. It is a true reflection of Indian society where every one is free of shackles.

  • hi !

    wonderful !!!

    we should be proud to have such a wonderfull temple in INDIA !!

  • g.m.ejaz

    v v good

  • Grace

    so nice

  • T. Mohan

    The view is very pleasant. People who is in want of a spiritual feeling should visit this place without fail.

  • Afifa

    India is the land of dreams and magic

  • Poetic creativity

    I praise, this is a great idea. Chinese people also like the lotus, the seat of the Buddha, a lotus organized into a table is high. However, blending his mouth, the wisdom of the people of India, the Buddha’s sacred and holy, melt into a great building, people who admire, praise! I like the great Lotus Temple in India!

  • Josette Khan

    Amazing house of worship, but I tend to agree with Shangubi.

  • jaffur

    it is very superb

  • Sourav

    i had visited the place long back…..nice to see it again.

  • Sandeep Kumar Yogeshwar

    Its had visited a long back. Its ♥♥♥♥♥♥

  • next i want to go to see the lotus temple with my family

  • Very nice temple.The shape is also very beautiful.Hats off to Architect& Construction Engineer

  • Bharat

    Lovely

  • appi

    really its amazing

  • Hats off to architecture…Superb

  • MITHA MALPANI

    don’t miss this DELHI’S beauty. The night view is EXCELLENT……….

  • mahendran

    Very nice picturs of Lotus Temple

  • shatrudhan

    this is fantastic with be funonnet. it increased my knowledge and revealed why India is called incredible.
    INDIA IS INCREDIBLE, DEFINITELY.

  • V.K.Venkatachalam

    When we visited during 2005 ,it was not this much beautiful.Now when I see this photos it is really excellent.
    V.K.Venkatachalam,Trivandrum

  • Rahul

    wow; it’s beautyful place

  • Indrajit R Dave

    It is a very nice building, great architec and beauty & pride of DELHI.I visited this temple its amazing.Most beautiful and pleasing thing to see such a nice temple.

  • pankaj agnihotri

    wow…just amazing ….

  • malhari habbu

    Beautiful place we like

  • syed rahmat

    Opera house of australia , resembling the same type of architecture ,and many such buidlings are shown proudly.Among the beautifull buildingsof the world.Indias architecture lotus temple is one of the masterpieces of modern India.Taj from the old India.We should be proud to show this masterpieces to the world as example of India’s best Architecture with vividity.Lovely milky marbles.

    I have been there long back its silent and soulfull place for meditators and concentrators.

  • vijay U. rathod

    Its Wonderful and nice to see such impressive development in india , such types of more development our country require to impress tourist and brought our country level at good impressive places in world.

    I like it… .

  • pankaj Sharma

    this is too beautiful place. it is nice and beautiful at the place and architectural will also nice

  • g.s.rampradheep & s.muthukrishnan

    Superb. I m a civil Engineer. I m proud to b one of the best structural monuments in the world. All civil engineers like me will be very much happy towards the view of the temple.

  • g.s.rampradheep & s.muthukrishnan

    Superb. One of the wonderful structural monuments in the world. Very beautiful temple.

  • anilsingh

    very nice & fantastic.

  • Vasant

    Wonderfull , I like it.

  • Pradeep Dave

    Just Beautiful and incredible.I had been Visited to this temple on Nov.2007

  • Prabhakar D.V.

    A place where one can find calm from the daily disturbances and a lovely place to pray and meditate.

  • Ananda AG. Rajendram

    I has the opportunity of visiting this temple in 1988 and admired the structure very much. The inside of the temple immediately draws you ti the meditation mood. It as sad that I could not stay there for long to observe the religious recitations / prayers.

    Actually, the God’s wonderful gift of knowledge to mankind is offered back in a form of achetectural wonder.

  • umed h mehta

    wondurful.hats off,

  • Akshay Jhaveri

    These wonders cant be expressed…truly made !

  • Vitthal

    Nice & beautiful place of worship, and it is proudable that it is in our country.

  • Dr.Kanchanlal B. patel MD,MPH

    Respectable Sir/Madam

    I am extremly impressed by your publication of & about INDIA
    I will like to be a member & also , like to purchge to have copy of ALBUM , if you let me know the price & address to send the check or by credit card payment

    You are doing “PRAISE WORTHY WORK OF PUBLISHING PAST GLORY **FAME OF
    BHARAT**HINDU*STHAN* ,INDIA ,which was at the peak of PROSPERITY **CULTURE * & SCRIPTURE*OF ALMIGHTY GOD, (VEDAS &SHASTRAS )***who has blessed me & trying to understand the causes of DOWNFALL at the age of 77yrs.
    Thanks a million
    Kanchan(GOLD)
    6-02-11

  • RAhull

    Its Wonderful and nice to see such impressive development in india , such types of more development our country require to impress tourist and brought our country level at good impressive places in world.

    I like it… .

  • nuts

    wow! i like that kind of temple architecture than the very old one!

  • Karen Dalis-Lumiwes

    Splendid man-made structure inspired by God. Am just grateful such purpose of this gigantic building is for PLACE OF WORSHIP regardless of faith and belief. I appreciate much the people behind this idea, no impartiality in praising GOD. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

  • jega

    Some innovative person did a beautiful job by building this lotus temple why ridicule him or her.it is time people look at it positively.india is getting more n more beautiful.

  • maurya

    nice pics of the lotus temple

  • mojtaba

    Fantastic place,I wish i should visit this place with my wife whenever we could come India.
    mojtaba
    IRANIAN

  • Prin. Ram Mhatre

    I do not agree with the people who are lamenting on the money spent to build Lotus Temple.Why are you so much materialistic.Did it not create jobs for some poor artisans.Instead of suggesting that worshpping could be from anywhere,appreciate the sweet emotion that must have created this peace giving celestial monument.

  • deepak

    nice and beautiful thank you

  • ZAFRUL H MUJIB

    I appreciate the management team for their dedication for maintain it so nicely

  • GJ Jiwani

    Very very beautiful

  • GJ Jiwani

    Very nice and superb

  • Al Wloch

    Visited the Lotus in 2008. First I took public transit up to the Hare Krishna Temple which shares the high spot south of Delhi, walking through the park toward the Lotus … however there was no entrance from the park no matter where I looked. Some Hindu youths gathered and we peered over the barbed wired fence that went on for miles. So I began searching for a way in [from the ISKCON temple and High Point] – the park turned into an uneven field where I could have twisted my ankle, and so finding a tree along the high fence I used it to support me as my sandles tried not to get stuck in the barbs … and I jumped. Some gardeners noticed me but luckily the guards did not and so I came around and joined the hundreds of visitors. Upon leaving, I noticed there was only one path which led to the parking lot and maingate. When almost at the parking lot I pulled out a sweet that I had earlier purchased at Govinda’s at the Krishna temple and began nibbling at it [there were no restaurants or bus stops for miles]; a security guard told me to put it away: no eating on the grounds! Since no body with a car appeared interested in picking me up, I walked a good distance to where I was told by locals that there was public transit. My impression is that only the well to do are able to access the Lotus; however, most people in India do not have a car. A month later I noticed a similar problem in Haifa at the Temple of the Bab. Arriving at 7 am I noticed a sign upon the extra-high fence stating that the gates opened at 11 am. There were no benches, restaurants or telephones anywhere in sight — however looking inside one could see dozens of poor Palestinians tending the rose gardens. And so walking up a side walk along the mountainside I noticed a very long ladder leaning directly over the 10 foot fence, topped by barbed wire … and so, Just like in Delhi, I had to jump in to smell the roses.

  • Al Wloch

    BTW I have many photos of both the Lotus and the Temple of the Bab [a month before it was tarped and scaffolded for 3 years, undergoing major restoration]. Spent a week at the Sai Baba’s ashram in Puttaparthi, stayed with the Hare Krishna in Vrindavan [birthplace of Krishna], Dali Lama’s Dharamsala, Amritsar’s Golden Temple; Jerusalem in Easter ’08 — actually backpacked around the world that year, visiting China & Tibet, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Egypt and so on — not just Baha’i sites. In the past visited Baha’i Temples in Wilmette IL and Panama City.

  • KN Achar

    I have not seen this temple but I guess a huge amount of money must have been spent to build this beautiful piece of art. While I appreciate the beauty, I lament the money that has been spent which could have been better used on more humanitarian work.

  • SHYAM PRAKASH

    Fantastic, nice and beautiful pics of the lotus temple, These wonders cant be expressed…truly made !

  • V Ramesan

    The temple leaves a breath taking and lasting impression. However, I felt that the architect could have made it more naturally to resemble the lotus, by designinjng the large lotus leaves below.
    Yet another view point is that while lotus bud is no doubt wonderful to look at, fullly bloomed lotus has enhaced beauty.
    Lastly the coloration and hue of the structure could have been more appropriate to resemble the actual lotus.
    Marvellous effort of a land mark structure!

  • madhu ojha

    beautiful photograph

  • Leela

    Very beautiful Temple

  • sanjay

    its a fantastic architecture of the world, i am so lucky person that i bee there twice. so peacefull place.

  • Jacob Paul Sanasi

    This is an excellent piece of architecture. The Photos are very good.

    I wish to see this wonderful temple some day, before I ….

  • Yogesh Parab

    Beautiful Lotus temple.Thx

  • Sethuraman

    Amazing. Indians are proud of having such a beautiful mansion.

  • Sethuraman

    Amazing. Worth seeing

  • O G Mansur

    Innovative & beautiful. But as many millions I like to know about BAHAI…Is that a separate religion? R they Muslim, Christian, Jews or else? R they name the Almighty as God, Bhagaban, Iswar or Allah?

  • priya

    amazing pics
    i like to see this place as early as possible

  • nency

    its luvly i wish 2 go there…!!!

  • jasmine

    cool and awesome

  • ASWATHY

    I LIKE THIS PLACE ,CONFORM I WILL VISIT THE PLACE

  • stanly

    it is like a lotus flower so funny ha ha ha ha ha

  • stanly

    i dont about it because i dont like it

  • Mahendra Bhavsar

    I have been practicing as a consulting Structural Engineer for the last
    45 years in Vadodara
    I had a privilege to visit the Lotus( BAHAI ) Temple in May 1988

    It’s wonderful and in the hot summer also inside the temple is very cool
    so that you can make your prayer

  • Gilchrist Rajasuriar

    I have seen the pictures its gorgeous, inspiring and cool in its splendour and invokes a kind of spiritual upliftment.It also, reminds me of the ‘Opera House’ in Australia, more an entertainment house which kindles music than the spirit.Hope to see the Lotus Temple, some day.

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