Lotus Temple Delhi - Delhi, India

This mesmerizing structure, in the shape of a half-open lotus, is situated in the south of Delhi. The temple, made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand, is often called the Taj of modern India. It is open to all faiths and is an ideal place for meditation and obtaining peace and tranquility. Completed in the year 1986, this architectural fete is the Canadian architect Fariborz Sahba's creation for the Bahai faith - the youngest of the world's independent religions. It is open to all faiths and is an ideal place for meditation and obtaining peace and tranquility.
Structure of the Temple The structure of this magnificent edifice consists of three ranks of nine petals; each springing from a podium elevating the building above the surrounding plain. The first two ranks are in the form of inward curvatures embracing the inner dome; the third layer protrudes outward and form canopies over the nine entrances. The petals are constructed of reinforced white concrete and are bedecked in white marble panels. The main support to the superstructure is provided by nine arches ringing the central hall. Nine reflecting pools, suggesting the leaves of the flower, surround the building on the outer side.
Undertones of the Design:The lotus, the emblem of purity and tenderness, bears connotations to the Manifestation of God. The lotus is universally held in reverence as a sacred flower and its significance is deeply rooted on the minds of the Indians. According to Indian mythology, the Creator Brahma sprung from the lotus that grew out of Lord Vishnu's navel when that deity lay absorbed in meditation. In Buddhist folklore the Boddhisatva Avalokiteswara is represented as born from a lotus, and is usually depicted as standing or sitting on a lotus pedestal and holding a lotus bloom in his hand. Lord Buddha said you have to be like a lotus which grows and lives in dirty water, yet its beauty remains untarnished by the surroundings.