The Lotus Temple in New Delhi, India is a Bahá'í House of Worship completed in 1986. It is shaped like an open lotus flower with 27 marble-clad petals arranged in groups of three to form its nine sides. The temple serves as a place of worship, reflection, and learning about the Bahá'í Faith, which emphasizes the unity of all religious teachings, God, and humanity. Though welcoming to all, the temple has no sermons or images to not favor any particular religious sect.

2. LOTUS TEMPLE
NEW DELHI, INDIA

3. - FOUNDED IN IRAN IN THE MID-19TH
CENTURY
- BAHÁ’U‘LLÁH ( GLORY OF GOD )
- THE RELIGION HAS THREE CORE PRINCIPLES:
> THE UNITY OF GOD
> THE UNITY OF RELIGION
> THE UNITY OF MANKIND
- HAS AS MANY AS 7 MILLION FOLLOWERS
WORLDWIDE
- SECOND-MOST WIDELY DISTRIBUTED
RELIGION AFTER CHRISTIANITY
Baha‘i Faith

4. • represents an invocation which can be translated
either as 'O Glory of Glories' or 'O Glory of the All-
Glorious.‘
• The word glory used in this connection is a
translation of the Arabic term Bahá, the name of
Bahá'u'lláh.
• Nine, as the highest single-digit number,
symbolizes completeness.
• Since the Bahá‘í Faith claims to be the fulfillment
of the expectations of all prior religions, this
symbol, as used for example in nine-sided Bahá’í
temples.
• reflects that sense of fulfillment and
completeness.
The Greatest
Name
The Nine-pointed
Star
Symbol of Baha‘i Faith

5. Baha’I Ringstone
Symbol
The three levels of the design
represent :
the world of God, the Creator
the world of His
Manifestations
the world of man
• The vertical line joins the three horizantal bars
• Form the link between the world of God and the
world of man.
The twin five-pointed stars on
either side of the design
represent the Báb and
Bahá'u'lláh,

6. Baha’I Temple,
Chicago
Baha’I Temple, Sydney Baha’I Temple, Samoa
• all Baha’i House of Worship including the lotus temple, share certain architectural
• some of which are specific by Baha’i scripture
• nine-sided circular shape
- Abdul-Baha, the son of the founder of religion, stipulated this essential architectural character of a House of
Worship

7. - CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED IN
YEAR OF 1986
- BUILT BY IRANIAN ARCHITECT,
FARIBORZ SAHBA WHO NOW LIVES IN
CANADA
- SPENT 10 YEARS IN DESIGNING AND
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
- WITH THE HELP OF A TEAM OF ABOUT
800 ENGINEERS, TECHNICIANS,
ARTISANS AND WORKER
Historical background
WHY IT IS NAMED LOTUS TEMPLE?
- LOTUS IS A SYMBOL OF LOVE, PEACE, IMMORTALITY AND
PURITY
- DESIGNED LIKE A LOTUS FLOWER

8. • CHARACTERIZED BY A NINE-SIDED
CONSTRUCTION
- 27 INDEPENDENT MARBLE “PETALS”
- CLUSTERED INTO GROUPS OF THREE
TO FORM NINE SIDES
- NINE ENTRANCES INTO A CENTRAL
SPACE
External Structure

9. • EXPANSE OF LANDSCAPED GARDENS

10. - SURROUNDED BY NINE REFLECTING POOLS BORDERED BY
RED SANDSTONE WALKWAYS
- REPRESENT THE GREEN LEAVES OF THE LOTUS FLOWER

11. Interior Structure

12. CIRCULAR AUDITORIUM
- 1,200 SEATS
- ABILITY TO ACCOMMODATE 2,500 PEOPLE

13. Floor Plan

14. - SYMBOL OF NINE-POINTED STAR SET AT THE TOP OF THE TEMPLE
- PROVIDES NATURAL DAYLIGHT
Ornamentation

15. ENTRANCE GATE TO LOTUS TEMPLE ARTIFICIAL
PEACOCK

16. SANDSTONE
- WALKWAY
WHITE MARBLE PANEL AND THIN CONCCRETE SHELL
- OUTER SURFACE OF THE SHELLS AND INNER SURFACE OF THE ARCHES
GLASS AND STEEL
- ROOF
WHITE CONCRETE
- PETALS OF LOTUS
Type of Materials Used

17. - SET IN THE MIDDLE OF A SPRAWLING LAWN
- HOUSE OF WORSHIP
- VISITED BY OVER 50 MILLION
- OPEN TO ALL RELIGIOUS FAITH
- PRAYERS CAN BE SET TO MUSIC BY CHOIR
- NO SERMONS ARE ALLOWED
- NO RITUALISTIC CEREMONIES
- MUSIC IS PERMITTED BUT MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS ARE NOT

18. - BAHA’I SCRIPTURE ALSO STATES
THAT NO PICTURES, STATUES, OR
IMAGES BE DISPLAYED WITHIN
THE HOUSE OF WORSHIP
- NO PULPITS OR ALTARS BE
INCORPORATED AS AN
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE

19. ENTRANCE OF LIBRARY
Library
- visitors can
sit and peruse
the books
borrowed from
the library.

20. - WITH THE HISTORY OF THE RELIGION
- INFORMATION ON THE BUILDING
- SOME DISPLAYS
AT THE ENTRANCE
Information Centre

21. - HEADED FOR THE TEMPLE PASSING
THROUGH SOME OF THE MOST
EXQUISITE LAWNS
- FULL OF FLOWER BEDS OF
PETUNIAS, PANSIES, SWEET
SULTANS, FLOCKS, WHITE ROSES,
AND LUSH GREEN GRASS.

22. FRONT GARDEN
Garden
WALKWAY ALONG THE GARDEN

23. Sunset View

24. Night View
NIGHT VIEW FROM FRONT

25. REFERENCES
1. http://historyinworld.blogspot.my/2011/07/lotus-temple-history.html
2. http://www.britannica.com/topic/Lotus-Temple
3. http://www.religionfacts.com/bahai/history
4. http://historicaltimeofindia.blogspot.com/2013/07/history-of-lotus-temple-in-delhi.html
5. http://listverse.com/2012/11/23/top-10-stunning-religious-buildings-in-images/
6. https://www.google.com/search?q=lotus+temple&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=
isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiVmPXv5ZLKAhUOWI4KHYknAoMQ_AUIBygC
7. http://www.ghumakkar.com/baha%E2%80%99i-house-of-worship-%E2%80%93-the-lotus-temple/

26. Thank You