1. The Bahá'í House of Worship
The Lotus of Bahapur - A magnet for the heart
In the heart of New Delhi, the bustling capital of India, a lotus-shaped outline has etched itself on the consciousness of the city's inhabitants, capturing their imagination, fuelling their curiosity, and revolutionising the concept of worship. This is the Bahá'í Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, better known as the "Lotus Temple". With the dawning of every new day, an ever-rising tide of visitors surges to its doorsteps to savour its beauty and bask in its serenely spiritual atmosphere.Since its dedication to public worship in December 1986, this Mother Temple of the Indian sub-continent has seen millions of people cross its threshold, making it one of the most visited edifices in India. From its high-perched pedestal, this 'Lotus' casts its benevolent glance over vast green lawns and avenues covering an expanse of 26 acres of land. Its soothingly quiet Prayer Hall and tranquil surroundings have touched the hearts of the Temple's numerous visitors, awakening in them a desire to trace its inspirational source and capture a bit of its peace for themselves.As an evocative symbol of beauty and purity, representative of divinity, the lotus flower remains unsurpassed in Indian iconography. Rising up pure and unsullied from stagnant water, the lotus represents the manifestation of God. The architect used this ancient Indian symbol to create a design of ethereal beauty and apparent simplicity, belying the complex geometry underlying its execution in concrete form. Twentieth-century architecture has been characterised by a high degree of technological prowess; however, it has been, by and large, unexceptional in aesthetic value. The Lotus Temple provides one of the rare exceptions with its remarkable fusion of ancient concept, modem engineering skill, and architectural inspiration, making it the focus of attention amongst engineers and architects the world over. In the absence of sophisticated equipment, the extremely complex design called for the highest order of engineering ingenuity to be implemented by means of traditional workmanship. No wonder, then, that the Lotus Temple, as a symbol of faith and human endeavour expended in the path of God, became the recipient of accolades and world-wide acclaim.
Early international recognition came its way soon after completion, when the International Federation for Religious Art and Architecture, based in the United States, conferred upon Mr. Sahba the award for "excellence in religious art and architecture for 1987". In 1988, the edifice received its second international award, this time for its structural design, from the Institute of Structural Engineers of the United Kingdom. The citation award reads: "For producing a building so emulating the beauty of a flower and so striking in its visual impact". That same year, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America conferred its international award on the Temple for the excellence of its outdoor illumination. In 1990, the American Concrete Institute presented an award to the Temple as one of the most finely built concrete structures. In 2000, Glob Art Academy of Vienna, Austria, granted its "GlobArt Academy 2000" award in recognition of "the magnitude of the Service of Taj Mahal of the 20th century in promoting the unity and harmony of people of all nations, religions and social strata, to an extent unsurpassed by any other architectural monument world-wide".
The value of beauty and symmetry in architecture by itself is not sufficient to immortalise a building. What is important is the response the structure evokes in the hearts of the people. Ravi Shankar, the sitar maestro, recalls that he was "so deeply moved visiting this great beautiful place, that I find no words to express my feelings". All that Dizzy Gillespie, the late renowned Baha'i jazz musician, could exclaim was: "I cannot believe it! It is God's work". An Indian diplomat was moved to describe the Temple as a "symbol of spiritual refinement of mankind". Indeed, the construction of the Baha'i House of Worship of Bahapur was a significant chapter in the making of Baha'i history on the Indian sub-continent.
Obedient to the command of Baha'u'llah enshrined in the most holy book of the Baha'i religion, "0 people of Creation, build ye houses as perfect as can be built on earth in the Name of Him who is the Lord of Revelation...", Baha'is have endeavoured to their utmost to build houses of worship as beautiful and distinctive as possible. They have been inspired by the divine outpourings from the pen of Baha'u'llah and His son 'Abdu'1-Baha, and by the noble example set by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, who initiated the process by raising up the magnificent edifices at the World Centre of the Baha'i religion in Haifa, Israel. The houses of worship in North and Central America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Western Samoa each reflect a pristine beauty and freshness of approach. This flowering of Baha'i architecture was further perpetuated by the blossoming of the 'Lotus of Bahapur'.The Bahá'í Temple in New Delhi, however, occupies a unique position. Not only does it embody the spiritual aspirations and basic beliefs of the world-wide Bahá'í community, but, significantly in a land of myriad religions, it has begun to be seen as providing a unifying link, bringing divergent thoughts into harmony by virtue of its principle of oneness - of God, religion, and mankind. This, perhaps, is the secret of its unabated popularity.Against the backdrop of a religious milieu which encourages the fragmentation of the Supreme Reality into innumerable gods and goddesses, each personifying a specific
attribute of the Almighty, the Bahá'í Temple, with its total absence of idols, elicits bewilderment as well as favourable response. When the main entrance gate was first opened to the general public on 1 January 1987, visitors flocked to the 'Lotus Temple' out of sheer curiosity.
The vast lawns, the massive white structure, the high-ceilinged Central Auditorium and a Temple without idols standing so near the ancient 'Kalkaji Temple' aroused the interest of all.Indian visitors, from the most urbane to the simplest rural folk, expressed perplexity at the absence of any deity. Explaining the all-pervasive nature of the Creator which defies deification became a challenge. Many times guides helping to maintain decorum inside the Prayer Hall were startled by the astonished exclamations of visitors wondering aloud where the object of adoration was. Some of them, in their simplicity, paid obeisance to the lectern, surreptitiously placing a flower or two - an amusing as well as a touching sight. Awed by the beauty and grandeur of the edifice, they struggled to grasp the spiritual significance of this material structure.As understanding dawned, a typical response became: "Few temples radiate the atmosphere of sublimity, peace, and calm so necessary to elevate a devotee spiritually as the Bahá'í House of Worship". Other repeated comments included: "Where there is silence, the spirit is eloquent" and "One feels one is at last entering into the estate of the soul, the state of stillness and peace". The visitors were aided in their efforts by the serenity of the Prayer Hall and the assistance of volunteer guides and staff who explained the raison-d'etre of the Temple. The innate sense of reverence of the Indian for the Omnipresence often manifested itself in the act of reverently touching the steps leading into the Prayer Hall.Visitors from the West often came to critically appraise a structure which had gained fame as a marvel of 20th-century architecture. For them it was sometimes a grudging, sometimes a spontaneous realisation that the phenomenon called faith transcends logic and that the universal ethic of love envelops all. They, too, were humbled at this altar of faith and love.No matter what the identity of the visitors, from the Orient or the Occident, from North or South, of humble origins or exalted positions, all have been unanimous in their appreciation of both the physical grandeur as well as the lofty purpose of the House of Worship. One visitor commented: "The most beautiful experience. Its magnificence, charm and glamour are awe-inspiring. It reflects the dream of all humanity to bring together a new civilisation for all people." A renowned visitor from India opined, "Architecturally, artistically, ethically, the edifice is a paragon of perfection."
The aura of silence surrounding the Prayer Hall instills reverence. Some were moved by what they termed the 'eloquent silence'; others said that the 'divine atmosphere' inside touched the heart. All were affected in various degrees by the peace and beauty of the sanctum sanctorum.One reason for the immense popularity of the House of Worship of Bahapur is the fact that media attention, both Indian and foreign, focused on it even before its completion. Construction News, a technical journal from the United Kingdom, was the first to give the Lotus Temple the appellation of Taj Mahal of the 20th Century' in its April 1986 issue, a description that has been subsequently used by many other publications. The comparison brings to mind the words of the famous Indian poet and philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore, who described the Taj as "a teardrop on the cheek of eternity". Considering that the Bahá'í House of Worship is an affirmation and a celebration of man's love for his Creator, and not a mausoleum, the Lotus Temple could be described as "a dewdrop on the brow of eternity". Indian Express, in its issue of 20 November 1986, aptly referred to the fact that "while the Taj is an expression of deep personal love, for the Baha'is the Temple symbolizes love between Man and God". In World Architecture 1900-2000: A Critical Mosaic, Volume 8, South Asia, the Lotus Temple appears as one of the 100 canonical works of this century. The book is part of a series of 10 books organised by the Architectural Society of China and endorsed by the International Union of Architects, in co-ordination with the XX World Architects Congress convened in June 1999 in Beijing, China. Part of the text reads: "A powerful icon of great beauty that goes beyond its pure function of serving as a congregation space to become an important architectural symbol of the city".
The physical sun, resplendent in its halo of light, has traversed the expanse of heaven from east to west in its fiery chariot. As it pauses awhile on the horizon before plunging out of sight, it casts its luminous shadow on a white 'Lotus', standing majestically on its red pedestal, giving it a warm glow. An intangible aura of fulfilment surrounds the 'Lotus'. Ark-like, it had ridden the waves of people swirling around it during the day with composure. The last ripples are slowly moving away, casting longing glances behind at the 'Lotus' as if beseeching it to take them back into its fold.
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2. An Architectural Marvel
The Bahá'í House of Worship at New Delhi is one of the marvels of modern architecture. The temple gives the impression of a half-open lotus flower afloat, surrounded by its leaves. The shining pure white marble, the majestic dome, the petals clearly standing out create a sense of grandeur and awe. All around the lotus are walkways with beautiful curved balustrades, bridges and stairs that surround the nine pools representing the floating leaves of the lotus. It is a remarkable tabernacle of peace and beauty and an engineering feat that will set standards for centuries. Capturing the imagination with its simplicity and elegance this monument in marble is dedicated to the purpose of prayer, meditation and spiritual upliftment. From within its hallowed precincts rise in praise and glorification of the Almighty voices in unison, of Hindus and Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists and Zoroastrians people of all castes, colours and cultures. There is no clergy in the temple, no idols, no pictures, no sermons, no rituals. It is a place for communication between man and his Creator, God. The daily public services include selections from the holy books of all religions.
Since its dedication ceremony on December 24, 1986, which was attended by some 8000 people from 125 countries, this House of Worship has been endearing the hearts of all its visitors. It is now popularly known as the Taj Mahal of the twentieth century. The shrine, in fact a dream come true in concrete, has been designed by a young architect, Mr. Fariburz Sabha, a Canadian citizen and a Bahá'í of Iranian descent, who was selected from among the world’s top architects. The temple took six years and eight months to be completed at a cost of Rs. 10 000 000. The Flint and Neill partnership of London were the main consultants and M/s Larsen and Toubro of the ECC Construction group were the main contractors. Forty engineers and 800 labourers along with many skilled Bahá'ís worked day and night to erect this splendid edifice. The marble used to cover the petals was quarried from the Mount Pentitikon mines in Greece and thereafter sent to Italy, where each panel was cut to the required size and shape before being transported to the site at Delhi.
The Lotus, as seen from outside, has three sets of petals. The outermost set of nine petals, called the entrance leaves, open outwards and form the nine entrances all around the outer annular hall. The next set of nine petals, called "inner leaves", which appear to be partly closed, rise above the rest and form the main structure housing the central hall. Since the Lotus is open at the top, a glass and steel roof provides protection from rain and lets in natural light in the auditorium.
To the Indian taste the lotus flower has always been the fairest flower; it has enjoyed an unparalleled popularity through the length and breadth of the country from the earliest times down to the present day. Besides being the national flower of India, it has been inseparably associated with religion, be it Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism or Islam. The lotus set and pedestal have an almost universal application in connection with the figures of Hindu mythology. Brahma, the Creator, is described as having sprung from the lotus that grew out of Vishnu’s navel when the deity lay absorbed in
meditation. Hence one of the epithets of Brahma is lotus born whose name is, accordingly, Padam Nabh (louts-naveled). The most sacred prayer of the Buddhists extols a sanctified jewel in the lotus flower: O jewel in the lotus". In brief, the lotus symbolises the purity of spiritual reality as it rises, untouched, unblemished from the stagnant pools and quagmires of the earth. It reminds man that he, too, can achieve this state while still living in this material world.
Therefore, to describe merely the beauty and symmetry of the architecture of the Bahá'í shrine is not sufficient. The story it tells to the hearts of the people is also important. Says Mr. Fariburz Sabha, "To design a temple which would reflect the rich cultural heritage of India and, at the same time, be compatible with the cardinal principle of the Bahá'í Faith, that is the unity of religions, was a most unusual and remarkable chance. I wanted… it should, on one hand, reveal the simplicity, clarity and freshness of the Bahá'í revelation as apart from the beliefs and man-made concepts of many divided sects and, on the other, should show respect for the basic beliefs of all religions of the past and act as a constant reminder to the followers of each faith that the basic principles of all the religions of God are one."
At the core of the Bahá'í teachings is the acceptance of the oneness of mankind, oneness of religion and oneness of God. The faith, founded in Iran by Bahá'u'lláh (Glory of God), raises worship above ritualistic and communal forms. It advocates an unfettered search after truth, condemns superstition and prejudice, teaches that the fundamental purpose of religion is to promote concord and harmony hand-in-hand with science. It inculcates the principle of equal opportunity, rights and privileges for both sexes, advocates compulsory education and exalts work performed in the spirit of service to the rank of worship. It recommends the adoption of an auxiliary international language and provides for the necessary agencies for the establishment and safeguarding of a permanent universal peace.
To capture this theme of unity in the design of the Bahá'í House of Worship, Mr. Sabha travelled extensively in India to study its architecture before he selected the lotus shape. He recalls, "At the outset, in a small city of India, a simple and good-hearted teacher spoke spontaneously to me about the lotus. On that day his purity and friendliness more than his ideas attracted my heart, but from then on the image of the lotus seemed to grow in my awareness more and more persistently, however much I tried to resist this idea…." Ultimately he settled on the idea of building this lotus temple because it represented the unity of all religions.
A mention of the Taj Mahal in the context of the Bahá'í shrine is only natural. Besides the obvious resemblance, there is no doubt that the interest which 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the eldest son of the founder of the Bahá'í faith and his successor, had expressed in the Taj Mahal had a significant influence on the design of the Bahá'í temple. He is reported to have extolled its virtues at length and likened it to "a white dove soaring in the blue sky." Mr. Sabha explains, "In designing the House of Worship in India, the seat of that historical monument, how could one forget that 'Abdu'l-Bahá liked this splendid monument?"
The temple complex consists of the main house of worship with its basement and the ancillary block, which houses a reception centre, a library and the administrative building. The library contains a rich collection of religious books. Besides, there is also an hourly introductory audio-visual presentation for the visitors. The inner dome is spherical and patterned after the innermost portion of the lotus flower. It is like a bud consisting of 24 petals and light filters through these inner folds and is diffused through the central hall. While the flooring inside the auditorium is of white marble, the finish of the walkways and stairs of the outer portion is of red sandstone, offering a majestic contrast.
The design of the lotus temple employs the symbol of the lotus, the emblem of divine birth, in unprecedented fashion. The most basic idea in the design is that light and water are used as its two fundamental elements that are also responsible for the ornamentation of the temple in the place of the statues and carving found in other temples. The pools and the fountains also help to cool the air that passes over them into the hall. This is the cheapest method of having a pleasant temperature in the temple.
At present the Bahá'í temple is purely a place of spiritual sustenance; in future, however, it will also be a centre of social service. Around it will eventually come up a home for pilgrims, a school, a university, a hospital, and old people’s home and an orphanage, things which are associated with the Bahá'í community and humanity. The theme being that worship is complete only when prayers are coupled with deeds of stainless purity.
The remarkable aspect of all this is that all the work done so far has been funded through voluntary contributions made only by Bahá'ís throughout the world with a large sum having been provided by the believers in India. An Indian scholar visiting the temple summed up this spirit of universal participation among the Bahá'ís when he told the architect, "The Taj Mahal was built with the power of a king, but you are building this majestic edifice with the power of love."
Apart from the House of Worship in Delhi, there are six others in Panama, Kampala, Illinois, Frankfurt, Sydney and West Samoa, all of which are well-known for their architectural beauty and nine-sided design, symbolising perfection.
The Bahá'í House of Worship at New Delhi, now popularly known as the Lotus Temple, is only a continuation of this rich heritage and has received many international awards during a short span of a few years. On October 18, 1987, the Architect of the Bahá'í House of Worship, Mr. F. Sabha was presented the award for excellence in religious art and architecture by the US-based Institute of Structural Engineers in the UK, for producing a building "so emulating the beauty of a flower and so striking in its visual impact" which was presented to him in January 15, 1988.
Thousands of visitors come to see the Lotus Temple every day. Among its prominent visitors have been the Ambassadors of Tanzania and Hungary, the Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia, the Minster of Culture of the USSR and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bulgaria. Indian visitors have included members of Parliament, state ministers, governors and industrialists. The legendary jazz musician Dizzy Gillespie said, "I cannot believe it: it is God’s work". Pandit Ravi Shankar, the sitar maestro, wrote, "I am so deeply moved visiting this great, beautiful place that I find no words to express my feelings. I am sure people visiting here will find intense joy, love and peace."
BACKGROUND AND ARCHITECTURE
1. Extracts From Interviews With The Architect
2. The Jewels In The Lotus
3. Architectural Blossoming Of The Lotus
1. Extracts from Interviews with the Architect
Editor's Note: Over the years since the inauguration of the Bahá'í House of Worship in December 1986, its architect, Mr. Fariborz Sahba, has been interviewed a number of times about his wonderful lotus-shaped creation. Below are a sampling of questions posed to the architect by different people and publications at different times, and his responses.
Q. Every phase of the construction of the Temple must have had its own unique challenge in terms of architecture, design, and engineering. Which stage was the most exciting to you?
A, I think the design period was the most challenging and exciting part of the project for me. To design a temple which would reflect the rich cultural heritage of India, and at the same time be compatible with the cardinal principle of the Bahá'í Faith - the unity of religions - provided me a most unusual and remarkable chance for witnessing the power of Baha'u'llah's Revelation. I was looking for a concept that would be acceptable to the people of all the different religions that abound with such rich diversity in India. I wanted to design something new and unique, at the same time not strange but familiar, like the Bahá'í Faith itself, something which would be loved by the people of different religions. It should, on the one hand, reveal the simplicity, clarity and freshness of the Bahá'í Revelation, as apart from the beliefs and man-made concepts of the many divided sects. On the other hand, it should show respect for the basic beliefs of all the religions of the past and act as a constant reminder to the followers of each faith that the principles of all the religions of God are one. People should intuitively find some sort of relationship with it in their hearts. This was the most exciting part of the project for me. The rest of the challenges were technical matters which somehow could be dealt with.I began without preconceptions, ready for ideas. I visited hundreds of temples all over India, not for architectural guidance but to discover a concept that would integrate the spiritual heritage of this sub-continent. As I delved deeper and deeper into the cultural and architectural heritage of India, 1 became profoundly fascinated by the task before me.I was concentrating and praying. I was convinced that God would guide me towards a concept, and this is just what happened. Is it not strange that just by chance I had to change my route while travelling, and go to a different place where a pure soul, whom I had never met before, was waiting to tell me about the lotus? This was an Indian Bahá'í friend, Mr. Kamrudin Bartar, who for the first time spoke to me about the lotus as an idea for the Temple. No doubt he was Baha'u'llah's messenger to me, though I did not know it at that time, and was more impressed by his pure heart, simplicity, and kindness, than his concept and idea for a temple. Then, in the Ajanta and Ellora caves, the impression of the lotus flowers on the walls, depicting the throne of the gods, drew my attention to this flower. In South India another Indian Bahá'í, on learning of my interest in the lotus flower, showed much enthusiasm. He took great pains to locate a pond covered with this beautiful flower and, brimming over with excitement, took me to view the magnificent blooms. His earnest description and explanation of whatever he knew about the lotus impressed upon me the deep-rooted significance of this flower in India. Later, I studied the art, culture, and religions of India from books I had collected. The deep respect for the lotus, spontaneously evoked in Indian hearts everywhere, and their loving attachment to this sacred flower, convinced me to end my search for further ideas for the design. My attention was now focussed upon this concept. However, the critical question had yet to be answered, as to how a flower could be translated into a building. However symbolic and sensational it may be, such a design could also be regarded as trite and ordinary, and, consequently, vulgar and bereft of any architectural value.When T recall my visit to India, I am convinced that at every step the blessings of Baha'u'llah assisted and guided this work. The difficulties and problems resolved themselves in an amazing manner. This could not have been possible without the prayers of the Universal House of Justice (the highest governing body of the Bahá'í Faith), which I had solicited before coming to India. No doubt, it was destined that the Temple be built in this shape.Q. What is the significance of the lotus design?A. In brief, the lotus represents the Manifestation of God, and is also a symbol of purity and tenderness. Its significance is deeply rooted in the minds and hearts of the Indians. In the epic poem Mahabharata, the Creator Brahma is described as having sprung from the lotus that grew out of Lord Vishnu's navel when that deity lay absorbed in meditation, There is a deep and universal reverence for the lotus, which is regarded as a sacred flower associated with worship throughout many centuries. 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. Buddhists glorify him in their prayers, "Om Mani Padme Hum", "Yea, 0 Jewel in the Lotus!" Lord Buddha says you have to be like a lotus which, although living in dirty water, still remains beautiful and undefiled by its surroundings.So, we realise that the lotus is associated with worship, and has been a part of the life and thoughts of Indians through the ages. It will seem to them as though they have been worshipping in this Temple in their dreams for years. Now their vision has become a reality and. God willing, some day they will all enter and worship in it.Q. You mentioned the importance of water and light. What is the concept of lighting and the use of water in your design?
A. The whole superstructure is designed to function as a skylight. The interior dome is spherical and patterned after the innermost portion of the lotus flower. Light enters the hall in the same way as it passes through the inner folds of the lotus petals. The interior dome, therefore, is like a bud consisting of 27 petals, and light filters through these inner folds and is diffused throughout the hall. The central bud is held by nine open petals, each of which functions as a skylight. The nine entrance petals complete the design.The external illumination is arranged to create the impression that the lotus structure is afloat upon water and not anchored to its foundation, by having the light focussed brightly on the upper edges of the petals.Regarding the use of water, a glance at the design will show that the nine pools around the building form the principal landscaping. At the same time, they represent the green leaves of the lotus afloat on water. Moreover, the pools and fountains help to cool the air that passes over them into the hall. The superstructure, the podium, and the pools are designed as an integrated whole, and the parts cannot be separated from the whole.Q. You must have worked certain requirements of the environment into the design. Can you explain something in that regard?A. This is a matter to which a great deal of thought has been given. Since the climate in Delhi is very hot for several months of the year, and the degree of humidity varies, it seemed as though the only solution for the ventilation problem would be air-conditioning. However, this is very expensive to install and maintain, and, therefore, not feasible for a temple in India. On the basis of the methods of ventilation used in ancient buildings, a different, though complicated, solution for the ventilation problem of the Temple has been devised.This, in a way, can be called "natural ventilation", and is based upon the results of "smoke tests" which were performed in the Imperial College of London on a model of the Temple. The results demonstrated that with openings in the basement and at the top, the building would act like a chimney, drawing up warm air from within the hall and expelling it through the top of the dome. Thus, constant draughts of cool air passing over the pools and through the basement flow into the hall and out through the opening at the top. This ventilation is complemented in two other ways: a set of exhaust fans is arranged in the dome to cool the concrete shell and prevent transference of heat into the Temple, while another set of fans funnel air from the auditorium into the cold basement, where it is cooled and recycled back into the auditorium. This system, and its maintenance, is by far cheaper than air-conditioning, and our calculations forecast pleasant and agreeable temperatures inside the Temple.Q. How were the funds provided for the construction of the House of Worship?A. It is very important to know that only Bahá'ís can contribute towards the construction cost of the Temple, and this is regarded as a great privilege and bounty for the Bahá'ís. The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of India (the governing council at the national level) printed a large number of coupons valued from one rupee to one hundred rupees to raise funds from Bahá'ís scattered in several thousand localities in India. Contributions were also received in kind, such as rice, wheat, and handicrafts from the villages. Bahá'ís from all over the world also contributed for the construction of the Temple. The amount is not important. What is important is that the maximum number of Bahá'ís participated in giving. An Indian scholar who visited the site told me, "The Taj Mahal was built with the power of a king, but you are building this majestic edifice with the power of love."Q. You said that this House of Worship is open to all people irrespective of race, caste, religion, and class. Does this mean that people can practice their traditional forms of worship here, for instance, Hindus chant their Mantras, Muslims say Namaz, Christians hold Mass, Buddhists use their prayer wheels, and so forth?A. It is important to note that the Bahá'ís do not have any clergy or rituals, and the Temple is reserved purely as a place of worship. In accordance with these principles, there are no sermons or rituals conducted in a Bahá'í temple. This is a place for prayer and meditation, which means communion between man and his Creator - God. Everybody can enter and say his or her prayers, but silently. There are also regular organised public services during which selections from the holy books of all religions are recited or chanted. A choir chants hymns to inspire the soul.Q. Some people may ask whether it was indeed wise to build such a temple at all in India. They suggest that the money should have been spent for other charitable purposes. What is your comment?
A. Bahá'í temples are built with the money which Bahá'ís donate voluntarily. The money they give for the glory of God is a demonstration of their love for Him. They believe such a monument will attract divine bounties, and the spiritual atmosphere it creates will inspire many lives. If you dedicate a corner of your house, perhaps only a small room, for prayers, you will have an entirely different feeling about that room, and anybody entering that spot will feel the spiritual nature of that place. Now just imagine the spiritual significance of this edifice which has been constructed with the universal participation of thousands of people from different races and religious backgrounds, all united in their purpose to achieve this lofty goal. It is a concrete embodiment of the unity of mankind in action. The Taj Mahal was built on the foundation of love between two persons. One can say there was no need for that building, for even without that monument the love between the king and his queen would have been eternal. Nonetheless, because that majestic tomb symbolised the love between Shah Jehan and Mumtaz, you feel attracted to the building to witness such a love even after centuries. Now imagine the impact of the love created by the Baha'i House of Worship. Here, a spiritual love between man and God manifests the eternal source of all love. The temples of India are, today, the richest treasures you have from your ancient culture. These temples were built by the people out of their love for God. Thousands of ancient buildings, palaces, and cities have been destroyed. But most of the temples have survived the ravages of time and fortune because they were built in the name of God. The Baha'is have built a place of hope here. It is a sort of investment or saving. It is not the rich people who have given money to be distributed among the poor. On the contrary, it is mostly poor people who have supported this project because of their appreciation of love, unity, and beauty. However poor people may be, they still love to buy a pot of flowers to put in a corner of their room. Without love and beauty man is nothing. This Temple symbolises our love for aesthetics, a humble offering to our Creator in the most beautiful manner we can present it. You may call it a flower in the comer of our hearts.Q. What was the period of construction?A. We had estimated the construction to take six years. We started the work on 21 April 1980 and completed it on 21 December 1986. So construction has taken six years and eight months. These additional eight months were required because extra work was added to the project, for example, the ceramic tile cladding envisaged in the beginning was changed to marble cladding. We also landscaped the entire 26 acres of land, whereas originally we had planned to do this only around the main building.Q. What was the total cost of the building?A. The total cost of the building was about ten crore rupees. This includes all furniture,
landscaping, etc., which is not much for a complicated building of such high quality. If this building were made for any other purpose and any other client, it would have cost several times more. The work done here was based not on commercial considerations but on sacrifice and devotion. From the labourers to the supervisors, engineers, and suppliers, all have undertaken it as a challenge and labour of love. Many have worked totally voluntarily, or have accepted a bare minimum for their expenses. It is impossible to value this building by the standard scales available for quality surveying or project management.Q. What was your role as project manager?A. As project manager I worked on behalf of the client. I was in charge of budget control, temple fund, public relations, and quantity surveying, as well as project management, quality control and site supervision. In other words, I represented the client and the consultants at site. I had to build up a very good spirit and relationship between the contractor, consultants, and the client.
Q. As an architect, you often emphasise your dedication to your faith. Would you be able to function outside the Bahá'í "greenhouse" ?A. When an architect works on a design he works on it with all his ability, his mind, his thoughts, and his beliefs. His faith is not something outside him, it is an inseparable part of him. The Bahá'í Faith is not merely a code of laws and dos and don'ts. It is a way of life. One's mind, thoughts, and approach to life are all influenced by it. From that point of view, I have designed as a Bahá'í; even in designing a housing complex or a cultural centre, my work is naturally inspired by it. This does not mean that my religion has dictated my design. It is important to note that my project has not been designed for Bahá'ís only. In fact, my challenge has been to design a universal space for the public, for everyone from every religion, race, or nationality, but at the same time rooted in the culture and architecture of its place.
An architect must have a feeling and an understanding of the people for whom he builds. I consider it to be an art to grasp the culture and way of life of different countries and the people for whom I design; to adopt the technical possibilities available in the land and work within their frame. In India, my task was to understand the Indian people, their culture, technological possibilities, and facilities available in the land, and use them to the advantage of my design.... You design and work in the way you are, using your best abilities in serving your art. The end result will be seen in the way your art communicates with the people. I think the judgement of the success of your work is when you see that it really functions and works for the people that you worked for.On an average, about 3 1/2 million people visit the Bahá'í House of Worship in New Delhi every year. Perhaps only a tenth of them are Bahá'ís. Visitors come to this place as a house of worship, a place for prayers. Their remarks reflect that their hearts have been touched, and they feel the Temple belongs to them. For me, that is the sign that the Temple 'works', as the essence of a Bahá'í temple is unity of God, unity of religions, and unity of mankind.Q. One of the relevant questions in architecture today is to what extent it may be regarded as art. Considering that the Lotus temple is very artistic, what is your stand on this issue?A. I take it as a compliment that you see this project as artistic. I am an old-fashioned architect who has always considered architecture to be an art, and no matter how practical or technical it becomes, in essence it is a work of art which communicates with its audience. This, in my opinion, is the most satisfying aspect of this profession. All other things are only tools. In the Lotus Temple a great many technical challenges has to be addressed, but I take satisfaction from the fact that my project communicates with the people, and is alive.I used to often think to myself: what is it that makes the Taj Mahal so mysterious, so beautiful, so loved by the people that hundreds of thousands of Indians, having seen it several times, still continue to visit this building? Early one rainy morning I went to see the Taj Mahal. One of the guides followed me, insisting upon offering his services. For a time 1 resisted, but finally I had to agree. As I listened to him I was filled with astonishment that this person, who had in all probability repeated his narrative hundreds of times, should yet be able to discourse about the Taj Mahal with such ardour and enthusiasm; that he and all that crowd of visitors should feel so intimately connected to the building, as if it were a living thing. My guide's narrative was not precise, but for me the true significance of his words lay in the sensation they conveyed, that this building had a special place in his heart and was, in a manner, connected to him. From many points of view the Taj Mahal may not be superior to several other Islamic structures of that period. How is it then that this particular structure is dearer to people's hearts than all those others, attracting scores of visitors from all parts of the world and of India throughout the entire year?That very morning, as my self-appointed guide was going through his narrative, I came to appreciate that a masterpiece of architecture is recognised by the mysterious connection it establishes with our hearts - a connection that transcends mere architectural considerations. The abiding popularity of the Taj Mahal resides in this. 1 thought to myself that I would only be successful if I could design something that communicates to the people and creates such a relationship. This mysterious relationship between the artist, his work, and the people is the most satisfying factor in the art of architecture. I hope I will continue to obtain projects which give me this type of pleasure in parallel to the other aspects of my profession.Q. Does the Bahá'í religion allow you sufficient freedom for self-expression?A. In the Bahá'í Faith an individual establishes his own relationship with God; each individual acts according to his own conscience, based on his understanding of the Bahá'í teachings. Self-expression and individual freedom form one of the main principles of this religion, and there is no question of anyone imposing his/her will or ideas on another. However, there is no doubt that one's spiritual philosophy and feelings will be reflected in one's art, one's thoughts, one's life. The blossoms of a tree come from within a tree and cannot be attached to it from outside. Individual freedom does not mean, however, that you live only for yourself. In whatever you do, you express yourself in relation to others. While every single player is very important, the results come from the quality of teamwork. You might as well ask if a kite is any freer without its string.
2. The Jewel in the Lotus
It is possible to see in the architecture of India, to an extent probably unknown elsewhere, the roots of religion in a most clear and distinct manner. The meaningful and powerful symbols which
can be seen in the buildings and in their ornamentation, and even in the settings in which they have been placed, draw their inspiration from the religious convictions of the people, convictions which form an integral part of the Indian way of life. The very bushes growing in the corner of a temple courtyard or the color of the courtyard wall can tell us to which religion the temple belongs. In this way we can discover the allegorical meanings which the forms, the colours, and the statues in a temple are meant to convey, to such an extent that we can call Indian architecture an architecture of allegory and symbol, in that hidden meanings dwell in every shape and form. These hidden meanings have a close and inspiring connection with the life of the people of this country.Against such a background, we Find ourselves faced with two major questions regarding the design of a Baha'i House of Worship for India. We understand from some of the statements of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, that the Baha'i Temple should be a symbol manifesting the Baha'i Faith, revealing the simplicity, clarity, and freshness of this new Revelation. On the other hand, in showing respect for the basic beliefs of the religions of the past, the Temple must act as a constant reminder to the followers of each faith that all the religions of God are one, and that the Baha'i Faith, for all that it may have many new features, is in no way cut off or detached from the life of the Indian people, but rather looks upon them all with respect and love.Basing our research on the above sentiments, and seeking at all times to discover a common strand running through the symbolism of the many religions and sects to be found today in India, we undertook a study in the hope that we could prepare a design which, while it would in no way imitate any of the existing architectural schools of India, would be familiar to the Indian people, in the same way that when one speaks to them of the teachings and principles of the Baha'i Faith they sense that here is a vision become reality, a dream fulfilled, albeit expressed in words that are new and even unheard of.Sacred symbol
When one looks closely at Indian architecture, one realizes that despite the outward dissimilarities to be seen between various temples, we can sometimes discover significant and sacred symbols regarded as holy and divine by all the Indian religions, symbols which have even penetrated to other countries and other religions. One of these symbols is the sacred flower of the Indians, the lotus.Although it would be preferable to begin a discussion of the lotus with a survey of the Mandala, one of the oldest religious symbols in the world, we shall move directly into our discussion without such preamble.To the Indian taste, the lotus has always been the fairest flower; it has enjoyed unparalleled popularity throughout the length and breadth of India from the earliest times down to the present day, as shown by its predominance in literature and art. Mentioned in the oldest Veda, it
plays a prominent part in the mythology of Brahmanism. To the later Sanskrit poets it is the emblem of beauty to which they constantly compare the faces of their heroines. The lotus, moreover, enters into Indian art of all ages and all religions as a prominent decorative element. It appears on the oldest architectural monuments of Hinduism all over India. With the spread of Buddhism to the countries of the Far East, its use as an ornament in religious art has extended as far as Japan.In literature. The lotus is named in the Rigveda and is mentioned with increasing frequency in the later Samhitas. In the Atharvaveda the human heart is compared with the lotus, and the Panchavimsa Brahmana speaks of its flower being born of the light of the Constellations. In the Brahmanas the lotus first appears as associated with the Creator Prajapati in cosmogonic myths. The Taittiriya Brahmana recounts that Prajapati, desiring to create the universe, which in the beginning was fluid, saw a lotus leaf (puskara-pamd) protruding from the water. Thinking that it must rest on something, he dived into the water in the form of a boar, and, finding the earth below, broke off a fragment, rose with it to the surface, and spread it out on the leaf. Elsewhere, the Taittiriya Aranyaka relates that when the universe was still fluid, Prajapati alone was created on a lotus leaf.Later, in the epic poetry of the Mahabharata, the Creator, under the name of Brahma, is described as having sprung from the lotus that grew out of Vishnu's navel when that deity lay absorbed in meditation. Hence, one of the appellations for Brahma is lotus-born (abja-ja, abja-yoni, etc.). The lotus is thus connected with Vishnu, one of whose names is, accordingly, padma-nabha, lotus-naveled. It is further associated with Vishnu's wife, Lakshmi, goddess of fortune and beauty. The Mahabharata relates the myth that a lotus sprung from Vishnu's forehead, out of which came Sri (another name for the goddess). Lakshmi is also called Padma (lotus-hued). The Mahabharata, in its account of Mount Kailasa, the abode of Kubera, the god of wealth, described his lake, Nalini, and his river, Mandakini, as covered with golden lotuses.In art. With the rise of religious art in India, the lotus appeared on all the Buddhist monuments which came into being in different parts of the country from about 200 B.C. onwards. In its simplest form, the expanded lotus appears frequently as a circular ornament in the sculptures at Sanchi, Bharhut, Amravati, and Bodh Gaya, as well as in the rock-cut Buddhist temples of Western India, introduced as medallions on pillars, panels, and ceilings. Elaborately carved half-lotuses sometimes appear in these settings, or, in Sri Lanka, as so-called-moon-stones on semi-circular stone slabs at the foot of staircases. Lotuses growing on stems also occur in the sculptures of Gandhara and of Mathura, and often figure in elaborate floral designs on the pillars of Sanchi or the panels of Amravati.Further, from earliest times, the lotus is fashioned either as a seat or as a pedestal on which divine or sacred beings rest in a sitting or standing posture. The oldest and most striking example of this use is exhibited in the Figure of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi, in the Buddhist sculptures at Udayagiri, at Bharhut, and especially at Sanchi, where it is frequently repeated on the gateways of the Great Stupa. Lakshmi is portrayed sitting or standing on a lotus and holding a lotus flower in each hand watered by two pots raised aloft by the trunks of two elephants. This ancient motif is found all over India to the present day and occurs as well among the old sculptures at Polonaruwa in Sri Lanka.Widespread use
Once Buddha began to be represented in sculpture, his image was constantly depicted as sitting cross-legged on a lotus seat, or occasionally standing on a lotus pedestal. It occurs in this form, for instance, at Rajgir in Bihar, in the Kanheri caves near Mumbai, and often in the Gandhara monuments of the northwest. From the latter region this representation spread beyond the confines of India to Nepal, Burma, China, and Japan. Even when the seat is not actually the flower itself, two, three, or four lotuses are carved on its front, as in the Gandhara sculptures. Such lotuses are also found delineated on a footstool on which Gautama rests his feet instead of sitting cross-legged. The number of the petals of such lotuses varies from four to six.The use of the lotus seat has been extended to images of bodhisattvas not only in India but in Buddhist countries beyond its borders. Thus, Manjusri is represented sitting in this way not only at Sarnath, near Benares, but also in Java and Tibet. In a modern Tibetan picture Maitreya is depicted on a lotus seat, and the figure of a Persian bodhisattva sitting on a seat adorned with lotuses and painted on a wooden panel was discovered by M.A. Stein during his first expedition to Central Asia. In China the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara appears sitting on a lotus seat, and in Nepal standing on a lotus pedestal. The lotus is intimately connected with this bodhisattva, for he is represented as bom from a lotus, and he regularly holds a lotus in his hand, whence his appellation Padmapani, or lotus-handed. Moreover, the Buddhist chant Om Mani Padme Hum (Yea 0 jewel in the lotus! Amen), which in the present is the most sacred prayer of the Buddhists in Tibet, refcrcs to Avalokitesvara. The persistence of this application of the lotus is indicated by the fact that it appears not only in modern Indian brass images of Hindu gods but even in seated portraits ofmaharajas of the 19th century.The lotus seat and pedestal have an almost universal application in connection with the figures of Hindu mythology. Brahma appears seated on Vishnu's navel lotus. The three great gods of the Hindu triad, Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu, with their respective wives, Sarasvati, Parvati, and Lakshmi, as well as Agni, god of fire, Pavanna, god of wind, Ganesa, god of wisdom, Vishnu's incarnation Rama, and the demon Ravana, are all found represented on a lotus seat. Vishnu, in addition, regularly holds a lotus in one of his four hands. A lotus pedestal also serves as a stand for images of the god Indra, of Vishnu and nearly all his incarnations, and of the sun god Surya. In Sri Lanka the lotus pedestal also supports Shiva, Parvati, and Kubera, god of wealth, and in Tibet it serves as a base for Sarasvati, goddess of learning.Similarly, in the ancient Jain sculptures found at Mathura the lotus appears repeatedly as a medallion or in more elaborate floral decorations. It also appears as the symbol of the sixth jina, or saint. At present it is worshipped generally by the Hindus in India.Creative forceThe symbolism of the lotus flower (padma, pundarika, utpala) was borrowed by the Buddhists directly from the parent religion Brahmanism. From earliest history, the lotus flower appears to have symbolized for Aryans primarily the idea of superhuman or divine birth, and secondarily the creative force and immortality. The traditional Indian and Buddhist explanation is that the glorious lotus flower appears to spring not from the sordid earth but from the surface of the water and is always pure and unsullied, no matter how impure the water of the lake may be. It thus expresses the idea of supernatural birth and the emergence of the first created living thing from the primordial waters of chaos. Hence, the flower was regarded as the matrix of the Hindu creator himself, Narayana, and of his later form as the god Brahma, who are portrayed, respectively, as reclining and seated upon a lotus flower, as in the pre-Buddhist Vaishnavite Bhagavad-Gita. Conceivably, this was the significance of the lotus when it was first applied to the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni.As an emblem of divine birth the lotus is a common motif in Buddhist art and literature, as has been noted above. In the Buddhist paradise of Sukhavati, the goal of popular Mahayana Buddhists, everyone is reborn as a god upon a lotus flower (Soddhama pundarika), and there are lotus flowers of many gems. The Western notion of the beauty of lotus-eating is possibly a heritage of this ancient view of divine existence.A manifestation of the myth of divine lotus birth is thought to be the myth which invests Buddha with the miraculous power of imprinting the image of a lotus flower on the earth with every step that he took. The references to this in the Pali canon are innumerable, although in the earliest book of that canon, the Mahapadana Suttanta, the account of the infant Buddha's first seven steps makes no mention of the lotus imprints that appear in the later versions.The lotus was especially identified with the sun. This association doubtless rested upon the observation that the flower opened when the sun rose and closed at sunset, suggesting to the primitive mind that the flower might be the residence of the sun during its nocturnal passage through the underworld, or that it might be the vivifier, resurrector, or regenerator of the renewed sun of the next day. Its large, multi-rayed petals would also contribute to this association. Probably its association with the sun explains why the lotus flower in the Gandhara sculptures, and often, subsequently, took the place of Buddha's footprints in the wheeled disk of the sun with its thousand spokes, which may have represented the Aryan queen of heaven.Architectural traces
The motif of a lotus flower held in the hand seems to have symbolised not merely divine birth but the possession of life everlasting and the preservation and procreation of life. This was the case for the Aryan queen of heaven, the Brahmanist goddess Sri, and her derivative, the Buddhist Tara, both of whom have the title Garlanded by Lotuses. In the mystical Vedic, pre-Buddhist Satapatha Brahmana, the lotus was a symbol of the womb, and, as we have seen, it appears to have this meaning in the famous Om Mani Padme Hum prayer. Probably, such a meaning may in part be implied in the lotus held in the hand of Avalokitesvara, the consort of Tara, to whom that prayer is now specially addressed. However, in the hand of Maitreya, the future Buddha, and other divine bodhisattvas ofGandhara, the lotus may have had a metaphysical significance and perhaps denoted the preservation and revivifying of the life of the law. It was possibly in this sense as cherishers of the law that we find a lotus flower adorning the hands of many of the images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas who are not particularly identified with the lotus attribute.The lotus symbol can be easily traced in Zoroastrian architecture. The carving ofArdashir II at
Taq-i-Bustan shows Mithra standing on a lotus flower. In the bas-relief at Persepolis the king and most of his nobles each hold a lotus in their hands. The lotus flower is one of the oldest and most beautiful elements in the patterns of Persian carpets, and it can often be seen in Islamic architecture of the Seljuq and later periods. For example, the shape of a lotus occurs in the design of the perforated plaster work in the mihrab (prayer niche) of the Malik mosque in Kirman.The discussion above serves to show how the lotus has been used as a unifying symbol in all the Indian religions. In the design of the Baha'i House of Worship, however, the symbol has been employed in an unprecedented fashion. The most basic idea in the design is that light and water are used as its two fundamental elements, and that these two elements alone are responsible for the ornamentation of the House of Worship in place of the thousands of statues and carvings to be found in other temples.
3. Architectural blossoming of the Lotus
The temples of the Bahá'í Faith are well known for their architectural splendor, and the Temple constructed in Delhi is a continuation of this rich tradition. Before undertaking the design of the temple, the architect, Mr. Fariborz Sahba, had travelled extensively in India to study the architecture of this land and was impressed by the design of the beautiful temples, as well as by the art and religious symbols wherein the lotus invariably played an important role. He was influenced by this experience, and in an attempt to bring out the concept of purity, simplicity and freshness of the Bahá’í Faith, he conceived the Temple in Delhi in the form of a lotus. The temple gives the impression of a half-open lotus flower, afloat, surrounded by its leaves. Each component of the temple is repeated nine times. Flint & Neill Partnership of London were the consultants and the ECC Construction Group of Larsen & Toubro Limited were the contractors responsible for constructing the Temple.The temple complex, as seen from the layout, consists of the main house of worship; the ancillary block which houses the reception centre, the library and the administrative building; and the restrooms block. The temple proper comprises a basement to accommodate the electrical and plumbing components, and a lotus-shaped superstructure to house the assembly area.All around the lotus are walkways with beautiful curved balustrades, bridges and stairs, which surround the nine pools representing the floating leaves of the lotus. Apart from serving an obvious aesthetic function, the pools also help ventilate the building.
The lotus, as seen from outside, has three sets of leaves or petals, all of which are made out of thin concrete shells. The outermost set of nine petals, called the 'entrance leaves', open outwards and form the nine entrances all around the outer annular hall. The next set of nine petals, called the 'outer leaves', point inwards. The entrance and outer leaves together cover the outer hall. The third set of nine petals, called the 'inner leaves', appear to be partly closed. Only the tips open out, somewhat like a partly opened bud. This portion, which rises above the rest, forms the main structure housing the central hall. Near the top where the leaves separate out, nine radial beams provide the necessary lateral support. Since the lotus is open at the top, a glass and steel roof at the level of the radial beams provides protection from rain and facilitates the entry of natural light into the auditorium.Below the entrance leaves and outer leaves, nine massive arches rise in a ring. A row of steps through each arch lead into the main hall.The inner leaves enclose the interior dome in a canopy made of crisscrossing ribs and shells of intricate pattern. When viewed from inside, each layer of ribs and shells disappears as it rises, behind the next, lower layer. Some of the ribs converge radially and meet at a central hub. The radial beams emanating from the inner leaves described earlier meet at the centre of the building and rest on this hub. A neoprene pad is provided between the radial beams and the top of the interior dome to allow lateral movement caused by the effects of temperature changes and wind.Geometry
The beautiful concept of the lotus, as conceived by the architect, had to be converted into definable geometrical shapes such as spheres, cylinders, toroids and cones. These shapes were translated into equations, which were then used as a basis for structural analysis and engineering drawings. The resultant geometry was so complex that it took the designers over two and a half years to complete the detailed drawings of the temple. An attempt is made below to describe this complex geometry in simple terms.Entrance leaves and outer leaves. The shell surfaces on both sides of the ridge of the entrance and outer leaves are formed out of spheres of different radii, with their centres located at different points inside the building. There is one set of spheres for the entrance leaves, some of which define the inner surfaces, and others which define the outer surfaces of the shells. The diameters of the spheres have been fixed to satisfy the structural consideration of varying shell thickness. Similarly, for the outer leaves, another set of spheres defines the inner and outer surfaces of the shells. However, for the outer leaves, the shell is uniformly 133 mm thick towards the bottom, and increases to 255 mm up to the tip, beyond the glazing line.The entrance leaf is 18.2m wide at the entrance and rises 7.8m above the podium level. The outer leaf is 15.4m wide and rises up to 22.5m above the podium.The inner leaves.Each corrugation of the inner leaf, comprising a cusp (ridge) and a re-entrant (valley), is made up of two toroidal surfaces. A toroid is generated when a circle of a certain radius, 'r', is rotated
around the centre of a circle of much larger radius, 'R'. A cycle tube is a typical toroid. The shaded portion of the toroid is a part of the inner leaf shell.The inner leaves rise to an elevation of 34.3m above the inner podium. At the lowest level each shell has a maximum width of 14m. It is uniformly 200mm thick.The arch.All around the central hall are nine splendid arches placed at angular intervals of 40 degrees. The shape of these arches is formed by a number of plane, conical and cylindrical surfaces. The intersection of these surfaces provides interesting contours and greatly enhances the beauty of the arches. The nine arches bear almost the entire load of the superstructure.The interior dome.Three ribs spring from the crown of each arch. While the central one (the dome rib) rises radially towards the central hub, the other two (the base ribs) move away from the central rib and intersect with similar base ribs of adjacent arches, thus forming an intricate pattern. Other radial ribs rise from each of these intersections and all meet at the centre of the dome.Up to a certain height, the space between the ribs is covered by two layers of 6Omm-thick shells. Setting out
The setting out of the surface geometry posed a difficult task. Unlike conventional structures for which the elements are defined by dimensions and levels, here the shape, size, thickness, and other details were indicated in the drawings only by levels, radii, and equations. These parameters, therefore, had to be converted into a set of dimensions in terms of length, breadth, height, and thickness, easily understood by a site engineer or a carpentry foreman. To achieve this, a system of coordinates along x, y and z axes for every 40 degrees. segment of the temple was worked out with the help of a computer. The problem was then further simplified by working out from these co-ordinates levels and distances which a carpenter or a reinforcement fitter could easily comprehend and then arrive at the surfaces and boundaries. Eighteen reference stations were established outside the building for setting out the arches, entrance, outer and inner leaves.First, 18 radial lines were established from the centre of the building. Along these lines, using inclined and vertical distances, end points A and B for surface (1) were established. By using a set of curved templates, each of varying curvature, surface (1) between these lines was developed. From this surface the other surfaces of the arch were set out by using stepped templates with respect to surface (1).
The stations shown in Fig. 3 were used to set out the cusp, re-entrance and edge lines for the entrance, outer and inner leaves. For example, to arrive at curve AB, point A with coordinates XA, YA, ZA was defined with respect to 0. AB was then established by a second theodolite and the curve AB determined by a stepped template. Accurately made curved templates of required radii were then used to develop the surface between these boundaries.Sequences of construction
The basement and the inner podium were constructed first. Thereafter, for casting the arches and shells, the structure was divided into convenient parts, taking into consideration that when deshuttered, the portion of the shells cast would be self-supporting until the remaining shells were completed. The structure was divided as follows:Arch.All 9 arches were cast one after the other in two lifts until the circle was completed. The deshuttering of the soffit of each arch was taken up after the adjacent arches had attained specified strength.Inner leaf, radial beams and central hub.After the completion of all the arches, the structural steel staging for the inner leaf was erected. Three shells, 120 deg. apart, were taken up at a time and cast in two lifts, one after the other, up to the radial beam level, ensuring always that the difference in height between the shells cast was not more than one lift. The process was repeated until all 9 segments were cast. Casting of the central hub was taken up as an independent activity, and after all the shells were cast, they were connected to the hub by casting the radial beams. After sufficient curing, the inner leaf along with the radial beams were dewedged, leaving the central hub supported. The remaining portion of the inner leaf was then taken up.Interior dome.After de-wedging of inner leaf, the steel staging was modified and two folds of shells of the interior dome taken up one after another. For each fold, three shells, 120 deg. apart, were taken up at a time and cast one after another. For each shell the boundary ribs were taken up first and then the shell cast in one single lift. The process was repeated until all the shells were completed.Entrance and outer leaves.The construction of the entrance and outer leaves was taken up as a parallel activity with the casting of the inner leaves and interior dome. Two entrance leaves and one intermediate outer leaf were taken up First. Thereafter, the outer and entrance leaves were cast alternately, the outer leaf first and then the adjacent entrance leaves. Deshuttering was started with a pair of outer leaves and followed by the intermediate entrance leaf. In this manner the remaining leaves were deshuttered as and when the concrete attained strength and the leaves adjacent to the shell to be deshuttered were cast.Staging and formwork
Deflection was an important consideration in the design of the formwork. The maximum deflection was limited to 3mm over a distance of 1m (including errors in fabrication and erection).The following aspects were considered in arriving atthe general arrangement of the staging supporting theinner leaf and interior dome formwork:a. The concreting of the shells should be taken up 3 at a time, 120 deg. apart, so that the lateral loads on the staging supporting the formwork were reduced as far as possible.b. Construction joints were to be avoided as far as possible so that the exposed concrete surface did not show any lines other than the architectural pattern. For the inner leaf, construction joints were to be located above 24.8m level so that they did not show from the floor level. All other shells were to be cast in a single continuous pour.c. The staging should support the radial and base ribs without interfering with the structural steel members. After deshuttering of inner leaf, the structure should be able to support the formwork of the inner layers of shells of the interior dome with minimum modification.From the above considerations, a space frame consisting of 9 radial cusp frames and 9 re-entrant frames, with circumferential and diagonal members closely following the profile of ribs and shells, was considered most suitable.Various alternatives were considered for the steel staging. Standard pipe scaffolding was found to be unsuitable, considering that the slippage of members at joints would be uncertain and it would be difficult to compute and control the deflection, particularly due to lateral loads. Structural steel framework with bolted joints was found to be unsatisfactory, considering that a very high degree of accuracy in fabrication and erection of structural work would be required to match the bolt holes at junctions of members meeting at different inclinations in all three planes. Structural steel framework with welded joints was considered to be most suitable because deflections due to slippage of joints would be avoided and fabrication and erection would be comparatively easier.The inner surfaces of all the shells have a uniform, bush-hammered, exposed concrete surface with architectural patterns. For the inner leaves, these patterns were formed out of radial and vertical planes intersecting the surface of the torus. For the outer and entrance leaves, and the interior dome, the patterns were formed out of longitudes and latitudes of spheres. The formwork was designed in a manner that timber joists support the panels instead of the regular pattern of the structural steel supporting members of the space frame.Full-scale mockups of the bottom surface of each of the shells were first made at ground level and the architectural patterns marked on this surface. The frame of each form panel was fabricated according to calculated dimensions and cross-checked with measurements from the mockup. The formwork pattern is seen in the photograph on page 70.The inner formwork for every petal was fully fixed from bottom to top and aligned accurately. After the formwork was approved, the sheathing joints where sealed with putty made out of epoxy resin and plaster of Paris, and a protective coating was applied over the plywood surface. In the case of the interior dome shells, the plywood sheathing was lined by fiber-reinforced plastic sheets and the joints sealed with epoxy resin. After this, the location of each reinforcement bar was marked on the formwork along latitudes and longitudes and the bars placed over the markings. To avoid impressions of cold joints on the inner surface, the casting of petals of the inner leaf was carried out in three lifts, some of them 14m high. To facilitate placement of concrete and simultaneous compaction in each pour, the outer formwork was placed one row of panels at a time, and as the level of concrete rose, the next row of panels was fixed. These panels, therefore, had to be fixed in position and aligned accurately in the shortest possible time.Through selected points matching with the architectural pattern, pipe supports were taken from the inner leaf staging. These pipes supported a structural steel grid closely following the profile of the outer surface of the shells. The grid supported the outer formwork against the concrete pressure and also accommodated the working platforms at all levels. Through-ties connecting the inner and outer forms were provided at selected points so as to reduce the load on the steel staging and limit the deflection of formwork.The longitudinal support members of the backform had accurately aligned shaped members, such that when the backform panels were placed in position and wedged, the outer surface of the shell was attained without further alignment. To ensure that the panels fitted exactly between the shaped members and there was no delay, the fixing of the panels for the entire shell was carried out in advance.LoadingThe following loads were considered for the design of the formwork:I. Dead load of formwork - 750 N/m2 of surface area.II. Self-weight of structural steel members.III. Live load 2000 N/m2 of plan area.IV. The greater of dead load of concrete (or) liquid pressure at any point corresponding to the rate of placement 0.45 m/hr and minimum temperature of 10 deg. C (during winter). Concrete pressure was calculated as per ACI publication - SP.4. Liquid pressure p = 7.2 + ([785R]/[Tc + 17.8]) P = Lateral liquid pressure - KN/m2 R = Rate of placement — m/hr Tc= Temperature of concrete in the forms deg. CV. Basic wind pressure = 1000 N/m2For the inner leaf, various combinations of the above loads were considered for the following conditions:Stage I Concrete from top of arch to +24.8m level Stage II Concrete from +24.8m to +38m level
Stage III Concrete from +38.8m to the topThe combination of loads considered were:1. Self-weight of space frame (symmetrical)2. Dead load of shutter3. Live load + dead load of concrete Stage I (unsymmetrical)4. Live load + dead load of concrete Stage I (symmetrical)5. Live load + dead load of concrete Stage II (unsymmetrical)6. Live load + dead load of concrete Stage II (symmetrical)7. Live load + dead load of concrete Stage III (unsymmetrical)8. Live load + dead load of concrete Stage III (symmetrical)9. Wind load for full height (unsymmetrical)Based on the above loads, a computer analysis for all possible combinations was carried out using SAP IV program. One cusp frame and one re-entrant frame along with inter-connecting bracings were considered as a unit.Similar loading conditions were considered for the entrance and outer leaves as also the shells of the interior dome, the only difference being that all the shells were cast in a single pour.ReinforcementThe reinforcement used in the white concrete shells as well as the binding wires was entirely galvanized so as to prevent the long-term effect of rusting of reinforcement on the white concrete. Since galvanized reinforcement for concrete is seldom used in this country, several tests were carried out to ensure that the mechanical properties of reinforcement did not become adversely affected due to galvanizing. Sandblasting was carried out to reduce pickling time with a view to avoiding hydrogen embrittlement. The bottom formwork for one shell for each of the leaves was first erected and aligned. The edge lines and surfaces of this formwork were then used as a mockup to decide the length and shape of each bar in the shell. To avoid the impression of cover blocks on the exposed surface of the shells, the inner layer of reinforcement was held in position by special steel spacers supported from the outer formwork.Concrete
All the ribs and shells up to radial beam level are in white concrete. To avoid crazing and shrinkage cracks, a mix of M 30 grade white concrete was designed considering that the cement content should be below 500 kg/m3 and the quantity of water reduced to a minimum.Tests carried out on Indian cement revealed that the strength and other properties varied considerably and the colour did not meet the architectural requirement. Trial mixes also showed a higher cement requirement of 430-450 kg/m3. The entire quantity of white cement was therefore imported from Korea. With the imported cement, it was possible to produce concrete having 28 days cube strength of 55-60 N/mm2 with a cement content of 380 to 400 Kg/m3. A mix of 1:1.44:3.36 and w/c ratio of .42 was adopted. To achieve a high workability, slump 1-120 mm, super plasticiser, .5 to .75% by weight of cement was used.Specially graded dolomite aggregates were procured from the Alwar mines near Delhi and white silica sand from Jaipur. The maximum temperature of concrete at the time of placing was limited to 30 deg. C. During the summer months, when the ambient temperature was as high as 45 deg. C, the temperature of the concrete was controlled by adding a measured quantity of ice and by the precooling of aggregates in air-cooled aggregate storage bins. To avoid cold joints due to stoppage of work during heavy rains, as also to protect rain water entering the forms, the entire concreting area was covered by tarpaulins.After removal of the outer forms, the surface of the concrete was covered with hessian and cured for 28 days by keeping it wet continuously by a sprinkler arrangement fixed at the top of the shells.Trials and mockupsThe shells of the interior dome were initially 50mm thick and proposed to be cast by in-situ guniting. Full-scale mockups were used to study the problems of working space and accessibility, and it was felt that due to limited space available between the shells, the working conditions for guniting operations would be difficult. As an alternative, the shells were therefore proposed to be constructed in in-situ concrete using formwork on both faces. Considering that each shell had to be cast in a single pour, the fixing of formwork and reinforcement, as also the placement and compaction of concrete between two faces of formwork only 60 mm apart, posed serious problems. Not only was the formwork difficult to align so as to accurately produce the complex, doubly curved surface and the intersections, but also the closeness of the petals, one fold behind the next, caused serious problems of work space for fixing formwork, reinforcement and concreting.Quality assuranceBased on the sequence of construction envisaged, the assumptions made in the design of the formwork, the procedures developed from mockups, and the tests carried out on materials, detailed method statements and criteria of acceptance were established. Checking of workmanship was done at each stage to produce the required quality and accuracy and also to ensure that there was no deviation from the conditions of loading assumed in the design of the formwork. A full-fledged concrete laboratory carried out mix designs for different grades of concrete and exercised strict control on the quality of concrete.Marble cladding
The outer surface of the shells, as also the inner surface of the arches, are cladded with white marble panels fixed to the concrete surface with specially designed stainless steel brackets and anchors. 10,000 sq.m. of marble was quarried from the Mount Pentilekon mines of Greece and thereafter sent to Italy, where each panel was cut to the required size and shape to suit the geometry and architectural pattern before transporting them to the site in Delhi.After waterproofing of the top surface of each shell, timber templates of the same size as the marble panels were used to define the location of the bottom-most rows of marble panels first. The geometry of the cusp re-entrant and edge lines was then accurately checked with respect to these panels, and the marble pieces were fixed in position from bottom towards top and cusp towards reentrants and edges. Edge holes were drilled at ground level for each marble panel before the panels were placed in position. Holes were drilled in the concrete to accommodate the anchor fasteners of the stainless steel brackets to suit the holes in the marble, after each panel was aligned. After fixing of the brackets, the area around the bracket hole was sealed with a special waterproofing compound.The alignment of the panels was adjusted at each layer so that the surface geometry and pattern lines were maintained. The pieces near edge, re-entrant and cusp lines were cut to suit the boundary lines. Gaps 8 to 10 mm wide at the joints were filled with moulded rubber cordon, and the top of the joints, as also the holes in the marble, sealed with silicon sealant. The entire marble surface was, lastly, washed with a solution of 30% muriartic acid mixed in water, to remove dirt and stains.A specially designed structural steel framework was provided to accommodate access and working platforms. The platforms were free from the surface of the shells so that the marble fixing could be carried out without any hindrance from the supports of the staging.It may be interesting to note that all the marble work was carried out by carpenters who learned the skill of marble fixing within a few weeks, and were able to complete the work, to the required accuracy, two months ahead of the scheduled completion time.Project managementThe complexity of the structure, and the very high standards of workmanship expected to be achieved, demanded a dynamic construction management with a high degree of innovativeness, team spirit and quality consciousness on the part of staff and workmen. Anticipating problems in advance and solving them through trials and mockups was an essential part of site planning. Further, great emphasis was laid on the completion of the project within the stipulated time and cost. Resources were planned and physical progress monitored through constant review of PERT/CPM networks.
Information For Visitors
1. Visiting Hours
2. Information Centre
3. Prayer Sessions
4. Film Shows
1. Visiting Hours
The average number of visitors are 12,000 per day and the Maximum number of visitors for one single day was 150,000.
Note: 1) The Bahá'í House of Worship is closed every Monday for cleaning and maintenance. 2) There are no Admission Charges, therefore entrance is free, and Parking is also free.
Visiting Hours
Summer (1 April - 30 September) -> 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Winter (1 October - 31 March) -> 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
2. Information Centre
The Information Centre at the Bahá'í House of Worship, is an exhibition that provides information on different facets of the Bahá'í Faith in the form of photographs, written texts and film.
The exhibit begins with a brief history of the Central figures of this religion. You will then see images of Bahá'í Houses of Worship on every continent and will be introduced to Bahá'ís from diverse backgrounds and cultures from around the world.
A glimpse of some of the projects and institutions founded by Bahá'ís follows. This will provide an overview of the contribution of Bahá'ís to the social and economic development of society.
Some of the teachings of Baha'ullah concerning the social, moral and ethical aspects of human life can be viewed next.
The tour of this exhibition culminates with selections from the Bahá'í holy texts and views of the offices on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, which constitute the world spiritual and administrative centers of the Bahá'í Faith.
3. Prayer Sessions
There are four Prayer Sessions everyday. These Prayer Sessions are unique as prayers from all religions are recited during these Prayer Sessions.
Prayer Session Timings
1000 hrs - 1015 hrs (15 minutes)
1200 hrs - 1215 hrs (15 minutes)
1500 hrs - 1515 hrs (15 minutes)
1700 hrs - 1715 hrs (15 minutes)
4. Film Shows
Few Movies are shown in the Information Centre everyday. These movies are related to the Bahá'í House of Worship and the Bahá'í Faith.
Movie Show Timings
1030 hrs - 1100 hrs Jewel in the Lotus in Hindi (30 minutes)
1130 hrs - 1200 hrs Prisoner of Akka in Hindi (30 minutes)
1400 hrs - 1430 hrs Jewel in the Lotus in English (30 minutes)
1500 hrs - 1745 hrs Building Momentum in Hindi (45 minutes)
1030 hrs - 1100 hrs Prisoner of Akka in English (30 minutes)
1600 hrs - 1630 hrs Jewel in the Lotus in Hindi (30 minutes)
1730 hrs - 1800 hrs Prisoner of Akka in Hindi (30 minutes)
Reputation
1. A selection of Appreciations
2. International Recognition
3. Bibliography of Publications
1. A selection of Appreciations
Reviewing the Lotus Temple in New Delhi, the following observation by the late Mr Mirko Ros, one-time professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, about the engineers' creative work come to mind: "The engineer gives new life to apparently inanimate materials, returns them with spirit and new form to mankind. He performs his work for the benefit of technical culture, for progress and common weal. His scientific findings, mastery of form and material, as well as simplicity and clarity, beauty and boldness characterise the real art of construction. That precious heredity ... for the future [is what] he leaves behind."
Mr. Willy Wilk, Director, Technical Research and Advisory Institute of the Swiss Cement Industry
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Below: Visits of the President of India, Deputy Prime Minister of India and Defense Minister of India, to the Bahá'í House of Worship (2003).
Below: H. H. Dalai Lama also visited the Bahá'í House of Worship.Below: A Bahá'í representative and H. H. Dalai Lama.
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The contribution of the architect is unbelievable. A significant project professionally managed, [which] has brought lustre to the architectural profession. The project will act as a pace setter. The details are perfect, well conceived.J.R. Bhalla, President, Council of Architects, India August 1986
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One of the most remarkable achievements of our time, proving that the drive and vision of spirit can achieve miracles.Arthur Erickson, renowned Canadian architect March 1987
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Beautiful concrete structures have always been built, as is amply demonstrated by two examples - the Pantheon in Rome and the Lotus Temple in New Delhi - between which constructions there is a whole 2,000 year gap. It is indeed astonishing how the ancient Romans could build such a superb concrete structure, as is undoubtedly the case with the Pantheon in 27 B.C., long before any theoretical tools for its design were available, and for that matter two thousand years before any symposiums on durability, serviceability, or geometry control were ever held!It is hoped that future generations will contemplate the recently completed beautiful Lotus Temple in New Delhi with the same admiration and respect, appreciating that in our technological era the sense of beauty and harmony has not been totally lost.Dr. Rene Walter, Professor,Swiss Federal Institute of Technology,Lausanne, Switzerland,during his lecture at the IABSESymposium "Concrete Structure for theyear 2000" in September 1987 atVersailles, France
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The building must be among the most remarkable conceptions of our time. I cannot think of another like it - clearly symbolic, sculptural - yet impressively accommodating and heroically structural. Truly inspired in form, pattern and material, it is powerfully appealing.John Bland, Head, School of Architecture,McGill University September 1991
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The Mother Temple of [the] Baha'i Faith symbolises many concepts, from the spiritual and religious to art, architecture and engineering. It is a monument, not only in the sense of being an outstanding landmark embellishing Delhi ... but it is also a monument of tribute to human skills and craftsmanship.... It is one of the finest examples of science and engineering triumphing in precisely moulding a beautiful and complex artistic form.C.R. Ramkrishnan,Vice President (Operations)Larsen £t Toubro Ltd.quoted in ECC Concord, India(October-December 1986)
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Not without justification, the eminent German engineer, Dr. Fritz Leonardt, has described the New Delhi Temple as the Taj Mahal of the 20th century. The Bahá'í Temple will probably be recognised in years to come as one of the building masterpieces of the 20th century.Construction News, London, April 1986
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The building is remarkable, not only for its form and grace, but also because it is a shining example of the culmination of computer technology, human craftsmanship, and more than a little inspiration.The building represents a striking marriage of architecture and engineering, a partnership much proclaimed and extolled over the years, but one not always settling down into such an obviously harmonious relationship.Concrete Quarterly,Cement and Concrete Association, U.K.January-March 1987
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The Bahá'í Temple in New Delhi is probably one of the most outstanding contemporary structures in the world. The complexity of the structure, and the very high standards of workmanship expected to be achieved, demand a dynamic construction management with a high degree of innovativeness, team spirit, and quality consciousness.Asian Architect and Contractor (Hong Kong) February 1987
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The building of this Temple in India with its limited technology is a major achievement. Not only has a large and poured-in-place concrete structure been built on a scale never attempted before, but it has been done with loving care and meticulous attention to detail.Architecture U.S.A. September 1987
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The Bahá'í Temple in New Delhi (1987) - This Institution Gold Medal winner from Flint ft Neill Partnership must be one of the most elegant buildings of the last half century. It demonstrates most clearly the elegance resulting from a sympathetic relationship between the engineer, the architect, and the client. There is no doubt as to the continuous professional application and patience required to achieve this quality of building.J.H. Armstrong,quoted in "The Structural Engineer"(Journal of the Institutionof Structural Engineers of U.K.)November 1989
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"A powerful icon of great beauty that goes beyond its pure function of serving as a congregation space to become an important architectural symbol of the city."
2. International Recognition
The Bahá'í House of Worship in New Delhi, India has been recognised as one of the masterpieces of twentieth-century architecture, and has won many awards including the following:
First Honour award from the Interfaith Forum on Religious Art and Architecture, Affiliate of the American Institute of Architects, Washington, D.C., in 1987•••
Special award from the Institution of Structural Engineers of the United Kingdom in 1987•••
The Paul Waterbury Outdoor Lighting Design Award-Special Citation, from the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America in 1988•••
Recognition from the American Concrete Institute as one of the finest concrete structures of the world in 1990•••
The GlobArt Academy 2000 award for "promoting the unity and harmony of people of all nations, religions and social strata, to an extent unsurpassed by any other architectural monument worldwide"
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3. Bibliography of Publications
Some of the prestigious publications that have published articles on the Bahá'í Temple in India
Architecture, U.S.A. September 1987Progressive Architecture February 1987Asian Architect, Hong Kong February 1987Building, U.K. January 1987Architecture and Design, India Jan.-Feb. 1985Engineering News Record, U.S.A. November 1984Construction News, U.K. April 1986Concrete Quarterly, U.K. Jan.-March 1987Structural Engineer, U.K. November 1989Gala, Germany Sept.-Oct. 1987de Architect, Netherlands March 1987Constructional Review, Australia August 1987Concrete Structures for the Future, LABSE, France 1987Construction Modern, France December 1987International Lighting Review, Netherlands 1987Architecture and Urbanism, Japan November 1987l'Arca, Italy Jan.-Feb. 1988Encyclopaedia Iranica 1989Twentieth Century Architecture, (U.S.A.) 1991Forever in Bloom, Singapore July 1992Innovative Large Span Structures, Canada July 1992Modern Architecture in India, India 1993Encyclopaedia Britannica 1994Architecture of Israel, Israel July 1995Arquitectos de Unidad, Spain 2000World Architecture: A Critical Mosaic 1900-2000, South Asia 2000Guinness World Records 2001
