LOTUS TEMPLE( Celebrating 25 wonderful years of the Lotus Temple)

LOTUS TEMPLE

Celebrating 25 wonderful years of the Lotus Temple

The Baha'i community of India will commemorate 25 years of the Baha'i House of Worship, better known as the Lotus Temple, in New Delhi this weekend. Dignitaries, diplomats and guests from various walks of life and religious traditions as well as people from all over India and 50 other countries are expected to come together to celebrate this event.The anniversary is also being supported by the Government's Incredible India campaign. The Lotus Temple is being featured on posters and billboards across 14 countries including South Africa, Japan, the U.S. and Singapore. “India represents the spirituality of all mankind and the Baha'i House of Worship is the one place where people belonging to any faith or religion can go for meditation or prayer,” said Union Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai.

The anniversary celebrations will include prayer services, traditional music, dance performances, talks, films on the Baha'i House of Worship and its contribution to Indian society. Stalls featuring Baha'i publications in Indian languages, as well as stalls with Indian handicrafts will also be put up on the temple lawns.“Today we not only commemorate 25 years of the temple but also 100 years of the existence of modern Delhi. It is a great coincidence,” said Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit as she announced that the image of the Lotus Temple would also appear as part of the ‘Delhi Meri Jaan' campaign.

The Baha'i House of Worship opened in December 1986 after more than six years of construction. It is one of the only seven Baha'i Houses of Worship across the world, open to people for silent worship and contemplation.As part of the celebrations, the Baha'i community will also give out awards to individuals as well as institutions who have made contributions towards education of the girl child, youth empowerment and communal harmony. “The Baha'i faith is a very attractive faith. The message it gives to mankind is one of peace, prosperity and happiness,” said Ms. Dikshit.

                                                        Prof. John Kurakar