Another feature at Baha'i House

The new information centre at Lotus Temple.

THE BAHA'I House in New Delhi, popularly known as the Lotus Temple, is not only one of the most visited edifices in the world -- surpassing even the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Taj Mahal in Agra -- but also a symbol of oneness of religion and mankind.

And in an effort to reach out to more people who are fascinated by the teachings of the Baha'i faith, the Baha'i House has built an Information Centre within the temple complex which is slated to be inaugurated soon.

The Centre features a visitors' gallery, comprising a main auditorium with a seating capacity for 432 people and two 70-seater auditoria. The gallery focuses on the history of the Baha'i Faith, its philosophy and the socio-economic activities of Baha'is around the world. On display are photographs, written text and films on the brief history of central figures of the faith. There are also excerpts from Baha'i holy texts and pictures of the edifices on Mount Carmel in Haifa, Israel, which is the world spiritual and administrative centre of Baha'i faith. The auditorium will screen films on Lotus Temple as well as on the Baha'i Faith.

``The Baha'i House of Worship was opened to the public 16 years ago in 1986 and since then the place on an average attracts over 10,000 visitors everyday. While the visitors enjoy the peace and the quiet atmosphere that lends itself so well to meditation in the prayer hall, we have had many enquiries about the source of inspiration for such a place of worship where there are no images, where no sermons are given, no rituals are performed and scriptures of all major religions are read or recited,'' explains the public relation officer, Shatrughun Jiwnani.

According to officials, over the years the need for a place where people could get such information became more pronounced and the idea of the Information Centre was evolved. Fariburz Sahba, the architect of the House of Worship, was again approached to design the Centre and its exhibits. The Centre took more than five years to build.

``We hope that the Centre will also be used for concerts with a social message or for a good cause. Some time ago we had a concert by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan on the terrace of the Information Centre,'' says Jiwnani.

By Bindu Shajan Perappadan

Photo: Sandeep Saxena