Spectacular against the pink of the morning or evening sky, or the dark blue of night, the Bahai House of Worship or Lotus Temple, New Delhi, rises like an offering to the heavens. It is the first Baha-i temple in Asia, and a monument to Baha-ullah, the founder of the faith of the Baha"s.

The temple has the unique structure of a half-blown lotus. The petals consist of three folds of nine concrete portals, each covered outside with marble from Greece, finished in Europe.

From the ground, the temple is 35 m high. It was constructed between 1980 and 1986 at a cost of Rs 10 crores on a 10 hectare plot. A well-kept lawn with neatly marked pathway leads to the temple, which is atop a flight of stairs. Round the base of the temple there is an artificial pool, and a counter where souvenirs and Baha-i literature are sold. There are chambers for meditation and documentary film shows on the Baha"i faith and the various Baha"i temples across the world. The actual temple contains no idols or carvings or paintings, but only seating arrangements before a pulpit or desk. Volunteers help maintain strict silence, and the beauty of the place of worship itself instils peace into the mind.