NEW DELHI Dec. 22 Reuter India: A Bahai temple unfolding on a hilltop like a huge lotus blossom in white marble is being hailed as an architectural marvel to rival the Taj Mahal

Set in parkland in southern Delhi the daring design of the Bahai house of worship of the Indian subcontinent is drawing tourists and admirers before its Christmas Eve dedication.

“It is the latest jewel in Indias crown” said Gordon Schilling a German tourist admiring the soaring structure in Korean concrete its exterior covered with white Greek marble cut and polished in Italy.

“It is unique what can you say” said Azzat Basari of Bombay one of 10000 Bahais flocking here from all over the world for Wednesdays inauguration.

Officials at the temple say the design has aroused widespread international interest and comparisons n foreign trade magazines to the Taj Mahal the 17th century white marble monument built by a grief stricken Moghul Emperor to his dead wife.

For JR. Bhalla former President of the International Union of Architects the temple has brought luster to the architectural profession. It will be a peace setter. The details are perfect and well-conceived

As the biggest and most modern of seven Bahai temples around the world the eight million dollar structure has been designated the mother temple of the Bahai faith.

Designed as a perfect lotus blossom floating on its leaves it is the brainchild of Iranian descent

The flower shape Sahba says is intended to symbolize the oneness of all religious and to embody “the purity and oneness of the Bahai faith”

“In the religious cultures of India the lotus has always been venerated as the fairest flower with profound spiritual significances Sahba said explaining that found in Buddhist Hindu Moslem Christian and Zoroastrian art.

On January 1 a week after its inauguration the temple will be thrown open to the faithful of all religions.

Sahba said the temples structure of 27 petals reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House in the boldness of its effect posed taxing demands of design engineering and construction during the 10 years it took to design and build.

The innermost ring of the three rows of nine delicately curved petals soars into a 40metre (130foot) high cluster just beginning to uphold. This is ringed by a second row of petals already opened skywards. This in turn is surrounded by a third row opening outwards into nine flying portals.

Surrounding the temple are nine large pools representing the green leaves on which the lotus blossom floats part of a natural cooling system for New Delhis sweltering summers.

Inside there will be no symbols ritual or services of any religion but there is space for the faithful of all religions in a hall holding up to 2000 people.

A library will contain Bahai religious books and the of other religions including the Bhagavat Geeta the Bible and the Quran. Reading from the different scriptures will be the main activity

“Keeping scriptures from all religions together will aptly demonstrate our belief in the oneness of god of faiths and of mankind” said temple coordinator Arun Sinha.

An offshoot of Islam the Bahai faith emphasiss the unity of mankind and its religions and seeks world peace. The worlds four million Bahaullah the 19thcentury fonder the latest of the world’s prophets superseding all others as the first to speak to all mankind.

Bahais are still persecuted in Iran where the religion emerged and faces violent opposition from the Shiite Moslem clergy. Many of Indias one million Bahais fled from Iran.

Admiring the temple Indian businessman Hari Sharma said “It may not have the romantic touch of a Taj Mahal built by a broken hearted Emperor but it surely quenches a great deal of thirst for beauty and splendor”.

Article extracted from this publication >> December 26, 1986