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LOTUS TEMPLE, DELHI


Lotus Temple in the national capital stands tall as a true symbol of peace and communal harmony. It is one of the most visited buildings in the world, attracting over 50 million people since it opened in 1986. Designed by Iranian-Canadian architect Fariburz Sahba, it is a wonderful place to enjoy silence – a rare experience in Delhi. Styled after a lotus flower, with 27 immaculate white-marble petals, the temple was created to bring faiths together. Visitors are invited to pray or meditate silently according to their own beliefs. The attached visitor centre tells the story of the Bahai faith. It may soon become the fourth world heritage site in the city if things go according to plan.


The sanctum of "27 blooming petals" stands at 40 meters tall with a capacity of accommodating more than 2000 people. The temple is made of white marble from Greece and sits on 26 acres (10.5 hectares) of land. It has nine doors that open in a central hall. It is surrounded by nine ponds and appears as if the temple is floating like a Lotus flower in water. Embodying equality, humanity and religious unification, Lotus Temple, which is among seven Bahai Houses of Worship around the world has won laurels all around the world both for structural design value and inherit rationale behind the construction.

The belief behind the Bahai house of worship is that it should be open for all, regardless of denomination. There are however certain rules: no sermons can be delivered, no ritualistic ceremonies and no musical instruments can be played. There are also no religious images displayed.


Catch the bus to Nehru Place Bus Terminal and it is a short walk from there. The best way to reach the Lotus Temple is take the metro. The nearest metro station to the temple is the Kalkaji Mandir metro station. You can go on a guided tour or self-guided tour of the temple. There is an information center showing films and regular daily prayer sessions in the hall. You must take off your shoes before entering - there is a shoe room. Photography is prohibited inside the temple.
TIMINGS

All days of the week except Monday: 9:00 AM-7:00 PM
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RED FORT, DELHI


In 1638 Shahjahan transferred his capital from Agra to Delhi and laid the foundations of Shahjahanabad.The Red Fort Complex was built as the palace fort of Shahjahanabad – the new capital of the fifth Mughal Emperor of India, Shah Jahan. It took about nine years to complete the construction of the fort from 1639 to 1648 for the Mughal ruler. Red Fort was utilized as the residential purpose by the Mughal ruler but was also capital of Mughal rulers till the regime of Bahadur Shah Zafar. In 2007, UNESCO included the Red Fort in the list of World Heritage Site.


The Red Fort is considered to represent the zenith of Mughal creativity which, under the Shah Jahan, was brought to a new level of refinement. The planning of the palace is based on Islamic prototypes, but each pavilion reveals architectural elements typical of Mughal building, reflecting a fusion of Persian, Timurid and Hindu traditions. The Red Fort’s innovative planning and architectural style, including the garden design, strongly influenced later buildings and gardens in Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra.


The feature of the fort that it was made up of large sand stone of red color gave it the name Red Fort. It is enclosed by a rubble stone wall, with bastions, gates and wickets at intervals. Of its fourteen gates, the important ones are the Mori, Lahori, Ajmeri, Turkman, Kashmiri and Delhi gates, some of which have already been demolished.Spreading over an area of more than 250 acres of land, Red Fort was constructed with superior architecture than that of the Agra Fort by Shah Jahan.


The Diwan-i-' Am ('Hall of Public Audience') is a rectangular hall, three aisle deep, with a façade of nine arches. At the back of the hall is an alcove, where the royal throne stood under a marble canopy, with an inlaid marble dias below it for the prime minister. The Diwan-i-Khass ('Hall of Private Audience') is a highly-ornamented pillared hall, with a flat ceiling supported on engrailed arches. The Tasbih-Khana ('chamber for counting beads for private prayers') consists of three rooms, behind which is the Khwabgah ('sleeping-chamber'). The Hammam ('Bath') consists of three main apartments divided by corridors. The entire interior, including the floor, is built of marble and inlaid with coloured stones.


The Red Fort Delhi is a mesmerizing piece of architecture, lying on the banks of Yamuna River, whose water was used for the moat that surround the wall. The wall on north-eastern side is bordered by the Salimgarh Fort, built in 1546.The main gate, Lahore Gate, is one of the emotional and symbolic focal points of the modern Indian nation and attracts a major crowd on Independence Day. An evening sound and light show re-creates events in India's history connected with the fort.



Entry Tickets and Timings
Visiting Hours: 9:30AM to 4:30PM daily (except Monday)

Entry Fee: Rs.10/-(For Indian Citizens) and Rs.150/- (For foreigners)

Entry Fee for Sound and Light Show: Rs.50/-
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AKSHARDHAM, DELHI


Akshardham is a hindu temple complex in Delhi, India. The temple is situated on the bank of river Yamuna. Akshardham means the divine abode of God. It is hailed as an eternal place of devotion, purity and peace. Counted among the world’s wondrous houses of worship, Akshardham Temple showcases the blend of technical modernity with traditional architectural styles. It is a spiritual and cultural campus dedicated to devotion, learning and harmony.


The temple was inaugurated by Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, prime minister of India Mr. Manmohan Singh Mr. L.K Advani in the presence of 25,000 guests on 6th november 2005.


The main monument at the centre of complex is built according to vastu shasthra and pancharatra shasthra. The monument is 141 foot high, 316 foot wide and 370 foot long and is covered top to bottom with engraved details of flora, fauna, dancers, and deities. Made of pink stones and white marble, the main temple was built without the use of steel. Decorated with domes, carved pillars and 20,000 statues, it is simply divine.



In the monument, under the central dome lies a statue of Swaminarayan which is 11 foot high and made up of paanch dhaatu in accordance with hindu tradition. The other attractions of complex are three exhibition halls namely sahajanand darshan, neelkanth darsdhan and sanskruti vihar. At sahajanand darshan, life of swaminarayan is displayed by robotics. The neelkanth darsdhan has a huge I-max theatre screening movie based on the life of lord and finally sanskruthi vihar takes visitors on a journey of Indian history in approximately 13 minutes in peacock shaped boats.


A 24 minutes hi-tech laser show named "Sahaj Anand" entertains the audience after sunset that shows interdependency between God, nature and man. Its is an extraordinary experience. A numbers of lasers, music, lights, projections, water, and live actors work together to depict the ancient story based on Kena Upnishad. The show was directed by French designer Yves Pepin.


Address: National Highway 24, Near Noida Mor, New Delhi.

Timings:

Entry: 9.30 am to 6.30 pm

Exhibition: 10.30 am to 6.00 pm

Musical Fountain: 7.45 pm

Entry Charges:

Complex Entry: Free

Exhibition: Rs. 170 (Adults), Rs. 125 (Senior Citizens), Rs. 100 (Child from 4-11 years), Free (Child Below 4 years)

Musical Fountain: Rs. 30 (Adults), Rs. 125 (Senior Citizens), Rs. 20 (Child from 4-11 years), Free (Child Below 4 years)

Closed on: Mondays

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