Lotus Temple to celebrate 25th anniversary

Bahai House of Worship will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Sunday.

New Delhi: The capital`s iconic Bahai House of Worship, popularly known as the Lotus Temple, will celebrate its 25th anniversary Sunday, the eve of the Bahá`i New Year, with former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam inaugurating the event.It will be a spiritual experience to be in the campus of the Baha`i House of Worship. It is a place of unity of minds and giving glad tidings to humanity," Kalam commented.

Completed and dedicated to the public in 1986 the Baha`i community hopes that the House of Worship will continue to inspire, encourage and support every Indian`s dream of living in a peaceful and spiritual society, a community leader said Saturday. The capital city`s school children will participate in the Sunday celebrations, which includes a dance programme. The admission to the event is through formal invitations. Widely popular as the Lotus Temple, the ethereal architectural represents purity of the flower. Although often seen in stagnant water, the lotus symbolises that every human is born pure like it and can rise above the dirt of conflict, prejudice and differences that surround us. The Baha`i faith was founded by Baha`ullah in the 19th century in Iran. According to Shatrughan Jiwnani, director of public information at the Baha`i House of Worship, there are around 2.2 million registered Baha`is in India. IANS