Visiting the Beautiful Bahai Lotus Temple in Delhi 2026
The Bahai Lotus Temple in Delhi is one of the world’s most iconic spiritual buildings. Over 10,000 people visit this temple daily. It’s on the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list and is one of Delhi’s most famous sites.
You don’t need to be Bahai to visit this beautiful temple, everyone is welcome. And you should take the time to see it. The Bahai Lotus Temple is completely unlike any other temple in Delhi.
Visiting the Bahai Lotus Temple: Overview
Officially known as the Bahai House of Worship, the Lotus Temple in Delhi is one of only 14 Bahai temples throughout the world.
It is made of white marble and built in the shape of an opening lotus flower, with 27 petals made of marble. It has won many awards for its unique architecture.
Like all religious buildings in Delhi, modest dress is required. Knees, shoulders, backs and chests should be covered. You do not need to cover your head. Photography inside the temple is not permitted.
Bahais believe in the oneness of God and the unity of all people. There are no deities or religious images inside the prayer hall. It is an open and serene space.
- Hours & Cost: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm, daily (closed Monday); free
- Address: Lotus Temple Road, Bahapur, Kalkaji, Delhi
- Nearest metro station: Kalkaji Mandir (Violet or Magenta line), exit Gate 1or 2
- Website: https://bahaihouseofworship.in
What To Expect
This is one of the most visited sites in Delhi, and the queue to get in can take an hour during peak times. I recommend going in the morning to avoid the worst of the line ups.
When you arrive at the main entrance of the Lotus Temple, you will go through security and then walk about 5 minutes toward the temple through the gardens. There’s not a lot of shade and no food or drinks are available, so make sure you have bottled water. There is a visitors centre and washrooms before the temple.
Shoes must be removed before going into the prayer hall. There are bags to put your shoes into so you can carry them.
Once inside the prayer hall, there is no loud talking or photography. There is plenty of seating and you can stay as long as you want. Each day at 10 am, 12 pm, 3 pm and 5 pm there are readings from different holy scriptures.
You need about 2 hours to visit the Bahai Lotus Temple, possibly more if you take longer in the prayer hall or exploring the gardens.
Lotus Temple History
Planning and construction began in the 1970s after a Bahai practitioner from Hyderabad donated his life savings for the building of a new temple. Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba created the design, and the temple opened to the public in December 1986.
The number nine is sacred in the Bahai faith, which is reflected throughout the Lotus Temple. The temple is nine-sided with three groups of nine petals, and surrounding the temple are nine pools of water and nine gardens.
The water pools help keep the temple cool in Delhi’s hot weather, and solar panels provide electricity. This was the first temple in Delhi to use solar power.
You can read more about the history of the Bahai faith in this article by the Bahai World News Service.
How to Get to the Bahai Lotus Temple
The Lotus Temple is located in South East Delhi. The best way to reach the temple is by Delhi metro.
The Delhi metro is excellent, and the closest station to the Lotus Temple is Kalkaji Mandir (Violet and Magenta lines). You can walk from the station to the temple entrance.
Uber and auto rickshaws are also widely used in Delhi. Both are very cheap.
What to do After Visiting the Lotus Temple in Delhi
The Lotus Temple is not as central as most of Delhi’s sites, but these are worthwhile things to do and see nearby:
- Kalkaji Mandir: One of the oldest and most important Hindu temples in Delhi. It’s believed the temple’s origins go back to the Mahabharata, about 5,000 years ago.
- ISKCON Temple: Famous Hindu temple devoted to Lord Krishna. It is joyous, noisy and colourful, especially during an aarti. There’s a great vegetarian restaurant there, Govinda’s.
- Greater Kailash M Block Market: One of Delhi’s best and most popular upscale markets for shopping and restaurants.
- Epicuria Food Mall: If you want to have something to eat this is an excellent spot. It’s beside the Nehru Place metro station.
Where to Stay in Delhi Near the Bahai Lotus Temple
Here are a few excellent properties that are best located for visiting the Bahai Lotus Temple and are in good neigbourhoods:
- The Oberoi New Delhi (luxury): Beautiful and luxurious hotel near Humayun’s Tomb. Easy to reach the Lotus Temple by Uber.
- The Manor (upper mid-range): One of Delhi’s finest boutique hotels. Only 3 km from the Lotus Temple.
- Home@F37 (budget): Excellent small hotel near the metro and a market with restaurants and shops.
Last Words on Visiting the Beautiful Bahai Lotus Temple in Delhi
Delhi is a deeply religious city and has many remarkable religious buildings, but the Lotus Temple is one of the most unusual. The lotus-shaped architecture is beautiful, but I also love the peaceful atmosphere inside the temple.
It’s well worth your time to visit this unique religious building. It doesn’t matter if you’re religious, Bahai or even Christian, everyone is welcome.
