New Delhi's Lotus Temple In Contention For Unesco's 'World Heritage Site' Status

Even as the country witnesses a growing trend of intolerance, Lotus Temple in the national capital stands tall as a true symbol of peace and communal harmony. The Baha'i House of Worship, an architectural marvel, may soon become the fourth world heritage site in the city if things go according to plan.

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The proposal has been pitched by the temple's trustee, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of India, which has appointed India National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach) to prepare the nomination dossiers. The site was included on the Unesco's "tentative list of world heritage sites" in April 2014. The Delhi government is also extending cooperation to the nomination process, said sources.

"The temple is unique not just for its architectural features, but also because it symbolises the principles of Baha'i faith-unity among mankind and all religions. The Baha'i faith is not represented by any statue or idol, everyone who comes to the temple feels a spiritual connection to their creator, whatever religion or background he/she may belong to," said Nazneen Rowhani, secretary general of the spiritual assembly of the Baha'is of India.

Delhi currently has three world heritage sites-Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Humayun's Tomb. Conservationists said the inclusion of Baha'i temple in the Unesco list would be a matter of a huge pride for the capital. "Even though the House of Worship is a modern architectural work, its roots can be traced to religious symbolism of ancient India," said a conservation expert. In terms of footfall, the site has been dubbed one of the most visited sacred buildings in the world, surpassing even the Taj Mahal, according to some reports.

Some Lotus Temple facts. Image: TOI

"We are very happy that the Baha'i temple is being considered for the world heritage inscription. We receive patrons from all communities. Of late, the daily average footfall on the site has gone up to 10,000 thanks to the Metro connectivity," said Rowhani.

Experts said there is no other lotus-shaped structure in the world, which is as famous as the Baha'i temple of Delhi. Opened to the public in 1986 following a decade of construction, it has welcomed over 70 million visitors regardless of their religious affiliations so far. "Baha'i temple belongs to India, we are just the trustees. It is a temple for all communities, a place where Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists co-exist and come together under one roof to pray,'' added Rowhani.

The nomination process still has a long way to go. The draft nomination dossier is currently under preparation and has to undergo periodic submissions and reviews by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It will then be submitted to Unesco for a complete check in September, 2016 and the final dossier will be submitted a few months later-by Feb 1, 2017. This will be followed by a site review by International Council on Monuments and Sites in October, and then a final decision will be taken by the world heritage committee in June, 2018.

Experts said the chances of Lotus Temple getting the prestigious tag was very high due to its unique design and craftsmanship.

(Originally published in The Times Of India)