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The Lotus Temple is one of my favourite attractions in Delhi. It is incredibly beautiful architecture, probably the most interesting house of worship in the modern era anywhere, and one of the most visited places on earth.

I had the opportunity to visit the temple on one of my trips to Delhi. I recently was going through my photos and panicked because I could not find my photos of Lotus Temple. Yesterday, I found them and I was inspired to post them on social media and decided to write about it.

Here are some fun facts about the Lotus Temple:

Walking through the gardens along the red sandstone walkway to get to the Lotus Temple

FUN FACTS:

• The Lotus Temple is famous for its distinct flower shape. It was designed to reflect the beauty and symmetry of the lotus flower.

• The lotus flower is an important symbol in Eastern and Indian faiths, including Bahá’i, Hinduism and Buddhism.

Truly magnificent architecture

• Lotus Temple is a Bahá’i faith house of worship. Bahá’i is a religious movement originating in Iran in the 19th century that emphasizes the spiritual unity of humankind.

• The design represents the “Oneness of God, the Oneness of all Religions and the Oneness of Mankind,” which are the guiding tenets of Baha’i faith.

• It is a popular attraction in Delhi, with more than 3.5 million visitors per year.

• It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• Anyone can visit Lotus Temple. It is open to people of all faiths and backgrounds. Be mindful, though, of the rules. Be sure to wear conservative clothing that covers your shoulders and knees, which is not uncommon for many places of worship around the world.

There are 9 reflecting pools of water, symbolizing the lotus leaves

• The building has 27 free-standing marble-clad petals arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. There are nine doors opening into a central hall with high ceilings. This is the space where people gather and music is played. There are 9 reflecting pools of water, symbolizing the lotus leaves.

•  All around the temple are walkways made of red sandstone with beautiful curved balustrades, bridges and stairs that surround the nine reflecting pools.

• It won many architecture awards and is considered an incredible architectural achievement.

• The Lotus Temple has a Canada connection. The architect is Farinorz Sahba, an Iranian. Though he currently lives in the United States, he once lived in Canada prior to moving to the U.S.

• Like many places of worship around the world, visitors are required to take shoes off before entering.

Walking through the vast property to get to the temple. This is why I suggest taking a bottle of water with you.

TIPS:

• You will be given a bag to hold your shoes. Beware the ground is hot on bare feet. Since you must remove your shoes, take a pair of socks.

• Take a bottle of water with you. It can be very hot while walking around the gardens and waiting in line to get in.

Shannon Skinner is an award-winning inspirational TV talkshow host and producer, speaker and writer covering luxury travel, wine and wellness for women.