The story of the Baha’i Lotus Temple would not be complete without a flashback. Picture it, Fall of 2003, Chicago: Ajay and Ben take a trip to see Padma and her husband. In Chicago, Padma takes us to the Baha’i Temple just outside of Chicago. She takes everyone to the Baha’i Temple. There, we watch a video about the making of the temple in India and how the temple is an architectural marvel. See, the skeptics thought it impossible to build the Lotus Temple period, let alone build it in a warm climate like India.
Well, it was built. Best of all, it’s very nice to look at.. from the outside. The inside is too 1970s modern for my taste, but it’s impressive and beautiful from the outside. The shell is made from marble blocks that are individually attached to a giant concrete and steel superstructure. Because the temperatures and humidity were too high at times, giant blocks of ice and other coolants were used to help the concrete cure. Hundreds of people worked on the project and it barely made it to its present form. Several construction delays and problems caused financial distress that required the outpouring of the world Baha’i community to resolve.
