No matter how you want to avoid being burned from all the jobs, tasks, and errands you take care for all the days of your life there will still come a time when your mind, body, and well your spirit just gently gives you s shrug indicating that rest is needed. You have a lot of options when choosing to retire away from the tiring routines of your daily profession or education.
You can either stay within the comforts of your beloved abode or venture into the outside and see the world in its beauty. You have the choice to go on a nature adventure and discover the wild aspects of your personality or you can just stay put and contemplate on your spirituality and substance. In lieu with this let’s take an Indian vacation towards a place of worship.
The Baha’i House of Worship which is designated to the Baha’i Faith of India houses about four million visitors annually. The English translation of its Arabic name is quite inviting which is the dawning place of the remembrances of God. The religious circle of the Baha’i aims to pursue developments that include issues in education, humanitarianism, science, and other relevant social facets in India particularly in its place of seat which is New Delhi.
According to standards of Baha’i literature Houses of Worship should be part of civic and municipal structures and should invite people from all walks of life without religious or ethnic discrimination. The Baha’i law is quite flexible in allowing people to experience the spirit of their House of Worship even if these individuals are not part of their religious community. But it should be noted that within the boundaries of the Baha’i faith structures only scriptures that depict the beliefs of the religion should be chanted or read. Choirs can be present within the vicinity but the use of musical instruments is not allowed. Moreover there should be no performance of rituals, ceremonies, and more importantly sermons.
There are specific architectural designs and patterns that are quite noticeable with Baha’i Houses of Worships. Domes are seen in all areas of the construction although it is not really required but the most essential things is that there should be the presence of a nine-sided circular figure in the form and pattern of the structure. It is emphasized as according to Baha’i scriptures that there should be no presence of images, pictures, and statues inside the Houses of Worship.
The plan followed by the construction regarding Baha’i faith is that there should be one undivided room and that the seats should be oriented facing the Shrine of Baha’u’llah in Akka, Israel. Houses of Worship found scattered across the globe may have similar characteristics but it is actually the exact location of each structure that defines its distinct characteristics and traits.
Furthermore the Baha’i literature makes it a point that Houses of Worship are situated within the folds of institutions that promote charity, education, and humanitarianism such as universities, elderly homes, and hospitals in order to cooperate with these groups and organizations in serving the community where they are located.
The Guardian of the Baha’i Faith in the person of Shoghi Effendi clearly states that it would be better if the both the Baha’i center and the House of Worship is located in the same area. He gives a great equation of the joining of worship and service in order to rid man’s society of all the negative things that have been plaguing it for so many years.
A vacation should not only be relaxing and enjoying more so it should be enriching and rewarding. So next time you plan to pack things up and go global check out the great Indian spirituality.
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