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Lotus Temple Delhi: Timings, Entry & Closed Day 2026
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lotus-templedelhibahai-templefree-entrysilence-rulemodern-architecturedelhi-travel
Plan your Lotus Temple visit: free entry, the Monday closure, seasonal timings, the silence rule inside, and how the Bahai temple fits a Delhi day.
In a Nutshell
“The Lotus Temple is the calmest famous building in Delhi, and its appeal is exactly that. There are no idols, no priests, no sermons and no sales pitch, just a vast white marble hall shaped like a lotus where anyone of any religion can sit in silence. After a morning of forts and crowds it is a genuine reset. It is free, easy to reach by metro, and needs only an hour or so, but it closes on Mondays, which is the one thing to plan around.”
Details
Quick answer: Lotus Temple at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What it is | Bahai house of worship in south Delhi, shaped like an opening lotus of 27 marble petals |
| Closed day | Monday (without exception, for maintenance) |
| Open days | Tuesday to Sunday |
| Winter timings (Oct to Mar) | Roughly 9 AM to 5:30 PM |
| Summer timings (Apr to Sep) | Roughly 9 AM to 7 PM |
| Entry fee | Free for everyone (no ticket needed) |
| Silence rule | Inside the prayer hall is kept silent; no photography or phones inside |
| Time to allow | 1 to 1.5 hours |
| Nearest metro | Kalkaji Mandir station (Violet and Magenta lines) |
The Lotus Temple is the calmest famous building in Delhi, and its appeal is exactly that. There are no idols, no priests, no sermons and no sales pitch, just a vast white marble hall shaped like a lotus where anyone of any religion can sit in silence. After a morning of forts and crowds it is a genuine reset. It is free, easy to reach by metro, and needs only an hour or so, but it closes on Mondays, which is the one thing to plan around. Here is what to know.
Details
Timings and the Monday closure
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Closed day | Monday (without exception, for maintenance) |
| Open days | Tuesday to Sunday |
| Winter timings (Oct to Mar) | Roughly 9 AM to 5:30 PM |
| Summer timings (Apr to Sep) | Roughly 9 AM to 7 PM |
| Best time to arrive | At opening or in the last hour before closing (shortest queues) |
| Note | Timings can shift around Bahai holy days, check the day before |
Details
Entry and the silence rule
| Rule / Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Entry fee | Completely free for everyone (no ticket counter, no booking) |
| Silence inside | Central prayer hall is kept quiet |
| Photography inside | Not allowed inside the prayer hall |
| Photography outside | Allowed freely in the building and gardens |
| Phones | Must be on silent, not used inside |
| Music and rituals | Not permitted inside |
| Staff | Will gently remind visitors who forget the rules |
What makes it special
The building is one of the most photographed in Delhi for good reason. Twenty-seven free-standing marble-clad petals are arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides, echoing the Bahai significance of the number nine, and nine doors open into a central hall nearly 40 metres high that seats around 2,500. Nine pools surround it, so from a distance the lotus seems to float on water. It was among the first buildings in Delhi to run on solar power. The effect, inside and out, is of a modern building that manages to feel genuinely serene.
A short history
The Lotus Temple was designed by the Iranian-Canadian architect Fariborz Sahba, commissioned in 1976 and completed in 1986. It is a Bahai house of worship, one of a small number around the world, built on the Bahai principle that people of all faiths may gather to pray and reflect together in a single space. Since opening it has become one of the most visited buildings in the world, and one of Delhi's defining modern landmarks, set in landscaped gardens in the Kalkaji area of south Delhi.
Details
Getting there and nearest metro
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Kalkaji, south Delhi |
| Nearest metro | Kalkaji Mandir station (Violet and Magenta lines) |
| Distance from metro | Short walk or auto-rickshaw ride from the entrance |
| Pairs with | Akshardham (same day) or Qutub Minar (south Delhi loop) |
Details
Rules and what to expect
| Rule / Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Dress code | Dress modestly |
| Silence inside | Keep silent inside the prayer hall |
| Phones | Switch to silent |
| Photography inside | Not allowed within the hall |
| Photography outside | Allowed |
| Bags | Screened at the entrance |
| Shoes | Remove before entering |
| Walk | The walk from the gate through the gardens is part of the experience |
| Water | Carry water in the warmer months |
Visit the Lotus Temple with us
We are Experience My India, and we use the Lotus Temple as the quiet counterpoint in a Delhi day, usually paired with Akshardham for a calmer, spiritual side of the city. We handle the timing around the Monday closure and the queues, and the transfers across town. For the full list of what to see in the capital, start at the things to do in Delhi hub, and first-time visitors may want our tours for first-time visitors. See live prices on our Delhi Agra tour packages, or message us on WhatsApp for a quote.
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Is the Lotus Temple closed on Mondays?
Yes, the Lotus Temple is closed every Monday, without exception, for maintenance. On the other six days it opens roughly 9 AM to 5:30 PM in winter and later, to around 7 PM, in summer. Timings can shift slightly around Bahai holy days, so check the day before if you are travelling from outside Delhi specifically to see it.
Is there an entry fee for the Lotus Temple?
Can you take photos inside the Lotus Temple?
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About the author
Abhay Sharma leads the Delhi Agra vertical at Experience My India and has spent more than five years planning and running trips across Agra, Delhi and the Golden Triangle. He was born and raised in Agra and is a third-generation guide, and he plans and runs the Delhi and Agra itineraries this site describes. He writes and keeps these pages current. Read more on his author profile.
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