Baha'i Temple
Not far from Nehru Place in south Delhi is the Baha'i Temple, an exquisite creation of modern architecture that could fairly be said to rival the Taj Mahal - given a few centuries to mellow it.
I knew very little of the Baha'i faith before, and was interested to be given a leaflet by one of the attendents.
Apparently, the principles of Baha'ism are as follows:
• The oneness of mankind.• Universal peace upheld by a world government.
• Independent investigation of truth.
• The common foundation of all religions.
• The essential harmony of science and religion.
• Equality of men and women.
• Elimination of prejudice of all kinds.
• Universal compulsory education.
• A spiritual solution to the economic problem.
• A universal auxiliary language.
All well and good - in fact I broadly agree with pretty much everything there aside from the 'spiritual' solution to the 'economic problem'. Economic problems need economic and political solutions, I'm afraid; it may do sometimes, and I've seen it, but at the end of the day religion doesn't always fill rice bowls.
On the other hand, being a cynical 21st century urbanite, I'm not going to actually convert and follow the faith just on a cursory reading of the principles. And maybe it's just me, but I thought there was something a little strange, if not creepy, that most of the women attendents (who I presume to be Baha'i followers) were pretty young Europeans.
Far be it from me to make any rash suggestions, but this one fact raised my suspicions a little. It just seems so bourgeois. So middle class. So faux alternatif.
Not that I'm not bourgeois or middle class myself, but that's by the by. Never mind.
