It was also Swami Satchidananda’s dream to see a LOTUS built in his Motherland of India and he spoke about this often as he traveled the globe. The spirit of reverence for all faiths is a foundational tenet of Hinduism, whose original name was Sanatana Dharma, meaning “eternal truth.” While modern times have seen strife among the believers of the different religions throughout India, Swami Satchidananda hoped that building LOTUS in India would be a reminder of the Vedic proclamation, Ekam Sat Vipraha Bahuda Vadanti: “There is One Truth though sages call it by different names.”

The project went forward under the supervision of Sri K. Ramasamy (President of the Integral Yoga Institute of Coimbatore, Managing Director of Swami Satchidananda’s school Satchidananda Jothi Nikethan in Mettupalayam and the Swami Satchidananda Trust), who spearheads all of Swami Satchidananda’s service in South India.

LOTUS India is a replica of LOTUS Virginia. It stands on 1.09 acres of Swami Satchidananda’s ancestral land. It is a temple dedicated to every soul’s unique journey toward the Divine. LOTUS reminds us that, while God is approached by a variety of paths and represented through a variety of forms, the truth behind all of them is the same. LOTUS India is a permanent monument to interfaith peace and harmony.

 The bhumi puja (foundation-laying ceremony) for LOTUS India took place on November 26, 2012 at Satchidananda Alayam (the birthplace of Swami Satchidananda in Chettipalayam, South India). The function was presided over by Sri K. Ramaswamy and was blessed by Swami Anubhavanandaji and Swami Marudachalam Adigalar, as well as clergy of various faiths during the Light of Truth Universal Service. The construction was completed during the Centennial Year of Sri Swami Satchidananda in 2014 and dedicated on his birth anniversary, December 22. The chief guests included Sri Dr. K. Rosiah (Governor of Tamil Nadu), Padmasri D.R. Kaarthikeyan (former director, CBI), and Sri P. Rajkumar (Mayor of Coimbatore). For more information: www.lotusindia.org.