Photo credits: Binu Kumar

The spectacular Matrimandir (meaning “Temple of the Mother” in Sanskrit) can be found in Auroville, Pondicherry, India. The Matrimandir can’t be called a temple in the typical sense of the word. It isn’t a church or other place of worship, nor is it strongly associated with any religions. It is, instead, envisioned as a place of spiritual energy. The Matrimandir appears as a large golden sphere that seems to be rising out of the earth.

Also called “the soul of the city”, the Matrimandir is set in open gardens called “Peace”. The meditation hall in the dome is open to those who, in Mother’s words, are “sincere and serious, and who truly want to learn to concentrate.”