Interfaith Meditation Centre

The Interfaith Meditation Centre

Designed for Govardhan Ecovillage, Palghar District, Maharashtra

A Sanctuary of Stillness, A Space for All

Set within the serene 100-acre campus of Govardhan Ecovillage — a globally recognized center for sustainable living and spiritual wisdom — meditation space that speaks not in the voice of any single tradition, but in the quiet language of universality.

This is the Interfaith Meditation Centre, envisioned as a place of silence and presence, where no religion dominates, and every faith finds a respectful home. A space envisioned for seekers of all paths — and for those who simply seek peace.

Born from the Ecovillage’s deep-rooted values of inclusiveness, environmental harmony, and spiritual unity, The centre was commissioned with a rare and beautiful brief:

• It must be a completely secular space, inclusive of all belief systems.
  

• It must be built using natural, sustainable materials, preferably compressed stabilized earth blocks made from unfired earth.
  

• And it must be semi-open to nature, inviting the outdoors in, dissolving walls between the world and the spirit.
  

The Design: Unity Through Emptiness

The architectural response is elegant, minimal, and deeply symbolic. The structure is envisioned as a pavilion-like form, open on the sides, allowing wind, light, and the natural environment to enter effortlessly. Crafted using earth blocks, the very walls echo the principles of sustainability and humility that the Ecovillage embodies.

At the center is a large, circular meditation platform — a shared space of stillness. Surrounding this central circle are symbols of the world’s major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Jainism, Judaism, and others — each treated with reverence and equality. These symbols are placed along the periphery, allowing them to be honored collectively, without any one symbol taking precedence.

What sets this space apart is the intentional emptiness at its center. Unlike conventional religious structures that place a deity, altar, or sacred object at the core, this space holds nothing at its heart — and in doing so, it holds everything. The emptiness is not a void, but an invitation — a space filled by the focus and inner stillness of those who sit there.

It becomes a powerful metaphor: Where religions offer form, the center offers formlessness, where symbols guide, the silence unites.

A Breathing Space for Contemplation

The open architecture ensures a fluid relationship with nature. Light filters through the spaces, breeze circulates freely, and the atmosphere feels alive. It is welcoming and non-intimidating — anyone can step in, pause, reflect, or meditate. There are no rituals to follow, no icons to worship, and no prescribed path to walk — only the gentle presence of space and silence.

In this way, the meditation centre becomes not a monument, but a living pavilion — one that invites presence, fosters fraternity, and allows all traditions to coexist respectfully. It is a place that does not define the divine, but allows each person to discover it in their own way.

Where Silence Speaks, and All Faiths Find Home

This Interfaith Meditation Centre is a statement of harmony — a space where diversity is celebrated, not as separation, but as a shared human quest for meaning. It reflects a world moving beyond boundaries and toward deep interconnectedness.

This is not a temple, This is not a mosque, This is not a church, This is a sacred space for all — where the center is silent, and yet full; where the walls speak of reverence, and the openness offers peace; where belief is not imposed, but welcomed.