Birla Mandir - the heart of Hyderabad

Hyderabad reflects a synthesis of varied cultures. It presents a beautiful blend of the northern and southern styles of architecture. One such marvelous edifice is the Birla Mandir which is located at the very end of the Hussain Sagar Lake on the hill-top of the “Kala Pahad”.

The Birla Foundation has constructed several similar temples in India, all of which are known as Birla Mandir.

ARCHITECTURE:

This temple displays a mixture of architectural styles. The temple manifests a blend of South Indian Rajasthani and Utkala temple architectures. A Rajagopuram built in the South Indian style greets the visitors. The tower over the main shrine of Venkateswara called the Jagadananda vimanam is built in the Orissan style while the towers over the shrines of the consorts are built in the South Indian style.

In its entirety, it is made of 2000 tons of pure Rajasthani white marble. The granite of the presiding deity is about 11 feet tall and a carved lotus forms an umbrella on the roof. The consorts of Lord Venkateswara, Padmavati and Andal are housed in separate shrines. There is a brass flagstaff in the temple premises which rises to a height of 42 feet.

The temple is built on a 280 feet (85 m) high hillock called the Naubath Pahad on a 13 acres plot. The construction took 10 years and was consecrated in 1976 by Swami Ranganathananda of Ramakrishna Mission. The temple does not have traditional bells, as Swamiji wished that the temple atmosphere should be conducive for meditation.

THE BIRLA TEMPLE:

Though the chief deity is Lord Venkateshwara, the temple has pan-Hindu character with deities of Shiva, Shakti, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Saibaba. The selected teachings of holy men and Gurbani are engraved on temple walls.

Birla temples are open to all, as identified by Mahatma Gandhi and other Hindu leaders as one of the major social evil that was to be reformed in modern India as part of Freedom struggle.

The temple complex overlooking the southern side of Hussain Sagar offers a magnificent panoramic view of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. It presents a colorful and spectacular sight when illuminated at night.

Moreover, the interior carvings and the motifs of these mythological figures are masterpieces of the skilled craftsmen which are simply unmatched.

VISITING PLACES NEAR BIRLA MANDHIR:

The temple looks simply gorgeous during the evening time with all the light set-up like a decor. Other nearby structures are Andhra Pradesh Secretariat, Assembly and Birla Planetarium.

BIRLA MANDHIR TIMMINGS:

The temple is open for visitors from

• 7 a.m. to 12 noon
• 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. all days of the week.

HOW TO REACH BIRLA MANDHIR?

• Birla Mandir is well connected by APSRTC buses or an MMTS Train.
• You can reach the temple via rail which is just about one kilometre from the city and from airport it is at a distance of about 7 kilometres.
• With all the mode of public transport you can reach to your desired location.
• The nearest MMTS station is Lakdi-ka-pul.