 Birla Mandir, situated in the Hyderabad city of the south Indian state Telangana, is a Hindu temple constructed by the Birla Foundation. It stands on a 280 feet high hillock named as Naubath Pahad and spans over an area of 13 acres. The construction of the temple took 10 years to complete and in the year 1976 it was consecrated by Swami Ranganathananda of Ramakrishna Mission. Birla Foundation has constructed many such temples in various parts of the country, all of which are known as Birla Mandir. It is located close to the Hussain Sagar Lake. From the high location of the temple, splendid glimpses of the city can be obtained. Apart from being a religious refuge, Birla Mandir serves as a cherished tourist destination.
Architecture of Birla Mandir Birla Mandir exhibits an exquisite architecture which boasts a blend of Utkala, Rajasthani and Dravidian architectures. The temple has been structured with about 2000 tons of pure white marble which were brought from Rajasthan. The temple premise also houses a brass flagstaff which towers to a height of about 42 feet. There are no traditional bells in the temple. This is as per the wishes of Swami Ranganathananda who wanted the temple atmosphere to be conducive for meditation. The temple walls exhibit engravings of the teachings of holy men and Gurbani. Sculpted scenes from Hindu epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata can also be viewed in the 'Mukha Mandapam' of the temple. The architecture of the inner shrine of the temple exactly resembles the Venkateswara temple of Tirupati. At the back of the temple beautiful artificial landscapes have been created with waterfalls which augment the beauty of the place. The temple is wondrously illuminated with lights at night. Deities of Birla Mandir Lord Venkateswara, who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is the presiding deity of the temple and his granite idol has been placed which rises to a height of about 11 feet. It is also adorned with a beautiful carved lotus which forms an umbrella at the top of the idol. In Birla Mandir, separate shrines for the consorts of Lord Venkateswara, Andal and Padmavati stand in addition to the main shrine. There are also separate shrines for other Hindu gods and goddesses which include Saibaba, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Brahma, Hanuman, Ganesh, Shakti and Shiva. The temple welcomes all the visitors irrespective of any religious perspective. (Last Updated on : 01-07-2014) |
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