Birla Mandir is a temple of Lord Venkateswara, known as Balaji. It is one of the famous tourist attractions in Hyderabad. Birla Mandir Temple is central to spirituality in Hyderabad and is famous for its impressive architecture. The temple is open for every religious people. There is a brass memorial welcoming for everyone at the very entrance of the temple.
Page Contents
History:
Raja Baldev Birla had built the Birla Mandir in the year 1938. The idol of the main deity, Lord Venkateshwara, is a replica of Balaji of Tirupati. The statue of Lord Venkateshwara is about 11 feet in height with a carved lotus canopy above, adding on to the entrancing beauty of the deity. The statue has been carved out of granite stone. The statue of Lord Venkateshwara is carved out in the Oriya Style.
This temple is said to be sanctified in 1976 by Swami Ranganathananda from Ramakrishna Ashram. Swami Ranganathananda has envisioned this temple as a place which can be suitable for meditation as well. Owing to his wishes, Birla Mandir Hyderabad has no bells.
Architecture:
Birla Mandir is located on top of the “Kala pahad”, which is one of the Naubat Pahad twins and the integration Oriya and South Indian style makes it unique from other temples in India. Made of 2,000 tons of pure white marble imported from Rajasthan, Birla Temple in Hyderabad is a unique mix of Dravidian, Rajasthani, and Utkala styles. It took around 10 years of hard work and dedication of artisans and sculptors to complete the structure of this temple. Speaking about the South Indian style, there is a Rajagopuram at the entrance to greet you as soon as you enter the temple. Lord Venkateshwara is main God in the temple; the tower over this main God reaches a height of 165 feet whereas the towers over the Venkateshwara’s consorts, Padmavati and Andal reach a height of 116 feet. The sculptures resembling scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata are awesome.
Lord Shiva and Durga, Lord Buddha are also placed in this temple. Beautiful Fresco paintings on the walls of this temple make temple more attractive. An artificial landscape with mountains and waterfalls has been the memorisable beauty spot which is at the end of the temple.
Being located near assembly, the temple offers an additional attraction as it shows great views of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. When temple is lighted in the night, that particular scene will never ever be forgotted in your life.
Birla Temple at Night:
To enjoy the history and architecture of Birla Temple, a visit to the temple is a must during night. At night, this whole place gleams with soft lighting, creating the combined effect of composed and pure God welcoming visitors from their dark surroundings. There is a mezzanine sit-out where people sit on heels and rest before leaving.
Best time to visit:
You can visit the temple any time throughout the year.
Timings:
7.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon (Morning)
3.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m. (Evening)
Open on all days
How to Reach:
By Bus:
Hyderabad City Transport buses can be taken to reach the temple. Local transports like auto-rickshaws or cabs are also available.
By Rail:
The nearest railway station is the Nampally Railway Station. The distance from the temple is about 12.7 KMs.
By Air:
The nearest airport is the Hyderabad Airport. The distance from the temple is about 28 KMs.