Hyderabad Birla Mandir, Telangana

Address

Birla Mandir, Hill Fort Rd, Ambedkar Colony, Khairtabad, Hyderabad, Telangana 500004 Phone: 040 2323 3259

Diety

Lord Venkateswara Amman: Padmavati

Introduction

Birla Mandir is a Vishnu temple, built on a 280 feet (85 m) high hillock called Naubath Pahad on a 13 acres (53,000 m2) plot in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The construction took 10 years and was opened in 1976 by Swami Ranganathananda of Ramakrishna Mission. The temple was constructed by Birla Foundation, which has also constructed several similar temples across India, all of which are known as Birla Mandir.

Puranic Significance

The temple manifests a blend of Dravidian, Rajasthani and Utkala architectures. It is constructed of 2000 tons of pure white marble. The granite idol of presiding deity Lord Venkateswara is about 11 ft (3.4 m) tall and a carved lotus forms an umbrella on the top. There is a brass flagstaff in the temple premises which rises to a height of 42 ft (13 m). The temple does not have traditional bells, as Swami Ranganathananda wished that the temple atmosphere should be conducive for meditation. Apart from the main shrine, the consorts of Lord Venkateswara, Padmavati and Andal are housed in separate shrines. The temple also has separate shrines for various Deva and Devi including Shiva, Shakti, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Saraswati and Lakshmi. Birla temples are open to all, as identified by Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu present in the form of Sri Venkateswara. One can find the kirtanas of Tyagaraja, Annamayya, and Ramadasu reverberating against the backdrop of a blue sky in the morning. The temple combines the architectural styles of Utkal (Oriya) and South Indian style. The Rajagopuram represents South Indian architectural style while the tower over the main shrine also called the Jagadananda Vimanam represents the Oriyan style. The temple also boasts of finely sculpted marbled images depicting the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The 42-feet high sanctum sanctorum (garbha gudi) is an impressive replica of the Venkateshwara temple at Tirumala.

Special Features

The presiding deity is made of granite, 11-feet tall. Swami Venkateswara’s consorts Padmavati and Andal are worshipped in adjoining separate shrines. The Birla Mandir complex also houses a temple dedicated to Buddha along with fresco paintings describing his life. The temple also has separate shrines for other gods such as Shiva, Ganesh, Saraswati, Hanuman, Brahma, Lakshmi and Saibaba.