Monday, January 27, 2014

Birla Mandir

History:

Birla Mandir is a Hindu temple, built on a 280 feet (85 m) high hillock called Naubath Pahad on a 13 acres (53,000 m2) plot. The construction took 10 years and was consecrated 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.

About Birla Mandir

The enchanting modern Birla Mandir is located at the south end of Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad. It stands atop the Kala Pahad, the twin hillock of the Naubat Pahad. The Birlas (industrialists who have built several temples in India) built this temple in 1976. The temple has been built with white marbles from Rajasthan.
Kausalya supraja Rama poorva sandhya pravartate... the mantra chanted to arouse Lord Venkateswara (Vishnu), to whom the temple is dedicated, can be heard at dawn. And as for the evenings, they are a treat to the ears in this hilltop temple. Sweet melodies of cuckoos and the kirtanas of Annamayya, Tyagaraja and Ramadas against the backdrop of an orange-red sky pleasantly soothe the soul.
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 Hindu gods and goddess including Shiva, Shakti, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Saraswati, Lakshmi and Saibaba. 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.


Mixed Architecture

Birla Mandir combines the architectural styles of Orissan and South Indian temples. A Rajagopuram built in the South Indian style greets the visitors. The tower over the main shrine of Lord 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. Exotic scenes from the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata are finely sculpted in marble. In the inner shrine of the temple is a replica of the Venkateswara temple at Tirupati. The brass flagstaff rises to a height of 42 feet.

The granite image of the presiding deity in the Birla Mandir at Hyderabad is about 11 feet tall. There is a carved lotus that serves as an umbrella to the presiding deity. You will find several beautiful carvings in marble in the 'Mukha Mandapam' of the Birla Mandir at Hyderabad. These carvings in marble depict scenes from Indian mythology.




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