Birla Mandir is one of the Most Beautiful Mandir in Delhi.
Birla
Mandir (Birla Temple) refers to different Hindu Temples or Mandirs built by the Birla Mandir, in
different cities across India. All these temples are magnificently built, some
of them in white marble or in sandstone. The temples are generally located in a
prominent location, carefully designed to accommodate a large number of
visitors.
The worship and discourses
are well organized. The first one was built in 1939 in Delhi collectively
by Jugal Kishore Birla and his brothers, as well their father. Later
temples have been built by, and are managed by different branches of the
family. For both of the temples in Varanasi, the Birlas joined other donors to
support the cost.
The Birla temples in Delhi and Bhopal were intended to fill a
void, because these cities, ruled for centuries by Muslim dynasties, did not
have any notable temples, since the ruler did not permit the construction of
grand temples with Shikharas. Delhi, even though it was the capital of India,
did not have any notable temples. During the Mughal period, temples with
shikharas were prohibited until the late Mughal period. The first temple to be
built by the Birla family is the Laxminarayan Temple in Delhi.
Located at a prominent
site, the temple was designed to be lofty and spacious, suitable for
congregational worship or discourses. Although built using modern technology,
it very loosely conformed to the Nagara style. The Birlas also build
the adjoining Buddhist temple and donated it to the Mahabodhi Society.
The Birla temples in Delhi, Banaras and the Bhopal use modern
construction materials and techniques. Later temples are built of marble or
sandstone and are constructed usually in the classical style of Maru Gurjara (from
the Chandela or Chaulukya) of the 10-12th century, with some
elements of local regional styles, such as the gopuram of the Birla
Mandir, Hydrabad, otherwise in the northern Māru-Gurjara style.
The Saraswati temple, in the BITS Pilani campus is one of the
very few Sarasvati temples built in modern times (see Sharda Temple,
Maihar). It is said to be a replica of the Kandariya Mahadeva Temples temple
of Khajurah, however it is built of white marble and adorned with not only
images of Gods, but also of philosophers and scientists. The Gwalior Sun
temple is a replica (much reduced in size) of the famous Konark Sun Temple, as
it would have appeared before the collapse of the main tower.
A national chain of the
"Birla temples," temples of grandiose scale and design, have become
major landmarks and part of the cityscapes of Indian urban life in the late
twentieth century. The Birla temples exist in conjunction with other large
industrial and philanthropic ventures of the wealthy Birla family, including
major institutions of technology, medicine, and education. Birla temples have
redefined religion to conform to modern ideals of philanthropy and
humanitarianism, combining the worship of a deity with a public institution
that contributes to civil society. The architectural forms of the two newest
Birla temples (Jaipur and Kolkata) incorporate innovative, dual-purpose
structures into the temple design that alter temple practices to reflect the
concerns of modern public culture in a religious site.
Birla Mandir Delhi Address: Mandir Marg, Near Golmarket, Gole Market, New Delhi, Delhi, 110001, India
| Monday | 4:30 am – 1:30 pm
2:30 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Tuesday | 4:30 am – 1:30 pm
2:30 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Wedesday | 4:30 am – 1:30 pm
2:30 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Thursday | 4:30 am – 1:30 pm
2:30 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Friday | 4:30 am – 1:30 pm
2:30 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Saturday | 4:30 am – 1:30 pm
2:30 pm – 9:00 pm |
| Sunday | 4:30 am – 1:30 pm
2:30 pm – 9:00 pm |