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 Laxminarayan
Temple as viewed from the street The Laxminarayan Temple,
(also called the Birla Mandir), in Delhi, India, is a temple
built in honor of the Hindu goddess of wealth, Laxmi, and of
her consort, Lord Vishnu – the Preserver of the Hindu Trinity.
It is a temple with many shrines, fountains, and a large
garden . The temple attracts thousands of devotees on
Janmashtami day, the birthday of Lord Krishna.
The famous
Birla temple patronized by Mahatma Gandhi, who inaugurated
this temple in 1938 after Raja Baldev Birla constructed it, is
dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi. It is close to Connaught Place
and is frequented by many devotees regularly. The temple was
inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi on the condition that people of
all strata of society be allowed to offer prayers there on
account of the large scale prevalence of untouchability at
that time. One of the most important festivals of the Hindus
Janamashtami coinciding with the birth of Lord Krishna is
celebrated with great fervour in the temple with more than
lakh visitors. At the entrance is a plaque welcoming people of
all faiths and religions.
About Birla Mandir
Overlooking the Tank Bund, in Hyderabad, this magnificent
shrine dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara offers a fantastic
panoramic view of the twin cities of Hyderabad and
Secunderabad. Built entirely out of marble this magnificent
structure stands atop the Kala Pahad presenting a colorful
spectacular sight when illuminated at night.
Beauty of the temple
Built over a span of ten years, by a Birla Foundation, the
Birla Mandir is a beautiful modern temple overlooking the
south end of Hussain Sagar, providing an excellent view over
the city from the summit. One gets to view the intricate
carvings of the temple, the ceiling and the mythological
figures, which are a standing testimony to the dexterity and
sculptural excellence of the craftsmen. This magnificent
structure is a blend Of Orissan & South Indian Temple Art
where 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. The consorts of Venkateswara,
'Padmavati' and 'Andal' are housed in separate shrines.
Beautiful scenes from the great epics of Ramayana and
Mahabharatha are finely sculpted in marble. A number of lofty
steps lead the visitor to the sanctum sanctorum. Along the
winding path are many marble statues of Gods and Goddesses of
Hindu mythology located in the midst of some gardens, full of
blossoms. The granite image of the presiding deity is about 11
ft. tall and a carved lotus forms an umbrella for this image.
The brass flagstaff rises to a height of 42 ft.
Architecture
The highest tower in the temple reaches a height of 165 feet
and the ancillary towers reach 116 feet. The Geeta Bhavan, a
hall is adorned with beautiful paintings depicting scenes from
Indian mythology.
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