Birla Mandir, Hyderabad, India

This is a temple built entirely in white marble. Situated on the top of Naubath Pahad and close to the Hyderabad railway station, the Birla Mandir is one of the seven wonders of Hyderabad and is a magnificent Hindu temple.


The chief deity is Lord Venkateshwara, though shrines are also dedicated to other Hindu gods and goddesses. The temple architecture is a mix of South Indian, Rajasthani and Utkala styles.


I visited this temple about a month back and was not allowed to take photographs inside the temple campus, but managed to take some from the outside. As is true with all Birla Foundation temples, this temple is set at an amazing location anis built with great taste. 

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Birla Mandir in Bhopal, India

Last week, I got an opportunity to visit Bhopal again and it was during this visit that I stopped by to offer my prayers at the Birla Mandir, located about 15 minutes from the centre of the city.


Birla Mandir, also known as Lakshmi Narayan Temple is an important landmark in Bhopal. It is situated atop the Arera hills and is the highest point in Bhopal.


The temple, at first glance looks very pretty with its yellow and rusty brown paint. And, it gets even better as you enter inside with its green gardens making for a serene atmosphere.


The main shrine in this temple is that of Lakshmi and her consort Vishnu. The other shrine is that of Parvati and her consort Shiva.


There is also a museum attached to the temple that houses a rich collection of sculptures, but I was unable to visit this museum owing to lack of time.

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