Birla Mandir, Delhi

Locations
Birla Mandir is situated on the Mandir Marg road, close to the famous Connaught Place area of New Delhi, at a distance of around 4 kms from New Delhi railway station, 204 kms from Agra and 300 kms from Jaipur.

About Birla Mandir
Situated in the heart of the city, Birla Mandir is one of the major attractions in the national capital - Delhi. Its modern concept and picturesque construction attract a large number of devotees and tourists from all parts of the world. All the Hindu festivals are celebrated here with great enthusiasm, but the celebrations of Krishna Janmashtami and Deepawali are very special.

This famous Hindu temple was constructed in the year 1938 by Raja Baldev Das Birla and was inaugurated by Mahatama Gandhi. Built over a period of six years (1933 - 1939), the temple is open to people of all castes and faiths, but one can enter the temple only barefoot. The temple houses several images and idols of Hindu gods and goddesses. The divine peace of the temple is interrupted by the chants over the loud speaker system, but it offers a unique charm.

Built in the Nagara style of architecture, the temple has influences of modern architecture. The whole temple is adorned with carvings depicting stories from the Hindu mythology. The white marble used in the temple was brought from Jaipur. Kota stone brought from Makarana, Agra and Jaislamer were also used in the temple construction. The idols of the temple were carved by 101 skilled craftsmen from Varanasi, headed by Acharya Vishvanath Shastri. The highest tower of the temple soars 165 feet high, while the ancillary towers are 116 feet high. The temple facing the east direction is situated on a high plinth, which leads to a sanctum sanctorum. The chamber houses the shrines dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Narayan. The temple has other small shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and Hanuman. Another attraction of the temple is a shrine dedicated to Lord Buddha. The shrine adorned with fresco paintings depicts Buddha's life and work. Durga and Shiva are other main deities enshrined in this temple.

The Geeta Bhawan, a hall situated to the north of the temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The hall is adorned with lovely paintings depicting scenes from the Indian mythology. The entire temple complex is dotted with miniature rock temples, in addition the temple walls and the upper gallery have several interesting paintings. The artificial mountainous landscape with cascading waterfalls add more to the beauty of the temple.

How to Reach Birla Mandir
Delhi is well connected to national as well as international destinations. The city is well connected by air, rail and road. One can reach the temple by taxi, auto-rickshaw or buses run by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).