Birla Mandir (Temple) in Delhi India

Birla Mandir was built by the great industrialist GD Birla in 1983 and is located in the central part of the capital, Mandir Marg. Popularly known as the Birla Mandir, this famous Hindu temple is also known as the Laxmi Narayan Temple. In order to maintain the clause of allowing the entrance of people of all castes in the temple, this holy place of worship was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. The temple is dedicated to Laxmi (the goddess of prosperity) and Narayana (The preserver) along with smaller idols of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and Lord Hanuman and Goddess Durga.

Birla Mandir is also famous for celebrating the festival of Janmashtami (birth of Lord Krishna) with great zeal and benevolence.

Built in the Orissan style, the temple has a large number of idols representing various gods of Indian pantheon. The tall curved towers are covered by large amalakas - circular ribbed motif at the peak of a temple tower. Though the exterior is done with the white marble and red sandstone gives a touch of the Mughal architecture. The interior court of the temple is overlooked by two-storey verandahs on three sides and is surrounded by green gardens and fountains at the rear side of the temple. The interior of the temples are adorned with beautiful carvings from the scenes of mythology. One can see numerous Hindu symbols and quotations from the Gita and the Upanishads on the walls of the temples. Facing east and standing on an elevated platform, Birla Mandir preserves the holy Vedas.

To the north of the temple lies the Geeta Bhawan which is devoted to Lord Krishna. There is also a Buddha temple in this temple complex, adorned with wall paintings describing his life and work. All the statues in the temple are made up of marble and were especially brought from Jaipur. Miniature rock temples, which dot the temple, hold a special attraction for the children.

Till today, it is counted among one of the most popular temples of Delhi. This temple attracts numerous devotees and international tourists every year.