Laxminarayan Temple / Birla Mandir Delhi

Laxminarayan temple/mandir or Birla Mandir/temple is a Hindu temple which is located in New Delhi. The Laxminarayan temple was built by Birla’s (Jugal Kishore Birla) from 1933 to 1939 that’s why it is also known as Birla temple.

The Birla Mandir or Laxminarayan temple is primarily dedicated to the goddess Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) and the god Vishu(preserver).

The temple is also famous because it was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi.

Friday Evening, during aarti, is the best time to visit Birla Mandir.

 

History of Laxminarayan Temple / Birla Mandir Delhi

The Laxminarayan temple or Birla Mandir was built by an Indian entrepreneur and philanthropist Baldeo Das Birla and his son Jugal Kishore Birla from 1933 to 1939. It was built under the guidance of Pandit Vishwanath Singh.

Maharaja Udhaynhanu Singh laid the foundation of the temple in 1933.

The Father of the Nation i.e. Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated the Birla Mandir in 1939 with a condition that all classes of people would be allowed to visit inside the temple and there would be no differentiation which means all are equal.

 

Architecture Laxminarayan Temple / Birla Mandir Delhi

PC: lakshay_photographer

Sris Chandra Chatterjee a leading proponent of the “Modern Indian architecture movement” was the architect of the Birla Mandir.

The complex of the temple is huge and is spread in over 7 acres of land. It has 3 stories and the highest shikhara of the temple is about 160 feet high.

The architecture of Laxminarayan temple, Delhi was adapted from nagara style of Hindu temple architecture. The temple is adorned with carvings depicting the beautiful scenes of golden Yuga of the present universe cycle. The Canonical texts on the temple craving were influenced by the Swadeshi movement.

From the city of Benares, more than a hundred artisans headed by Acharya Vishvanath Shastri carved the icons of the temple.

The main Laxmi Narayan idols of the Birla Mandir are constructed by high-quality marble which was brought from Jaipur. And the Kota stones were brought from Jaisalmer, Agra, Kota and Makarana for the construction of the temple.

The complex of Birla temple also has temples which are dedicated to Shiva, Ganesha, Hanuman, Krishna and Buddha. In the same complex, there is a huge Geeta Bhawan also which is a lecture hall.

The beautiful gardens and cascading waterfalls add to the attraction of the temple.

 

Location

Laxminarayan Temple / Birla Mandir is located on Mandir Marg on the west side of Connaught Place in New Delhi. Nearest metro station to Birla Mandir is Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, which is around 1.5 km from the temple.

Address: Mandir Marg, Near Golmarket, New Delhi,110001

 

Timings

Birla Mandir is open all Days from 4:30 AM to 1:30 PM and 2:30 PM to 9:00 PM. But the best time to visit the temple is Friday evening at the time of the aarti.