Birla Mandir: God’s Marble Home

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The 11-feet tall statue of Lord Venkateswara in the sanctum sanctorum is sculpted from black granite, specially mined and brought from Phirangipuram in Guntur district. This is very different from the white marble statues that one sees in other temples built by the Birlas. Over the statue is a lotus-shaped canopy done in marble again. The tower of the main temple called the Jagadananda vimanam has a close resemblance to the architecture of the Lingaraj temple at Bhubaneswar. Overlooking the presiding deity is the brass dhwaja stambham soaring to a height of 42 feet. In the adjoining mukhamandapam are several sculptures in marble depicting scenes from the Hindu mythology, the Ramayana and Mahabharatha in particular. The temple towers for the Lord’s two consorts Padmavathi and Andal are built in South Indian style, unlike the Utkal architecture marking the main temple.

If you are an early bird, you can catch the melodies of Venkateswara suprabhatam as early as 5:30 in the morning followed by devotional numbers of Annamacharya, Thyagaraja and Bhakta Ramadas. If you come for a second look in the evening, the whole temple complex is bathed in an aura of flood-lit glory. Temple rituals here are done according to agama shastras, the pancharatra agama in particular. Venkateswara temple on the hillock is a place where you are bound to forget grief and greed for the while you are there. The temple itself is cradled amidst tall and ancient trees, manicured and well-maintained lawns, and formal gardens. Birla Mandir is the centrepiece of the capital city’s skyline.

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