Birla Mandir, Jaipur

Birla Mandir, Jaipur (Lakshmi Narayan Temple) is a Hindu temple located in Jaipur, India[1] and is one of many Birla mandirs.[2] It was built by the B.M. Birla Foundation in 1988 and is constructed solely of white marble.[3] It is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu (Narayan),[4] whose images appear inside, along with other Hindu gods and goddesses and selections from the Gita and Upanishads.[3] Festivals such as Diwali and Janamashtami are celebrated at the temple. The temple is open daily with visiting hours between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM, as well as between 4:00 PM and 8:00 AM.[3] It is located in Jaipur's Tilak Nagar neighborhood near Moti Dungari hill.[5]

This article is about Birla temple in Jaipur. For other Birla temples in India, see Birla Mandir.

Birla Mandir, Jaipur
Religion
AffiliationHindu
DeityNarayan, Lakshmi
FestivalsDiwali, Janamashtami
Location
LocationBirla Mandir, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, Tilak Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302022, India
StateRajasthan
CountryIndia
Shown within Jaipur
Birla Mandir, Jaipur (Rajasthan)
Geographic coordinates26.8921°N 75.8155°E / 26.8921; 75.8155
Architecture
StyleModern
Funded byB. M. Birla Foundation
Groundbreaking1977
Completed1988
MaterialsWhite marble

History

Tradition states that a Maharaja sold the Birla family the land for the temple for one rupee.[3][6][7] Construction began in 1977 under the direction Ramanauj Das and Ghanshyam Birla.[8] It opened on February 22nd, 1988.[9]

Architecture

The temple is made of white marble. There are four distinct parts of the temple: its sanctum, tower, main hall, and entrance.[10] It has three towers, referencing the three main faiths of India,[3] as well as stained glass windows depicting traditional Hindu stories.[4] Marble sculptures[1] also reference Hindu mythology.[11] It features Hindu deities inside - particularly Lakshmi, Narayan, and Ganesh[4] - and figures such as Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. Peter, Buddha, Confucius, and Socrates on the outer walls.[2][12][10] Statues of its founders - Rukmani Devi Birla and Braj Mohan Birla - lie outdoors in covered pavilions, facing the temple with hands folded in namaskāra mudra.[10] Its architectural style is considered to be modern.[3] It was built on a raised platform, which lifts it up into the Jaipur skyline; at night, it becomes covered in light.[11] In addition to the temple itself, the grounds include gardens[2] and a small gift shop.[1] Below the temple lies the B. M. Birla Family Museum and the Sri and Smt. G. P. Birla Gallery; both contain photographs of the temple's construction and the Birla family's philanthropic contributions, as well as treasures belonging to the Birla family.[10]

References
  1. "Birla Mandir". Times of India Travel. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  2. "Birla Mandir". India News, Breaking News, Entertainment News | India.com. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  3. "Birla Temple Jaipur Rajasthan". www.jaipur.org.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  4. "Birla Temple Jaipur- Birla Mandir Jaipur, Laxmi Narayan Mandir Jaipur India, Birla Temple Rajasthan India". www.culturalindia.net. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  5. Das, Joydip (2015). Jaipur Pocket Travel Guide. Bluworlds Guides. p. 12.
  6. "Birla Mandir Jaipur, History, Facts and Story of Birla Temple". www.indialine.com. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  7. "Laxmi Narayan Temple / Birla Mandir Jaipur, India (Timings, History, Entry Fee, Images, Aarti, Location & Phone) - Jaipur Tourism 2020". jaipurtourism.co.in. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  8. Sethi, Ankit (11 February 2018). "Birla Mandir Jaipur - Temple Lakshmi Narayan, Timings, History". Mysterioustrip. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  9. Harshwal, Prateek (13 April 2018). "Birla Mandir Jaipur - A Must Visit White Marble Structure in All Pink City". Jaipur City Travel Guide: Pink City Heritage, Food, Shopping, much more. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  10. Kudelska, Marta; Staszczyk, Agnieszka; Świerzowska, Agata (2016). "Birla Mandirs – The contemporary Hindu temple complexes as an example of modernization by going back to tradition – 2015 fieldwork report". The Polish Journal of the Arts and Culture. 1: 151–156 – via CEEOL.
  11. "Incredible India | Birla Temple". www.incredibleindia.org. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  12. City, Siliconindia Travel. "The Birla Temple Jaipur, Rajasthan". siliconindia. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
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