This huge marble temple on a hill above the city is one of Hyderabad’s most eye-catching spiritual centres. Birla Mandir Temple is known for its impressive red towers. It contains both Hindu and Buddhist shrines. Once you’ve toured the temple, take the kids to the Birla Science Museum and Birla Planetarium next door. Come back at night for a special light show projected on to the temple’s towers.
The temple was built in 1976 by an industrial group known as the Birlas. Its design reflects the influence of several traditional Indian styles. The entrance tower, called the Rajagopuram, was built in the style of southern India. The temple’s main tower, which stands over the shrine, was built in the Orissan style of east India. Rajasthan in north-west India provided the 2,000 tonnes of marble the temple is made from.
Browse the diverse shrines inside. Learn the story of Buddha in a series of paintings arranged around his shrine. Shrines dedicated to Shiva and Ganesha stand among those housing various other Hindu gods. You can’t miss the 3.3-metre (11-foot) black-granite sculpture of Lord Venkateswara, which towers over the hall.
From its hilltop location, the temple offers panoramic views of Hyderabad and its natural surroundings. Gaze over the gorgeous lake Hussain Sagar and watch the sunset in peace. Birla Mandir has no bells, so nothing disturbs its silence and serenity. At night, the towers are bathed in floodlights.
The Birla Science Museum next door features impressive archaeological exhibits, with fossils from more than 160 million years ago. Learn the Indian constellations at the Birla Planetarium, which gives presentations in English daily. The Hussain Sagar lake lies just north.
Visit the Birla Mandir Temple any day in either the morning or the late afternoon. It’s closed in the middle of the day. Admission to the temple is free. The Musi River lies immediately to the south. Arrive by bus to the neighbouring Koti bus stop or by train to one of two railway stations that lie in the area.
