Birla Mandir

Birla Mandir is a white-marble temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, built in 1976 on Naubat Pahad, a hill of about 280 feet above Hussain Sagar in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Construction took about a decade and used roughly 2,000 tonnes of Rajasthani white marble, and the design draws on Odishan, Dravidian and Rajasthani temple styles. The temple has no bells, in keeping with the founders' wish to preserve a calm atmosphere, and the interior holds a 11-foot idol of Venkateswara and smaller shrines to other deities. The hill setting is the main draw for non-worshippers: from the terraces, the view spans Hussain Sagar, the Buddha statue, the Tank Bund and the surrounding skyline. A visit takes roughly an hour, including the climb up the ramp and steps, shoe deposit at the base, the darshan queue and time on the terraces. Early morning shortly after the temple opens and dusk are the best times, when the marble glows and the temperature is comfortable, and the lake view is clearest in winter. Midday is quiet since the temple closes between 12:00PM and 3:00PM, reopening until 9:00PM. Weekends, Saturdays in particular, and festival days see long queues of devotees. Entry is free, though donations are accepted, and visitors should dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered. Photography is not allowed inside the sanctum, but the exterior and the views are open to photography. The Birla Science Museum and Planetarium is next door, and the Tank Bund is a short ride away, so the temple fits naturally into a half-day around the lake. Shoes and mobile phones may need to be deposited at the counters near the entrance.