Birla Mandir (Hyderabad)

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Birla Mandir is one of the foremost tourist attractions in Hyderabad. Surely no trip to the city is complete without a visit to this beautiful temple. The best thing about this Birla Temple is that it is open to people of all religious faiths. At the very entrance of the temple there is a brass memorial welcoming everyone.

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An enchanting temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, the Birla Mandir of Hyderabad, India stands in its entire splendor on the hilltop of Kala Pahad. Made of pure white marble from Rajasthan, the Birla Mandir overlooks the serene and placid waters of the Hussain Sagar Lake. The famous Birla industrialist who had built a large number of temples all over India built the Birla temple of Hyderabad. They finished building the Birla Mandir of Hyderabad within a time span of ten years. The magnificent shrine offers a wonderfully breath-taking view of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

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The Birla Mandir was built by Raja Baldev Birla. In the year 1938, the temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. There is a very interesting anecdote. At that point of time, the social evil of Untouchability was like a poisonous sore and needed to be mitigated. Everyone was not given the permission to enter the premises of temples. Gandhi placed the condition that he would inaugurate the temple only if people belonging to all strata of the society were permitted to offer their prayers in the temple.

As you enter the temple you can see the ‘Gopuram’ or the pyramid shaped temple top, which is a characteristic feature of South Indian temples. The tower situated at the top of the principal deity called the Jagadananda vimanam is again built in the Orissan style. The flagstaff of the temple is made up of brass, and reaches to a staggering height of 42 feet.

Lakshmi Narayan Temple – (Birla Mandir, Delhi)

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The Lakshmi Narayan Temple or the Birla Temple as it is popularly known enshrines Lord Vishnu – the preserver of the Hindu Trinity. The Temple is one of the major attractions of the capital city – Delhi. The divine tranquility of the temple is interrupted only by the melodious kirtans that echoes in the sanctum sanctorum. The temple enshrines almost all the deities of the Hindu Pantheon. Situated at the heart of the cit, this is one of the major tourist and pilgrim destinations of Delhi. Located in the heart of the city of New Delhi, the Lakshmi Narayan Temple is one of the major tourist attractions of the city. Enchantingly carved depicting some of the finest gems of Hindu theology, the Lakshmi Narayan Temple was built in 1938 by Raja Baldev Das and is situated on the western portion of Connaught Place, one of the most important areas of the city of New Delhi.

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The temple has an immense historical significance as well. Built after a period of 6 years, the temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi who laid down the condition, that the temple was not to be barred for entry to anyone on the basis of caste and every individual especially the untouchables would have as much a right of entry to its sacred grounds as people from other castes. Built by the Birla family of industrialists, one of the best-known families of India, the temple is also known as the Birla Temple.

The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Vishnu, Hinduism’s emblem of wealth and prosperity. However, the Birla Temple is also home to a number of other shrines dedicated to deities like Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha and Hanuman. The Vedic texts are also enshrined in the temple which also houses a Buddha temple inside its premises. In the northern portion of the temple lies the Geeta Bhavan, dedicated to Lord Krishna. Though almost all the major Hindu festivals are celebrated with equal fervor in the temple yet even among these, Krishna Janmashtami and Deepawali are considered to be of immense importance.

Shrdi Sai Baba ( Maharashtra)

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Sai Baba, one of the foremost saints of modern India, lived in the small village of Shirdi in the state of Maharashtra for sixty years. Due to his presence there even after his Samadhi, today the small village has transformed itself as a great spiritual center to people from all religions. Shri Sai Baba, inspite of his great spiritual stature, never publicized himself through discoursing, touring and preaching—unlike today’s many ‘so-called’ saints.

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Shirdi town is situated in Rahata Tahasil in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra State (India). It is located at 19o45′ North Latitude and 74o25′ East Longitude. It falls on Ahmednagar-Manmad State Highway No.10 at 83 Km. from Ahmednagar, and 15 Km. from Kopargaon. It (the Ahmednagar -Manmad road) was a very busy route in the old times. It is located at 185 Km. to the East from Western Seashore line.

India attracts millions of devotees of all religions, castes and creed who come to pay homage to Shri Sai Baba. The temple is a beautiful shrine that was built over the Samadhi of Shri Sai Baba. Thursday is the day Saibaba is specially worshipped. On this day devotees from all over India visit Shirdi for Darshan of Saibaba.

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The Temple opens for devotees at 5.15 a.m. (0515 hrs) with Kakad Aarti and remains open till the end of Shejarti. For more on Puja timings. For devotees across the globe, there are arrangements to get Pujas conducted on their behalf and the prasad sent to them. Shirdi is well connected by road. There are also a few religious places of tourist interest in and around Shirdi. Shirdi Saibaba Temple is managed by Shri Sai Baba Sansthan since 1922. The trust ensures that a strict code of conduct is maintained in the temple premises.

The SAI BABA has done many miracles of his Lifetime. The villagers of Shirdi and afar soon found out that this was no ordinary fakir but an avatar (incarnation) of a very high order. He demonstrated through his miracles and utterances, the purpose and intention for which he had come. He would often say, “My Leela is inscrutable”. To each one he met, he imparted knowledge according to the capacity of the recipient to absorb it.

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Some Assurance Of SAIBABA are like wise : If you look at me I look at you.. If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it.. There shall be no want in the house of my devotees.. If you seek my advice and help, it shall be given to you at once.. and many more Sai baba gave.

Samadhi Mandir of Shri Sai Baba was actually owned by a millionaire from Nagpur, a famous Sai devotee Shreemant Gopalrao. Gopalrao wanted to keep an idol of Murlidhar here. However, Baba himself became Murlidhar and the Mandir became the Samadhi Mandir of Baba.