About Birla Mandir Delhi

Laxminarayan Mandir is one of the major temples and landmarks of Delhi. During 1933-39, Laxmi Narayan Temple was built by Mr. B.D. Birla of Birla Group of Industries, one of the famous business tycoons of India. Being constructed by the Birlas, the temple came to be known as Birla Temple. Located on Mandir Marg near Connaught Circus in Delhi, the temple is easily accessible from the city by metro, local buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws.

Birla Mandir is first of the temples made by Birlas across the country and till date, the funds to support this temple come from Birla family. The famous temple is accredited to have been inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1939. At that time, Mahatma Gandhi kept a condition that the temple would not be restricted to the Hindus and people from every caste would be allowed inside. In those times, the condition was really worked upon; still people visit this temple with full devotion.

Laxminarayan Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the preserver and his consort, Goddess Lakshmi. The architecture of the Temple looks imbibed from the Orissan Style. The temple has tall spires and it looks magnificent raised in red sandstone. The tallest spire of the temple extends to the height of 165 feet whereas the additional spires lengthen to 116 feet. The exotic structure of the temple comprises sculptures, tall spires and Jali work making it a remarkable to behold.

Apart from the idol of presiding deity, the temple has remarkable idols of Goddess Durga, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman. Geeta Bhawan is a huge hall that is embellished with striking paintings, derived from the scenes of Indian mythology. On the rear end, one can trace gardens and fountains in the temple complex. The two-storied verandahs, on the three sides, are overlooked by the interior court.

For tourists, temple authorities have made adequate arrangements of guest house in its complex. Many International scholars come here to learn about the Hindu religion and for the time, they usually stay in the guest house of Birla Temple. Every year, Janmashtami (birthday of Lord Krishna) is celebrated with full gusto and fervor in this temple. In fact, Birla Mandir is famous for its celebration of Janmashtami. People in large number come to visit this temple of spiritual legacy.

Climate

A part of lush green Aravalis in the plains of Northern India gave way to the capital of India - Delhi, several centuries ago. Like Agra, the city of Taj, it is also situated on the banks of river Yamuna. It has Himalayas to its north and is surrounded by land from all sides. Position inland, far away from sea, it has extreme continental type of climate. The weather conditions of Delhi are quite varied with scorching summers and chilling dry winters.

In summers, the days are unbearably hot due to scorching heat of the sun. The day temperature can soar up to as high as 48 deg C. Tourists are advised to exercise extreme precaution during summers. They should drink lots of water and liquids before venturing out to face the heat waves. Comfortable clothes should be worn to avoid inconvenience. Sticking to cottons is a very good option. In contrast, during the winters, the mercury can dip down to as low as 2 deg C.

Misty mornings, foggy evenings and delightfully-mild sunny afternoons make up for a normal winter day. During Monsoon, in July and August, Delhi gets an average rainfall of approximately 714 mm (28.1 inches). However, the annual rainfall is extremely variable, with the lowest recorded since 1864 being 261mm (10.27 inches) and the highest 1,583mm (62.3 inches). The average date of the advent of monsoon winds in Delhi is 29 June.

The best time to visit Delhi, especially for tourism purposes, is the spring season, from February to April, and the autumn season, from August to November. Besides, the blooming seasons in February and March are often accompanied by various colorful spring festivals such as Vasant Panchmi, the festival of flowers and Holi, the best-known festival of colors.

Transportation

New Delhi is the capital of India. Therefore, it is well connected to almost all the parts of the country. A number of people travel to Delhi everyday, for different reasons. For reaching Delhi, you can take effective means of transport like bus, train or airplane, depending on your location and pocket. Thus, you need not worry regarding how to reach Delhi. There are a number of national as well as international flights to and from the Indira Gandhi International Airport that will help you in traveling to the city. This makes the city reachable for both national and international tourists.

• Air: Delhi is well connected with domestic and international flights, to all the major cities within and outside India. Almost all the major airlines have their flights operating from Indira Gandhi International Airport of New Delhi.
• Rail: The railway network connects Delhi to the all major and, nearly, all the minor destinations in India. The three important railway stations of Delhi are New Delhi Railway Station, Old Delhi Railway Station and Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station.
• Bus: Delhi is well connected, by a network of roads and national highways, with all the major cities in India. The three major bus stands in Delhi are Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Kashmiri Gate, Sarai Kale-Khan Bus Terminus and Anand Vihar Bus Terminus. Both the government and private transport providers provide frequent bus services. One can also get government as well as private taxis here.