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 god Vishnu (Narayan),[4] whose images appear inside, along with other Hindu gods and goddesses and selections from the Gita and Upanishads.[3] It is located in Jaipur's Tilak Nagar neighborhood near Moti Dungari hill.[5]

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 22, 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][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.