Birla Mandir, Moti Dungari

Birla Mandir or  Lakshmi Narayan Temple at Jaipur was built by the B.M.Birla Foundation in 1988 and is constructed solely of white marble. It is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi and Bhagwan Vishnu (Narayan). The images of other Hindu Gods and Goddesses and selections from the Gita and Upnishads also appear inside the temple.  Festivals such as Diwali and Janmashtami are celebrated at the temple with great fanfare. The temple is located in Jaipur's Tilak Nagar near Moti Dungari hill.

Tradition states that the Maharaja sold the land for the temple for one rupee to the Birla Family. Construction began in 1977 under the direction of Ramanuj Das and Ghanshyam Das Birla. It opened on February 22, 1988

The Architecture

The temple is made of white marble. There are four distinct parts of the temple: its sanctum, tower, main hall, and entrance. It has three towers, referencing the three main faiths of India, as well as stained glass windows depicting traditional Hindu stories.  Marble Structures also refer Hindu Mythology.  It features Hindu deities inside - particularly Lakshmi Narayan, and Ganesh - and figures such as Christ, the Virgin Mary, St Peter, Buddha, Confucius and Socrates on the outer walls. Statues of its founders - Rukmani Devi Birla and Braj Mohan Birla - lie outdoors in covered pavilions, facing the temple with hands folded in namaskara mudra.  Its architectural style is considered to be modern. It was built on a raised platform, which lifts it up into the Jaipur skyline; at night, it becomes covered in light. In addition to the temple itself, the grounds include garden and a small gift shop. 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.