Birla Mandir, Hindu temple in Ballygunge, Kolkata, India
Birla Mandir is a Hindu temple in Ballygunge, Kolkata, India, built from white marble and reaching a height of roughly 160 feet (49 meters). The outer walls display finely worked stone reliefs, while the structure houses multiple prayer halls and shrines arranged around a central courtyard.
Construction began in 1970 under architect Nomi Bose and took 26 years to complete, with the opening in 1996. The Birla family funded the project as part of their effort to build temples in several Indian cities.
Visitors see carved scenes from sacred texts distributed across interior surfaces, depicting episodes from the lives of different deities. The design follows Rajasthani forms, while the prayer hall is used daily by worshippers for rituals and quiet devotion.
The site is located on Ashutosh Chowdhury Avenue and opens daily with no admission fee. Visitors should remove shoes before entering prayer areas and wear clothing that covers shoulders and knees.
The architecture borrows from the Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, combining medieval forms with contemporary construction methods. Craftsmen from Rajasthan brought traditional stone carving techniques that remain visible in the decorative details today.
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