New Vishwanath Temple / Birla Temple
New Vishwanath Temple in Banaras Hindu University (BHU), popularly known as Birla Temple, was built by a prominent industrialist family of Birlas. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva. Over the years, it has emerged as one of the most visited tourist attractions in Varanasi. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the founder of Banaras Hindu University (काशी हिन्दू विश्वविद्यालय), planned for a majestic temple at that place to spread moral values and entwine ethos of Indian value systems with modern education. Unlike many other temples in Varanasi, this temple is open to all irrespective of caste or creed. New Vishwanath Temple boasts of having the tallest ‘temple-shikhar’ in the world; it’s even taller than Qutub Minar in New Delhi. Its architectural design is inspired by Kashi Vishwanath Temple or Vishweshwar Temple. It took thirty-five years (1931-1966) to construct this huge temple, surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens with fountains. The temple complex provides the perfect ambiance for introspection, meditation or just solitude.
