Chattarpur Temple, South Delhi

The Chattarpur Temple is dedicated to goddess Durga, along with temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, Vishnu, Lakshmi and Ganesh in the temple compound. A large number of devotees visit this temple and is very famous; earlier, the area around it was not populated, but as Delhi is expanding, the temple is seeing many more devotees. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga (who is worshipped in fierce (Kali, Durga) and tender (Lakshmi) forms), and who is the consort of Lord Vishnu. Another shrine is dedicated to Goddess Katyayani, whose 'darshan' can be availed only on 'ashtami' falling in every month. Otherwise, the 'darshan' of Goddess Katyayani can be made throughout the days of 'Navratri'.

Map to Temple:


The temples exhibit a beautiful architecture, made up of marble (and gleaming in their whiteness), and made in the South Indian style. The center is the Vimana (a tall tower consisting of several smaller storeys). During Durga Pooja, the temple is thronged by devotees, there to offer prayers. The compound has beautifully manicured lawns, and gardens. The temple also has a tree where devotees tie a thread so that their requests are met by the deity. Chhatarpur Temple was built by Swami Nagpal Maharaj, who was a great devotee of Goddess Durga.
Places nearby: Alai-Darwaza, Quwwatul-Islam Mosque, Iron Pillar, Alai Minar, Tomb of Iltutmish, Imam Zamin's Tomb and Ala-ud-Din Madarsa.
Located at: 4km Beyond Qutub Minar in Mehrauli, Delhi

Photos (link1, link2, link3, link4)


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Bhairon temple near Purana Qila

Located on one of the busiest traffic routes in Delhi, not too many people know about the Bhairon Mandir, a temple that actually takes liquor as an offering. Even when you know that you are traveling on a road known as Bhairon Road, not too many people associate that with the temple. That is not to say that these are unknown temples, a lot of people in Delhi know about these temples and many go to these temples (when I say temples, there are actually 2 temples over there, in one you offer liquor, and in the other, you offer milk (called Dhudhiya Bhairon)).
The Purana Qila has a heritage around it, known as having been associated with the time of the Mahabharata (even though there is not much of archaeological proof as yet of this). Similarly, the Bhairon Mandir outside the complex is supposed to be of that age, a place where Bheema worshipped the fierce form of Lord Shiva called Bhairavji. The structure is assuredly not so old, but the story goes that the core section of the temple is very old.
In the temple, you can give alcohol as an offering; another interesting part is that the devotees are forbidden from giving prasad (the offering) to beggars (in theory - in practise there are a number of beggars outside).


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Kalkaji Mandir

The Kalkaji Mandir is a part of the ancient history of Delhi, with a common belief that there has been a structure here for the past 3,000 years, and a connection with the Mahabharta, in terms of worship of the Kalka Devi (an incarnation of Goddess Durga). The temple in its current position is located on a hill, and it is really quite ancient, with the oldest parts being from the 1760's; and there were many additions in the 19th century.
The Delhi locality of Kalkaji takes its name from the temple. To reach it is very simple, you ask for the temple and you will get directions. It is located next to Nehru Place and close to the Ba'hai temple.
The modern temple is a 12-sided structure completely made out of marble and black pumice stones. This structure houses the black stone that denotes goddess kali. The temple building is very simple and has no ornamentation as such. There is an inn in the backyards of the main structure known as Kali Dharamshala.
The main shrine has twelve sides, made in white marble and granite tiles. This structure houses the black stone that denotes goddess kali. The temple building is very simple and has no ornamentation as such. In the vicinity of the temple are the Mandir's dharamshalas, the rest houses for pilgrims, which were built by the donations of many devotees in the early 20th century. During the time of 'Navratris' (Mar-Apr / Sep-Oct), thousands of devotees come for the 'darshan' of the deity. For the period of nine days, a huge fair is organized in the vicinity of the temple.


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Akshardham temple in East Delhi

The Akshardham temple complex in Delhi is a magnificent structure, inaugrated in November, 2005. The President, APJ Abdul Kalam attended the inaugration. The complex has been built on the banks of the serene River Yamuna and lies over a sprawling 100 acres of lush manicured lawns adorned with water fountains and carved pavilions. The temple belongs to the Swaminarayan sect, and is open from 9 AM - 9 PM on all days except for Monday when it is closed. It can be very crowded on weekends. It is located at the intersection of the road coming from Nizamuddin Bridge and the road coming from Noida.
If entering the complex, please remember that there is heavy security, and even things such as mobile phones are not allowed. Leave them at home, or deposit them in the safe locker.
Besides the Swaminarayan temple the complex consists of the main monument, exhibition halls, an IMAX theatre and a musical fountain, surrounded by a garden. It also got a restaurant modeled on the Ajanta and Ellora caves and an Ayurvedic bazaar. The entire structure is made without steel as per Sthaapatya shastras of India, and is made from sandstone and marble.
Refer to the URL for the Akshardham temple. Some great photos of the Akshardham temple located at this link. Some additional photos are available at Flickr.
For a first-person read of a visit to the temple complex, read this post at Ghumakkar.com


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Delhi Temples: Birla (Lakshminarayan) Mandir

The Birla Mandir (also called the Lakshminarayan Temple in honour of Lord Vishnu (Narayan) and his consort, the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi) is a relatively modern temple, having been completed in 1939 and inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi (with the condition that the temple will be open to all, and there are no restrictions; however non-hindus are not allowed inside the main premises). The temple has been built by the Birla family, an old Indian business family. The temple is located close to Connaught Place, on Mandir Marg. To reach it, you need to take the Radial Road from Connaught Place that passes in front of Lady Hardinge College and Shivaji Stadium, and follow the road straight.
Birla Mandir gets most crowded during Janmashtmi (festival to celebrate birth of Lord Krishna, an avtar of Vishnu). The temple complex also has shrines honoring the deities Shiva and Durga. There is also a Buddha temple in the complex with frescos depicting his life and work. The Geeta Bhavan, a hall is adorned with beautiful paintings depicting scenes from Indian mythology. The entire complex, especially the walls and the upper gallery are full of paintings carried out by artists from Jaipur in Rajasthan.
The complex is modern in construction, and is designed on the Orissa style, with tall curved towers capped by large amalakas. The outside facing of the complex is white marble and red sandstone. Online donations can be made through this website.
Rituals can be be conducted with the help of the temple priest, and there is an aarti daily in the evening, but it can get fairly crowded.


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