Five decades, two landmarks, one evolving city
The Birla Mandir temple and The Hindu newspaper have both served as enduring landmarks in Hyderabad for nearly 50 years. Their histories reflect the city's evolution through political and social changes since the 1970s.
Why it matters
These landmarks provide a cultural lens through which to view the rapid modernization and historical shifts of a major Indian city.
For nearly five decades, two familiar sights have stood witness to Hyderabad’s changing skyline: a white-marble temple on a hill and a newspaper that has reported on the city, its people and its politics.
On Kala Pahad, also known as Neeladri, the Sri Venkateshwara Temple, popularly known as Birla Mandir, has looked over Hyderabad since it opened to devotees in February 1976. Six months later, in September, The Hindu established its full-fledged presence in Hyderabad and the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. Fifty years later, both remain closely associated with the city, though in very different ways.
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