Temple, where Lord Balaji sports a moustache

Hyderabad: The 204-year-old Jham Singh Balaji Mahadev Temple in Gudimalkapur, which has a rare idol of Lord Rama with a pencil-thin mustache, has been attracting hordes of Rajput devotees and tourists alike.

Built in 1810 by Jham Singh, a Rajput soldier hailing from Uttar Pradesh, during the reign of Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of Hyderabad, the temple has many other attractive features too.

Unfolding the distinctive features, priest Venugopal Acharyalu, says, 'Constructed in brown sandstone in a simple manner without much intricate artwork, the temple follows the south Indian style of 12-pillared mandapam and a small gopuram.

The temple's presiding deity, Lord Venkateswara Swami, is carved out of black sandstone, flanked by the Lord's two consorts -- Sridevi and Bhudevi. The stone pillar (Dhwajasthambham) has no parallel in twin the twin cities and there is a statue of Lord Garuda (mount of Lord Vishnu), along with the idols of Lord Hanuman and other deities.

The priest says, 'The idol of the Lord has a lot of resemblance with Rajput features like the dagger, which is considered the most important asset.

He says, 'The pencil-thin moustache of the idol is similar to the mustache sported by Jham Singh, who constructed the temple.' The shrine is a blend of Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture, with the Asaf Jahi chajjas and the south Indian temple gopuram. Reflecting the builder's equestrian passion, the entrance of the temple is adorned with stone images of horses on either side.

There is a Naqar khana in front of the main entrance; a place for the drum beaters, which is in a bad shape, though portions of the intricate stucco work are still visible and mirror the workmanship of the period.

'Holding the commander-in-chief position, Jham Singh was a very close associate of the Nizam and was credited with possessing a sharp equine sense to be able choose the best horses.

The responsibility for purchasing horses for the Nizam's army was entrusted to him. While embarking on a journey to purchase horses, Jham Singh had a dream in which he was asked to build a temple.

Inspired by the dream, he constructed the temple on the road connecting Golconda to Karwan by putting in all his resources, annoying the Nizam,' says Acharya and adds, 'But for the then Prime Minister Raja Chandulal, Jham Singh would have ended up in prison for a lifetime. Singh got a fresh lease of life after he assured the king that a magnificent mosque would be built next to the temple.