Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple, Tividale: Birmingham Travel Guide

A Tirupati temple in the Black Country

The gopuram rises above Dudley Road East like nothing else on the street. This is a South Indian temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara (Balaji), the deity of the great Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh. It sits between Oldbury and Dudley, among semis and industrial units.

Inside, the complex is spacious and holds many shrines, each with its own deity. It hosts regular events and festival programmes. It is one of the most-reviewed places of worship in the West Midlands and very well rated. It is a working temple first, though, so expect devotees at prayer, not a museum.

Timing around the midday close

The temple closes for a few hours in the middle of the day, and plenty of visitors miss it. Opening hours:

• Monday–Friday: 9am–1pm and 5pm–9pm
• Saturday–Sunday: 9am–2:30pm and 4pm–9pm

Weekends are busy from 10am right through to 9pm. If you want space to look at each shrine properly, come on a weekday. Allow 45 minutes to an hour for a walk-round, and longer if you stay for a puja.

Shoes off, then a clockwise walk

The routine is the same as at most Hindu temples, and following it matters here.

• Footwear: remove shoes before going in; racks are provided.
• Dress: cover your shoulders and knees. Loose, modest clothing works best because you may sit on the floor.
• Movement: walk clockwise around the shrines and do not step in front of anyone who is praying.
• Sanctum: stay behind the barrier and don’t photograph the deities unless a sign or volunteer says it is allowed.
• Prasad: if you are offered blessed food, accept it with your right hand.

The guided tours are pre-booked, and they are the best way to learn what each shrine means. Arrange one through the temple before you travel rather than turning up and asking. On festival days the halls fill quickly. Visitors who aren’t Hindu are welcome, but they should stay at the edges during ceremonies.

Reaching Tividale and what’s nearby

Driving is the simplest option. The temple is a short run from junction 2 of the M5 at Oldbury, and the main approach is Dudley Road East. Use postcode B69 3DU in your sat nav. On busy weekends the parking fills up, which is one more reason to go on a weekday.

By rail, the nearest stations are Sandwell & Dudley and Dudley Port, both on the line out of Birmingham New Street. A taxi or local bus covers the last couple of miles. Check the West Midlands bus timetables for routes along Dudley Road.

You can easily combine the temple with Dudley, a few miles west. There you’ll find:

• Black Country Living Museum: an open-air reconstruction of an industrial village.
• Dudley Castle and Zoo: a castle ruin with a zoo spread across the same hill.

Both take half a day. Visit the temple in the morning session, then spend the midday closure in Dudley.