Balaji Temple Tividale: dress code, timings, visit guide
The Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple at 101 Dudley Road East, Tividale, opens 9 am to 1 pm and 5 to 9 pm on weekdays. It runs no strict dress code but asks for attire suited to a place of worship, shoes off before the Pooja Hall and phones switched off.
About 6 min read
Checked by an AI-assisted fact-check on 24 October 2026. Human review by Abhishek Kumar: pending. Fact-checked against the cited sources. Not yet reviewed by a pandit.
Is there a dress code at the Balaji Temple in Tividale, and when is it open? The temple's Code of Conduct says plainly that "a strict dress code doesn't operate in the temple", but that attire appropriate to a place of worship is welcome. You take your shoes off before going up to the Pooja Hall, and you switch your phone off. On weekdays the temple is open 9 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 9 pm. At weekends and on bank holidays it's 9 am to 2.30 pm and 4 pm to 9 pm. From November to March it closes at 8.30 pm. All of this is from the temple's own website, checked on 24 Oct 2026.
The temple's full name is the Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple of UK. Most people call it the Balaji Temple.
Where it is
The address on the temple's website is 101 Dudley Road East, Tividale, West Midlands B69 3DU. Its "How to find us" page asks drivers to use B69 3EB for sat nav, which is a different postcode from the postal address. It's easy to miss. The phone number is 0121 544 2256.
Timings
From the temple's home page and "How to find us" page (checked 24 Oct 2026):
| Hours | |
|---|---|
| Weekdays | 9.00 am to 1.00 pm, then 5.00 pm to 9.00 pm |
| Weekends and bank holidays | 9.00 am to 2.30 pm, then 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm |
| November to March (winter time) | Closes at 8.30 pm |
Mind the afternoon gap. The temple closes between 1 pm and 5 pm on weekdays, and between 2.30 pm and 4 pm at weekends. Time your arrival around it. Festival days can follow their own programme, so check the temple's events page first.
For guidance on auspicious timings or ritual protocol, the temple gives a priest's phone number, 07417 545955, and asks people to ring only between 9.30 pm and 10.30 pm.
Dress code and code of conduct
The temple's Code of Conduct is unusually practical. Here's what it asks, in summary.
Clothing. No strict dress code, but clothing appropriate to a place of worship is welcome. In practice, modest clothes covering shoulders and knees are a safe choice. Our temple dress codes by temple guide shows how this compares with stricter temples.
Shoes. Don't leave shoes in the entrance lobby. There are shoe racks on the ground floor in the inner lobby next to the toilets. Take your shoes off before going up to the Pooja Hall on the first floor.
Phones. Switch your mobile off before going to the Pooja Hall, and don't use it there.
In the Pooja Hall.
- Keep the central aisle free so others can walk up to the shrine.
- Follow the signposted darshan and archana queues.
- Keep silent, especially while a pooja is going on.
- Don't touch the statues or other exhibits.
- Don't eat or drink in the hall.
- After the pooja, queue to receive blessings from the priests.
Children and pets. Keep children with you at all times. The temple says parts of the site are still under construction and unsuitable for children to wander in. No pets are allowed.
Prasadam. Prasadam and annadhanam are served in the conservatory. Queue, move away once you're served, and rinse your plate and leave it in the marked area. The temple has stopped using plastic, so bring your own water bottle. There are water dispensers, and bottles are sold at the office counter.
Who is worshipped here
The temple's Shrines page lists Ganesha, Murugan, Venkateswara (Balaji), Shri Padmavathi, Hanuman, Shiva, the Navagraha, Ayyappan, Shirdi Sai Baba and Shri Vasavi. The temple's history says the inspiration was the Venkateswara temple at Tirupati, and the site's "Faith Hills" are seven hills meant, it says, to reflect the seven peaks at Tirupati and to honour seven major faiths.
A short history
The temple's history page (checked 24 Oct 2026) tells the story:
- Late 1970s: a group of devotees start monthly prayers at Shri Geeta Bhawan Mandir in Handsworth, Birmingham.
- 1980: a Venkateswara deity is installed there.
- November 1984: the charity is registered.
- 1995: the Tividale land, once Brades Hall Farm and a tip, is acquired.
- 1997: foundation laying ceremony.
- From 1999: deities installed, starting with the Ganesh shrine. Murugan follows in 2000 and the Navagraha in 2003.
- August 2006: the main Venkateswara temple is consecrated.
The temple describes itself as the largest of its kind in the UK and Europe, with close to half a million visitors a year. Those are its own figures.
Getting there
From the "How to find us" page:
- By car: free parking for cars and coaches, including disabled parking. The temple is about 7 miles from Birmingham city centre.
- By train: Sandwell & Dudley station is 1.1 miles away. Take a taxi or walk.
- By bus: the number 87 runs frequently from Birmingham city centre to the temple.
Skanda Sashti 2026
The temple lists a Skanda Sashti festival from Monday 9 to Sunday 15 November 2026. Drik Panchang, set to Birmingham, agrees: the Kanda Shasti vratam begins on Monday 9 November and Skanda Shashthi falls on Sunday 15 November 2026. Expect crowds and busy parking on those days. Our guide to Murugan and Skanda Sashti explains the festival.
What first-timers don't expect
- Two postcodes. B69 3DU is the address; B69 3EB is the one to put in your sat nav.
- The Pooja Hall is upstairs. Shoes come off on the ground floor first.
- Winter closing is earlier. 8.30 pm from November to March.
- No plastic bottles. Bring your own water bottle.
- The priest helpline has fixed hours. 9.30 pm to 10.30 pm only.
Customs vary by family and region; your family pandit's guidance comes first.
Questions people ask
What is the dress code at Balaji Temple Tividale? There's no strict dress code. The temple asks for attire appropriate to a place of worship. Modest clothes covering shoulders and knees are a safe choice.
What are the Balaji Temple Birmingham timings? Weekdays 9 am to 1 pm and 5 pm to 9 pm; weekends and bank holidays 9 am to 2.30 pm and 4 pm to 9 pm. It closes at 8.30 pm from November to March.
Is parking free at the Tividale temple? Yes. The temple says free parking is available for cars and coaches, including disabled parking.
Which bus goes to the Balaji Temple? The number 87 from Birmingham city centre, per the temple's website.
Can I use my phone inside? No. The Code of Conduct asks you to switch it off before going to the Pooja Hall.
Book on WhatsApp
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About this article: it is for general information only, researched from the public sources listed above. It may contain errors or leave out local customs, and it is not religious, medical, legal or financial advice. Practices vary by family, region and tradition, so please follow your family pandit's guidance. Spotted a mistake? Tell us on WhatsApp and we'll correct it.