A Gaudiya Vaishnavism temple in Chennai, India is called the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Mandir, also referred to as the ISKCON Temple Chennai. The temple honors the Hindu gods Radha and Krishna. It was solemnly dedicated on April 26, 2012.
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, desired to establish ISKCON centers in India. Following his success in bringing ISKCON to the West, he went to India in 1971 and invited Giriraj Maharaj to visit Madras and preach activities, which led to many people joining as life patrons. Prabhupada wrote in a letter.
We intended to open a center in Madras, and it was nearly certain that the Chief Justice (Veeraswamy) would provide us with a location. So, if it is possible to open a facility in Madras, that would be fantastic.
In February 1972, Prabhupada visited Madras and gave talks. A center was established in 1975 in 50 Aspiran Gardens, 2nd Street, Kilpauk, which was later relocated to Kilpauk Garden Road. In 1988, the center relocated to T. Nagar, where the congregation of Chennai ISKCON grew significantly.
On a morning stroll on December 18, 1975, Prabhupada said, “Now our European and American boys are preaching in South India, and big, big acaryas have received them.” Prabhupada returned to Madras in January 1976, lecturing at AVM Rajeswari Kalyana Mandapam, Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, and the home of the then Chief Justice Veeraswamy.
In response to the positive reception to Krishna consciousness in Madras, Prabhupada issued a message to his Madras disciples:
In Madras, we must build a magnificent temple… Find some land and start building as soon as possible. Don’t worry about the price. We aren’t worried about the quantity of money, but we do want a beautiful temple. The money should come from Madras’ gentlemen.
However, the attempt to fulfill Prabhupada’s goal to establish a “gorgeous temple” in Chennai did not bear fruit until 2000, when devotees acting under the guidance of Bhanu Swami discovered 6.5 acres of land in Injambakkam and purchased it immediately for temple building. Donations from citizens of Chennai were used to pay for the temple in full. On March 17, 2002, the first phase of the project began construction. Approximately 8,000 life patrons and devotee contributions helped build the temple. The temple cost $100 million to build on 45,000 square feet of land.
The idols of Lord Krishna, Radha, and their sakhis, Lalitha and Vishaka, were placed in one of the three teak-wood altars in the main hall on April 26, 2012, as part of the prana pratishtha (deity installation) ceremony, which also included Kumbhabhishekam. Flowers were sprayed from a helicopter over the gopurams created in the Kalinga style, with a Sudarshana Chakra on top of the tallest tower, after the Kumbhabishekam and Maha mangala arati—the first embellished darshan of the deities. The idols from the Burkit Road, T. Nagar unit temple have also been relocated to this temple.
At the time of the inauguration, the temple was still under construction, with a 90-foot-long structure nearing completion that would serve as the kitchen and annadhan hall.
The ISKCON Temple Chennai, a part of the Centre for Spiritual Art and Culture, is situated in the Hare Krishna neighborhood of Sholinganallur, off the East Coast Road. Radha Krishna Lalita Vishaka, Jagannath Baladev Subhadra, and Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga are among the deities worshiped in the temple.
The temple is built on five storeys and covers an area of more than 1.5 acres. A 7,000 square foot temple hall, an auditorium for cultural and spiritual events, and a prasadam hall are all located on the first level.
The deities of Lord Krishna with his principal consort Radharani and their supporting friends Lalita and Vishaka, Lord Chaitanya with Lord Nityananda and Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra are housed on three teak-wood altars in the temple hall. These deities were obtained from Jaipur and Orissa. The temple, which was designed under the supervision of Sri Bhanu Swami, incorporates numerous elements from Vedic text and is inspired by Pallava and Kalinga architecture.
On the marble floor, a representation of the bhu-mandala, or universe, marks the entry to the temple. The world is portrayed as a series of circular islands surrounding a central pillar called Mount Meru in the cosmology of ancient Vedic puranas. The same common pattern is shown in the entrance’s floor design. At the portico, there is also a life-size statue of a cow feeding its young. The temple’s major goal of transforming the material self-centered identity into a spiritual identity of unconditional love is graphically symbolized by a beautiful chandelier that projects multiple colors on the walls and ceiling.
It is believed that the 500 Himalayan quartz crystals in the chandelier would boost the temple’s spiritual energies. The temple has a number of traits from vastu shastra. A pamphlet outlining all of these aspects is available at the bookshop near the portico. Spirituality and Hindu philosophy books and souvenirs are available here. Everyday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the temple is open. The sayana arati, the final act of worship, takes place at 9:00 p.m. and lasts for almost 15 minutes.
Some Famous Iskcon Temples In india
Each of these temples indeed holds its own significance and attracts devotees and visitors from around the world. Here’s a brief recap of the temples you mentioned:
- Sri Sri Radha Banke Bihariji Temple, Patna: The Grand ISKCON Temple Built At A Cost of 100 Crores in Patna.The Patna ISKCON temple indeed boasts several remarkable features that make it unique and spiritually significant.
- Sri Radha Krishna-Chandra Temple, Bangalore: stands as one of the world’s largest Krishna-Hindu temples, gracing Bangalore in Karnataka, India.Originating from a rich history, the Bangalore ISKCON Temple was inaugurated in May 1997 by India’s ninth president, Shankar Dayal Sharma.
- Sri Sri Radha Vrindavanchandra Temple, Pune: Originating from a rich history, the Bangalore ISKCON Temple was inaugurated in May 1997 by India’s ninth president, Shankar Dayal Sharma.
- Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir of the Vedic Planetarium, Mayapur: This monumental temple complex in West Bengal is designed to be one of the world’s largest. It aims to elucidate Vedic cosmology and teachings, offering visitors a profound understanding of Hindu philosophy’s ancient wisdom.
- Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir (ISKCON Vrindavan): Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir, also known as the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium or ISKCON Mayapur, stands as a significant Gaudiya Vaishnava temple and serves as the headquarters of ISKCON.
- Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Mandir, Delhi: Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir, also known as the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium or ISKCON Mayapur, stands as a significant Gaudiya Vaishnava temple and serves as the headquarters of ISKCON.
These temples reflect the diverse and rich spiritual heritage of ISKCON in India, providing devotees and seekers with spaces for worship, reflection, and celebration of the divine.