One of the most important Goswami temples in the world!
.Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh, India
Radha Damodar Temple is located in the holy town of Vrindavan in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It serves as a center of devotion for followers of the Gaudiya tradition as well as other sects. Vrindavan, known as the land of Lord Krishna's divine pastimes, is considered one of the seven holy cities in Hinduism. Six Goswamis, disciples of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, installed the deities of seven deities through their devotional practices, one of which is Radha Damodar, established by Srila Rupa Goswami. Jiva Goswami was entrusted with the service of this temple. By doing 'parikrama' around the Radha Damodar Temple four times, one receives the benefit of circumambulating the holy Govardhan Hill, which is located 25 kilometers away.
History of the temple
Radha Damodar Temple is nearly 400 years old. In the year 1542, on the day of Magh Shukla Dashami in the year 1599 of the Vikram Samvat calendar, Srila Rupa Goswami installed the deities of Radha Damodar here and entrusted the responsibility of their service to Jiva Goswami. The temple also served as the residence and place of worship for the contemporaneous Goswamis, such as Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, Bhakt Raghunath, Jiva Goswami, Gopal Bhatt, and Raghunath Das, who gathered here for discussions and discourses.
Significance of the temple
Radha Damodar Temple was first established as the centre of worship during the pilgrimage of the founder of ISKCON, Prabhupada Maharaj. It is believed that by the doing 'parikrama' of this temple four times, one automatically performs the parikrama of the Govardhan Hill. Just four parikramas here are considered as meritorious as performing a 25-kilometer-long parikrama of Giriraj Govardhan.
Architecture of the temple
Radha Damodar Temple showcases the architectural brilliance of the Rajasthani style. The temple's entrance gate is beautifully crafted in the Rajasthani style. In the central courtyard, there are intricately carved pillars and a magnificent painted ceiling. The main altar houses the deities of Shri Vrindavan Chandra, Shri Chailchikaneya, Shri Radha Vinod, and Shri Radha Madhav. At the back of the temple, there are samadhis of Sri Jiva Goswami and Shri Krishna Das Goswami. The temple also houses the Bhajan-Kutir and samadhi mandir of Shri Shripad Rup Goswami, along with the samadhi of Shri Bhugarbha Goswami.
Temple Timings
Morning timings
04:30 AM - 01:00 PMMangala Aarti timings
04:30 AM - 05:00 AMEvening Aarti timings
04:30 PM - 09:00 PMOfferings of the temple
At Radha Damodar Temple, Lord Krishna is offered fruits, Makhan-Mishri and dry fruits. Kheer is also offered to the deity.
Travel Details
The below are the travel details for the temple