About ISKCON Delhi
ISKCON Delhi is also known as Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Mandir, a well-known Vaishnav temple of Lord Krishna and Radharani.It was inaugurated on 5 April 1998 by the former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It is situated at Hare Krishna Hills, Sant Nagar, East of Kailash area, South Delhi, India.About ISKCON Delhi
We at ISKCON are aficionados of life, culture, love, faith, Krishna, happiness, and science, which connect every soul worldwide.
It started humbly as a Hare Krishna Movement with kirtans and book distributions by a 69-year-old devotee, Srila Prabhupada, who knew the truth that happiness is a science that could be read and understood to obtain permanent solace. One such place noted for disseminating India’s most extraordinary brilliance, her Vedic information and culture is ISKCON Delhi.
“Preaching is the essence, and utility is the principle, books are the basis & purity is the force” were his golden sayings.
How did the journey start to about ISKCON Delhi Temple build?
Srila Prabhupada got instruction from his guru and went out for his journey towards the West, he stayed over at Delhi’s Chhipiwada area, filled with book publishers and business people. He spent numerous hours deciphering Srimad-Bhagavatam and composing articles for his Back to Godhead magazine, just as planning for his trip to the USA. So, it is safe to say that Delhi held a particular corner in his colossal heart as the starting point.
After returning to India in 1970 and attending the eternal call of the ultimate Lord Krishna, Srila Prabhupada started preaching in Delhi. He thought the city to be significantly crucial for many apparent reasons, as it was the capital with several educated people and foreign influences seen around the city. He recognized the need to cultivate “life members” who would-be patrons of the ISKCON, enabling it to develop its roots and thrive.
Thus, the famous Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Mandir located in the Hare Krishna Hills, in the East of Kailash area of New Delhi, also known as ISKCON Delhi temple, was inaugurated on 5 April 1998, to encourage the practice of Bhakti Yoga or Krishna Consciousness with an estimate of Rupees 12 crores after crossing the major hurdle of obtaining land for the Temple.
Shoot forward to the present, with the consistent efforts of Lord Krishna’s devotee Gopala Krishna Goswami, and his dedicated team members who stood through the constant legal deliberations, the Temple at Chhipiwada was finally transferred to ISKCON, fulfilling Srila Prabhupada’s dream.
ISKCON Delhi- The present
The government authorities of then Delhi: Mrs. Sheela Kohl and Mr. Jagmohan, believed in the idea that the Temple would be much more than a place of worship.
It would be a cultural and educational venture featuring the name ‘Glory of India Vedic Cultural Center,’ which had a cutting edge way to deal with explaining our ancient and medieval texts, for example, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and Caitanya-caritamrta, utilizing lifelike models and current innovative and multimedia technology.
So with the progress of time, ISKCON Delhi has stood by its mandate of being more than a temple and being a center of knowledge and learning. It is now a world-famous destination for visitors and tourists to learn more about Hindu culture, with invites sent to school and college students to help instill an appreciation for Vedic scripts and imprints.
A Must see
- The ISKCON sanctuary in Delhi houses the Astounding Bhagavad Gita, which is ostensibly the most important religious book at any point printed. The book weighs more than 800 kilograms. It also has an Italian version for the readers.
- Gift shops and libraries of devotional music CDs and books.
- A museum that sorts out interactive media shows displaying extraordinary sagas like Ramayana and Mahabharata is enriched by paintings all over.
- Performers from all over the world give a chance to present their abilities by performing different scenes from the incredible sagas of Hinduism at the open theater the complex has.
No doubt, it is known as a temple of performing arts, bringing alive the spiritual culture of India.
The Architecture of the Temple
There will never be a simple method to arrive at God, and Delhi’s ISKCON sanctuary doesn’t take you there straightforwardly. You stroll through the Krishna Jayanti Park, fixed with blossoming tall trees, up towards the sanctuary complex, and even then, you don’t see the corridor to the entrance till you walk around the park. The hill’s natural accent dictates the pathway to the Temple.
The external complex is adorned with many-sided carvings and stonework and has numerous shops and a wonderful fountain. The central lobby with flawless works of art resonates with the radiant tune of “Hare Rama Hare Krishna,” the focal mantra in ISKCON Delhi.
At the point when architect Shri. Achyut P Kanvinde acknowledged the commission to plan the sanctuary complex in 1993; he was aware that both traditional and modern thoughts have to be brought together in sync with the ibid motto of ISKCON Delhi, as is evident in the fountains, gardens, and the temple shikharas spreading light all over. It is said that the gardens mimic the ‘Vrindavan or the ‘garden of Lord Krishna’ and merits a visit as the experience will take you to a spiritual transcend.
You cannot ignore its unique lattice tower, bringing to life advanced artistry in Devotion to Lord Krishna.
The whole design would give the passerby a feeling that the sanctuary is unassumingly humble and functionally efficient with the maximum utilization of natural lighting and water.
ISKCON at GLANCE
Regardless of whether you follow the religious convictions spread by the ISKCON or not, you can generally stroll into these intricate sanctuaries any time of the year and submerge in the spiritual energy, building greatness and peacefulness of the spot.
They are ‘spiritual hospitals’ made to cure our fears with knowledge and lift our spirits. It is not just a temple but an institution built on the grounds of spreading the great teachings of the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita to anyone who reaches out.
Accompanied by mridangas and karatalas and dancing and chanting the maha-mantra
“Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare“
One can be rewoken in this dreamy existence. Affectionately known as the Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Mandir, by its devotees, ISKCON Delhi is the place of rest and food for our dreary souls.
!! Haribol !!