Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Mandir, also known as the ISKCON Temple Kalkaji Delhi, is a popular Vaishnav temple dedicated to Lord Krishna and Radha Parthasarathi, the goddess Radha. On April 5, 1998, then-Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee dedicated the Temple in the presence of former Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma and Sushma Swaraj. It is located to the east of the Kailash area in New Delhi, India, in the Hare Krishna Hills (near Nehru Place).

History of ISKCON Temple Kalkaji

Sri Prabhupada founded the temple, which is one of India’s largest temple complexes. Achyut Kanvinde designed and built the temple for Sri Prabhupada’s followers. There are three altars in the temple. The first altar of the temple complex features an elaborate structure of Sri Gauri Nital, known as the most merciful incarnation of Sri Nityananda Prabhu and Sri Chaitanya Maha Prabhu who appeared in West Bengal 500 years ago. The deities of Sri Radha Krishna Parthasarathi, Lalita and Vishaka, and their most private gopis grace the second altar. On the third altar, there are idols of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita, Lord Laxman, and Lord Hanuman.

The architecture of ISKCON Temple Kalkaji

ISKCON Temple Kalkaji in Delhi is a magnificent example of modern temple architecture in India. The design of the temple incorporates elements of ancient Hindu temple architecture as well as modern construction techniques and materials. Achyut Kavinde designed the entire temple complex as an architectural marvel.

The temple’s exterior is mostly made of white marble. The temple’s marble construction allows it to reflect light and change colours throughout the day, creating a dynamic and ever-changing illusion. The most notable feature of the temple is its 90-foot-tall dome, which is supported by eight pillars, each of which is adorned with intricate carvings and sculptures of various Hindu Deities. The interior of the dome is equally impressive, with ornate paintings depicting scenes from Lord Krishna and his Beloved Radha’s lives.

The temple complex houses the Glory of India Vedic Cultural Centre, a popular destination for visitors and tourists to learn about major Hindu texts which are presented using various multimedia technologies, these include:

1. Bhagavad Gita Animatronics – This show teaches visitors the five major concepts of the Bhagavad Gita, the three modes of nature, and the Yoga systems presented in it through a combination of dramatic narration, lasers, and projects.
2. Mahabharat Experience – A light and sound show that presents the storyline of Mahabharat which spans over thousands of verses in a concise manner.
3. Ramayana Art Gallery – A collection of over 30 original oil paintings painted by ISKCON’s members from the USA, Russia, India, UK.
4. Bhagavat Puran Exhibit – This exhibit presents one of the most important texts in the Vaishnava tradition in a visual format.

World’s Largest Sacred Book

The ‘Astounding Bhagavad Gita’, the largest printed book of any world religion’s major text, is housed at the Glory of India Vedic Cultural Centre. The ‘Astounding Bhagavad Gita,’ which was printed in Italy weighs 800 kg and measures over 2.8 metres, was unveiled on February 26, 2019, by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in the presence of Tridandi Sannyasi Gopal Krishna Goswami and India’s Culture Minister Dr Mahesh Sharma.

Facts about ISKCON Temple Kalkaji

• ISKCON Temple Kalkaji Delhi, also known as Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Mandir is a Vaishnav Temple dedicated to the worship of the deities of Krishna and Radharani.
• It has one of the largest temple complexes in the entire country and is located at Hare Krishna Hills in the East of Kailash area of Delhi.
• This temple is truly the centre of attraction for the entire Delhi.
• It has many halls that are used for administration purposes and various seminars.
• The Vedic cultural museum is the first of its kind in India, with the goal of promoting timeless Vedic wisdom in a modern context and educating people about India’s history, particularly the two epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
• The Glory of India Vedic Cultural Centre holds the ‘Astounding Bhagavad Gita’, which is the largest printed book of the major text of any world religion.
• At Iskcon Temple, a very high standard of worship is followed. 24 Brahminical-trained pujaris worship the deities according to strict spiritual regulations.

Famous Festivals In Temple

Millions of people visit this temple every year to celebrate all of the festivals that are held here. Some major festivals held here are

• Janmashtami – Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
• Ran Navmi – Rama Navami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Rama, one the most popularly revered deities in Hinduism, also known as the seventh avatar of Vishnu.
• Guru Purnima – Guru Purnima (Poornima) is a religious festival dedicated to offering respect to all spiritual and academic gurus.
• Radhashtami – Radhashtami is a Hindu religious day commemorating the birth anniversary of the goddess Radha, the chief consort of the god Krishna.
• Govardhana Puja – Govardhan Puja also known as Annakut, is a Hindu festival celebrated on the first lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartika, on the fourth day of Diwali.

How To reach ISKCON Temple Kalkaji

By Air: Indira Gandhi International Airport is the nearest airport and the distance from the Airport to ISKCON Temple Kalkaji is 16 KM.

By Rail: New Delhi Railway Station is the nearest railway station and the distance from Station to ISKCON Temple Kalkaji is only 24 KM.

By Road: The nearest bus stop to ISKCON Temple Delhi is Nehru Place Bus Stop, which is 1.4 kilometres away. You can either walk or take a cab/rickshaw to the Museum from there.

By Metro: The Nearest Metro Station to ISKCON Temple Delhi is Nehru Place (Violet Line) & Kalkaji Mandir (Violet & Magenta Line) which are 1 km and 1.1 Km respectively from the temple.

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