Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir, also known as ISKCON Mayapur, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava temple and the headquarters of ISKCON, located in Mayapur, West Bengal, India. The temple honours the Hindu deity Radha Madhava. The temple’s construction began in 2010, and when completed, it will be the world’s largest temple and one of the tallest temples. It is 130 kilometres (81 miles) from Kolkata and was supposed to open in 2022 but a delay in construction due to the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the opening date to Feb 29 2024.

The Institute of Vedic Cosmology, which will research and discuss Vedic accounts of the universe, will be housed in the Vedic Planetarium. It will also take you on a tour of various aspects of cosmic creation.

Special Significance of Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, or ISKCON, is a Hindu religious organization with temples in India and around the world. The Hare Krishna movement, also known as the Gaudiya Vaishnavism line, is a monotheistic tradition within Hindu culture. The beautiful ISKCON temples spread across the country are popular destinations for devotees and travellers seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. Many ISKCON temples in India and abroad feature neo-Vedic and traditional architectural elements. Preaching is an important part of the ISKCON movement.

Followers of this organization primarily spread awareness of Lord Krishna by singing Hare Krishna songs and mantras in public places and distributing books written by the founder-guru. Within the organization, these activities are referred to as Sankirtan.

Sri Mayapur Chandrodya Mandir is renowned as the ISCKON movement’s spiritual headquarters. It is also the birthplace of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, which contributes to the temple’s popularity among Hindu believers.

History Related to Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir

Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir was inspired by ISKCON founder Srila Prabhupada’s vision as well as the design of the United States Capitol building. Srila Prabhupada expressed his preference for the temple’s exterior style in July 1976. As a result, the ISKCON authorities began building the temple.

The Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir construction began in 2010. It has a $100 million budget, with Alfred Ford, the grandson of Henry Ford, the founder of Ford Motor Company, funding a large portion of it. The temple’s construction was scheduled to be completed in 2016. Unfortunately, due to construction delays, the temple’s construction was not completed in 2016. It was further postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The temple is currently scheduled to open for visitors in Feb 2024.

The architecture of Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir

The Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir architecture is a fusion of Eastern and Western styles. This temple stands 113 metres tall. When completed, this temple will be the largest religious monument in the world, the largest temple in the world, and the second-tallest temple or religious building in the world. The temple is scheduled to open in 2024.

It has Vedic Chandeliers that are 20 metres long and a temple floor that is 60 metres in diameter. The temple covers approximately 70,000 square feet and stands 380 feet tall. The temple is lined with Blue Bolivian Marble, which was imported from Vietnam and also obtained from India, giving the temple a Western appearance.

The Temple of Vedic Planetarium in Bengal will reportedly have the world’s largest dome on a religious monument. The structure dwarfs the Taj Mahal in Agra and St. Paul’s Cathedral in Vatican City. It will also be one of the world’s tallest Hindu temples.

The building is designed and constructed based upon the theory of Architecture which suggests that the basics begin at the fundamental space cells called ‘Morphemes’; clustering together to form an Ensemble and eventually arranged in certain ways to create the final ‘experience’. And this experience becomes the tipping point/threshold in the lives of those who visit this building. The temple is an alluring fusion of East and West. The marble used in the temple was obtained both locally and from Vietnam. The Pujari floor, which spans 2.5 acres, and the temple floor, which spans 60 metres in diameter, distinguish this temple.

According to the design team, the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir can accommodate 10,000 devotees on each of its floors, who can sing, pray, and even dance in front of Lord Krishna, as is customary at ISKCON temples.

Cosmic Chandelier-The temple gets its name from the cosmic chandelier that hangs on the temple’s main dome. Srila Prabhupada, the Founder/Acharya of ISKCON, wished to build a cosmic chandelier in Mayapur, which is a three-dimensional, moving model of the universe described in the Vedic Scriptures.

Vedic Science Center – The Temple of Vedic Planetarium (TOVP) also includes a variety of exhibits that highlight the various fascinating aspects of Vedic sciences and how they are relevant to all aspects of human civilization. A Vedic library and research centre, detailed expositions of Vedic Cosmology, the scientific theory behind the chandelier planetary model, Vedic social science and social organisation, Drutakarma Prabhu’s work documented in his book “Forbidden Archaeology,” and sacred archaeology of the Vedic age are among the major exhibits.

Planetarium wing – The Temple of the Vedic Planetarium is made up of three domes. The main centre dome (also the largest) houses the Vedic Cosmic Chandelier and the world’s largest Vedic altar. The West Wing dome houses the temple of Lord Nrsimhadeva, Vishnu’s half-lion, half-man avatar, and the East Wing dome houses the Planetarium Wing.

Facts about Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir

• Sri Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir is located in Mayapur, West Bengal, in the Nadia district, and serves as the headquarters of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
• The construction of this massive temple, which is adorned with huge lights and massive statues, began in 2010 and has used over two crore kgs of cement. A whopping  Rs.1000 crores has been invested in the temple’s construction.
• The temple is expected to cost $100 million and can accommodate 10,000 devotees on each of its floors, where they can sing, pray, and dance in front of Lord Krishna.
• The temple will be led by Alfred Ford, the great-grandson of renowned businessman Henry Ford and future owner of Ford Motor Company, who changed his name to Ambarish Das after joining ISKCON in 1975. He contributed $30 million to the infrastructure.
• The temple is lined with blue Bolivian marble, which was sourced in part from Vietnam.
• Acharya Prabhupada envisioned the temple as a structure that would raise awareness about Vedic science.
• The planetarium features a massive rotating model that depicts how planetary systems move as described in holy books such as the Bhagavata Purana.
• Mayapur is also the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, a 15th-century Indian Vaishnava saint who is regarded as Radha and Krishna’s combined avatar.
• ISKCON is reportedly in talks with the state tourism department about developing a city around the Mayapur temple to attract devotees from all over the world.

Famous Festivals In Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir

• Krishna Janmashtami – Lord Krishna was born on Ashtami, the eighth day of the Hindu month of Bhadra. The celebrations at the Temple begin early in the morning and continue until late at night.
• Holi – This festival is celebrated in the month of  Phalgun (Feb – March). During the celebration, people celebrate with colours and also celebrate and enjoy in temples complex.
• Radhastami – The divine appearance day of Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
• Deepawali – This marks Ramachandra’s return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana and rescuing Sita-devi.

How to Reach Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir

The best time to visit the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir is between August and February, and during Shree Krishna Ji’s birthday which is celebrated grandly here.

By Air: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is the closest airport to Mayapur. You may take a cab from Nabadwip Dham to Mayapur. Taxis and buses are also available to go to Mayapur.

By Rail: There are trains departing Howrah and passing by Nabadwip Dham almost every hour and a half. It takes roughly 3 hours to get from Howrah to Nabadwip Dham. However, it is preferable to disembark at Bishnupriya Halt Station, which is closer to Mayapur Ghat.

From Sealdah Station- Sealdah is a railroad station in the city of Kolkata. There are trains that leave Sealdah and pass via Krishnanagar. These trains are usually overcrowded. It takes roughly two hours to get from Sealdah to Krishnanagar. You may take a rickshaw from Krishnanagar to the bus terminal âbus stops and get a bus to ISKCON Mayapur.

By Road: On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, ISKCON Kolkata runs magnificent AC and non-AC buses. The bus transports tourists directly from the Kolkata temple to Sri Mayapur.

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