ISKCON (Hare Krishna) Temple
About ISKCON (Hare Krishna) Temple
Far From City: 13 kms from city center
History of ISKCON
The ISKCON temples which are spread all over the world got their name from- The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). It is a spiritual institution founded in 1966 in New York by A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Its core beliefs are based on 5,000-year-old Hindu scriptures, particularly the Bhagavad Gita. The ISKCON devotees consider Krishna as the source of all avatars of God and therefore, they refer to Him as 'the Supreme Personality of Godhead'.
All the ISKCON temples were formed to spread the practice of Bhakti Yoga in which the devotees dedicate their actions towards Lord Krishna. ISKCON belongs to the Gaudiya-Vaishnavism sampradaya. Here, Vaishnavism means 'worship of Vishnu' and Gauda refers to Gauda region of West Bengal, where this form of Vaishnavism originated.
Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON wanted to construct the temples in all the major cities of India. Therefore, The ISKCON Temple of Delhi, whose actual name is Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Mandir was also formed under this organisation in the year 1995 to spread the knowledge of Vedic culture and develop a close relationship between people and Lord Krishna. Prabhupada also said, "These temples are spiritual hospitals. Just as a sick patient goes to a hospital to get cured of his disease, one comes to the temple of the Lord to have darsana of the Deities, to listen to the kirtana and preaching, so that one is inspired to dedicate his life to the teachings of the Lord."
Architecture of ISKCON
The imposing architecture of the ISKCON Temple dominates the skyline of the southern part of New Delhi. The main shrine gives way to three shrines that are located under the three spires, each of which is 90 feet tall. These are dedicated to Radha-Krishna, Sita-Ram and Guara-Nitai respectively. While the outer surface of the temple has detailed artwork, the inner sanctum has kaleidoscopic mosaics depicting the various phases of Krishna's life. Located on the perimeter of these shrines is the 'parikrama' compound, where pictures of different ISKCON temples are exhibited. Many images of Radha - Krishna adorn the complex as well. The temple museum is an attraction in its own right and has a number of paintings and objects on display for the devotees.
Things To Do at ISKCON
Musuem of Vedic Culture: ISKCON has a museum inside the temple complex which has all the modern facilities for spreading the knowledge about Vedic culture. The most outstanding part of the museum if the display of various gods and goddesses made of bronze. The visitors also enjoy the Video Expo that takes place here.
Ramayana Art Gallery:
This room specifically interests the devotees as prominent scenes from the Ramayana are showcased here with multimedia and light and sound effects.
Bhagavadgita Animatronics Robot Show:
A unique show which attracts visitors in large number, the ISKCON temple organises an Animatronics Robot Show. The interesting aspect of this is the clay robots which narrates the teachings of the Bhagavadgita.
Vedic Centre For Performing Arts:
ISKCON Temple has an open-air amphitheatre where programmes are held from time to time. Visitors from all over the world come here to showcase their skills and depicts the scenes from various epics of Hinduism.
Janamashtami at ISKCON
The temple's presiding deity is Lord Krishna, and undoubtedly his birthday or 'Janmashtami' is celebrated here with amazing festivities. Nearly 8 lakh devotees visit the temple during this year to offer their prayers to the Lord. The celebrations begin as early as 4:30 a.m. in the morning and continue late into the night. Celebratory processions, prayer services, cultural programs and customary 'Shringar' of the Lord is held on a very large scale. This year, the festivities begin on 15 August, so you can definitely be a part of the holy commemoration and see the grandeur for yourself!
ISKCON's own resaturant- Govinda's
The temple complex has its own restaurant called "Govinda's", which offers a healthy and delicious vegetarian meal to all of its devotees. Prepared with the utmost care and devotion, all the dishes prepared here are first offered to the Lord himself. This establishment seeks to demonstrate that contrary to popular belief, pure vegetarian food can also have variety and taste. The timings of the restaurant are from 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the afternoon and 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. in the evening.
Aarti Schedule and Prices at ISKCON
Throughout the day, different types of aartis are performed and the visitors are allowed to attend them for free. Here are the aartis along with the time:-
Mangala Arati: 4:30
Japa (Mantra) Meditation: 5:15
Darshan Arati: 7:15
Guru Puja: 7:30
Srimad Bhagavatam Discourse: 8:00
Raj Bhog Arati: 12:30
Usthapana Arati: 16:15
Sandhya Arati: 19:00
Bhagavad Gita Discourse: 20:00
Sayana Arati: 20:30
Who should visit ISKCON?
The Iskcon Temple is an amazing place for devotees of Lord Krishna. Spirituality and nirvana seekers should find the temple fascinating. It is also a nice place for architectural lovers. If you want to find more about Vedic culture, the temple is just for you.
How to Reach ISKCON (Hare Krishna) Temple
The ISKCON Temple is located in the East Kailash region on top of the Hare Krishna Hills. The best way is to travel by Metro. The Nehru Place Station and Kailash Colony Station are the nearest metro stations which are a 5-minute walk away from the temple. If you travelling from the Nizamuddin Railway Station, the ISKCON Sant Nagar is just 5 km from there. Taxi, auto rickshaw and public buses run from every part of the city.
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Tips
1. Liquor is prohibited inside the temple premises.2. Remove footwear before entering the temple premises.3. Since it is a religious place, dress in a conservative manner.
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