Sri Radha Govindji

Sri Govinda was originally installed nearly 5,000 years ago by Lord Krishna's great-grandson Vajranabha. Govinda is one of the four presiding Deities of Vraja-mandala. But for long time the Deity was lost. Rupa Goswami, feeling separation because of being unable to find Deity of Govinda, sat under a tree on the bank of Yamuna. At that time a beautiful young boy came and told him of a hill where a cow went every day and poured milk into a hole. The young boy then disappeared and Rupa Goswami went there.He started to dig on that spot and discovered the Deity of Sri Govindaji.

Purusottam, the son of King Prapatarudra, sent the Deity of Srimati Radharani from Jagannath Puri to be installed next to Govindadev. This was first Deity of Srimati Radharani to be installed in Vrindavana. This magnificent temple was built in 1590 by Maharaja Man Singh from Jaipur, a disciple of Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami, and took several thousand men to build it in five years. He built it after meeting with Rupa Goswami and altar was made from marble, silver and gold. This temple was originally seven stories high and on the top there was a burning gheelamp. Aurangzeb could see it shining even from his residence in Agra and sent his troupes to destroy it.

While demolishing, when a few stories remained, all of a sudden the ground began to shake violently and Aurangzeb's men were terrified and ran for their lives, and never returned. Debris of the destroyed stories can be found around the temple. A sculptured lotus flower weighting several tons decorated the main hall. There are two small temples on two sides of the Jagmohan, the main audience hall. Inside the small temple on the southern side, down 12 steps is a cave in which the Deity of Govinda was found and where Rupa Goswami used to meditate. A deity of eight-armed Yogamaya sitting on a lion is also there. There is also a stone slab with the footprint of Lord Krishna on it.

Vrindadevi, who is now in the town of Kaman (Kamyavan), used to be in the northern part of the temple. Since this temple was partially destroyed by Muslims, it is considered that worship cannot be done in this temple. Behind the temple, therefore, another temple was established where worship is performed to the Deities that were installed after Govindaji was taken to Jaipur. In the old temple, there are Deities of Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga, Sri Giridhari and small Deities of Sri Sri Radha Govindaji.

  Radha Govind Mandir

                  Radha Govind Mandir                                 Yogamaya Mandir 

 Radha Govindaji, Vrindavana - Only photo of the Deity

 

 Govindaji Mandir The main hall, in Vrindavan

                   Radha Govindji, Jaipur                               Chatri @ Govindji Mandir    

Govindaji was brought to the city of Amber, near Jaipur, by Maharaja Jai Singh II to protect the Deity from destruction by the hands of the Muslim emperor in 1728. Maharaja Jai Singh created his "City of Victory," the city of Jaipur, as a dedication to Lord Govindaji. The temple is in a garden of the palace complex, and when the temple doors were opened, Maharaja Jai Singh in the past could see his beloved Deity from the royal quarters. Jai Singh's grandfather had originally constructed the Govindaji Temple in Vrindavan. Sri Sri Radha Govindaji from Vrindavana are until today the real heart of the city of Jaipur.

Sri Sri Radha Govindaji Ki Jai!