| ISKCON Chennai | |
|---|---|
Sri Sri Radha Krishna Mandir ஸ்ரீ ஸ்ரீ ராதா கிருஷ்ணர் கோவில் | |
 The ISKCON temple in Chennai | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Kanchipuram |
| Deity | Radha Krishna |
| Festivals | Janamashtami,Radhashtami,Ratha-Yatra |
| Location | |
| Location | Hare Krishna land, Bhaktivedantha Swami Road, Akkarai,Sholinganallur,Injambakkam,Chennai 600 119 |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
  Location in Chennai | |
| Coordinates | 12°54′22″N80°14′30″E / 12.90611°N 80.24167°E /12.90611; 80.24167 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Hindu temple architecture |
| Creator | ISKCON |
| Completed | 2012; 13 years ago (2012) |
| Website | |
| iskconchennai | |
ISKCON Temple Chennai, also known as theSri Sri Radha Krishna Mandir, is aGaudiya Vaishnavism temple inChennai, India. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu godKrishna and his consortRadha. It was formally inaugurated on 26 April 2012.[1]
ISKCON founderA. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, wanted to establish ISKCON centers inIndia. In 1971, when he returned to India after his success with spread of ISKCON in the Western world, he directedGiriraj Maharaj to go to Madras and preach activities, resulting in many enlisting as life patrons. Prabhupada wrote in a letter,
In Madras we wanted to start a center and it was almost settled that the Chief Justice (Veeraswamy) would give us a place. So actually, if it is possible to open a center in Madras that would be very nice.[2]
Prabhupada visited Madras in February 1972 and delivered lectures. In 1975, a centre was opened at 50 Aspiran Gardens, 2nd Street,Kilpauk, which was later shifted to Kilpauk Garden Road. In 1988, the centre moved toT. Nagar, where the congregation of Chennai ISKCON increased greatly. During a morning walk on 18 December 1975, Prabhupada remarked: "Now our European and American boys are preaching in South India and big, big acaryas have received them."
In January 1976, Prabhupada visited Madras again and lectured in AVM Rajeswari Kalyana Mandapam,Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai and in the house of the then Chief Justice Veeraswamy. Inspired by the positive response to Krishna consciousness in Madras, Prabhupada wrote a letter to his disciples in Madras:
In Madras we have to construct a very gorgeous temple… Now immediately find out some land and begin the construction. Never mind what the cost will be. We are not concerned with the amount of money, but we want a very attractive temple. The money should come from the gentlemen of Madras.[2]
However, the effort to fulfill the desire of Prabhupada to build a "gorgeous temple" in Chennai did not prove fruitful until 2000 when devotees serving under the leadership of Bhanu Swami located 6.5 acres of land inInjambakkam and acquired immediately for construction of the temple. The temple was built solely on donations received from people in Chennai. The construction of the first phase of the project began on 17 March 2002. The temple has been built with the support of about 8,000 life patrons and contributions from devotees.[3] Built on 45,000 sq ft of land, the temple cost₹ 100 million.[4]
Theprana pratishtha (deity installation) ceremony, when the deities of Lord Krishna and Radha and theirsakhis—Lalitha and Vishaka—were installed in one of the three teak-wood altars in the main hall, andKumbhabhishekam were performed on 26 April 2012. After theKumbhabishekam andMaha mangala arati—the first decorated darshan of the deities—flowers were showered from ahelicopter over thegopurams built in theKalinga style with a Sudarshana Chakra on the top of the tallest tower. The deities in the temple on Burkit Road, T. Nagar unit have also been shifted to this temple.[5]
At the time of inauguration, the temple was still under construction with a 90-ft-long construction, which was to function as the kitchen andannadhan hall, nearing completion.
ISKCON Temple Chennai is part of the Centre for Spiritual Art and Culture and is located off theEast Coast Road at the Hare Krishna land,Sholinganallur. The deities worshipped in the temple include those of Radha Krishna Lalita Vishaka, Jagannath Baladev Subhadra, and Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga.[1]
Spread over an area of over 1.5 acres, the temple is constructed on five levels. There is a 7,000 sq ft temple hall on the first floor, an auditorium for cultural and spiritual programmes on the ground floor and a prasadam hall in the basement.[1]
In the temple hall, there are threeteak-wood altars which house the deities ofLord Krishna with his chief consortRadharani and their assisting friends Lalita and Vishaka,Lord Chaitanya with Lord Nityananda andLord Jagannath,Baladeva andSubhadra.[5] These deities have been sourced fromJaipur andOrissa. Designed under the guidance of Sri Bhanu Swami, the temple has imbibed various attributes fromVedic scripture and is inspired by thePallava and Kalinga architecture.[1]
The entrance to the temple is marked by the representation of thebhu-mandala or theuniverse on the marble floor. According to thecosmology of ancientVedic puranas, the universe is described as series of circular islands surrounding a central pillar calledMount Meru. The design on the floor at the entrance depicts the same universal pattern. There is also a life-like statue of a cow feeding its calf at the portico.[6]
The primary purpose of the temple to transform the material self-centred identity into a spiritual identity of unconditional love is graphically represented by means of a magnificent chandelier that projects various colours on the walls and ceiling. The chandelier has 500 Himalayanquartz crystals supposedly meant to intensify the spiritual energy in the temple.[4]
The temple also visually displays variousvastu shastra features. A booklet explaining all these features is available at the book shop, which is located near the portico. Here you can find books and souvenirs on spirituality and Hindu philosophy. The temple is open from 7:30 am to 1:00 pm and from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. However, the lastaarati (worship), called thesayana arati, is at 9:00 pm, which lasts about 15 minutes.
ISKCON temples | |
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| India | |
| Outside India |
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| Chennai |
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| Tirunelveli district | ||
| Vellore district | ||
