1. ISKCON TEMPLE DELHI GLORY OF
INDIA AND VEDIC CULTURE
CENTRE
PRESENTED BY
UMA MULLAPUDI
2. ❑ SRI RADHA PARTHASARATHI MANDIR OR POPULARLY KNOWN AS ISKCON
TEMPLE IS A POPULAR TOURIST ATTRACTION OF DELHI. IT IS LOCATED
AT HARI KRISHNA HILL IN EAST OF KAILASH AREA OF NEW DELHI.
THIS IS AMONG THE MOST LAVISH TEMPLES RENOWNED ACROSS THE
GLOBE FOR ITS EXQUISITE ARCHITECTURAL BEAUTY. THE STUPENDOUS
STRUCTURE OF THIS TEMPLE RISES UP TO A HEIGHT OF 90 FEET ABOVE
GROUND LEVEL.
IT IS ONE OF THE FAMOUS 40 TEMPLES IN INDIA BUILT BY ISCKON
GROUP. FOR VAISHA -NAVITES THIS TEMPLE IS AMONG THE MOST
REVERED PLACES TO WORSHIP LORD KRISHNA. THIS TEMPLE WAS BUILT
IN 1995 BY THE RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION ISCKON. THIS ORGANIZATION
WAS FOUNDED BY ACHARYA BHAKTI VEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA IN
1966.
3. ❑LOCATION; NEW DELHI, INDIA
❑PURPOSE;TO SERVE AS CENTRE FOR
INDIA’S GREATEST GLORY ,VEDIC
KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURE.
❑PRINCIPAL ARCHITECT; A.P. KANVINDE
❑CONTRACTOR ;TARAPORE AND COMPANY
MADRAS [ CONTRACTORS FOR DELHI’S 5-
STAR TAJ MANSINGH HOTEL, AND THE
INDRA GANDHI INDOOR STADIUM.
❑CONSTRUCTION WORKERS; 250
❑COST ; 12 CR
❑TARGET FOR COMPLETION ; 1995
4. 1. THE TEMPLE.
2. THE MUSEUM OF
VEDIC CULTURE.
3. THE CENTRE FOR
VEDIC STUDIES.
4. THE VEDIC CENTRE
FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS.
5. THE ASHRAM.
6. THE KRISHNA
JAYANTI PARK.
5.
6. ❑ SITE; WE WALK UP THROUGH THE BACK OF THE PRESENT
HARE KRISHNA COMPLEX ,YOU CLIMB A HILL, AND FIND
YOURSELF IN A BIG RED SEA OF GRAVEL , BRICKS AND PILES
OF STEEL RODS( EXPERIENCEWHILE CONSTRUCTING)
❑ THIS IS THE CONSTRUCTION SITE FOR THE GLORY OF INDIA
VEDIC CULTURE CENTRE
❑ AT THE BASE OF A LARGE PIT PERHAPS A HUNDREDYARDS BY
FIFTY , AND EIGHTYARDS DEEP LIES THE FOUNDATION FOR A
MUSEUM.
❑ AND ELSEWHERE, AT THE HIGHEST PART OF THE SITE,THREE
TOWERS EMERGED FOR TEMPLE.
❑ ON ONE SIDE THE TEMPLE OVERLOOKS SANT NAGAR MAIN
ROAD,WITH ITS HOUSES AND STOREFRONTS.ON TWO OTHER
SIDES TREES EXTEND UP PAST THE FENCE, NEARLY100 ACRES
PARK,WALKING DISTANCE AWAY, STANDS THE LOTUS LIKE
BAHAI TEMPLE , A NEW DELHI LANDMARK AND OFF TO THE
SOUTH THE TALL STACKED OFFICE BLOCKS OF NEHRU PLACE ,
NEW DELHI’S ‘ SECOND DOWNTOWN’.
7. ❑CONCEPT
❑ THE MANY ASPECTS OF THE NEW CENTRE WILL BRING
ALIVE THE SPIRITUAL CULTURE OF INDIA.
❑ TEMPLE; DEDICATED TO THE SERVICE OF RADHA AND
KRISHNA THE TEMPLE IS THE CENTRE OF ATTRACTION
FOR THE ENTIRE COMPLEX .
❑ ITS UNIQUE LATTICED TOWERS A FUSION OF
TRADITIONAL DESIGN AND MODERN POSSIBILITIES
WILL EXTEND 98 FT ABOVE THE HIGHEST POINT OF
HILLTOP .WITH CARVED STONE,WOOD, AND MARBLE.
THE TEMPLE WILL BRING TO LIFE THE ADVANCED
ARTISTRY OF ANCIENT INDIA IN DEVOTION TO LORD
KRISHNA.
8. ❑THE TEMPLE HAS THREE MAIN SHRINES WHICH ARE
LOCATED INSIDE A HUGE AIR-CONDITIONED HALL.THE THREE
SHRINES ARE DEDICATED TO GUARA-NITAI, SITA-RAM AND
RADHA-KRISHNA. ALL THE IDOLS ENSHRINED IN THE TEMPLE
ARE NOTED FOR THEIR SCULPTURED BEAUTY.THEY ARE
FESTOONED WITH COLOURFUL CLOTHES AND EXPENSIVE GOLD
AND SILVER JEWELLERY.THE MUSEUM OF THIS TEMPLE IS ALSO
WORTH WATCHING BECAUSE OF ITS REMARKABLE PAINTINGS
AND OUTSTANDING OBJECTS WHICH GIVE DEEP INSIGHT OF
INDIAN SPIRITUALISM.
❑ THE VEDIC MUSEUM ;THE MUSEUM ALSO THROWS LIGHT
ON THE HISTORY OF INDIA. HERE ONE CAN ALSO FIND EASY
AND SIMPLE EXPLANATION OF GREAT INDIAN EPICS LIKE
MAHABHARATA AND RAMAYANA.THE ROBOT SHOW AND THE
LIGHT AND SOUND SHOW ARE OTHER TWO POPULAR
ATTRACTIONS OF THIS MUSEUM WHICH ILLUSTRATE VARIOUS
RELIGIOUS THOUGHTS IN AN EASY MANNER.
9. ❑ THE MUSEUM OF VEDIC CULTURE;
❑ THE MUSEUM WILL SHOW VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE
VEDIC PHILOSOPHICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE ,
BOTH THROUGH SIMPLE EXHIBITS AND DIORAMAS[
3D ILLUSION ….VISION] AND THROUGH
SOPHOSTICATED MULTIMEDIA PROGRAMS.
❑ THE CENTRE FOR VEDIC STUDIES;
❑ THE SERIOUS STUDENTS OF VEDIC CULTURE,THE
CENTRE WILL PROVIDE CLASSES , SEMINARS ,AND
CONFERENCES.
❑ THE CENTRE’S LIBRARY FOR VEDIC RESEARCH WILL
HOUSE AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF VEDIC
LITERATURE, BOTH ORIGINAL INDIAN LANGUAGES
AND IN FOREIGN TRANSLATIONS .THE CENTRE WILL
ALSO HAVE SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL
CHILDREN.
10. ❑ THE VEDIC CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS;
❑ THE CENTRE WILL OFFER PERFORMANCES IN MUSIC
AND DANCE BY INDIA’S FOREMOST
ARTISTS.PERFORMANCES WILL TAKE PLACE IN A
TRADITIONAL OPEN AIR AMPHITHEATRE , FACING THE
TEMPLE OF RADHA AND KRISHNA.
❑ THE ASRAMA;
❑ THE TRUE ESSENCE OF A PLACE OF VEDIC CULTURE
RESIDES WITH THE ENLIGHTED PEOPLE ONE FINDS
THERE.THE CENTRE WILL BE HOME FOR DEVOTEES
FULLY DEDICATED TO STUDYING , LIVING AND
TEACHING THE VEDIC CULTURE.
❑ KRISHNA JAYANTI PARK;
❑ GROVES,WATERFALLS , PONDS , AND GARDENS WILL
BE INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROJECT.
❑ AND THE KRISHNA JAYANTI PARK, DEDICATED TO THE
PASTIMES OF LORD,WILL PROVIDE A SETTING WHERE
SPIRITUAL LIFE CAN FLOURISH IN TRANQUIL
SURROUNDINGS.
11. ❑ THE TEMPLE FACES WEST, IFYOU CONSIDER THE SITE
HARE KRISHNA SITE AS ITS CALLED ,YOU’LL SEE THAT
THS IS THE MOST LOGICAL DIRECTION TO ORIENT THE
TEMPLE, IFYOU WANT TO UTILIZE THE ENTRANCE AND
LET THE HILL DICTATE THE PATHWAY LEADING UP TO
TEMPLE.
❑ NOW MOVING ON TO SHIKARA … IT HAS THREE
SHIKARAS TOPPED WITH THE AMALAKAS[ RIBBED
CIRCULAR MOTIF] AND POT FINIAL…… CIRCULAR
OPENINGS IN SHIKARA AND CORNERS ARE REMOVED
WITH A SLIT. MAKE IT MORE DYNAMIC AND
INTERESTING.
❑ THE SHIKARAS ACHIEVE THE QUALITY OF OLD
TEMPLES BY REMOVING SHARP EDGES.
❑ IT ALSO PERMITS GOOD LIGHT AND VENTILATION.
❑ IT HAS BROWN DHOLAPUR STONE WITH MARBLE.
❑ THE MARBLE HAS BEEN USED ONLY FOR CLADDING,
WHILE THE DHOLAPUR STONE HAS BEEN CARVED AND
USED TO HIGHLIGHT THE EDGES.
12. ❑ THE ENTRANCE IS ON ROAD SIDE IS A LITTLE
LIKE A AMUSEMENT PARK WITH THE HUGE
LOGO ISKCON HANGING AND FIGURES ON
EITHER SIDEWELCOMINGVISITORS.. IT IS
TREATED WITH ONLY DHOLAPUR STONE WITH
ANGULAR GEOMETRIC FORMS.
13. ❑ THE GARDEN CONSTRUCTED WITHIN THE TEMPLE COMPLEX TO REPRESENT 'VRINDAVAN' OR THE 'GARDEN OF LORD
KRISHNA' IS WORTH A VISIT AS IT WILL DEFINITELY TRANSCENDYOU INTO A SPIRITUAL AMBIENCE.
❑ THE FIRST ALTAR OF THE ISKCON TEMPLE HOMES AN ELABORATE STRUCTURE OF SRI GAURI NITAI WHO WAS KNOWN AS
THE MOST MERCIFUL INCARNATION OF SRI NITYANANDA PRABHU AND SRI CHAITANYA MAHA PRABHU WHO APPEARED IN
WEST BENGAL SOME 500 YEARS AGO.THE SECOND ALTAR IS GRACED WITH THE DEITIES OF SRI RADHA KRISHNA
PARTHASARATHI ALONG WITH LALITA ANDVISHAKHA AND THEIR MOST CONFIDENTIAL GOPIS WHILE THE THIRD ALTAR IS
DRESSED WITH STRUCTURES OF SRI RAM, LAKSHMAN AND THEIR DEVOTEE LORD HANUMAN. IN FACT,THE DEITIES OF SRI
RADHA PARTHASARATHIWERE ESTABLISHED BY HIS DIVINE GRACE A. C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADAWAY
BEFORE THE TEMPLE STRUCTURE WAS EVEN ESTABLISHED.
❑ THE ISKCON TEMPLE CONDUCTS VERY HIGH STANDARDS OF WORSHIPWHICH IS STRICTLY ADHERED TO BY THE 24 WELL
TRAINED BRAHMIN TEMPLE PRIESTS.THE REGULAR SCHEDULE IS A DAILY WORSHIP OR PUJA OF ALL THE DEITIES
ACCORDING TO STRINGENT SPIRITUAL GUIDELINES ACCOMPANIED WITH AN OFFERING OF 6 AARTIS ALONG WITH 6
BHOGS TO ALL THE DEITIES. ON A DAILY BASIS, EVERY MORNING AND EVENING,THE PRIEST CHANGES THE OUTFITS OF
THE DEITIES AND NEW OUTFITS ARE TAILORED EVERYYEAR DURING EVERY FESTIVAL OF JANAMASHTAMI,RAM NAVAMI,
GAURI PURNIMA, RADHASHTAMI,AND NITYANANDA TRAYODASHI AND DURING THE PUJA OF GOVARDHANA.THE TEMPLE
PRIEST ORGANISES ELABORATE PRAYER SESSIONS AND CELEBRATIONS DURING THESE FESTIVALS INCLUDING
JAGANNATH RATHYATRA AND MANY OTHERS.
❑ THE ISKCON TEMPLE ALSO PROVIDESVISITORSWITH DELECTABLE AND HYGIENIC CUISINES AT GOVINDA'S RESTAURANT
OPENED ON ALL DAYS BETWEEN 0800 HOURS AND 2000 HOURS.THE SNACK SHOP ALSO OFFERS DELECTABLE SNACKS
AND AN ARRAY OF JUICES, ICE CREAMS, PIZZAS,HERBAL TEA, SAMOSAS, KACHAURIS AND MANY MORE.THE
BHAKTIVEDANTA BOOK SHOP WITHIN THE TEMPLE PREMISES OFFERS A WIDE COLLECTION OF SPIRITUAL BOOKS AND
ENCYCLOPAEDIA ON THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF LEGENDARY GURUS INCLUDING THE FOUNDER OF ISKCON TEMPLE
AND ALSO PROVIDES COMIC BOOKS FOR CHILDREN. DEVOTIONAL MUSIC COLLECTION IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON DVD AND
CD FORMATS, CASSETTES AND VIDEOS ALONG WITH OTHER PUJA ITEMS LIKE INCENSE STICKS, AARTI THALI OR TRAYS,
IDOLS OF DEITIES, PRAYER BEADS AND MANY OTHER VARIETY TO CHOSE FROM
14.
15. ❑ THE BUILDING COMPLEX WAS NOT ONLY
SCULPTURAL FORM TO IT BUT ALSO NATURALLY
LIT AND VENTILATED.
❑ MOVING NEAR TO COMPLEX FOR A GOOD
VANTAGE POINT THERE IS A FOOTHILL IN A
NEARBY PARK WHERE THERE ARE SEATINGS
AND NATURAL ROCK. PEOPLE COME HERE AT
THE EVENINGS AND GAZE AT THE VIEWS.
❑ THE COMPLEX HAS AN OPEN AMPHITHEATRE
WHERE PERFORMERS FROM THE WORLD COME
OVER TO PRESENT THEIR SKILLS , ILLUSTRATING
SCENES FROM THE GREAT EPICS OF HINDUISM.
16. ❑ IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST TEMPLE COMPLEXES IN INDIA. IT COMPRISES NUMEROUS ROOMS FOR
PRIESTS AND FOR SERVICE RENDERS. IT CONTAINS MANY HALLS THAT ARE USED FOR ITS
ADMINISTRATION PURPOSES. IT IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR BROAD SECTIONS.
❑ INTERESTING LEGENDS OF MYTHOLOGY AND THEIR SCIENTIFIC RELEVANCE FASCINATESYOU,THEN
REMEMBER TO VISIT THE ISKCON MUSEUM,ENSCONCED ON TWO FLOORS OF THE TEMPLE BUILDING.
PINNED TO A COMMON GOAL TO PRESENT INDIAN HISTORY IN AN INTERACTIVE MANNER,THE TEMPLE
AUTHORITY HAS TAKEN INITIATIVES TO ORGANIZE A LIGHT AND SIGHT SHOW GARNISHED WITH LIFE-
LIKE FIGURES OF HINDU MYTHOLOGY,THAT MAKES A HUGE IMPACT ON THE AUDIENCE. PORTRAYING
THE BEST OF SCIENCE AND RELIGION,THE EXHIBITION IS A MUST SEE FOR EVERY VISITOR. STROLL IN
THE GROUND FLOOR ANDYOU CAN SEE BEAUTIFUL MOTIFS THAT BRINGS THE FORLORN PREACHING OF
BHAGWAT GITA, BACK TO LIFE. ASYOU WILL CLIMB HIGHER,THE WHOLE BACKDROP CHANGES TO THAT
OF RAMAYANA AND MAHABHARATA STORIES.
❑ AS VAISHNAVISM, ISKCON HAS VERY HIGH STANDARD OF WORSHIP
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22. ❑ THE TEMPLE HAS AIR CONDITIONEDHALL WHERE
1500 PEOPLE CAN STAND AND PERFORM.
❑ THE TEMPLE HAS REOWNED FOR ITS FINE
COLLECTION OF PAINTINGS BY RUSSIAN ARTISTS.
❑ THESE PAINTINGS SHOWCASE SEVERAL EVENTS
RELATED TO HINDU MYTHOLOGICAL
CHARACTERS OF SITA RAM, RADHA KRISHNA ,
HANUMAN , LAXMI, AND CHAITANYA
MAHAPRABHU.
