Sri Radha Shyamasundar Mandir is a
Hindu temple located in
Haebangchon
Haebangchon (Hangul: 해방촌 Hanja: 解放村; from ''haebang'', "freedom or liberation" + ''chon'', "village"), sometimes abbreviated as HBC, is a district of Yongsan-gu, in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in central S ...
,
Seoul,
South Korea. The temple opens each morning and evening at specific
darshan times. Special programs are also held on Sundays, such as free children's Bal Vikas classes (which includes Indian scriptures taught through videos, Hindi language, Indian devotional music, etc.), yoga classes, and a special Sunday feast program with
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...
lectures.
The temple holds festivals like
Diwali
Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is ...
and Sri
Krishna Janmastami
Krishna Janmashtami , also known simply as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. According to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, it is observed ...
, which have attracted more than 500 devotees. Ceremonies such as
weddings, Namkaran naming ceremonies and Shnathi Puja are held in
Vedic style by traditional Brahmins.
[{{Cite web, url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2008/09/177_30805.html, title = First Indian Temple Opens in Seoul, date = 9 September 2008] The temple also is a meeting point for Hindus from
India,
Nepal,
Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
and
Pakistan, as well as
ISKCON devotees from various parts of the world.
The temple also provides
vegetarian groceries,
Puja items, Upawas and satwik foods (purely vegetarian, without garlic or onion) on special request for vegetarian devotees due to language difficulties and dietary restrictions.
Description
The Vedic Cultural Center (Sri Radha Shyamasundar Mandir) serves as a spiritual university and spiritual hospital and place for peace and tranquility. According to temple officials, it serves as a place to unwind from the stresses of a modern economy.
The temple officials state that such questions as, "Why do bad things happening to good people? What is purpose of life? Where can I find true happiness in life that can fulfill the innermost longings of life?" are questions that they try to answer through interpretation of Vedic texts.
The temple conducts most Hindu religious practices, such as Mangal Aarti, Sandhya Aarti, Bhajan singing, Dancing, Group Japa Meditation, Bhagavatam and Bhagavat Geeta classes, and spiritual discourses.
In 2008, some devotees of
Krishna inspired by the teachings of A. C. Bhaktivedant Swami Srila Prabhupad, decided to spread this gift of ancient Sanatana (Hindu) Dharma outside
Seoul.
See also
*
Buddhism in Korea
Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what its early practitioners saw as inconsistencies within the Mahayana Buddhist traditions that they received from foreign countries. To address this, the ...
*
Hinduism in Korea
Hinduism is a minority religion in Korea. There are 24,414 Indians in South Korea, most of whom are Hindus. Through Buddhism, it has also had an indirect impact on certain aspects of traditional Korean thought. The Four Heavenly Kings that can ...
*
Indians in Korea
A commemorative Rs. 25.00 postage stamp on Princess Suriratna (Queen Heo Hwang-ok ) was issued by India in 2019.
A commemorative Rs. 5.00 postage stamp on Queen Heo Hwang-ok (Princess Suriratna) was issued by India in 2019.
Indians in Korea c ...
*
Koreans in India
*
Korean Shamanism
Korean shamanism or Mu-ism is a religion from Korea. In the Korean language, alternative terms for the tradition are ''musok'' () and ''mugyo'' (무교, 巫敎). Scholars of religion have classified it as a folk religion. There is no central auth ...
*
Memorial of Heo Hwang-ok, Ayodhya
A commemorative Rs. 25.00 postage stamp on Princess Suriratna (Queen Heo Hwang-ok) was issued by India in 2019.
A commemorative Rs. 5.00 postage stamp on Queen Heo Hwang-ok (Princess Suriratna) was issued by India in 2019.
A memorial of the ...
*
India–South Korea relations
India–South Korea relations are the bilateral relations between India and South Korea. Formal establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries occurred in 1973. Since then, several trade agreements have been reached: Agreement on Trad ...
*
India – North Korea relations
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on th ...
*
List of Hindu temples in South Korea
Hinduism (힌두교 ''Hindugyo'') is practiced among South Korea's small Indian and Nepali immigrant community. However, Hindu traditions such as Yoga and Vedanta have attracted interest among young Koreans. Hindu temples in South Korea are ...
*
List of Hindu temples outside India
*
Silk Road transmission of Buddhism
Buddhism entered Han China via the Silk Road, beginning in the 1st or 2nd century CE. The first documented translation efforts by Buddhist monks in China were in the 2nd century CE via the Kushan Empire into the Chinese territory bordering the ...
References
Temple Website
Hindu temples in South Korea
Religious buildings and structures in Seoul