ISKCON Temple Bengaluru is one of the largest Krishna-Hindu temples in the world. It is situated in

Bengaluru Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

in the

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

n state of

Karnataka Karnataka ( ) is a States and union territories of India, state in the southwestern region of India. It was Unification of Karnataka, formed as Mysore State on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, States Re ...

. The temple is dedicated to Hindu deities

Radha Krishna Radha-Krishna (IAST , ) is the combined form of the Hindu god Krishna with his chief consort and ''shakti'' Radha. They are regarded as the feminine as well as the masculine realities of God and gender in Hinduism, God, in several Krishnaism, Kr ...

and propagates monotheism as mentioned in ''Chandogya Upanishad''.

History

In May 1997, Bangalore ISKCON Temple was inaugurated by the ninth

president of India The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...

Shankar Dayal Sharma Shankar Dayal Sharma (; 19 August 1918 – 26 December 1999) was an Indian lawyer and politician who served as the President of India from 1992 to 1997. Born in Bhopal, Sharma studied at Agra, Allahabad and Lucknow and received a doctorate i ...

.ISKCON Temple Bangalore website, Temple History
/ref> The society was registered on 8 May 1978 under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960. The objectives of the society are derived from the Seven Purposes of ISKCON as stated by

Srila Prabhupada Abhay Charanaravinda Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (; ) (1 September 1896 – 14 November 1977) was a spiritual, philosophical, and religious teacher from India who spread the Hare Krishna mantra and the teachings of "Krishna consciousness" ...

Founder

founded International Society for Krishna Consciousness (

ISKCON The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), commonly known as the Hare Krishna movement, is a religious organization that follows the Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. It was founded on 13 July 1966 ...

). In 1966, he established ISKCON in New York City, dedicating his life to promoting the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita and the practice of

bhakti yoga Bhakti yoga (), also called Bhakti marga (, literally the path of '' bhakti''), is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity.Karen Pechelis (2014), The Embodiment of Bhakti, ...

. His efforts established temples, ashrams, and communities worldwide, making Vedic wisdom accessible to a global audience. During the Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the largest spiritual gatherings in the world, Srila Prabhupada was posthumously honoured with the title of "Vishwa Guru" by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad. This recognition celebrated his monumental contributions to spirituality, his role in reviving ancient Vedic traditions, and his impact as a global spiritual ambassador.

About Temple

Features of the temple

There is a gold-plated dhwaja-

stambha A stambha () is a pillar or a column employed in Indian architecture. A stambha sometimes bears inscriptions and religious emblems. Religion In Hindu mythology, a stambha is believed to be a cosmic column that functions as a bond, joining h ...

(flag post) 17 m (56 ft) high and a gold plated kalash

shikhara ''Shikhara'' (IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chamber ...

8.5 m (28 ft) high. There is free distribution of Sri Krishna prasadam to all visitors during the darshana hours.

Shrines (altars)

ISKCON Bangalore has six shrines: # Main deities is of

Radha Radha (, ), also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and the chief consort of the god Krishna. She is the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion, and devotion. In scriptures, Radha is mentioned as the avatar of Lakshmi and also as the Prak� ...

Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...

# Krishna Balrama # Nitai Gauranga (

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (; ), born Vishvambhara Mishra () (18 February 1486 – 14 June 1534), was an Indian Hindus, Hindu saint from Bengal and the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mode of worshipping Krishna with bha ...

and

Nityananda Nityananda (, ; c. 1474-c. 1540), also called Nityananda Prabhu and Nitai, was a primary religious figure within the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Bengal. Nityananda was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's friend and disciple. Chaitanya and Nityananda are ...

) # Srinivasa Govinda (also known as

Venkateswara Venkateswara (, ), also known as Venkatachalapati, Venkata, Balaji and Srinivasa, is a Hindu deity, described as a form or avatar of the god Vishnu. He is the presiding deity of Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala, Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati. Hi ...

) #

Prahlada Prahlada () is an asura king in Hindu scriptures. He is known for his staunch devotion to the preserver deity, Vishnu. He appears in the narrative of Narasimha, the lion avatara of Vishnu, who rescues Prahlada by disimboweling and killing hi ...

Narasimha Narasimha (, , or , ), is the fourth avatara of the Hindu god Vishnu in the Satya Yuga. He incarnated as a part-lion, part-man and killed Hiranyakashipu, ended religious persecution and calamity on earth, and restored dharma. Narasimha has th ...

Daily ceremonies

The day begins at 4:30 with a ceremony called mangala-arati followed by worship of Tulasi Devi, Sri Narasimha Arati, and Suprabhata Seva for Sri Srinivasa Govinda. Later there is Shringara Darshana Arati, and Japa Meditation session. At 19:00 arati starts, where devotees sing kirtan. In the main temple, the arati is performed by three priests. This arati is followed again by kirtan where devotees can be seen dancing to the rhythm of " Hare Krishna Hare Rama".

ISKCON Vaikuntha Hill

Vaikuntha Hill in Bangalore is the destination for a visit to Lord Venkateshwara’s abode. This stone temple is constructed as per traditional Shilpa shastras (designs as mentioned in scriptures) in the Dravidian style of architecture. The design and aesthetics, including the seven doors to the sanctum, are inspired by the Sri Venkateshwara Swamy Temple in

Tirumala Tirumala is a Hindu religious temple town in Tirupati district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the neighbourhoods of the Tirupati city. The town is a part of Tirupati Urban Development Authority and located in Tirupat ...

. The deity of Lord Srinivasa is nearly the same height as the original one in Tirumala, and has been named Sri Rajadhiraja Govinda, which means He is the King of all kings. This project was conceived and executed by the devotees of ISKCON Bangalore, in pursuance of

's desire to build a grand temple like

, on his 125th birth anniversary. About ISKCON Sri Rajadhiraja Govinda temple Sri Rajadhiraja Govinda Temple is surrounded by the shrines of Sri

Sudarshana The Sudarshana Chakra (, ) is a divine discus, attributed to Vishnu in the Hindu scriptures. The Sudarshana Chakra is generally portrayed on the right rear hand of the four hands of Vishnu, who also holds the Panchajanya (conch), the Kaumodaki ...

, Sri

Mahalakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...

, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha, Bhakta

Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...

, and Sri

Garuda Garuda (; ; Vedic Sanskrit: , ) is a Hindu deity who is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. This divine creature is mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain faiths. Garuda is also the half-brother of the D ...

. A separate shrine has been constructed for Srila Prabhupada, where his Achala Shila Murti, a black stone deity, is installed. Story of Vaikuntha Hill and its connection with Lord Srinivasa Govinda The hill on which the temple resides is related to the divine story of a muni, Shri Mandavya muni, who performed very severe penance in a cave on this hill. Lord Srinivasa Govinda, pleased, wanted to grant a boon and a blessing to Shri Mandavya Muni, so promised him that after he married Princess Padmavatiat Tirumala, he would come to the hill, where he had performed penance, to perform the Leela of vihara or honeymoon. This sacred place thus came to be known as Vasanthapura. The name Vasanthapura signifies the place where Lord Govinda had arrived for his Vasantha Vihara (spring outing). The divine opening ceremony The temple was inaugurated in a grand ceremony on 14 June 2022, by Shri

Ram Nath Kovind Ram Nath Kovind ( ; born 1 October 1945) is an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the president of India from 2017 to 2022. He is the first person from Uttar Pradesh to serve as the president. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Pa ...

, Former President of India. He dedicated ISKCON Sri Rajadhiraja Govinda Temple & Cultural Complex in a grand ceremony of Lokarpana on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of ISKCON. The opening ceremony was also presided over by the Governor of Karnataka Shri Thawar Chand Gehlot, Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri

Basavaraj Bommai Basavaraj Somappa Bommai (born 28 January 1960) is an Indian politician and engineer who is currently serving as the Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (India), MP of Haveri Lok Sabha constituency, Haveri and previously served as the 23rd Chief Mi ...

, Member of the Legislative Assembly Shri M Krishnappa, in the presence of Madhu Pandit Dasa, President of ISKCON Rajajinagar, Bangalore.

Festivals

ISKCON Bangalore celebrates festivals that are either related to avatars of Lord Vishnu or with

Vedic culture upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas ( or ; ), sometimes collectively called the Veda, are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed i ...

. Main festivals that are celebrated within the temple are: *

Rama Navami Rama Navami () is a Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Rama, one of the most popularly revered deities in Hinduism, also known as the seventh avatar of Vishnu. He is often held as an emblem within Hinduism for being an ideal king and h ...

* Brahmotsava *

Narasimha Jayanti Narasimha Jayanti () is a Hindu festival that is celebrated on the fourteenth day of the Hindu month of Vaisakha (April-May). Hindus regard this as the day the deity Vishnu assumed his fourth avatar in the form of a "man-lion", known as Narasim ...

*Panihati Chida-dahi Utsav *

Ratha Yatra Ratha Yatra (), or chariot festival, is any public procession in a chariot. They are held annually during festivals in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The term also refers to the popular annual Ratha Yatra of Puri that involves a public process ...

*Balaram Jayanti *Jhulan Utsav * Sri Krishna Janmashtami * Vyasa Puja * Sri Radhashtami * Deepotsava *

Govardhan Puja Govardhan Puja (), also known as Annakut or Annakoot (meaning a “mountain of food”), is a Hindu festival celebrated on the first lunar day of the bright fortnight of the month of Kartika, on the fourth day of Diwali. Devotees worship Gova ...

Vaikuntha Ekadashi Vaikuntha Ekadashi () is a Hindu occasion and festival. It is primarily observed by Vaishnavas, who regard it to be a special ekadashi. It coincides with Mokshada Ekadashi or Putrada Ekadashi. It is observed on the 11th lunar day of the wax ...

*Nityananda Trayodashi * Gaura Poornima

Social services

ISKCON Bangalore provides free food to those in need. The

Akshaya Patra Foundation The Akshaya Patra Foundation is an independent charitable trust registered under the Indian Trusts Act 1882 (Reg. No. 154). Headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, the NGO serves as the implementing partner of the Government of India’s flagship ...

is one initiative started by members of the temple, which has received praise from United States' former President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

for feeding and educating children across India. Obama Lauds Akshaya Patra from Times of India, 17-12-2008
The

is principally involved in implementing the Mid-Day Meal program for children in Government and Government-aided schools across India. It follows a Public-Private Partnership model of operation and hence has been working in partnership with the Central and State Governments. It was set up in the year 2000 and runs the world's largest NGO-run Mid-Day Meal Programme. Akshaya Patra is currently operating in 27 locations across 11 states of India. It feeds 1.6 million children from over 13,500 government and government-aided schools every day.

Gallery

File:Iskon temple.JPG, ISKCON Bangalore Temple at night File:Entrance of Iskcon temple.jpg, Entrance of ISKCON temple at night File:3-PA300293 A pond.JPG, Pond near the Temple campus File:ISKCON-KrishnaLilaPark.jpg, ISKCON Vaikunta Hill, Kanakpura Road

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iskcon Temple Bangalore Hindu temples in Bengaluru Radha Krishna temples International Society for Krishna Consciousness temples Tourist attractions in Bengaluru