Located in the heart of Vrindavan, this temple was built on an initiative taken by Gopala Bhatta Goswami. The deity was manifested from a Salagram Shila in 1542 and is worshiped to this day. The cloth and asana that Gopala Bhatta brought from Jagannath Puri are still kept here and displayed on special occasions. This temple also houses the samadhi of Gopal Bhatta Goswami.
Shri Radha Raman’s History
Shri Radha Raman Temple is a sacred temple of Gaudiya Vaishnavism enshrining the original Saligram Shila. The temple dates back to 1542 when it was built by Gopala Bhatta Goswami upon his arrival in Vrindavan at the age of thirty. It is one of the seven main temples of Thakur of Vrindavan and holds great significance especially among the followers of Gaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Gopala Bhatta Goswami was one of the disciples of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and had received his blessings in the form of Kopin (loincloth), Patta, and Dupatta. He was also blessed with a wooden seat in which he would sit in order to preach and distribute the teachings of Krishna.
During his trip to Nepal Gopala Bhatta Goswami dipped his kamandalu in the Kali-Gandaki River and 12 silas mysteriously entered his water pot. He immediately understood that these were not ordinary stones and began to worship them. He then decided to dedicate all of his time to their service.
He established this temple in order to fulfill his devotional obligations and the devotees of this day continue to follow his footsteps. They take turns to prepare all of the food offerings in the kitchen and perform five aratis daily. They also offer a special utsava for Radha chalisa. This festival consists of hari-nama sankirtana, bhagavata katha, and opulent feasts of prasadam.
Shri Radha Raman’s Rituals
Nestled in the heart of Vrindavan, this sacred sanctuary is a testament to devotion and eternal love. Its hallowed corridors, reverberating with melodious mantras and intricate carvings, beckon devotees to enter a world of spiritual enchantment.
The temple’s enchanting Shaligram deity, known as Radha Raman, has a mesmerizing smile that is sure to leave you spellbound. It was self-manifested from a Saligram Shila. The temple also houses a mausoleum of Gopal Bhatt Goswami, the original worshiper of the deity.
When Rupa and Sanatana Gosvami saw the deity, they were awed by its beauty. They remarked that the body of Shri Radha Raman had the form of Madana Mohana, and His face was moonlike like that of Govind Deva. This beautiful exchange of love mesmerized them, and they named the Deity Shri Radha Raman.
The Deity has a graceful golden form with unique features like fingers and teeth. There is no Deity of Radharani in the temple, but pujaris pray to Radha and Ramji together. A plate with Radha’s name engraved on it is placed next to the Lord. This practice is based on the principle that there is no difference between the name and the person.
The temple is built in a style that blends both Mughal and Indian architecture. It is made of red sandstone, a rare material that was only used in high palaces and imperial buildings during that time. The interiors of the temple are richly decorated and adorned with fine paintings. There are many festivals celebrated in the temple, including Hitotsav – a festival that celebrates celestial love and devotion. The celebrations last for 11 days and include bathing the statue of Shri Radha Raman with a mixture of curd marinated in saffron.
Shri Radha Raman’s Festivals
Shri Radha Raman Temple is located in the city of Vrindavan District Mathura State Uttar Pradesh, India. It is the main shrine of RadhaVallabh sect and depicts the divine romance of Sri Krishna and His beloved consort, Radha Rani. The temple was founded some 500 years ago by Gopal Bhatta Goswami, a disciple of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The temple was built to look like a home with a shrine on one side of the courtyard and living quarters on the other sides.
Until the time when the Temple Entry Act was passed by the British, there were two sets of stairs leading to the temple platform where worshipers could see the deities close up. This allowed for the highest standard of deity worship in all of Vraja. Now only the Goswamis and the Temple servants climb up to the platform, but on certain festival days, such as Janmashtami, the presiding deities are brought out for a special bathing ceremony called Maha Abhishek and are seen by the devotees.
There were maybe twelve pandas (servitors) on stage, holding the throne, keeping it steady, and offering showers of water over the deities. Others were chanting, and some made mudras on the bathing articles. The whole affair took about an hour and a half and was a wonderful sight to behold. This was the Divine Appearance festival, and on this day, Lord Radha-Raman bathes with much pomp and glory in His own abode.
Shri Radha Raman’s Samadhi
In the center of this temple is a small shrine with the self-manifested form of Lord Radha Raman. The deity is surrounded by the samadhi of Gopal Bhatt Goswami. He was one of the six original Goswamis of Vrindavan inspired and initiated by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
The Samadhi of Gopal Bhatt is to the left as you enter the first gate into the temple compound. Gopal Bhatt was the only one of the Six Goswamis who didn’t have a deity of his own so he decided to devote the samadhi and service of Shri Radha Raman.
When Rupa and Sanatana Gosvamis visited the samadhi they were astounded by His beauty. From the feet to the waist He was a resemblance of Shri Madana Mohana, His chest was like that of Gopinatha and His face was moonlike as that of Govind Deva.
This samadhi is regularly worshiped with hari-nama sankirtana and bhagavata katha. The worshipers also bathe the deity with milk and offer a full plate of maha-prasada twice a day. Upon taking initiation in Gaudiya Vaishnavism the new disciples sponsor the utsava of this temple and serve the prasadam.
This devotional seva is a special feature of this temple which distinguishes it from other larger Vrindavan temples. The discretion of the building design and the small size of the image means that this temple did not have to leave Vrindavan during the political upheavals of the seventeenth century, like many of the other Goswami’s images that were removed for their safety.
