Divine Radha Vrindavanbihari Temple Mini Vrindavan, Galatare, T. Wada, Palghar

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has established many beautiful and magnificent temples across the world. One such unique temple, nestled in a beautiful and scenic environment, is the Radha Vrindavanbihari Temple. This temple is situated within the Govardhan Eco Village, which spans an area of approximately 100 acres in Galtare, Palghar. This eco-friendly village is also known as a small replica of Lord Krishna’s Vrindavan. Hundreds of devotees visit this serene and beautiful mini-Vrindavan every day to seek the blessings of Radha Krishna.

ISKCON is a religious organization that follows the principles of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Devotion to Krishna is central to this philosophy. ISKCON, whose primary spiritual practice is the chanting of the ‘Hare Krishna Hare Rama’ Mahamantra, has propagated the philosophy of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and Vedic Dharma across the world. In the ninth chapter of the ‘Shrimad Bhagavad Gita’, titled ‘Raja Vidya Raja Guhyayoga’, Lord Shri Krishna has stated that the worship of other gods and goddesses is born of ignorance. This verse is as follows – ‘ye’pyanyadevata bhakta

‘yajante shraddhayanvitah. te’pi mamev kaunteya yajantyavidhipurvakam.’ (9.23). The meaning of this is, ‘O son of Kunti, those who worship other gods and goddesses with faith and devotion are, in reality, worshipping Me alone; however, their worship is performed in ignorance. It is different from the prescribed rituals meant for attaining Me and is flawed.’ Further in the same chapter, it is stated, ‘yanti devavrata devanpitrnyanti pitrvratah. bhutani yanti bhutejya yanti madyajino’pi mam.’ (9.25). This means, ‘Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship spirits and ghosts will take birth among such beings; but those who worship Me (Shri Krishna) will attain Me alone.’ Due to this, only Krishna is worshipped in ISKCON. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is the founder of ISKCON. He is also known by the name Srila Prabhupada. His disciple, Radhanath Swami, established the Govardhan Eco Village in Palghar district to propagate and promote devotion to Krishna and an eco-friendly, spiritual lifestyle.

Radhanath Swami’s original name was Richard Slavin. He was born on December 7, 1950, into a Jewish family in Chicago, USA. From his childhood, he had a deep inclination towards spirituality. The decade of the sixties in America is considered a period of youth rebellion and cultural revolution. During that time, many young people, such as Apple founder Steve Jobs and the renowned Beatles musician George Harrison, turned towards Hinduism in search of peace of mind. Richard Slavin was one of them. Here, he sought out many gurus. It was during this search that he met Srila Prabhupada. Inspired by his philosophy, Richard Slavin embraced the path of Krishna devotion and adopted the name Radhanath Swami. He has written the books ‘The Journey Home’ (2008) and ‘The Journey Within’ (2016) about this spiritual quest of his. It was under his inspiration that the work of establishing the Govardhan Eco Village was initiated by ISKCON. For this purpose, one hundred acres of land in the tribal village of Galtare were selected. Actual work commenced there in the year two thousand three. In the year two thousand eleven, this eco-friendly village was officially inaugurated at the hands of the former Agriculture Secretary of Maharashtra, Nanasaheb Patil.

Out of the one hundred acres of Govardhan Eco Village, fifty acres comprise the temple area, and the remaining fifty acres are known as the cottage area. Within the thirteen-acre temple area, there are a total of twenty temples. Among these, the Radha Vrindavanbihari Temple, Radha Madanmohan Temple, and Gauranga Temple are the three main temples. This entire area has been constructed to resemble Lord Krishna’s Vrindavan. There are seventeen other temples here as well. Consequently, this entire area is popular by the name Mini Vrindavan. It includes Gokul and Vrindavan, where various episodes from Lord Krishna’s life story took place, the prison where Kansa held Vasudeva and Devaki captive, and the home of Nanda and Yashoda in Vrindavan. One can see the Yamuna River, the Kalia Dah located there, and many such things here. Various episodes from the life of Krishna have been brought to life here with the help of beautiful statues. Lush green trees, gardens, small ponds, streams, the beautiful ghats built there, and the temples located there make this area extremely delightful.

Upon entering the Mini Vrindavan premises, the first sight one beholds is the Radha Vrindavanbihari Temple. This temple is constructed in the ancient Nagara style of temple architecture. Every pillar, ceiling, and wall is adorned with exquisite carvings. The temple is situated upon a high plinth. After ascending a few spacious steps, one enters the temple’s assembly hall (Sabhamandap). This is a semi-open type of assembly hall featuring square wooden pillars and a sloping roof. Various episodes from the life of Krishna are painted in eye-pleasing colors on this ceiling. This hall is separate from the main temple structure. The temple’s layout consists of a viewing hall (Darshan Mandap) and a sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha). Within the wooden shrine on the altar of the sanctum sanctorum, there are marble idols of Radha-Krishna in a dancing posture, adorned with ornaments, reflecting the characteristic style of ISKCON temples. It houses an idol of Bansidhar Krishna carved from black stone. An important feature of the Radha Vrindavan Bihari Temple is the various relief sculptures carved on its Mandovar, which is the section above the plinth. One can see depictions of the various incarnations of Vishnu, the mythological stories associated with them, and episodes from the life of Krishna there.

In this area, the Radha Madanmohan Temple is another towering shrine. Situated on a high, lush green hill-like terrain, the temple rises from the base to the summit like a continuous spire. The height of the temple is approximately ๑๐๐ feet. When viewed from a distance, it appears as if it has emerged directly from the earth, and the entire structure is built of red sandstone. The temple is surrounded by a paved courtyard on all sides. One enters the temple premises by climbing a few steps. The temple structure consists of a small antechamber and the sanctum sanctorum. Inside the sanctum, on a high silver altar, resides the enchanting idol of Radha Madanmohan. Additionally, there is a Gauranga Temple in the Mini Vrindavan area. Here, there is an idol of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was an extraordinary Vaishnava saint from sixteenth-century Bengal. He taught that devotion to the Lord is superior to mere intellectual knowledge of the Absolute. By preaching that the Supreme Lord can be attained through the path of devotion, which is easily accessible to all, he emphasized the greatness of chanting the Holy Name. ISKCON is based on the Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy propounded by him.

At Govardhan Eco Village, religious programs such as dance-kirtan and Bhagavad-sankirtan are organized, in addition to yoga and Ayurvedic treatments. A large cowshed is also managed by the temple. Furthermore, an Annakshetra (food distribution center) is run by ISKCON here, where free food is provided to devotees. For the religious tourists visiting here, the temple organizes a special forest tour, which includes a visit to Mini Vrindavan.

Sacred History & Spiritual Significance

This sacred temple stands as a testament to deep spiritual devotion, ancient architectural grandeur, and rich local cultural traditions.

Temple Sanctum & Architecture

The sanctum sanctorum houses the divine idol consecrated according to ancient Vedic traditions, surrounded by serene courtyards and traditional temple architecture.

Sacred Darshan Gallery