Prem Mandir Vrindavan

Prem Mandir ( The Temple of Divine Love)

Prem Mandir from Main Gate

Prem Mandir
Prem Mandir ( The Temple of Divine Love)
Location in Uttar Pradesh
Name
Proper name Prem Mandir
Devanagari प्रेम मंदिर, वृंदावन
Geography
Coordinates 27°34′21″N 77°40′21″E / 27.5724669°N 77.6724919°E / 27.5724669; 77.6724919Coordinates: 27°34′21″N 77°40′21″E / 27.5724669°N 77.6724919°E / 27.5724669; 77.6724919
Country India
State Uttar Pradesh
District Mathura
Location Vrindavan
Elevation 169.77 m (557 ft)
Culture
Primary deity Sita Rama and Radha Krishna
Important festivals Janmashtami, Radhastami
Architecture
Architectural styles Rajasthani Somnath Gujarati architecture
History and governance
Date built 17 February 2012
Creator Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj
Website http://jkp.org

Prem Mandir - The Temple of Divine Love is a divine monument, gifted by the Rasik saint Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj to the holy city of Vrindavan that is expected to continue to provide an uninterrupted source of inspiration to millions, for ages to come. It is maintained by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, an international non-profit, educational, spiritual, charitable trust.

It is a religious and spiritual complex situated on a 54-acre site on the outskirts of Vrindavan, Mathura, India. It is dedicated to Radha Krishna and Sita Ram. The temple structure was established by the fifth Jagadguru, Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj.[1] Figures of Shri Krishna and his followers depicting important events surrounding the Lord's existence cover the main temple.[2]

The foundation stone of Prem Mandir was laid in January 2001 by Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj[3] and the inauguration ceremony took place from 15 February to 17 February 2012.[4] The temple was opened to public on 17 February. The cost was 150 crore rupees ($23 million).[5] The presiding deity are Shri Radha Govind (Radha Krishna) and Shri Sita Ram. A 73,000 square feet, pillar-less, dome shaped satsang hall is being constructed next to Prem Mandir, which will accommodate 25,000 people at a time.[6]

History

In 1946, when Kripalu Ji Maharaj was just 24 years of age, he made a vow to build a grand temple in Vrindavan. With his friends, Shri Rama Shankar Sharma Shukla of Gargara, Shri Lakshmi Narayan of Mangarh and Shri Surya Bhushan of Itora, Shri Maharaj ji made a trip to Vrindavan, to visit the temples there. These friends were all studying Sanskrit grammar there at the time. When Shri Maharaj ji saw the famous Rang Ji Temple he spontaneously said, "I too will build a very big temple in Vrindavan." His friends mocked him saying that it would be no fun to build a temple. Though many a time they had felt that their friend was not an ordinary boy, but a personality with transcendental powers, yet at the moment they did not believe that it was possible for him.

The foundation stone was laid by Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj in the presence of thousand devotees on 14 January 2001. It took about 12 years and 1000 skilled artists to give Prem Mandir it's special shape and design. On the one hand, people were using chisels and hammers to engrave special inlays and on the other, computerized robotic machines were giving shape to those stones; replicating the lilas of Shri Radha Krishna. Such specialized machinery has rarely been used anywhere in India Before.

The Vrindavan site was developed by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj himself whose main ashram was at Vrindavan.[7] Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Mahraj dedicated the gift of love to Shri Vrindavan Dham. Considered a perennial source of divine love, an unending stream of devotion will flow for ages to come through this unique monument.

Architecture and design

The temple was designed and conceived by Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj himself, and his ideas and views were replicated by the renowned sculptures Shri Suman Rai Trivedi and his son, Shri Manoj Suman Rai Trivedi of the famous Sompura family who have the distinction of being the creators of the great Temple of Somnath in Gujrat.

The temple represents a renaissance in ancient Indian art and architecture. Prem Mandir is constructed entirely of Italian marble. With its intricate carvings, the display of refined craftsmanship and the elaborate inlay work, replete with semi-precious stones, the temple is seen as a unique divine structure within Vrindavan. The total dimensions of the temple including its flag is 125 ft. high, 190 ft. long and the 128 ft. wide raised platform serves as the seat of the two-storeyed sparkling white monument.

A circumambulation route has been constructed on the mandir prangan, the platform of the temple, enabling visitors to appreciate the beauty of the 48 panels depicting the pastimes of Shri Radha Krishna which are carved on the outer walls of the temple. The walls are made of solid Italian marble, 3.25 ft. thick. The thickness of the walls of the garbha-griha is 8 ft and can easily bear the weight of huge shikhar, swarna Kalash and the Flag. 84 panels set up on the temple's exterior display the loving pastimes of Shri Krishna depicted on Shrimad Bhagvatam.

Events

Temple Timings

Morning

Evening

Musical Fountain

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prem Mandir Vrindavan.

References

  1. ↑ Famous Krishna Temples in India : Prem Mandir
  2. ↑ Kripaluji Maharaj's Prem Mandir will be inaugurated on 17 February-Aaj Ki Khabar
  3. ↑ 1000 कारीगरों ने 11 साल में बनाया 'प्रेम मंदिर'!. [Dainik Bhaskar]. Retrieved 6 April 2014
  4. ↑ Prem Mandir Inauguration (Vrindavan) | Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog
  5. ↑ Dream Of "एक झोंपड़ी हो कृष्ण के बृज में" Now Becomes A Reality
  6. ↑ ब्रज का आकर्षण प्रेम मंदिर. [Dainik Jagran]. Retrieved 6 April 2014
  7. ↑ Sahara Samay Kripaluji Maharaj's 'Prem Mandir' inauguration on Friday FEBRUARY 13, 2012 "The much long awaited temple of Kripaluji Maharaj's 'Prem Mandir' will be inaugurated on Friday 16th for public in Vrindaban district of Uttar Pradesh."
  8. ↑ http://www.dailyindiaresults.in/2015/09/janmashtami-2015-live-celebration-at.html
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