Iskcon Temple Rajahmundry , Rajahmundry Overview

One of the most famous temples in Andhra Pradesh, Iskcon Temple is a recreational centre in Rajahmundry. It is known as the second-largest Iskcon Temple in the Southern region of India after the Iskcon in Bangalore. Also known as Gowthami Ghat, this temple is a popular worship spot and is definitely worth a visit.

Built across 2 acres of land on the banks of the Godavari River, this temple was created by the Iskcon group which stands for International Society for Krishna Consciousness and is a temple primarily dedicated to Lord Krishna. Many Rishis are believed to have performed Tapasya or prayer here and has a few alternative names such as Sri Gopinath Temple and Ramananda Raya Gaudiya Math since it is believed that Sri Chaitanya and Ramananda Raya exchanged words on this site. It is one of the most modern temples with a number of facilities available for tourists and should be on the list for those who wish to see Hindu culture in South India.

Timings

Iskcon Temple Rajahmundry timings are as follows:

Monday: 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Tuesday: 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Wednesday: 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Thursday: 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Friday: 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Saturday: 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Sunday: 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, 4:30 PM to 8:30 PM
There is no entry fee for the temple. However, visitors can choose to donate money here.

History

The great saint, Shri Krishna Chaitanya Maha Prabu who was a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu had established his practices of consciousness and was worshipped here over 500 years ago. He was also the one known to have started the “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” Sankeerthana. As a result, this temple was built by ISKCON in 2005 and was inaugurated on 9th August 2006. Idols of Sri Sri Radha Gopinath, Subhadra Devi, Sri Govinda Srinivasa, Sri Jagannath Baladeva, Sri Krishna Chaitanya and Prabhu Nityananda were kept here. These four altars represent the four points of the compass of the main temple which is surrounded by 10 incarnations of the Lord.

Important Dates

This temple is quite crowded on festivals such as Janmashtami, Ram Navmi, Radhastami, Gaura Purnima, Ratha Yatra, Damodara Masam, Geetha Jayanthi, Govardhan Pooja, Narasimha Chaturdashi, Vaikunta Ekadashi, Naraka Chaturdasi and many more. The temple is visited by around 1000 to 1500 devotees on a daily basis while on Sundays, this temple sees around 6000 to 8000 devotees. On special occasions and festivals especially on Janmashtmi, around 50,000 people visit Iskcon Temple. This temple is also famous for Lord Govinda Srinivas Abhishekam which is performed at 6:30 PM every Friday. Sannai Vaiyidyam along with musical instruments glorifying Lord Vishnu takes place throughout the day on Saturdays and Sundays.

Things to Do

When at Iskcon Temple, visitors are recommended to attend Vaikunta Ekadasi and Nagara Sankeertana. These are one of the most famous festivals that take place in this temple. Apart from that, this temple has a number of upcoming events that keep changing throughout the year, mainly revolving around sevas, keertanas, yatras and darshans. This temple is heavily involved in activities and projects such as Mid Day Meals and Cow Protection activities. Visitors are recommended to have a look at those. What’s more, there is a Gift Stall right next to the temple hall where Founder-Acharya Books and other equipment are available. Lastly, a number of tours are also available that allow visitors to have a good look at the temple within a limited time.

How To Reach Iskcon Temple Rajahmundry

Located in Rajahmundry, the nearest railway station to Iskcon Temple is Rajahmundry Railway Station which is around 5 kilometres away and it would take around 10 minutes to reach via road. Visitors can take a cab or a taxi from the railway station or can take a local bus or a metro.