Radha Damodar Temple, Vrindavan

{{short description|Hindu Temple dedicated to Radha Krishna in Vrindavan}}

{{Infobox Hindu temple

|name=Shri Radha Damodar Temple

|deity=Radha Damodar

|Temple owner=

|festival=Janmashtami,

Radhashtami, Holi, Sharad Purnima, Kartik Purnima

|district=Mathura

|location=Vrindavan

|state=Uttar Pradesh

|country=India

|map_type=India Uttar Pradesh

|year_completed=1542 CE

|map_caption=Location in Uttar Pradesh

|image= Radha Damodar Temple.JPG

|caption=Radha Krishna murtis at center along with their other forms.

|coordinates={{coord|27.5836|77.695743|type:landmark_region:IN-UP|display=inline,title}}

|founded_by=Jiva Goswami

|website=https://www.radhadamodarmandir.com/}}

Shri Radha Damodar Temple is a Hindu temple, dedicated to Hindu deities Radha and Krishna. The temple is situated in Vrindavan of Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. In the temple, Krishna is worshiped in the form of Damodar with his consort Radha. It is one of the main seven Goswami temples of Vrindavan. The temple belongs to Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition and was founded by Jiva Goswami in 1542.{{Cite book|last=Prasad|first=Pushpa|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195684476.001.0001|title=Lekhapaddhati|date=2007-11-01|publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195684476.001.0001 |isbn=978-0-19-568447-6}}{{Cite web|title=Radha Damodar Mandir, Vrindavan - Info, Timings, Photos, History|url=https://www.templepurohit.com/hindu-temple/radha-damodar-mandir-mandir-vrindavan/|access-date=2021-07-06|website=TemplePurohit - Your Spiritual Destination {{!}} Bhakti, Shraddha Aur Ashirwad|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2019-11-13|title=Radha Damodar Mandir, Vrindavan - History, Hidden Facts, Location, Review|url=https://vrajvrindavan.com/radha-damodar-temple-vrindavan/|access-date=2021-07-06|website=Vraj Vrindavan|language=en-US}}

History

Shri Radha Damodar Temple was first established by Jiva Goswami in the year 1542 and was located at Seva Kunj of Vrindavan. Later, In 1670, when the Muslim emperor Aurangazeb invaded Vrindavana, [https://mathura.nic.in/radha-damodar-temple-vrindavan/ Radha Damodar Temple, Vrindavan] Mathura district official website. the original deities Radha Damodar were shifted to Jaipur for some time and when the social conditions became favourable, deities were brought back to Vrindavan in the year 1739. The deities Radha Damodar have been served in Vrindavan since then.{{Cite web|last=Sevak|title=Sri Sri Radha Damodara Temple {{!}} Holy Dham|url=https://www.holydham.com/sri-sri-radha-damodara-temple/|access-date=2021-07-06|language=en-US}}{{Cite journal|last1=Mukherjee|first1=Tarapada|last2=Habib|first2=Irfan|date=1988|title=The Mughal Administration and the Temples of Vrindavan During the Reigns of Jahangir and Shahjahan|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148393|journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress|volume=49|pages=287–300|jstor=44148393 |issn=2249-1937}} Before the disappearance of Jiva Goswami in 1596, he left the deities in the care of his successor Krishna Dasa, the head priest. Presently, the descendants of Krishna Dasa are serving the deities.

Significance

The temple is one of the ancient temples of Vrindavan. It is among the seven significant temples of Vrindavan which includes Radha Madan Mohan temple, Radha Gokulnanda temple, Radha Raman temple, Radha Govinda temple, Radha Gopinath temple and Radha Shyamsundar temple.{{Cite web|title=7 Main Temples|url=http://radhanathswamiyatras.com/vrindavan-town/7-main-temples/|access-date=2021-07-06|website=Radhanath Swami Yatras|date=28 May 2011 |language=en-US}} The temple also houses the Giriraj Shila having the footprints of Krishna which was believed to be given to Sanatana Goswami by Krishna himself. According to popular belief, four parikramas (circumambulation) of the Radha Damodar Temple is equal to one circumambulation of Govardhana Hill.{{Cite web|title=Radhadamodar Govardhan sila|url=https://www.salagram.net/sstp-RadhadamodarVRNGovardhan.html|access-date=2021-07-06|website=www.salagram.net}}

There are also samadhis of many Gaudiya saints including Rupa Goswami, Jiva Goswami and Krishnadasa Kaviraja.[https://brajrasik.org/photo/5e70e03e2f04a800619e401e/samadhi-of-shri-krishna-das-kaviraj-at-shri-radha-damodar-temple-vrindavan Samadhi of Shri Krishna Das Kaviraj at Shri Radha Damodar Temple, Vrindavan.] inside the premises of the temple. Founder of ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada also stayed in this temple for six years before heading to the United States of America to preach about Krishna.