ISKCON Temple in Bangalore

Iskcon temple in Bangalore located on the west of the Chord Road. There are many Iskcon temples round the globe and this temple in bengalore hast the largest complex of temples among them. It was built in 1997 under the global ISKCON project.

About ISKCON Temple Bangalore:

Sri Sri Radha Krishna Chandra Temple is accredited for having the ISKCON’s largest temple complex in the world. Being made by the Iskcon cult, the magnificent shrine is commonly known as Iskcon Temple. Located onwest of Chord Road in Bangalore, the colossal shrine sprawls on seven-acres of ‘Hare Krishna Hill’. This outstanding temple is one amongst the best shrines constructed by the ISKCON. Iskcon Temple can be reached easily by taking regular buses, local vehicles or by hiring taxis from the city of Bangalore.

The huge shrine was started under the global project of ISKCON to memorialize the birthday of its founder, Sri Prabhupada. In May 1997, Bangalore Iskcon Temple was inaugurated by Mr. Shankar Dayal Sharma (former President of India). Ever since, the temple has been visited by far more than 5.1 million visitors. In the vein of other Iskcon Temples round the World, the shrine is mainly dedicated to Radha-Krishna.
The beautifully ornamental arches and illuminated water jets escort to the richly decorated Rajagopuram (main shrine). The main shrine comprises the stunningly beautiful idols of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna. Apart from the main shrine, the temple also comprises four additional shrines dedicated to Sri Sri Krishna Balrama, Sri Nitai Gauranga, Sri Prahlada Narasimha and Sri Srinivasa Govinda respectively. The main hall that embraces the three shrines, including the main one, is a huge hall of 10,000 sq feet. The ceiling of the hall is festooned with remarkable paintings made by the Russian painters.

History of ISKCON in Bangalore:

Around 1976, the devotees from different parts of India and the world had initiated activities of ISKCON in different parts of South India like Bangalore, Hubli, Madras, etc. Sankirtans in the streets, enrolling Life Members, arranging programs in the houses, and arranging large public programs in pandals were being conducted. Shankabrit das, Amiya Vilas das, Purna Brahma das and Ramsharaddha das, all disciples of Srila Prabhupada, were actively involved in these activities in south India. Srila Prabhupada saw that the proposal to open a centre in Bangalore was an opportunity to expand his ISKCON mission further in South India. In May 1997, Bangalore Iskcon Temple was inaugurated by former president of India – Shankar Dayal Sharma. Over the years by the sincere efforts of hundreds of devotees a grand temple was opened in 1998.

Architecture:

Built in neo-classical style of architecture, the temple bands together conventional architecture with ultra-modern services. The ardent devotees like Madhu Pandit Dasa (President and Project director) and Jagat Chandra Dasa designed the structure of this remarkable shrine, mingling the elements of traditional South-Indian with contemporary style of architecture. The elaborate temple complex is divided into various sections and sub-sections.
The splendid structure of the temple is worth-seeing because the celestial grandeur cannot be bounded in words. Lush green gardens in the campus appear mesmerizing to the onlooker. The temple complex also has an open amphitheatre, where various festivals and concerts are observed. The festival of ‘Janmashtami’ is the major festival that is celebrated here with loads of enthusiasm and devotion.

ISKCON in Bangalore has six shrines as follows :

Main shrine is of Radha and Krishna
Krishna Balrama
Nitai Gauranga (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda)
Srinivasa Govinda or Venkateshwara
Prahlada Narasimha
Srila Prabhupada

Attractions in ISKCON :

ISKCON whole comprises the area for more than seven hectares. There are 5 temples, multi-view movies, outdoor auditorium, outlets for organic products, and arts and crafts outlet, Vedic Library. Moreover, there is Akshay Patra kitchen and mechanized and pure vegetarian restaurant that offers food foodies luxury. Tourists who are members of the temple, can handle several days of retirement housing and residential complexes. If you want to know more about the temple and its founder, Swami Prabhupada, officials can contact the tourist agencies.

Other Attraction in Bangalore:

Attara Kacheri
Bangalore Aquarium
Bal Bhavan
Bangalore Palace
Cubbon Park
Gandhi Bhavan
Government Museum
Lalbagh Gardens
Nehru Planetarium
Tipu Sultan Fort
Ulsoor Lake
Visvesvaraya Museum

ISKCON – An Institution For Spiritual Education :

Hare Rama Hare Krishna temple is dedicated to more than just a place of worship. Founded by Swami Prabhupada A.C. Bhaktivedanta, the sanctuary is an institution for spiritual formation. The objective is to form a link between cultural and religious all age groups in all classes of society. The singing of hymns, sayings of inspiration that happens every year. During the holidays, the number of visitors to the temple exceeded expectations. Besides, I like to visit ISKCON (Delhi) on Sunday.

Best time to visit :

Summers -(March to May) are very pleasant in Bangalore. It offers mild climate with a maximum temperature of 34°C even in summers and due to this the city has the privilege of being considered as a summer retreat.
Monsoons– (June to August) are south-west monsoon periods; a windy season with mild to heavy rains. September to October offers North-West monsoon with rainy days.
Winters-(November to February) are the coolest period with temperature falling near to 10°C.

How to reach :

The mausoleum is a Rajainagar Hare Krishna Hill, located 10 km from Vidhana Soudha. It is 7 km from the railway station and 35 km from Bangalore International Airport Bangalore. Now, travelers can easily reach the temple, where in the city.

by Air: Bangalore airport is serviced by almost all the domestic airlines as well as a few international airlines. It is well connected with all the major cities of India.
by Rail: Bangalore City Railway Station has direct trains connecting it with all the key cities in the country. It is also serviced by a number of fast trains and daily express trains.
by Road: Bangalore is linked with the other cities through a number of National Highways. One can easily reach Iskcon Temple by taking regular Buses or by hiring taxis from Bangalore.