Temple Tour

Through the gate and across the chequered court to the Lord's house.

The tour begins at the gate on the road. A long chequered courtyard, lined with lamps, leads straight to the temple - its three shikharas rising ahead of you and the saffron flag above them.

Footwear is left at the stand before entering the temple.

Eight great acharyas and saints of bhakti, each in a marble chhatri.

In the garden the great teachers of the Vaishnava tradition sit in marble chhatris, garlanded every day: Srila Ramanujacharya, Srila Madhvacharya, Srila Nimbarkacharya and Srila Vishnuswami, who founded the four Vaishnava sampradayas; Sant Narsimha Mehta, Sant Gyaneshwar and Sant Tukaram, the poet-saints whose songs of bhakti are sung across India; and Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, who foresaw the holy name spreading around the world.

Carved marble, gold and a crystal chandelier, where the devotees gather.

Under a painted ceiling and a great crystal chandelier, white marble arches carved with peacocks and flowers frame the altar doors. Here the devotees gather for every aarati, for kirtan, and for the morning and evening classes.

The Lord of Hare Krishna Land - this week's darshan.

When the doors open, Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohanji stand at the heart of the temple, dressed afresh every day. These are the latest days' darshan photos - the Lord as the devotees saw Him this week.

The Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, on his vyasasana.

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who carried the Hare Krishna movement from Vrindavan to the whole world, sits on his vyasasana in the temple - garlanded, and offered guru-puja every morning at 7:25.

The Lord's ten incarnations, from Matsya to Kalki.

The Lord's avatars stand in marble, each with His name - Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Vamana, Parashurama, Balarama, Buddha and Kalki among Them - descending, as the Bhagavad Gita says, age after age, to protect the devotees and re-establish dharma. With Them stands Sri Rukmini Vitthal, the Lord of Pandharpur, beloved of Maharashtra.

Open lawns around the fountain, looking up at the temple.

Wide lawns flank the walk, with the fountain at its heart - a place to sit, to chant on your beads, and to take in the temple and the guesthouse towers against the Sahyadri hills.

Ayurveda, yoga and mantra for body and mind.

Ayurvedic therapies, yoga and mantra meditation - care for the body and the mind, in the spirit of the Vedas.

Srila Prabhupada's books and the Vedic scriptures.

Srila Prabhupada's books and the Vedic literature, for reading and study.

Rooms and suites for pilgrims, in the towers beside the temple.

Pilgrims and families stay in the guesthouse beside the temple, so the first aarati of the morning is only a short walk away.

Courses in the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavatam and the Vedic way of life.

Study rooms and classes for courses on the Bhagavad Gita, the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Vedic way of life.

Pure vegetarian meals, offered to the Lord and served as prasadam.

Govinda's serves pure vegetarian meals, offered first to the Lord and then served as prasadam, in a restaurant on the campus - the place to stop after darshan.