Krishna ExperienceThe story
Gopal Bhatta Goswami, the son of a priest at Srirangam in South India, was one of the six Goswamis whom Chaitanya Mahaprabhu sent to Vrindavan. He worshipped a set of shaligram stones, smooth black stones sacred to Vishnu. A wealthy devotee once offered clothes and ornaments for the deity, and Gopal Bhatta grieved that a round stone could not wear them. According to temple tradition, on the full moon of Vaishakh in 1542 he found that one of the stones had become a small standing Krishna in the three-fold bent pose. That deity is still worshipped here. His name, Radha Raman, means the one who delights Radha.
Things to know
- A fire that has not gone out. The temple kitchen's fire is said to have been kept burning since the 16th century; no matches are used to light the stoves.
- Original deity. Unlike several Goswami temples whose deities left for Rajasthan, Radha Raman has stayed in Vrindavan the whole time.
- Gopal Bhatta Goswami's samadhi is inside the complex, and the temple keeps relics associated with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
- Radha is represented beside Radha Raman by a crown rather than a separate deity.
Timings and tips
Morning darshan runs roughly from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm and evening darshan roughly from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, with a very early mangala aarti (about 4 to 5:30 am by season). Hours vary; check at the gate. The temple is in the old town, a short walk from Nidhivan; combine them in a morning.
Questions people ask
Who established Radha Raman temple?
Gopal Bhatta Goswami, one of the six Goswamis of Vrindavan, in 1542.
Why is Radha Raman called self-manifested?
Temple tradition holds that the deity appeared from one of Gopal Bhatta Goswami’s shaligram stones rather than being carved.