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ISKCON Vrindavan (Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir)
ISKCON Vrindavan, the Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir, is open 4:10–12:45 and 16:30–20:45 according to the temple's own schedule, and entry is free. The day begins in the dark with mangala aarti at 4:30, and the morning and evening kirtan is the reason most people come. Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON, opened the temple in 1975 and rests in a white marble samadhi at its gate.
ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) in Vrindavan is an entire spiritual campus (Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir), founded in 1975.
The ISKCON movement was founded by Shrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1966 in New York and has since spread worldwide. It's largely thanks to ISKCON that many in the West first heard the Hare Krishna mantra, began studying the Bhagavad Gita, and became interested in bhakti culture. The center in Vrindavan is one of the most beautiful and significant in the world.
What's Here:
Prabhupada's Mausoleum (Samadhi Shrine of Shrila Prabhupada): a memorial structure on the grounds of the Krishna-Balarama Temple in Vrindavan, where the founder of ISKCON, Shrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, rests.
ISKCON History Museum: an exhibition on the temple grounds dedicated to Shrila Prabhupada's life and the history of ISKCON's development.
Shrila Prabhupada's Home: a small building on the temple grounds where he lived in his final years. It's preserved as it was during his lifetime and is open to visitors.
Prasad Distribution Hall: a spacious room where hundreds of pilgrims, monks, and guests are fed prasad daily.
Bookstore, with books in all major world languages, including English translations.
Sacred Tulsi Plant, around which circumambulation is performed.
Gift Shop, where you can find prayer beads, tulsi necklaces, deity statues, paintings, incense, hand cymbals, and kirtan clothes.
The Kirtan Experience: The main reason to visit the Krishna-Balarama Temple is the kirtan. It's during kirtan that the temple fills with a special atmosphere that unites everyone present in a shared spiritual experience. Kirtan is the communal singing of God's holy names (mantras), accompanied by traditional instruments: mridanga drums, hand cymbals, and sometimes a harmonium. The most intense and well-attended kirtans happen in the morning and evening, especially in the main hall where devotees from around the world gather. In these moments, ISKCON stops being a temple and becomes the heart of Vrindavan, beating in unison with thousands of other hearts around the world.
If you want the deepest and most memorable experience of being in Vrindavan, be sure to attend kirtan at the Krishna-Balarama Temple. It's the central spiritual event that reveals the essence of Vaishnavite tradition.
Sri Sri Krishna Balarama Mandir
Tickets
Daily darshan and aarti timings
The temple's published schedule. Aarti is worship with lamps, incense and song; darshan means seeing the deities.
| Time | Service |
|---|---|
| 4:10 | Mangala aarti at Srila Prabhupada's samadhi |
| 4:30 | Mangala aarti in the main temple |
| 5:00 | Tulasi aarti |
| 7:15 | Shringar darshan (the deities newly dressed) |
| 7:20 | Guru puja |
| 8:00 | Srimad-Bhagavatam class |
| 8:30 | Dhoop aarti |
| 12:00 | Raj bhoga aarti |
| 12:45 | Temple closes |
| 16:30 | Utthapan aarti, temple reopens |
| 19:00 | Sandhya (Gaura) aarti |
| 20:30 | Shayana aarti |
| 20:45 | Temple closes |
UP Tourism lists slightly different hours (4:30–12:45 and 16:30–20:00, and in another season 4:30–13:00 and 16:00–20:00), so on festival days and in winter check the temple's schedule before you go.
Mangala aarti: the hour that lands
The first service of the day is the one to set an alarm for. The temple opens in the dark at 4:10 with an aarti at Prabhupada's samadhi; at 4:30 the curtains open, the deities are greeted with lamps, incense, a conch and drums, and everyone present sings together for half an hour. It is the least touristy hour in Vrindavan, and for many visitors the one that stays.
What to see
- The three altars. Krishna and Balarama in the centre; on the right Radha-Shyamasundar with the gopis Lalita and Vishakha; on the left Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda (Gaura-Nitai), with Srila Prabhupada and his guru Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. Prabhupada installed the deities on Ram Navami, 20 April 1975.
- Prabhupada's samadhi. The white marble memorial at the entrance of the complex, where the founder of ISKCON rests.
- Prabhupada's rooms. The small building where he lived in his last years, kept as it was, and a museum on his life and the history of ISKCON.
- Kirtan. Communal singing of the holy names with mridanga drums, hand cymbals and sometimes a harmonium. It is strongest in the morning and evening in the main hall, where devotees from many countries gather.
- The tulasi plant, walked around in worship, and the prasad hall, where hundreds of pilgrims, monks and guests are fed every day. Prasad means food first offered to the deity.
- The bookshop and gift shop: books in many languages, prayer beads, tulasi necklaces, incense and kirtan cymbals.
The complex also has a gurukul (traditional school) and a yoga school.
How to get there and where to stay
The temple is on Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg in Raman Reti. From the centre of Vrindavan, a shared e-rickshaw is the usual way. The nearest working railway station is Mathura Junction, 12 km away; details are on the page about [getting around Vrindavan](/en/vrindavan/getting-around/).
ISKCON runs its own guest house next to the temple, booked through the temple website, which makes the 4:30 aarti a short walk.
✅ Etiquette
Simple rules, kept by everyone who comes in.
- Shoes off — Take them off before entering the temple.
- Modest clothes — Dress modestly. More in the [temple dress code](/en/vrindavan/temple-dress-code/) guide.
- Join or watch — You are welcome to sing and dance in kirtan, or simply sit at the side and listen.
- Glasses and monkeys — Vrindavan's monkeys snatch glasses; keep yours put away outside.
❓ FAQ
What are the ISKCON Vrindavan timings?
4:10–12:45 and 16:30–20:45, according to the temple's schedule.
What time is mangala aarti at ISKCON Vrindavan?
4:30 in the main temple, after a 4:10 aarti at Srila Prabhupada's samadhi.
Is there an entry fee?
No. Entry and darshan are free.
Is food free at ISKCON Vrindavan?
Prasad, food first offered to the deities, is served to hundreds of pilgrims and guests every day in the prasad hall.
Does ISKCON worship Radha?
Yes. Radha and Krishna as Sri Sri Radha-Shyamasundar stand on the right-hand altar of the temple.
When was ISKCON Vrindavan built?
Srila Prabhupada inaugurated it and installed the deities on Ram Navami, 20 April 1975.
How is Vrindavan related to Krishna?
By tradition, Vrindavan is where Krishna spent his boyhood, which is why the town is full of his temples.