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Prem Mandir, Vrindavan
Prem Mandir, the white marble temple of Radha Krishna and Sita Ram in Vrindavan, is open every day from 8:30 to 12:00 and from 16:30 to 20:30, and there is no ticket. The evening is the time to come: the musical fountain plays at 19:00–19:30 in winter (October to March) and 19:30–20:00 in summer, and the marble changes colour as the lights come on.
One of the most beautiful temples in India, built of white marble. Dedicated to Radha and Krishna. It's a relatively new temple, but its architecture and atmosphere immediately captivate the heart.
Especially beautiful: - By day: exquisite sculptures and marble bas-reliefs depicting scenes from Krishna's life. - In the evening: a light show: the temple glows with colors set to music, creating a magical atmosphere.
Prem Mandir is simultaneously a temple and a museum, a space for contemplation, inspiration, and joy.
Nearby: The Chaat Chopaty modern food court across from the temple, and convenient rest areas.
The temple of love and light
Tickets
Darshan and aarti timings
The temple's official schedule, the same every day of the week. Darshan is the act of seeing the deities; aarti is the offering of lamps with song; bhog is the food offered to the deities; shayan aarti is the last aarti before the deities “rest” and the doors close.
| 8:30 | Doors open, darshan and aarti |
| 11:30 | Bhog |
| 12:00 | Shayan aarti, doors close |
| 16:30 | Doors open, aarti and darshan |
| 17:30 | Bhog |
| 19:00 | Parikrama (circling the temple) |
| 19:00–19:30 or 19:30–20:00 | Musical and digital fountain: winter (1 October–31 March) 19:00–19:30, summer (1 April–30 September) 19:30–20:00 |
| 20:10 | Shayan aarti |
| 20:30 | Doors close |
What to see
Vrindavan is a town of old, crowded, incense-dark shrines, and Prem Mandir is its opposite: white, spacious, lit up, built for crowds and for the camera. It is a new temple, consecrated in 2012, and it wears its newness openly.
- The deities. Radha Krishna and Sita Ram, the two divine couples of the Krishna and Rama stories.
- The marble walls. The temple is built of white Italian Carrara marble on a granite foundation 20 feet deep. A walkway on the temple platform lets you circle it and follow 84 carved panels of Radha and Krishna's pastimes on the outer walls.
- The gardens. Across the 55-acre grounds stand life-size scenes from four episodes of Krishna's life: the swing festival (Jhulan leela), the lifting of Govardhan hill, the circle dance (Raas leela) and the subduing of the serpent Kaliya.
- The evening lights. As it gets dark, the marble glows in changing colours, and the fountain show plays to music in front of the temple.
Opposite the temple is the Chaat Chopaty food court, useful for a snack between the evening aarti and the fountain.
Who built Prem Mandir
The temple was founded by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj, a 20th-century teacher of bhakti (the path of devotion). By the temple's own account he vowed at the age of 24, in 1946, to build a great temple in Vrindavan. The foundation stone was laid on 14 January 2001, about a thousand artisans worked on it for some twelve years, and it was consecrated on 15–17 February 2012.
The name means “Temple of Divine Love”. It is run by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, the charitable organisation he founded in 1972. With its flag, the building rises 125 ft and measures 190 by 128 ft.
How to plan the evening
Arrive for the 16:30 opening, walk the panels and the gardens in daylight, take darshan before the crowd thickens, then find a place to stand for the fountain. After the show, take the walk back past the lit marble slowly. The temple publishes no dress code or photography rules on its site, so follow the signs at the gate and dress as you would for any working temple: covered shoulders and knees, shoes left outside the shrine.
❓ FAQ
What are Prem Mandir's timings?
Every day 8:30–12:00 and 16:30–20:30.
What time do the doors of Prem Mandir close?
At 12:00 after the morning shayan aarti, and at 20:30 in the evening.
What time is the Prem Mandir light and fountain show?
The musical fountain plays 19:00–19:30 from 1 October to 31 March and 19:30–20:00 from 1 April to 30 September.
Is there an entry fee at Prem Mandir?
No ticket is needed. The official site lists no entry fee, and visitor guides describe entry, including the fountain show, as free.
Who founded Prem Mandir?
Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj. The temple is run by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, the organisation he founded.
What is special about Prem Mandir?
It is built of white Italian marble, with 84 carved panels of Radha and Krishna's pastimes on its outer walls, and lights up in changing colours at night.
When was Prem Mandir built?
Construction began on 14 January 2001 and the temple was consecrated on 15–17 February 2012.