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Radha Damodar Temple, Vrindavan
The Radha Damodar Temple is a small courtyard temple in the Seva Kunj lanes of old Vrindavan, founded by Jiva Goswami in 1542 and counted among the seven main Goswami temples of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. It is open 4:30–13:00 and 16:30–21:00, entry is free, and its courtyard holds the samadhis of Rupa Goswami and Jiva Goswami and the rooms where Prabhupada lived before he left for America.
A small courtyard temple in the old-town lanes, founded by Jiva Goswami in 1542, carrying more Gaudiya Vaishnava history than a building this size should. Around the yard stand the samadhis (memorial shrines over the resting places) of Rupa Goswami, Jiva Goswami and other founding saints, with the huts where they sang and wrote. In one corner are the rooms Prabhupada occupied from 1959 to 1965 while working on his first Srimad Bhagavatam volumes. A Govardhan shila here bears what devotees honour as Krishna's footprint. Minutes from Loi Bazar, and easy to walk past.
Four rounds of this courtyard traditionally count as a full Govardhan parikrama
Darshan timings
According to the Mathura district administration:
- Morning: 4:30–13:00
- Evening: 16:30–21:00
The temple closes in the afternoon between the two. Entry is free.
History of the temple
Jiva Goswami, one of the six Goswamis who shaped Gaudiya Vaishnavism in Vrindavan, established the temple at Seva Kunj in 1542. Krishna is worshipped here as Damodar ("the one bound at the waist", from the story of Yashoda tying the child Krishna with a rope), together with Radha.
In 1670, when Aurangzeb's forces reached Vrindavan, the original deities were taken to Jaipur for safety. They were brought back in 1739 and have been served here since, though the historian Margaret Case holds that Jiva Goswami's original images remain in Jaipur and Vrindavan has proxy (pratibhu) images. Before his death in 1596, Jiva Goswami left the deities in the care of his successor Krishna Dasa, and Krishna Dasa's descendants still serve them.
What to see in the courtyard
The temple carries more Gaudiya Vaishnava history than a building of this size seems able to hold, and much of it is easy to walk past.
Samadhis of the Goswamis
Memorial shrines over the resting places of Rupa Goswami, Jiva Goswami and Krishnadasa Kaviraja, author of the Chaitanya Charitamrita, stand around the yard.
Giriraj shila
A stone from Govardhan Hill bearing what devotees honour as Krishna's footprint, traditionally believed to have been given to Sanatana Goswami.
Prabhupada's rooms
A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON, lived here from 1959 to 1965 while working on his first Srimad Bhagavatam volumes, before he left for America.
Other deities
Besides Radha Damodar, the altar holds Radha Vrindavanchandra, Radha Madhav, Gaur Nitai and Jagannath.
Parikrama and etiquette
A tradition holds that four parikramas (clockwise circuits) of this temple equal one circuit of Govardhan Hill, and pilgrims come to walk these circuits.
This is a working temple and a place of pilgrimage. Take off your shoes before entering, dress modestly, keep your voice down near the samadhis, and walk the parikrama clockwise like everyone else.
Where it is
The temple is in the old-town lanes by Seva Kunj, a few minutes' walk from Loi Bazar. The lanes are narrow and the entrance is easy to miss, so ask for Radha Damodar mandir once you are near Seva Kunj.
❓ FAQ
What are the Radha Damodar Temple timings?
4:30–13:00 and 16:30–21:00, according to the Mathura district administration.
What is the history of Radha Damodar Temple?
Jiva Goswami founded it at Seva Kunj in 1542. The original deities were moved to Jaipur in 1670 to escape Aurangzeb's forces and returned in 1739.
Where is Radha Damodar Temple in Vrindavan?
In the Seva Kunj lanes of the old town, a few minutes' walk from Loi Bazar.
Why is Radha Damodar Temple important for ISKCON?
Prabhupada, ISKCON's founder, lived here from 1959 to 1965 and worked on his first Srimad Bhagavatam volumes before going to America.
Is there an entry fee?
No, entry is free.
What is special about the parikrama here?
By tradition, four circuits of the temple equal one parikrama of Govardhan Hill.