Radha, also called Radhika, is a Hindu goddess and a chief consort of the god Krishna. She is worshiped as the goddess of love, tenderness, compassion and devotion. She is the avatar of Lakshmi and is also described as the chief of gopis (milkmaids). During Krishna's youth, she appears as his lover and companion, though he is not married to her. In contrast, some traditions and scriptures accord Radha the status of the eternal consort and wife of Krishna. Radha, as a supreme goddess, is considered as the female counterpart and the internal potency of Krishna, who resides in Goloka, the celestial abode of Radha Krishna. Radha is said to accompany Krishna in all his incarnations.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organisation. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Its core beliefs are based on Hindu scriptures, particularly the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, which has had adherents in India since the late 15th century and American and European devotees since the early 1900s.
The Hare Krishna mantra, also referred to reverentially as the Mahā-mantra, is a 16-word Vaishnava mantra which is mentioned in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad and which from the 15th century rose to importance in the Bhakti movement following the teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This mantra is composed of two Sanskrit names of the Supreme Being, "Krishna" and "Rama".
Krishna Janmashtami, also known simply as Janmashtami or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. According to Hindu lunisolar calendar, it is observed on the eighth tithi (Ashtami) of the Krishna Paksha in Bhadrapada Masa. This overlaps with August or September of the Gregorian calendar.
Vrindavan, also spelt Vrindaban and Brindaban, is a historical city in the Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is one of the most sacred places in Vaishnavism. It is located in the Braj Bhoomi region, and is where, according to Hinduism, Krishna spent most of his childhood days. The city is about 11 km from Mathura, Krishna's birthplace on the Agra–Delhi National Highway as NH-44. The town hosts many temples dedicated to the worship of Radha and Krishna.
Mayapur, previously known as Miyapur, is a neighbourhood of Bamanpukur, West Bengal, India, situated adjacent to Nabadwip, at the confluence of two rivers, where the waters of the Jalangi River mix with Bhagirathi, a distributary of the Ganges. It is located about 130 km north of Kolkata. Along with Nabadwip, it is considered a spiritual place by the adherents of Gaudiya Vaishnavism.
Bhakti Charu Swami was an Indian spiritual leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and a disciple of ISKCON's founder A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Mathura district situated along the banks of the river Yamuna is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of north-central India. The historic city of Mathura is the district headquarters. Mathura district is home to many important sites associated with Krishna, who was born in Mathura and grew up in the nearby town of Vrindavan. Both cities are some of the most sacred sites in the Vaishnava tradition, making Mathura district is an important Hindu pilgrimage centre.
Radhashtami is a Hindu holy day commemorating the birth anniversary of the goddess Radha, consort of the god Krishna. It is celebrated mainly by devotees of Krishna, especially with great fervor in her birthplace of Barsana, on the Shukla Paksha Ashtami of the Bhadra month. The festival suggests that Radha is very much an aspect of the cultural-religious faith system governing social life. In the Viṣṇu Khaṇḍa of the Skanda Purana, it is mentioned that God Krishna had 16,000 friends called Gopi and gopikas, out of which Radha was the most prominent one of the revered 108.
Bhaktivedanta Manor is a Gaudiya Vaishnava temple set in the Hertfordshire countryside of England, in the village of Letchmore Heath near Watford. The Manor is owned and run by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), better known as the Hare Krishna movement. It is ISKCON's largest property in the United Kingdom, and one of the most frequently visited Radha Krishna temples in Europe. The house is listed Grade II on the National Heritage List for England.
Radha-Krishna are collectively known within Hinduism as the combined forms of feminine as well as the masculine realities of God. Krishna and Radha are the primeval forms of God and his pleasure potency, respectively, in several Vaishnavite schools of thought.
The Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple in Utah County, Utah, United States, just south of Spanish Fork, was built to meet the needs of the Hindu community in Utah County. The temple hosts seasonal festivals, weddings, receptions, and other weekly services for prayer and meditation.
Sri Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir, also called ISKCON Vrindavan, is one of the major ISKCON temples in the world. It is a Gaudiya Vaishnava temple located in the city of Vrindavan, Mathura district, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu gods Krishna and Balarama. The other deities of temple are Radha Krishna and Gauranga Nityananda.
Nandotsava is a festival celebrated the day after the festival Janmashtami, which celebrates the Lord Krishna's birth. It is believed that all the villagers of Braj visited Nand Baba's house to see little Krishna and congratulate Mata Yashoda. Nand Baba distributed ornaments, clothes, cattle and various other valuables among saints and sages. All saints and sages bestowed blessings on Lord Krishna in return.
Sri Sri Radha Parthasarathi Mandir, generally known as the ISKCON Delhi temple, is a well known Vaishnav temple of Lord Krishna and Radharani in the form of Radha Parthasarathi. The Temple was inaugurated on 5 April, 1998 by the then former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the presence of former Chief Minister of Delhi Sahib Singh Verma and Sushma Swaraj. It is located at Hare Krishna Hills, in the East of Kailash area of New Delhi, India.
Sri Radha Krishna-chandra Temple is one of the largest Krishna Hindu temples in the world, affiliated with ISKCON Revival Movement. It is located at Rajajinagar, in North Bangalore in the Indian State of Karnataka.
ISKCON Temple Chennai, also known as the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Mandir, is a Vaishnava temple, in Chennai, India. Dedicated to the Hindu god Krishna, the temple is located on the East Coast Road in the southeastern coastal suburb of Akkarai. It is built on 1.5 acres of land, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Chennai. It was formally inaugurated on 26 April 2012.
Prem Mandir is a Hindu temple in Vrindavan, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is maintained by Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, an international non-profit, educational, spiritual, charitable trust. The complex is on a 55-acre site on the outskirts of Vrindavan. It is dedicated to Radha Krishna and Sita Ram. Radha Krishna are on the first level and Sita Ram are on the second level. The temple structure was established by the fifth Jagadguru, Kripalu Maharaj. Figures of Shri Krishna and his followers depicting important events surrounding the Lord's existence cover the main temple.
Jhulan Yatra is one of the most important festivals for the followers of Lord Krishna celebrated in the monsoon month of Shravan. According to Gregorian calendar, this festival falls in the period of July-August. After Holi and Janmashtami, it is the biggest and most popular religious occasion of the Vaishnavas. Known for its spectacular display of decorated swings, song and dance, Jhulan is a joyful festival celebrating the Radha Krishna amour coupled with the romantic fervor of the rainy season in India.
Hare Krishna Golden Temple is located at Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, India. It is the first Golden Temple to be constructed in Telangana. It was inaugurated in 2018 by Vice President of India Sri Venkaiah Naidu.
