Temples of ISKCON in Mumbai

ISKCON Chowpatty (Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple)  

        ISKCON Chowpatty is home to a loving community of practicing Hare Krishna devotees and is dedicated to the practice of bhakti-yoga or loving service to Krishna, the Supreme Person (God). We are a branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), a worldwide spiritual movement founded by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, in New York City in 1966.

        Today Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Mandir stands magnificently as part of the South Mumbai locale, but its beginning was very plain and humble. The seed was sown when the Trustees of the Lady Northcote Hindu Orphanage (LNHO), under the Chairmanship of Sri Arvind N. Mafatlal, invited devotees to help run the orphanage on the lines of traditional Gurukul system. Dr. N. D. Desai (H. G. Sri Nathji Das) was then the Managing Trustee of the LNHO. The Trustees gave ISKCON a small room at the back. A few devotees came to stay here in this small space with their meager belongings.

        Sri Sri Radha Gopinath were installed on July 17, 1988 in a grand function with more than 400 people attending the ceremony. It was fulfillment of the prophecy made by Srila Prabhupada. In 1971, when Srila Prabhupada was coming down the steps of the nearby Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, he told his secretary Shyamasundar Prabhu, with his cane pointing towards this area where the temple presently stands, “We must have a temple here.” Sure enough, Lord Krishna fulfilled the desire of His Pure devotee.

Address:

Sri Sri Radha Gopinath Temple (ISKCON Chowpatty),

7, K.M.Munshi Marg, Girgaon Chowpatty,

Mumbai – 400 007 (Maharashtra), INDIA

ISKCON Juhu (Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari Temple)

        Hare Krishna Land (ISKCON Juhu) is set upon four acres of prime land and a stone throw away from Juhu beach. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of ISKCON, inspired the construction of one of India’s most beautiful temple of Lord Krishna in Mumbai.

        The presiding Deities at the temple are Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari and Sri Sri Sita Rama Laxman Hanuman.The Deities were personally installed by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

        In early 70’s when Juhu was considered a remote and obscure part of the city, to envision a temple rising here was beyond anyone’s imagination. However, fighting against many odds Srila Prabhupada acquired the Juhu property (which is presently Hare Krishna Land) and promised Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari Deities who were then housed in small shack “My dear Sir, please remain here, and I shall build a beautiful temple for You”. Srila Prabhupada requested his disciples to construct a silver and teakwood simhasana for Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari on a marble altar and Their temple should have marble domes more than a hundred feet high.

        Today the magnificent temple complex is one of the most visited in the country. It is a spiritual oasis in the dry and demanding material life of the financial and commercial capital of India. Opened in 1978, the complex includes a spacious marble temple, a recently renovated auditorium, a huge restaurant and a twin towered seven-storey guest house where visitors can stay and participate in the daily spiritual programs of the temple.

Address:

International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Hare Krishna land, Juhu,

Mumbai – 400049

ISKCON Mira Road (Sri Sri Radha Giridhari Temple) 

        Sri Sri Radha Giridhari Mandir was established on Rama Navami in 1996. Since then, temple has expanded considerably. Inauguration of temple with a new look took place on 26-27 September 2015. Apart from the daily aratis and lectures, it conducts specific programs for youth and children. It has also organised Ratha Yatras in Mumbai and taken local devotees for yatras to places of pilgrimage like Vrindavan.

Address:

Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg, Hare Krishna Dham,

Shristi, Sector 1, Near Royal Collage,

Mira Road (East),

Thane, Maharashtra 401107

ISKCON Kharghar (Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan Temple)

        ISKCON Kharghar, Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan Temple is the latest addition to the ISKCON family of more than 200 temples spread across the world. The ISKCON Kharghar also houses the glory of Maharashtra Culture Centre a unique cultural & Vedic educational centre which will offer a complete experience of religion and culture. From the premises spread over 8 acres at the foothills of Sahyadri hills and its beautiful natural environs at Kharghar.

Address:

ISKCON – Kharghar Hare Krishna Land, Sec.23,

Central Park, Opposite Golf Course,

Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.

Govardhan Ecovillage 

        Govardhan Ecovillage (GEV), recognised by United Nations World Tourism Organisation, is a spiritual oasis in the heart of Maharashtra, based on the principles of “simple living and higher thinking”, that brings spirituality to life. It’s a community which hosts multiple yoga, self-improvement, health, academic and spiritual events throughout the year, within its tranquil and sustainable space. The Ecovillage is equipped with large yoga studios, 94 eco stay rooms, swimming pool, Kerala Ayurveda Center, beautiful shelters for our cows and horses, and many more amenities ensuring a comfortable stay.

Address:

Govardhan Eco Village, Guhir Road, Galtare, Maharashtra, India

Quotes by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

• Without spiritual culture a human society is another polished edition of the animals.


• The disease of the modern civilized man is his disbelief of everything in the revealed scriptures


• The physician first of all diagnose that what is the disease; then he gives medicine. Similarly, first of all you ascertain what is your constitutional position. You try to understand. That is the beginning everywhere. That is Vedic literature


• The real disease can be cured here by Krsna consciousness movement. I am eternal servant of Krsna. Everything belongs to Krsna


• Ignorance is the cause of sinful life, and sinful life is the cause of one’s dragging on in material existence.


• "I can bear any heavy thing except the weight of a person who is a liar".


• Great philanthropic souls travel on the Earth on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to show compassion to the fallen souls who are averse to the sense of subordination to the Lord.


• "You are what you eat". Our bodily constitution and mental atmosphere are determined according to how and what we eat.


• In Kali yuga, duration of life is shortened not so much because of insufficient food but because of irregular habits.


• At the present moment, however, almost all forms of sacrifice are not at all possible; therefore, it is recommended in the sastras that people should perform sa?kirtana-yajña.


• The taxes collected by the government must be distributed to the people again, as educational work, public work, sanitation work, etc. This is very essential for a good government.


• Krsna consciousness is not a thing as you are taught technology or mathematics or like that. It is already there. Simply we have to revive it


• Technological advancement has added things like cinemas to the material attractions nature already has to offer, and yet, strangely, these illusory enticements have failed to attract genuine saints and hermits even to this day


• The man's knowledge should be developed to find out this technology, what is the difference between a living man and a dead man, a living body and dead body. That is spiritual knowledge


• K???a consciousness movement is meant for qualifying you to see God twenty-four hours.


• When you are diseased it is not required that you should be killed. No. Your disease should be, I mean, cured, then you can work in healthy life


• Religion means to know God and to love Him.


• Our only business is to love God, not to ask God for our necessities.


• Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation.


• Don't Feel Yourself To Be Alone Because GOD is always with you.


• To become free from sinful life, there is only simple method: if you surrender to K???a. That is the beginning of bhakti.


• You should not be carried away by the dictation of the mind, but the mind should be carried by your dictation.


• A grain of devotion is more valuable thank tons of faithlessness.


• A tree full of ripened fruits bows down naturally, because of the weight of the fruits and its willingness to make its fruits accessible to others.


• To find out some medicine for some disease, that is not a triumph. Real triumph is how to stop disease


• From the status of pure consciousness, the false ego is born because of misuse of independence.


• Every living being is anxious for full freedom because that is his transcendental nature. And this freedom is obtained only through the transcendental service of the Lord.


• One who acts to serve Krishna with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated soul, even within this material world.


• If you sell diamonds, you cannot expect to have many customers. But a diamond is a diamond even if there are no customers.


• Beginning of all knowledge comes from humility.


• A tree full of ripened fruits bows down naturally, because of the weight of the fruits and its willingness to make its fruits accessible to others.


• Humility means that one should not be anxious to have the satisfaction of being honored by others.


• One should not be happy or distressed over desirables and undesirables, knowing that such feelings are just created by the mind.


• When a pure devotee or spiritual master speak, what he says should be accepted as having been directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the Parampara System.


• Books are the basis; purity is the force; preaching is the essence; utility is the principle.


• It's better to be an outspoken atheist than a hypocrite.


• The artist draws a picture of a rose very nicely with all attention and artistic sense, and yet it does not become as perfect as the real rose. If that is the real fact, how can we say that the real rose has taken its shape without Intelligence behind the beauty?


• Our Only Business Is To Love God, Not To Ask God For Our Necessities


• Religion Means To Know God And To Love Him


• The real problem of life in the material world is to solve the question of birth, death, old age and disease.


• It is clearly stated in Vedic literature that 'Cruel Man' who kills innocent animal 'Cow' will undoubtedly be killed in the next life by a similar process.


• If a snake has its poison removed and bites a man, there is no fatal effect. Similarly, wealth accumulated in the cause of the Lord has no poisonous teeth, and the effect is not fatal.


• If you want to become religious, you must learn what is religion from God. You don't manufacture your own religion.


• If they are without knowledge of devotional service to the Lord, then great nationalism, fruitive, political or social work, science or philosophy are all simply like costly garments decorating a dead body.


• If you engage this body for the service of the Lord, it becomes spiritualized. As I have already explained, the iron rod, constantly in touch with fire, it becomes, at end, it becomes red hot.


• If you take the lift of bhakti, then immediately you come in contact with Krsna directly, instead of going by step by step by step.


• In a big machine, even one screw is slack, the machine stops. You know that? So we should not commit such mistake. "Don't care. It is a small screw." No. Even that small screw can stop the whole machine.


• In the material world there are varieties, but there is no agreement. In the spiritual world there are varieties, but there is agreement. That is the difference.


• It is said that a noble man accepts the good qualities of a person of doubtful character, just as one accepts nectar from a stock of poison.


• It is not that because you cannot see your great-great-great-grandfather, so you cannot say there was no such man as great-great-grandfather. There was or there Similarly, if we go on searching out what is the original father, that is God.


• Just as a poor man becomes happy upon receiving some treasure, when one attains to devotional service, his material pains are automatically vanquished.


• Just as an ordinary materialistic businessman thinks of nothing else when he is absorbed in his business, a pure devotee, when engaged in the service of the Lord, does not think of anything beyond that engagement.


• Just as by clapping the hands one can cause many birds to fly away, similarly the birds of all sinful activities which are sitting on the body can be made to fly away simply by dancing and clapping before the Deity of Krsna.


• Just as fire distributes energy in the form of heat and light, the Lord displays His energy in different ways. He thus remains the ultimate controller, sustainer and dictator of everything.


• Just as one can appreciate the real taste of milk with the tongue and not with the eyes, nostrils or ears, one can similarly appreciate the Absolute Truth perfectly and with all relishable pleasure only through one path, devotional service.


• Just as the sun's rays are minute particles of the brilliant constitution of the sun, so a living entity is a minute particle of the Supreme Spirit.


• Just like a father is always anxious to see his children are well protected, similarly, Krsna is also always anxious to give protection to His subordinates.


• Just like a person taking lunch, he will feel satisfied of hunger and strength, himself. Similarly, the more you serve Krishna, you will forget material hankerings and get spiritual strength. This is the test.


• Just like a small grain of poison, venomous poison. If it is injected in your body, you will die immediately. It has got so power. Similarly, the minute spirit soul is so minute, one ten-thousandth part.


• Just like fighting soldiers, they are facing danger for the country. They are recognized. Similarly, those who are preachers - on behalf of Krsna preaching people to take to Krsna consciousness - they are great soldiers.


• Just like in the stage the dramatic actor is sometimes coming as a king and next time by changing the dress he is coming as (indistinct). This is an example. Similarly, Krsna is the same but He has got different manifestations.


• Just like madman doesn't know what he's doing, similarly any materialistic person without Krsna consciousness is a madman.


• Just like mother serves this child out of love. There is no question of salary or remuneration. The mother loves this child. Similarly, you can love the Supreme Lord in many ways.


• Just like somebody keeps a batch of dogs to love. The dog also love the master, and the master loves the dog. So why not Krsna loving cows and calves and they also love Krsna?


• Just like sun is rotating, or we are rotating, similarly, Krsna is there. At a certain interval of time we see Him in this universe. He is present always, but at a certain interval.


• Just like the same child, crying. "I am now on the lap of my mother,'' it is happy. Similarly, when you come to Krsna consciousness, then you can become happy. Otherwise, go on crying for millions of years on different laps or different bodies.


• Just like we have got many universes within this material world, similarly, there are many spiritual planets in the spiritual world. These are common sense affairs. Why people will not understand.


• Just like without being red hot, you cannot burn any other thing. Similarly, without being fully spiritualized, you cannot make others spiritualized. Therefore we have to follow the parampara system.


• Krsna cannot be under the influence of material energy. Just like, what is called, shade and light. They are the same thing, but shade means the other side of light, absence of light. But light can be there at any time.


• Just like the father wants to see his son is well situated and happy; similarly, Krsna also wants to see every one of us happy and well-situated.


• Krsna consciousness movement means they are creating a society of swans, not of crows.


• Krsna does not appear or disappear. Our eyesight changes. Just like we are looking through the window. One horse race is going on. When the horse comes before the window, we can see.


• Krsna is Acyuta. He never falls down. That is the difference. So just like cloud. Cloud can cover a portion of sunlight. Not that cloud can cover the, all the sunlight. That is not possible.


• Krsna is Acyuta. He never falls down. That is the difference. So just like cloud. Cloud can cover a portion of sunlight. Not that cloud can cover the, all the sunlight. That is not possible.


• Krsna is just like the sun, and maya is just like darkness. If the sun is present, there is no question of darkness. Similarly, if Krsna is present in the mind, there is no possibility of the mind's being agitated by maya's influence.


• Krsna is not visible within this material world, material eyes. Just like Krsna's part and parcel. We are Krsna's part and parcel, all living entities, but we do not see each other. You cannot see me, I do not see you.


• Krsna is the vaccination to remain fearless.


• Love of God is dormant in everyone, and it can be awakened from its dormant position by the execution of pure devotional service.


• One can purify the mind either by the breathing process or by the chanting process, just as one can purify gold by putting it in a fire and fanning it with a bellows.


• One may or may not know the value of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, but if one somehow or other chants it, he will immediately be purified, just as one who takes a potent medicine will feel its effects.


• One must know from the authoritative sources and preach that thing. Just like Arjuna was taught by Krsna, and that philosophy is going on.


• One who has learned how to see Krsna's lotus feet and offer a little tulasi and sandalwood pulp, his, this current will stop. This current of material life will stop.


• One who has no interest in krsna-katha or the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is like dry, useless wood with no living force.


• One who is, who has surrendered unto Krsna, one who has taken Krsna consciousness, maya has nothing to do. Maya cannot touch.


• Original person. Just like in our familywise, or guru-parampara-wise, there is somebody, original person. So similarly, the whole creation, there is original person.


• Please be always strongly fixed up in the Lotus Feet of Krishna, just as the bees are fixed up in the honeycomb.


• Pure devotional service is flame. All other things are smoke. You must get the flame


• Realized devotees are like bumblebees maddened by their own mellows at Krsna's lotus feet. The scent of those lotus feet perfumes the entire world.


• Simply by satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one satisfies the demigods and all other living entities without differentiation. If one pours water on the root of a tree, all the branches, twigs, flowers and leaves are nourished.


• Since we cannot avoid the plan of the Supreme Godhead, we must agree to be directed by Him, just as a blind man is led by a person who has eyes.


• The body is awarded by God according to your karma. Just like according to your payment, the landlord gives you an apartment. The apartment does not belong to you. That's a fact.


• The cloud and air are different substances. Similarly, consciousness is pure spiritual, but when the consciousness desires to enjoy matter, it becomes cloudy and dusty, or contaminated.


• The contamination in the heart of a conditioned soul is like a huge accumulation of garbage created by the three modes of material nature.


• The covers are like the mind and the senses, and the contents of the book are the soul.


• The living entities are part and parcel of the Supreme, as gold particles are part of a gold mine. Thus the living entity, in his spiritual position, is as good as gold, as good as Krsna in quality.


• The Lord's lotus feet are like an umbrella for the surrendered souls, protecting them from all the miseries of material existence.


• The lotus feet of the Lord are exactly like the parijata trees, or wish-fulfilling trees, and the devotees are like bumblebees. They are always attracted by the lotus feet of the Lord.


• The person who is very careful about his health does not generally fall ill. Similarly a person who is always fixed up in Krishna Consciousness cannot be defeated by maya.


• These temples, they are just like oasis in the desert for the conditioned souls to quench the thirst of their desire for real happiness


• This is the primary education of spiritual life. First of all you have to understand that you are not this body. You are living entity, different from the body. Just like you are different from the shirt-coat.


• This love of Krsna for Radharani is often compared to a blooming lotus; the only difference is that Krsna's love remains ever-increasingly beautiful.


• This material world is itself an illusion, like a mirage in the desert.


• This materialistic way of life is something like a grinding stone, and we are being crushed by it


• Those who are pure devotees do not aspire for any concession, and out of spontaneous love try to engage themselves in devotional service 24 hours each day, 365 days every year, without any stoppage.


• To become above the material principles means to accept everything in Krsna consciousness, dovetailed with Krsna. That will save you. You have to become above the cloud.


• We should not be very much bothered about the body. Trees also live for thousands of years but that does not mean a successful life.


• When a devotee is purified like the sun, from his pure heart there is a diffusion of ecstatic love which is more glorious than the sunshine.


• When a field is overgrown with thorns and weeds, it becomes very difficult for the owner to work it. That is the position of the spirit soul when the body itself becomes a burden due to disease.


• When Krsna is strict He's harder than the thunderbolt, and when He's soft, He's softer than the flower.


• When one is not Krishna Consciousness, then he is Maya conscious, or in illusion. Just like when one is not in light, he is sure to be in darkness.


• When one wants to cross a large ocean, he requires a strong boat. It is said that this human form of life is a good boat by which one can cross the ocean of nescience.


• When we keep our association with Krishna every activity is proper and liberating but if we should dissociate ourselves from the Lord's Mercy then like a hand which is severed from the body we become ugly and useless.


• When you go to God, you must have a body like God. Just like if you want to enter into the water, then you must have a body like a fish. Otherwise you cannot enter into the water.


• Whenever there is disease in any part of the body, the whole body takes care of the ailing part. Similarly, a devotee's oneness is manifested in His compassion for all conditioned souls.


• With the appearance of Sri Krsna within our heart, we become cleansed of the impurities of material contact, much as the morning appears new and fresh with the appearance of the sun.


• Without knowing the goal of our self-realization, we are aimlessly voyaging on the ocean of material existence, life after life.


• Without the Lord's relation, worship of the demigods is unauthorized (avidhi-purvakam), just as it is improper to water the leaves and branches of a tree without watering its root.


• You cannot say, "This is Hindu gold," "This is Muslim gold," "This is Christian gold." Gold is gold. Similarly, God is one. You cannot say, "This is Hindu God," "This is Muslim God," "This is Christian God." God is one, and eternal.


• You say, "Can you show me God?" Why don't you see, "Here is God"? Why, just like the owl you have closed your eyes, not to see the sun? Sun is there. See. Open your eyes and see it.


• The spiritual master and Krishna take responsibility for your sins. So if you commit sin again, the spiritual master becomes responsible for your sinful reaction.


• Since K???a and His holy name are identical, the holy name is eternally pure and beyond material contamination.


• A tree full of ripened fruits bows down naturally, because of the weight of the fruits and its willingness to make its fruits accessible to others.


• A grain of devotion is more valuable thank tons of faithlessness


• You should not be carried away by the dictation of the mind, but the mind should be carried by your dictation.


• The holy name of Krishna has extraordinary spiritual potency because the name of God is nondifferent from God Himself.