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- Jagannath Mandir – Puri, Odisha
One of the ‘Char Dhams’ in the Hindu tradition, this stunning temple in the ahistorical city of Puri is the abode of Lord Krishna, his elder brother Balarama and his sister Subhadra. In this temple, he is Jagannath, the King of the world and the masses. The mesmerising wooden icons of the siblings leave the temple precincts and bless the innumerable devouts on Puri’s streets every year during the world-famous festival – the Jagannath Rathyatra.
- Dwarkadhish Mandir – Dwarka, Gujarat
Built and re-built multiple times over millennia, this temple in the ancient city of Dwarka is one of the ‘Char Dhams’ for Hindus and hence, an important pilgrimage site. Shri Krishna resides in this ‘Jagat Mandir’ in the form of ‘Dwarkadhish’ – the presiding King of Dwarka as it is believed that this is the city he built and ruled over.
- Shri Krishna Janmasthan – Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
This temple complex in the ancient city of Mathura is believed to stand at the birthplace of Krishna. It has a chequered history of periods of destruction followed by periods of reconstruction and most of the shrines including the Keshavdeva Temple were rebuilt over the last century. The Garbha Griha Shrine which is reminiscent of a prison cell is accepted to be the spot where Krishna took avatar and is the focal point of the Braj Bhoomi pilgrimage tradition.
- Shri Radha Madan Mohan Mandir – Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
This stunning and old temple in red sandstone on the picturesque banks of the Yamuna, houses Krishna in his form as Madan Mohan (he whose charm even bewitches Madana – the God of Love). He is flanked by his consort Radha and Lalita Gopi. While the original, miraculous images are now in Karauli, Rajasthan, the temple continues to be an epicentre of devotion and faith.
- Banke Bihari Mandir – Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh
This popular temple is the abode of the mesmerising Banke Bihari who is worshipped as a child and was earlier a resident of Nidhivan. The captivating image of black stone in the tribhanga posture (bent at three places) is believed to have self-manifest itself and is said to be a syncretic form of Krishna and Radha.
- Shrinathiji Mandir – Nathdwara, Rajasthan
This unique temple and the most important seat of the Pushtimargis is said to resemble the house of Nanda in Vrindavan (Krishna’s foster father). ‘Shrinathji ki Haveli’ houses the self-manifested image of a young Shri Krishna that was originally in Brajbhoomi and is in the form of Govardhannathji, the young child Krishna who raised his left arm and lifted the mighty Govardhan mountain to save the people of Vrindavan from Indra’s wrath.
- Guruvayur Devaswom – Guruvayur, Kerala
This revered temple, also referred to as ‘Bhuloka Vaikuntha’ (the heavenly abode of Vishnu on earth), continues to stand tall despite the ravages of repeated attacks and other disasters. The presiding deity, Guruvayurappan, a four-armed, standing icon of Vishnu, is believed to be the ‘poorna rupa’ (complete manifestation) that Shri Krishna showed his parents – Devaki and Vasudeva, immediately after his birth and is also popularly known as ‘Guruvayur Unnikkannan’ (Guruvayur Baby Krishna).
- Udupi Shri Krishna Mutt – Udupi, Karnataka
The revered and spiritually vibrant temple is believed to house the vigraha of Krishna found in a ball of gopichandan by Madhavacharya when he saved a ship from a fatal storm. The icon faces the west in honour of a devotee and even today the devout obtain darshan of Muddu Krishna through holes in a window.
- Govind Devji Mandir – Jaipur, Rajasthan
This magnificent temple in the City Palace, Jaipur is home to the stunning and legendary images of Shri Govind Devji and his consort Radharani which have travelled over time and space and were originally housed in the Govind Devji Temple in Vrindavan. It is believed that this ancient image of Krishna playing the flute was built to resemble him but was lost and manifest itself again in 1525 CE.
- ISKCON Mayapur – Nabadvip, West Bengal
Spiritually significant and one of the most important places for Gaudiya Vaishnavas, this picturesque and holy town is home to many stunning temples including the Mayapur Chandrodaya Temple of ISKCON. Krishna resides here in multifarious forums including in his enchanting form of Radha Madhava.
- Shri Ranchhodraiji Maharaj Mandir – Dakor, Gujarat
Legends link the four-handed, beautiful and heavily adorned icon of Krishna enshrined in this temple to the city of Dwarka. The name Ranchhodraiji is reminiscent of the story when he left the battlefield and the current temple was built when the Lord appeared in the dream of a devotee in this form.
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