Sri Sri Radha Gokulananda Temple in Vrindavan

      Radha Gokulananda Temple in Vrindavan is located between the Radha Raman Temple and Kesi Ghat. At the entrance, there is an enclosed courtyard that has numerous small Tulsi plants with a huge Tulsi plant at the centre. I took the path to my right, which brought me to the second courtyard. A path from here led me to the third and the innermost courtyard. This courtyard contains the samadhis of the people who were associated with this temple like Vishwanath Chakravarthi, Loknath Goswami, and Narottama Dasa. The sanctum sanctorum is to the right.

Sri Radha Gokulnanda Temple

      The Bengali influence is quite evident here also, as in other Goswami temples. I saw many women devotees sitting on floor mats near the deities. They were playing different musical instruments and singing melodious Bengali songs. Though I could not follow the language, it sounded very soothing and melodious. No wonder Bengali is considered to be one of the sweetest languages in India! The priest had closed the altar door since he was decorating the idols. After a long wait, the door opened. The women stopped singing and stood up. The priest performed the Mangala Arati for the deities.

      The sanctum sanctorum has two parts of black Radha Krishna idols. It is believed that there were two Goswamis and each of them worshipped one pair of Radha Krishna idols at different locations. Loknath Goswami worshipped the small pair of Radha Vinoda idols at Vrindavan and Vishwanath Chakravarthi worshipped the bigger pair of Radha Gokulananda idols at Radha Kund. One day, Vishwanath Chakravarthi came to Vrindavan with his set of Radha Gokulananda idols. He stayed with Loknath Goswami. He placed them in the same altar where Loknath Goswami had kept his Radha Vinoda idols. That temple was later broken down, so the current Radha Gokulananda Temple was built where both the pairs of Radha Krishna idols were kept. This is why there are two pairs of Radha Krishna idols. The bigger pair of Radha Krishna idols is on the right and the smaller pair of idols on the left. As in the case of other Vrindavan temples, here too, the idol of Lord Krishna is black in colour and holding a flute. There is a golden-coloured idol of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu on the left side of the altar. This was the idol that was installed and worshipped by Narottama Dasa. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was golden complexioned, so he was also known as Gauranga (one whose body is of golden hue) and so it is appropriate that His idol is also of the same colour.

      A Goverdhan Shila is also kept near the idols. It is believed that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to chant the holy name of the Lord while holding this Goverdhan Shila in His hand, so it has the thumb impression of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu handed over this stone to His devotees.