Radha Govind Dev Temple in Vrindavan

      This breathtaking Radha Govind Dev Temple, is one of the biggest in Vrindavan, is very close to the Rangji Temple. It is situated in an area known as Yoga Peetha. When this temple was built in 1590 AD by Maharaja Mansingh, it was a magnificent seven-storied building.

      It is believed that Maharaja Mansingh ran out of red sandstone needed for the construction of this beautiful temple. When Emperor Akbar, known for his liberal views and respect for different religions found out about this, he donated him enough red sandstone to complete the construction of this temple. It was ironic that in 1670 AD, his descendant, Aurangzeb chose to destroy the top four floors of this same temple.

      This temple has three huge pillars. One was made of gold, the second of silver and the third was made of copper. Each of them is 240 ft tall. During the Deepotsava festival in the month of Karthik, it was a common practice to place lamps on top of these three pillars. The light was so dazzling that Aurangzeb noticed the flames from his capital, Delhi. He felt jealous seeing a Hindu temple with so much opulence. Immediately, he marched to Vrindavan along with his soldiers and tried to destroy the entire temple. However, after he had demolished four floors, the ground began to shake violently. He and his men panicked and fled. People believe that this divine intervention prevented the total destruction of this magnificent temple.

      The inner courtyard has several carvings that blend Hindu, Moghul, and Western architectural influences. In the centre of the inner courtyard, on the ceiling, there is a beautifully sculpted lotus. It is said that when this temple was built, the lotus was studded with diamonds. However, Aurangzeb and his men looted the diamonds.

      The sanctum sanctorum has a big black idol of Krishna, flanked by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda. In front of these idols, there are idols of Radha, Krishna, and Jagannath. A Goverdhan Shila is also kept nearby. The idols at this temple are replicas, since the original ones were moved to Jaipur for safekeeping.