There are so many places that you can explore in Mumbai and it has so much to offer already. One such beautiful place is the ISKCON Temple Mumbai. The ISKCON Temple Mumbai Juhu is one of the most important temples in the city. However, the temple also has a huge campus with a massive library, guesthouse, restaurant and halls as well. So if you are in Mumbai you cannot miss out on visiting the Juhu ISKCON Temple Mumbai. In this article I will mention everything that you need to know about this temple, so keep on reading.
ISKCON Temple Mumbai
ISKCON Temple Mumbai address: Sri Sri Radha Rasabihari Temple, Juhu Church Road, Hare Krishna Land, Juhu Chand Society, Juhu, Mumbai, Maharashtra
ISKCON Temple Mumbai timings: The timings are from 4:30 am to 1 pm and from 4:30 pm to 9 pm on all days of the week throughout the year
Entry fee: There is no entry fee
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is the nearest airport to reach the ISKCON Temple. From the airport the ISKCON temple is only 6 km away and you can easily reach there in 25 minutes. Pre-paid taxis, cabs are available outside the airport that you can opt for. Also you can hire a car to reach the temple from the airport as well.
By train
The major railway stations to reach the ISKCON Temple are the Mumbai Central Railway Station and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. From the Mumbai Central Railway Station the distance of the temple is 22.6 km away. It would take around 1 hour to reach the temple from there. And from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport the distance of the temple is 29.2 km. It would take a little more than an hour to reach the temple from the station.
However, if you are travelling within the city then you can opt for travelling by the local trains as well. The nearest railway station would be the Andheri Railway Station and the Vile Parle Station. From Andheri railway station the ISKCON temple is 2.8 km and you can reach the temple in 15 minutes. And from the Vile Parle railway station the temple is 3.3 km away and you can reach there in 13 minutes. From the railway stations you will get taxis and buses to reach the temple. Also auto rickshaws are available to reach there as well. You can even take a cab to reach the temple from the railway stations in Mumbai.
By road
You will get buses from all major cities and towns to reach the temple in Mumbai. If you are travelling by bus then the nearest bus stop is the J V P D Bus Stop. From the bus stop the ISKCON temple is 1.3 km away. You can easily reach there in about 7 minutes. Also you can travel within the city by buses or taxis as well. However, you can hire a cab as well. If you want you can also hire a car or drive your own vehicle to reach the temple as well.
By metro
The metro station near ISKCON Temple Mumbai is the Versova Metro Station. From the metro station the temple is about 3.7 km away. You can reach the ISKCON Temple from the metro station in 15 minutes.
Overview of ISKCON Temple
The ISKCON temple is one of the most beautiful temples and a very important site of pilgrimage in the city of Mumbai. Built in the 1970s this temple is one of the many temples under ISKCON which is the International Society of Krishna Consciousness. Under the guidance of Swami Prabhupada this temple was constructed for the devotees of Lord Krishna. Also this temple in Mumbai is one of the finest temples in the city. Therefore this site is also one of the popular sites for tourists as well. Sprawling across an area of 4 acres the campus houses various sections. Other than the main temple there is a library, guesthouse, restaurant, bakery, various halls and a lot more.
Furthermore this temple houses the idols of Lord Shri Krishna and Radha Rani, Gaur Nitai, Lord Rama along with Devi Sita and Lakshmana. Also popular as the Hare Rama Hare Krishna Temple and the Radha Rashabihariji Temple this is the ideal location to seek some peace. The ambiance of this temple is peaceful and it is the perfect spot to meditate and pray. The temple also offers various courses on Vedic Education, studies of Srimad Bhagavad Gita etc. There are some courses on Yoga and Stress management also.
On a daily basis a huge number of devotees visit this temple to seek the blessings of the deities. But on special occasions like Janmasthami the number of devotees increases a lot. You can surely visit this temple in Mumbai and get engrossed in the divinity and spirituality. If you are in Mumbai this is one of the must visit locations that you need to check out here.
History of ISKCON Temple
During the 1970s the Juhu area in Mumbai was a much secluded area. It was almost unimaginable to build a temple like this in an area like that of Juhu. But with the guidance of Swami Prabhupada this temple was built after facing much difficulty with the land. Swami ji himself installed the idols of this temple after the completion of the structure. On 14th of January, 1978 finally the ISKCON Temple Mumbai was opened for public visit. From then the temple has been an important centre of pilgrimage for the devotees of Lord Krishna.
Architecture of ISKCON Temple
Like any other ISKCON temple the temple in Mumbai also looks stunning and magnificent. Made of white marble the temple reflects a serene charm. The main temple building has three floors. Also the construction reflects a very prominent Hindu style of temple architecture as well. On top of the temple there is a Sikhara that measures almost 100 feet in height. The temple complex is huge and houses different other structures. Moreover the temple can accommodate a huge number of devotees at a time as well. The entrance of the temple has beautiful inscriptions in it. Also the inside walls of the temple look equally beautiful. There are some scenes depicted from Hindu epic Mahabharata and along with some murals as well.
Structures inside the ISKCON Temple Complex
The complex of ISKCON Temple in Mumbai has a name which is Heaven on Earth. This Heaven on Earth Complex houses various halls, quarters, guesthouse, restaurant, bakery, library, centre for Vedic Learning and a lot more that you can explore here.
Prabhupada Quarters
These were quarters where earlier Swami Prabhupada used to reside when he used to visit Mumbai. Also this is the same place where he translated the Srimad Bhagavatam. At present these quarters houses the memorabilia of Swami Prabhupada. You will find his Palanquin, Dictaphone and Vyasasana. However this quarter is open for public viewing as well and you can check out these things there. Also every Wednesday there are Srimad Bhagavatam lectures conducted here at 8 am which you can attend as well.
Library
It is a spacious library with a huge collection of spiritual books. Along with that there is a specific multimedia section in the library also. Moreover people can visit here and listen to different lectures and bhajans. The best part is membership to this library is absolutely free.
Centre of Vedic Education
This is yet another important centre in ISKCON Temple Mumbai that offers various specialized courses. There are courses on teachings of Srimad Bhagvatam, Vedic education, Bhagavad Gita. Also there are some courses on Yoga and Stress Management here as well that you can check out and attend.
Spiritual Boutique
This is a boutique that offers an array of items ranging from books to CDs to DVDs and VCDs related to spirituality. Also there are some paintings of Lord Krishna here as well. Along with that they have some items for pooja and some traditional wears also.
Guesthouse
The complex of the ISKCON Temple has a huge guesthouse with 76 rooms. All these rooms are well furnished and spacious and with AC or Non AC. The lobby of the Guesthouse also has a Cybercafe. If you want they can make special arrangements for sightseeing locally. The guesthouse is open all day for 24 hours.
Govinda’s Restaurant
This is a purely vegetarian restaurant inside the complex of ISKCON Temple. The restaurant is huge with a capacity to attend 275 guests at a time. People can have breakfast and evening snacks here along with lunch and dinner buffet. From Indian to Chinese, Italian, Mexican, and Thai they serve multiple cuisines here. And the unique part is every meal that the restaurant serves to the guests is first offered to Lord Krishna. Furthermore the restaurant also has a banquet hall that hosts various conferences, events as well as marriages.
Govinda’s Bakery
This is a bakery that offers some delicious baked goods that you can try. They serve mouthwatering food including pastries, cupcakes, cakes, donuts as well as noodles, pizzas, burgers etc.
Multipurpose Halls
There are multiple halls inside the temple premise that houses various events. You can opt for a Wedding ISKCON Temple Mumbai as well. There are halls namely Mandapam, Gauranga and Sankha here. The Gauranga Hall can accommodate up to 500 to 700 people and the Gauranaga and Sankha hall can accommodate about 100 people at a time. You can book these halls for different functions like weddings, birthday celebrations, anniversaries or conferences as well. All these 3 halls are AC halls. However there is another hall the Vrindavan Hall that is a non AC hall that can accommodate 300 to 400 people. The open terrace of the complex is also there for conducting functions and it can accommodate about 1000 to 1500 people.
Places to visit near ISKCON Temple Mumbai
Juhu Beach
If you are in the Juhu area, visiting the Juhu Beach is a must. It is one of the most popular beaches in Mumbai. Enjoy the lip smacking street food from Bhel Puri to Chaats to Sev Puri and Pani Puri. Also do visit here after Ganesh Chaturthi to enjoy the immersion procedures in full swing here.
Mukteshwar Temple
Dedicated to Lord Shiva this is an important site of pilgrimage in Mumbai. Also the temple is 400 years old, so do make a visit here as well.
Wrapping Up!
You cannot understand how beautiful the temple is just by looking at the ISKCON Temple Mumbai images. Certainly you need to visit there in person. Also visit the ISKCON Temple Mumbai Chowpatty and enjoy a great time there. Let me know if this article on the ISKCON Temple is helpful for you.
