ISKCON new temple first phase completed

The first phase of the construction of ISKCON Sri Radha Govind Devji Mandir at Rayapur located between Hubballi and Dharwad is nearing completion and the idols of Lord Krishna, Balarama, Radha and others will be installed through Vedic rituals starting on June 18.

Addressing presspersons at the under-construction temple on Saturday, president of ISKCON Hubballi-Dharwad Rajiv Lochan Dasa said that the ‘prana pratishta’ (deity installation ceremony) will be held on June 22 and would be preceded by traditional ‘Agama Vidhi’ rituals and Vedic installation ceremonies from June 18.

“Chairman of ISKCON Madhu Pandit Dasa and others will participate in the event. After the installation, a 48-day ‘mandala puja’ will be held from June 23 to August 9 as per ‘Agama Shastra’ and the temple will be formally opened on August 10,” he said.

Mr. Dasa said that the temple presently stood at approximately 110 feet and upon completion of the 90-feet gopuram it would be 200 feet above the road level.

He said the first phase of the temple had been completed at a cost of ₹30 crore and the second and third phases were expected to cost around ₹30 crore and might take three years to be completed.

“The temple has been conceived as a centre for holistic spiritual development and community engagement. The complex includes classrooms, a Vedic library, a lecture hall, a multipurpose hall, and a ‘annadana’ (mass feeding) hall,” he said.

The temple construction began with excavation work on August 2, 2012, the foundation laying on February 24, 2013, and the foundation work on July 11, 2013.

Vice-president Raghottam Dasa said that the new temple complex would remain closed for the public from June 18 to August 9 to facilitate the deity installation and various rituals. However the existing ISKCON temple would be open.

Mr. Dasa said that after August 10, the idols in the existing temple would be transferred to the new temple. The plan was to convert the existing temple structure into a ‘Brahmacharya Ashram’ and a ‘Yatri Nivas’.

Giving details of the temple structure, Rammohan Dasa said that the complex comprised four floors and a terrace, with principal temple hall located on the second floor.