Radha Kunda photo tour…less frequented locations Pt. 1

Jai Sri Radhey!

There are dozens of mandirs here at Radha Kunda. Even if you stay at Radha Kunda for a considerable amount of time there will likely be many places that remain unvisited and unexplored. I thought it would be interesting to go to many of these lesser visited mandirs and share the images and information I could obtain. I am posting the images in the order you will encounter them if doing parikrama of Radha and Shyama Kundas, but other than that the mandirs shown in this series are a random selection… I am just entering various mandirs and taking photos as the inspiration hits me. Since it is winter time many of the deities are bundled up in chadars and blankets so you can’t always get a good look at Them. I will probably want to take Their photos again after it warms up.

In the late 1600’s many original deities had to be moved to Jaipur because of Muslim invasions. Radha Kunda was a stopping point on the way.  Replicas of these mandirs were established here at Radha Kunda at that time and the worship has been going on for hundreds of years. These deities are known as pratibhU mUrti and represent the originals and are not to be considered to be different. So you can visit the seven major mandirs of Brindavan here at Radha Kunda.

The first mandir pictured is Radha Ramana.  Along with Radha Raman you will see Balaram and Revati on the altar. Also just to the left of the entrance of this mandir is Mahadeva who is guarding the north side of the kunda. You will also find the carankamala of Sri Radha there. The next two places are found off of parikrama marg by going left down the first road you encounter. There is a mandir of Sri Sri Radha Binodji that are very beautiful and then a little farther down is and what used to be the bhajan kutir of Bhakivinod Thakur and his son Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati. It is called Vraja Swananda Sukada Kunja. Inside you will find some pushpa samadhis and some personal articles of Bhaktivinod. Also there is the first toilet in Radha Kunda. I was told that Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati installed the toilet which was stylish in those days in hopes of getting people to use plumbing and not just go anywhere that was handy. Now if you return to parikrama marg, immediately on your left you will find Bishwambhar Mahaprabhu Mandir.

Entrance to Radha Raman

Courtyard at Radha Raman

Radha Raman & Balaram and Revati

Place of Mahadeva

Jai Bhole

Radha’s carankamala

Entrance to Radha Binodji

Sri Sri Radha Binodji

Entrance to Swananda Sukada Kunja

Pushpa samadhis of Bhaktivinod, Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, and Bhakti Vilas Tirtha

Bhaktisiddhanta’s toilet

Entrance to Biswambhar Mahaprabhu Mandir

Courtyard of Biswambhar Mahaprabhu

Bishwambhar Mahaprabhu

Renovations at Radhakund Updated

Jai Radhey!

The work has been going on steadily. The south and west walls are nearly complete. There is a new arch across from Gopi Kupa that spans the walkway leading to Shyam Kund. The arch by Tamaltala is close to completion. Now they have started work on the marg around the kundas. Parikrama marg around the kundas is blocked off and car traffic is not allowed for now. They have torn up the road down to bare ground from Radha Brajamohan Mandir all the way to the intersection on the southwest corner of Radhakund near Kundeshwar Mahadeva and are beginning to pour concrete. So far the concrete goes from Nitai Gaura Mandira and should be up to the intersection by the end of the day.

Renovations at Radhakund

Jai Sri Radhey! Renovations have started at Radhakund. The marble walkways, which were slippery when wet and extremely hot in the summer sun, are being replaced with sandstone.  The walls surrounding the kunda are getting chipped away and decorative stone pieces are being installed. A new archway is now in the northwest corner of the kunda and the exterior of Kunjabihari Ji Mandir is nearly completed. When I find out more details of the work being done and more progress is made I will share it here.