Shree Krishna, the most attractive God, affectionately known as Bhuvan Sundar, lovingly called Makhan Chor, Krishna Kanhaiya, Vasudeva, Gopala, and Bhaktavatsala Bhagwan, is a central figure in Vaishnavism and is most popularly worshipped not only in India but also abroad.
Mathura, the birthplace of Krishna, is home to the oldest temples of Krishna, the Shree Krishna Janambhoomi Temple, which features three unique temples inside: Keshavdev Temple, Garbha Griha, and Bhagavata Bhawan (Radhakrishna’s temple).
One of the most popular Krishna temples, built more than 2,500 years ago by Shree Krishna’s grandson, Vajranabh, Gujarat’s Dwarkadhish Temple, also known as ‘Jagat Mandir’, is one of the Bada Char Dham temples (Rameswaram, Badrinath, Dwarka & Puri) where Shri Krishna is worshipped as ‘the King of Dwarka (Dwarkadhish).
Unlike any other Krishna temple, Lord Krishna’s idol is veiled with a curtain, which is opened and closed repeatedly, with a belief that ‘Banke Bihari ji’ might go away with his ardent devotees due to several incidents that happened earlier; hence, he’s protected like a child there, which is why he is also called Bhaktavatsal.
Jagannath Temple of Odisha, one of the Bada Char Dham sites, and the only temple where Shree Krishna is worshipped with his siblings, Subhadra (sister) and Balaram (brother). It attracts millions of pilgrims from across India during Rath Yatra, the grand chariot festival.
In the Guruvayur Temple, Shree Krishna is worshipped as ‘Guruvayurappan’, and is believed to be ‘Bhuloka Vaikuntha’, the holy abode of Lord Vishnu on Earth. The temple’s architecture is famous for the golden flagstaff and light pillars, and it is also called ‘Dwarka of the South’.
Built from white Italian marble and spanning 22 hectares of land, Prem Mandir is dedicated to Radha Krishna and Sita Ram. The elaborate motifs and leelas on its pillars celebrate Krishna’s raas leela, Govardhan leela, and Jhulan Leela, which have made this temple truly iconic yet special for Krishna devotees.
Udupi Shri Krishna Temple is a historic temple of Shri Krishna, founded and established by the Dvaita philosopher, Madhavacharya. The architecture of this temple is similar to an ashram, and houses a beautiful black-hued idol of Balakrishna, who is worshipped with a nine-holed window, called Navgraha Kitiki.
One of the largest Krishna shrines in India, it features remarkable architecture with towering gopurams, mandapams, theertham, and beautifully sculpted walls. Often called the ‘Dwarka of South’, Shri Krishna is worshipped with Goddess Lakshmi in the form of Rajagopalaswamy and Sri Sengamala Thayar.
Ever saw a Temple built like a palace? Rajasthan’s Shrinath Ji Temple is a must-visit Krishna temple and displays a haveli-like architecture with an ellaborate courtyard and decorative walls, and is an important pilgrimage site for Vaishnavites and devotees of Shri Krishna. A self-manifested idol of Bal Krishna is worshipped in the form of Shrinath Ji here.
Govind Dev Ji Temple, located in Rajasthan, was established by Maharaja Jai Singh II and is another well-known temple of Radha Krishna, situated in the City Palace complex. Lord Krishna’s idol brought from Vrindavan is worshipped here as Bajrakrit, or Govind Dev Ji, or Gopinath Ji.
ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), founded by Srila Prabhupada in 1966, is an organization under which a cluster of Krishna temples has been built across India and globally. Whether you’re in Delhi, New York, or Russia, every ISKCON temple comes alive with ‘Hare Krishna’ chants and kirtans not just sung by Hindus but foreigners as well.