ISKCON Temple Puducherry (Timings, History, Entry Fee, Images, Pooja, Location & Phone)

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ISKCON Puducherry Temple (also called Sri Sri Radha Madhava Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. Devotees here lead their life in the service of Lord Krishna. Alongside, they study Hindu scriptures too, like the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavad Purana, and other Vedic literatures.

The temple promotes the principles of self-realization, unity, and peace. The serenity here, and the charisma of Krishna relieves your mind and lifts your soul. The ambience of the temple helps you find your inner self.

If you want a peace of mind and refresh your spiritual self, this is the place to be. You can feel the tranquillity the moment you step inside.

People come to ISKCON Temple Pondicherry and spend time singing bhajans, chanting Hare Rama Hare Krishna, and dancing soaked in the love for the Lord.

History of ISKCON Temple

ISKCON Temple Puducherry is established on the principles of ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness). ISKCON is an international religious organisation, also popular as the Hare Krishna movement. It is a community of Sri Krishna followers, founded in 1966. They follow the Gaudiya Vaishnava traditions.

And this ISKCON branch in Pondicherry was established in 2003 in Krishna Nagar area. And the devotees are trying to fulfil the mission of spreading Krishna consciousness throughout Pondicherry and nearby.

The temple, though, is shifting to another location. This new location is near Ousteri Lake, on the outskirts of Pondicherry.

Things to do at ISKCON Temple Puducherry

1. Observing daily temple rituals – A day in the ISKCON Temple starts with an early morning aarti. Then, throughout the day, different puja and other rituals are carried out. So, you can visit the temple to have a darshan of the Sri Krishna idol or observe an aarti ceremony sitting in a silent corner.

2. Attending meditation sessions – Apart from the daily aartis and pujas, ISKCON Temple Puducherry hosts meditation sessions too, in the morning. So, you can also meditate in the temple complex. It is in an open and green area, providing a serene environment to the visitors.

3. Listening to Vedic lessons – Regular philosophy and spiritual sessions are also carried out in the temple. These classes are based on Hindu scriptures and essential Vedic texts like Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Seminars, too, are organised from time to time.

4. Taking part in the Sunday Feast – ISKCON Pondicherry holds a special Hare Krishna Sunday Feast every Sunday noon. It starts with bhajan-kirtan singing, followed by religious chants and spiritual discourse (pravachan). After the pravachan, vegetarian food is served as prasadam.

5. Volunteering for community events – The temple runs different charity events like community services, donation drives, and food distribution. You can donate money to the temple, pay for food or seva, or be a part of the charity events as a volunteer.

6. Celebrating festivals – ISKCON Temple Puducherry celebrates quite a number of festivals. Gaura Purnima, Sri Krishna Janmashtami and Radhashtami are among the popular ones. Narasimha Chaturdashi, Ramanavami and Kartik Masa are the other festive events celebrated here. It also organises an annual yatra (procession) of taking the idol around the city.

ISKCON Temple Pondicherry Timings and Entry Fee

The darshan timings of ISKCON Sri Sri Radha Madhava Temple are from 5 AM to 1 PM and 4 PM to 8.30 PM. In the morning session, you can attend Mangala Aarti, Darshan Aarti and Rajbhog Aarti, among other rituals. Apart from those, a Japa Meditation session is held from 6 AM to 8 AM and a Srimad Bhagavatam discourse is held from 8.30 AM to 9 AM.

In the evening session, Sandhya Aarti and Sayana Aarti are carried out, along with bhajans and a Bhagavad Gita discourse (7.30 PM to 8 PM).

The temple is open on all days and the entry is free for all.

Best Time to visit ISKCON Temple

You can visit ISKCON Puducherry and soak in its serenity any time of the year. But it is best to visit the temple in winter. From October until February, the weather remains favourable for the trip. Bright sun, with mild heat and cool breeze, will ensure your visit is pleasant and you can make the most of your travel plans.

Time to explore ISKCON Temple

It should take only an hour or two to explore the temple premises. But you’ll need about an hour extra to travel to ISKCON Puducherry. The new temple is being developed on the outskirts of Pondicherry city, near Ousteri Lake.

How to reach ISKCON Temple in Pondicherry?

Sri Sri Radha Madhava ISKCON Temple in Pondicherry is near Ousteri Lake, about 10 km away from the city centre. It is about 12 km away from Puducherry railway station, Puducherry bus stop and Puducherry Airport as well. The nearest major railway station is in Villupuram (about 40 km away). The nearest international airport is in Chennai, 150 km away.

And following are the different ways to reach the temple –

By bicycles/motorcycles – Bicycles and motorcycles are available to hire in many places. You can get one for the day and take it to ISKCON Temple Pondicherry and other tourist places around. It usually takes around half an hour to reach the temple from Pondicherry city centre.

By auto/cycle-rickshaws – You can find auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws all over Pondicherry. Take one to Ousteri Lake and get down at the ISKCON Temple. It doesn’t take more than 25-30 minutes to be here.

By taxi/cab – Taxis and cabs are also available for hire in Pondicherry. You can book one for the day from top car rental companies in Pondicherry and spend as much time at ISKCON Pondicherry as you want. They're the best modes of commute if you want to visit all tourist places in Pondicherry comfortably.

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Location Map for ISKCON Temple Puducherry