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Rangaji Temple At Vrindavan – History - Details

Rangaji temple is located at one end of Vrindavan and is near to Brahma Kund and Govind Dev Temple. The temple is dedicated to Ranganatha form of Vishnu, reclining on Adishesha. The temple is quite similar to the Ranganatha temples seen in the south Indian towns of Srirangapatna and Srirangam.

History Of Rangaji Temple At Vrindavan

Rangaji Temple at Vrindavan was built in 1850 AD. The local people found it difficult to pronounce the South Indian name of Ranganathaswamy so they shortened it to Ranga and added the respectful suffix ‘ji’ and named him Rangaji.

The temple was built on the advice of Sri Rangadeshik Swamiji, a great scholar of Sri Vaishnavism. The businessman who built the temple was Sri Radha Krishnaji who belonged to a very rich business family of Mathura. He was  attracted by Sri Vaishnavism philosophy and approached Sri Rangadeshik Swamiji for discipleship. Later, his younger brother Sri Govinddasji also got initiated into Sri Vaishnavism by Swamiji. Both these brothers were very impressed by Sri Vaishnava temples in South India and expressed their desire of worshipping Sri Ranganathaswamy with Sri Ramanujacharya in North India. Treating this as a divine wish, Swamiji showed them the map of Sri Varadaraja temple of Kanchipuram and asked them to construct a temple on similar lines. Artists and craftsmen were brought in from Kanchipuram and construction of temple was started in the year 1843 A.D and got completed in the year 1850 A.D.


Rangaji Temple - Details

A striking feature of the temple is the 100 feet high South Indian style gopuram that adorns the temple. The tall gopuram is six storeys high.

In front of the Gopuram is a huge gate, which is built as per Rajasthani style of architecture. There is huge water tank and a well-maintained garden on entering the gate.

The main sanctum sanctorum has a murti of the Ranganatha form of Vishnu reclining on Adishesha. Next to the sanctum sanctorum is another gopuram which leads to a huge open courtyard. At the center of this courtyard is a 50-feet high Dwajasthambam which is gold plated.

The main festival observed in the temple is the 10-day Brahmotsavam which alls in the month of March or April. Other festivals include Vasant Panchami, Sri Ram Navami, Janmashtami and Karthigai Deepam.

There are many other well maintained temples in the Rangaji Temple complex. There is a shrine dedicated to Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi and Garuda. The murtis are made of Krishna shila or black stone. Their s another shrine dedicated to Tirupati Balaji. There is also a temple dedicated to Rama, Sita and Lakshman. This temple has both stone murtis and gold murtis of the deities.