About Us

ISKCON Chennai, situated off East Coast Road at Hare Krishna Land, Sholinganallur, is a prominent temple dedicated to the worship of Radha Krishna, Lalita Vishaka, Jagannath Baladev Subhadra, and Sri Sri Nitai Gauranga.

As part of ISKCON’s global network of over 500 centers, the Chennai branch celebrated the inauguration of its splendid Sholinganallur temple on April 26, 2012. The temple boasts several unique features, including the chakras that adorn the temple-purusha on the steps, captivating glass paintings of the Lord’s avatars governing the eight directions, and much more.

The temple complex spans over 1.5 acres and is built across five levels. The first floor houses a 7,000 sq ft temple hall, while the ground floor features an auditorium for cultural and spiritual programs. The basement includes a prasadam hall for serving meals.

Inside the temple hall, three intricately carved teakwood altars enshrine deities sourced from Jaipur and Orissa: Lord Krishna with His consort Radharani and their companions Lalita and Vishaka, Lord Chaitanya with Lord Nityananda, and Lord Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra. Designed under the guidance of His Holiness Bhanu Swami, the temple incorporates elements from Vedic scriptures and is inspired by Pallava and Kalinga architectural styles.

The entrance to the temple is adorned with a marble depiction of the bhu-mandala, representing the universe according to ancient Vedic cosmology. This design illustrates a series of circular islands surrounding the central Mount Meru. Additionally, a life-like statue of a cow nursing its calf enhances the portico’s charm.

A magnificent chandelier, featuring 500 Himalayan quartz crystals, serves as a powerful symbol of spiritual transformation. The chandelier’s multi-colored light projections on the walls and ceiling are intended to amplify the temple’s spiritual ambiance.

The temple also showcases various vastu shastra principles, reflecting its commitment to traditional architectural harmony and spiritual energy.

Founder Acharya

Srila Prabhupada, born Abhay Charan De on September 1, 1896, in Calcutta, grew up in British-controlled India and participated in Mahatma Gandhi’s civil disobedience movement. A pivotal moment came in 1922 when he met Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, a leader in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, who urged him to spread the teachings of Lord Krishna to the English-speaking world. Abhay, later known as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, became Sarasvati’s disciple in 1933 and spent 32 years preparing for this mission.

In 1965, at age 69, Prabhupada arrived in New York City aboard a cargo ship, despite suffering two heart attacks during the voyage. With only seven dollars and his translations of sacred texts, he began sharing Krishna consciousness. His message resonated with many young people, leading him to establish a small temple on New York’s Lower East Side. Officially founding the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) on July 11, 1966, he spent the next eleven years traveling globally, establishing ISKCON centers, temples, educational institutions, and the world’s largest vegetarian food relief program. He also revitalized the Vaishnava tradition in India by opening numerous temples. His most significant contributions are his writings, including over 70 volumes like Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the 30-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the 17-volume Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, which are respected globally and translated into 76 languages.

Our mission

At ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness), we are dedicated to fulfilling the vision set forth by our founder Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Our mission is guided by seven core purposes:

  1. To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all people in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world.
  2. To propagate a consciousness of Krishna (God), as it is revealed in the great scriptures of India, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam.
  3. To bring the members of the Society together with each other and nearer to Krishna, the prime entity, thus developing the idea within the members, and humanity at large, that each soul is part and parcel of the quality of Godhead (Krishna).
  4. To teach and encourage the sankirtana movement, congregational chanting of the holy name of God, as revealed in the teachings of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
  5. To erect for the members and for society at large a holy place of transcendental pastimes dedicated to the personality of Krishna.
  6. To bring the members closer together for the purpose of teaching a simpler, natural way of life.
  7. With a view towards achieving the aforementioned purposes, to publish and distribute periodicals, magazines, books and other writings.
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