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The History of Jaipur was enriched with a Golden
Page When in the Year 1735 Thakur Shri Radha-Govind Devji Maharaj
Enshrined in Jai
Niwas
Gardens ( Mandir Shri Govind Devji
Maharaj ).
.......The Divine Delight of HIS Presence and The Perennial Fountain of Spritual
Solace started Gliding
Across the Atmosphere !!
Today though HE
physically resides in this Temple,
Practically HE is in the Breaths of The People. HE is Their Faith, Their Inspiration,
Their Shelter!!! HE is Their
Friend, Philosopher & Guide! HE
is not only a Sacred Image of Worship; But HE lives in them and The People Live
in HIM. In HIM Somebody finds
his Brother, Somebody his Friend (Sakha), yet Somebody else his Medicine and So
On
...............!!! "The Aradhya Deva of Jaipur", Lord Govind Devji
Majharaj cannot be seen separately from the life of people of Jaipur.
The number of Devotees visiting the Temple daily runs to
Thousands and to Lakhs on Festive
Days.
Large
number of people of Vaishnava Discipline from Bengal, Bihar, Manipur & Assam
come here to pay their homage & take a dive into this Celestial Stream of Boons
& Blessings !
Celebrities feel it their proud privilege to perform before HIM !!!
As
is the Legend,
the Holy Image of Lord Govind Devji was also called "BAJRAKRIT" communicating
thereby that it was created by Bajranabh – The Great Grand Son of Lord Shri
Krishna. He asked his Grand Mother
as to how Lord Shri Krishna looked like; Then He made an image as per the
description given by her. She
however, said that not all but the Feet of that image looked like those of Lord
Shri Krishna. He made another
image, yet she said that the Chest looked like that of Lord Shri Krishna.
Thereafter, He made the Third Image and looking at the same she felt Blush and
Nodded that yes that was what Lord Shri Krishna Looked Like!!! The First One was known with the
Name Lord "Madan Mohanji". The
Second One got recognition as Lord "GOPI NATHJI". AND the Third One, The Divine Majestic
Holy Image is LORD "GOVIND
DEVJI".
With passing of ages the glories of the Indian
Culture were being forgotten and the sands of time kept piling up.
Togetherwith every other thing these pious divine images were also lost from the
memories of people. Some 500 years ago Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu took his
birth on the Indian Soil and did the massive work to remove the layers of
ignorance & infuse back in our lives the forgotten vitality of great grand
Indian Past....
Vrindavn
Dham had become almost a Jungle by the early 16th Century. No trace of the
original place was left at the site. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu had visited the
site in 1514 A.D. and had discovered some of the places mentioned in the Bhagvat
Purana. But he was not able to stay here long enough to bring out the complete
Glory of The Place.
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Before the reign of Emperor Akbar, On the behest of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
his immediate disciples, two brothers Shri Roop Goswami
& Shri Sanatan Goswami came to Vrindaban to Spread the Doctrines of
Vaishnavism & to discover the lost holy sites.
To revitalize
the principles of True Love & Devotion and re-establish the glorious identity
of this land of Lord Krishna,
they were later joined by their nephew shri Jeeva
Goswami & others, viz., Shri Raghunath Bhatta, Shri Raghunath Das and Shri Gopal
Bhatta. These six distinguished disciples of Chaitanya Mahaprabhuji later
gained the name of "SHAD GOSWAMI" (The Six Goswamis).
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It was while His Holiness Shri Roop Goswami was residing in Vrindaban
& preaching the Doctrines of Vaishnavism that LORD GOVIND DEVJI Revealed HIMSELF to him
at GOMA TEELA in Vrindaban, on Basant Panchami in the year 1525.
The news of Manifestation of Lord Govind Devji to Shri Roop Goswami
was immediately sent to
 CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHUJI (GAURANG
MAHAPRABHU) in Nilachal at Orrissa so that He should come to
Vrindaban. However, Due to his
illness, Mahaprabhuji made a small
image of eight metals (Ashtadhatu) depicting himself for the purpose of Getting
'Darshana' and injected his Divine Power into the image. He sent this image of him with his
closely trusted & beloved Shriman
Kashishwar Pandit Mahodaya to V rindaban. The Image was given a holy bath
(Abhishek) and was placed on the Right of Lord Govind Devji. It gained the name of Thakur Shri Gaur Govind . It is believed that thereafter in a
span of a year Mahaprabhuji entered inside the
temple of Lord JAGANNATHJI in Puri enchanting the Harinam Sankirtan
AND merged his being into the
Divinity.
The Great Founder
of the Madhviya Gauria Sampradaya, 1008 Shri Chaitanya Dev Mahaprabhu is
believed to be the spiritual incarnation of Lord Shri Krishna Himself and thereby goes the saying :
He had a unique white golden complexion and, therefore, gained the
name of "Gaurang Deva". "Gaur" was his popular name. After Him ‘Bengal’ came to be known as 'Gaur Desh'
as well.
Nitai was his elder
brother. He
was born in
Navadwipa ( West Bengal) at Mayapur on Phalgun Purnima in 1486 A.D.. Therefrom begins the History of This Glorious Heritage which this Thikana of Mandir Shri Govind
Devji Maharaj continues to uphold !
The Imperial Divine Majesty of Lord Govind Devji Maharaj
and both the brothers, Roop & Sanatan Goswami commanded a great influence over
the Native Princes and the Moghul Emperor Akabar, so much so that the Emperor Akbar felt himself dignified in
Bestowing 135 Bighas of Land of Vrindaban to Thakur Shri Govind Devji Maharaj !
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In the year 1590, the 34th year of the reign of Akbar, under the directions of the Goswamis,
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Maharaja Man Singh of Amber, the Renowned Governor in the Days of
Emperor Akbar, built the Famous Red Sand Stone Temple at Vrindaban, U.P., at the same spot ( i.e., GOMA -TEELA ) where LORD GOVIND DEVJI Manifested HIMSELF to Shri Roop Goswami. The Divine Sacred Image of GOVIND DEVJI
MAHARAJ was Consecrated in the
Temple under the Sole
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Sewa of the then Sewadhikar, Shri Hari Das
Goswami, the 2nd in the Chain of
Sewadhikaris.
INCLUSION
OF THE DIVINE IMAGE OF ADHYA SHAKTI RADHA RANI:
The Sacred Image of Radha Rani as the
saying goes, was earlier in Vrindaban and known as one of the incarnations of
Divine Goddess Shakti. For the
reasons of security from the growing danger of yavanas, a brahamin named
"Vrihadbhanu” took the Divine Image to Radhanagar in Orissa. After the death of Vrihadbhanu, The King
of Orissa, Prataprudra established the Divine Image in a place called Chakravedh
in Puri where it gained fame as "Laxmi Thakurani". After Prataprudra, When King Purushottam
of Orrisa (Son of Raja Prataprudra) learned about the
Appearance of the image of Lord
Govind Devji in Vrindaban, he sent this Divine Image which actually was of Shakti Swaroopa Radha Rani, to
Vrindaban. He occasioned the
marriage of Radha Rani with Lord
Govind Devji Maharaj with a lot of pomp in Samvat 1690 (The year 1633); AND The Adhya Shakti Radha Rani's
Sacred Image was placed to the left of Lord Govind Devji.
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In the Year 1669 A.D.
, during the
reign of Aurangzeb when religious fanaticism was at its height, Shri Shiva Ram Goswami, the then Sole
Sewadhikari of Lord Govind Devji Maharaj, shifted the Divine Holy Images under
the protection of the then Amber Ruler, First to Kama Via Barsana, Radhakund AND
THEN to Govindpura Village (Ropara ).
The Images reached Kanak Vrindavan (in Amer valley) in 1714 and were
taken uphill to Jainiwas (Amer) in 1715. Finally in the year 1735, The
Divine Holy Images were
enshrined in the "Suraj Mahal" of the
City
Palace (The Present Temple Premises) in
Jai
Niwas
Gardens .
| As per
a popular saying while this
Pink
City, JAIPUR (The Paris of India) was
taking its shape to |
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come into existence, King Sawai Jai Singh the founder of
this beautiful city lived in "Suraj Mahal", situated between "Chandra Mahal" & "Badal Mahal" of the
City
Palace compounds in
Jai
Niwas
Gardens. One night he dreamt that 'this place
was meant for THE DIVINITY and he should leave it'. The next day he went to "Chandra Mahal". "Suraj Mahal" got the grace to
become the
Temple –
The Nucleus of the |
Divine Faith of lakhs of People ! . The
Majestic Holy Images were enshrined
in Suraj Mahal and Right Since then LORD GOVIND DEVJI MAHARAJ continue to Bless
THE CITY OF JAIPUR with HIS DIVINE
PRESENCE, truly attaining the Title of “THE ARADHYA DEVA OF
JAIPUR".
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Inclusion
of Sakhis ( Female
Friends ):
On Asoj
Budi 11, Samwat 1784 (Hindi Month) [The year
 1727], the Image of Sakhi Vishakha was offered by Maharaja Jai Singhji (Second) of Jaipur for Itra
sewa (b= lsok
- offering Perfume ) and
placed on the left hand side of Radha Govind Devji. Afterwards in Samwat 1858 [ The year 1801 ], Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singhji offered
the image of Sakhi Lalita for
Tambul Sewa
(rkEcwy lsok
offering Beetle Leaves). The Image was placed on the Right Hand Side of Radha Govind Devji
Maharaj.
The sacred images of the personal adorations of the former Sewadhikaris are also placed
on the Dais besides Lord Govind Devji Maharaj, on a small throne. These are small sacred black stone
(dkLVh iRFkj
) representative idols known as "SALIGRAMJI" (depicting LORD
NARAYAN HIMSELF). On a yet smaller
throne is the small image of Lord Krishna in the
 middle of HIS two nearest sakhis (female friends), known as "JUGAL KISHORI JEU" worshipped by Late
His Holiness Goswami Shri Shyam Sunder Devji
at his residence (who left for Heavens in 1888), the great-great grand father of
the Sewadhikari, Shri Anjan Kumar Goswami.
The Ancient Image Of Lord Saligramji which came to Jaipur with Lord Govind Devji Mahraj
Himself is on another smaller throne.
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The present
Grandeur of The Temple was attained during the period of
Revered His Holiness Late Shri Pradhyumna Kumarji Goswami, the just preceding
Sole Sebait (lsck;r
).
Exemplary was his
life. He devoted himself to the
cause of the
Temple and to the service of the
Devotees. The poet has rightly said
for such Great Lives: "Lives Of All Great Men Remind Us To Make Our Lives
Sublime; And Following Them Leave Behind Us Footprints on the Sands of
Time".
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The Journey is not only well
maintained but is Advancing Ahead to new heights in the hands of his Able
Successor Shri Anjan Kumar Goswami, the Present Sole Sebait. The same drive, devotion & dedication
is evident in Shri Manas Kumar Goswami (son of Shri Anjan Kumar Goswami) who
after his education has joined hands with his father in the Divine
Cause.
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The
Temple Shri Govind Devji Maharaj, situated at Jai Niwas Garden Campus, Jaipur 302 002, is
a Registered Public Trust with the Devasthan Vibhag, Govt. of Rajasthan, Jaipur vide Regn. No. 346 dated
20-9-1972. This is a self sustained, independent Thikana (ENTITY). Thakur Govind
Devji Maharaj HIMSELF being a Perpetual Minor, the sole sewadhikari
(lsokf/kdkjh
-
, the sole trustee) is the permanent guardian.
From the Emperor of India to the lay man
in the street, everybody without any sectarian bias, has paid his homage by
virtue of grants & gifts. Rulers of different states & people
from abroad have all contributed to the cause of Thakur Shri Govind Devji Maharaj !
In Vrindavan itself, Seventy Five
percent of Vrindavan was the property of Thikana Mandir Shri Govind Devji
Maharaj only.
Token Annuities to this Thikana from Bankura (West Bengal) &
from Govt. of Rajasthan still continue. The Rulers of erstwhile Jaipur State
regarded Govind Devji Maharaj as their King (Raja –
jktk
).
The
Trust is Governed and managed by its Sole Trustee. The
Glorious Heritage finds its Origin from 1008 SHRI SHRI
CHAITANYA MAHAPRABHU, the founder of the MADHVIYA GOURIA
SAMPRADAYA. Right Since the Times of Akbar the
Great, the Heritage in its chain, descends now to the present Sole
Trustee, SHRI ANJAN KUMAR GOSWAMI, Tikai (Eldest Son) of Late Shri
Pradhyumna Kumarji Goswami.
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 True Love, Devotion &
"Krishna Leela Prasar" are the
Aims,
Objectives
& Activities of the
Temple. Universal Peace, Universal Love, Universal
Brotherhood and Relief from the sufferings,
are the causes, the Temple nurtures. Upholding these high values of
the Madhviya Gauriya Sampradaya, laid down by the Great Gaurang Deva
more than 500 years ago, the Temple is constantly on the march to the Path
Ahead............. .
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In this
Land of Lord
Krishna, the Cow holds a sacred position
& is rightly named "Gau Mata" ( The Mother Cow ).
It plays a significant role in the lives of
people & the economy of this Nation; the Temple commits itself to the security, service
& betterment of the Cow and motivates the people at large to
this benevolent & pious cause!
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*The
Sacred Cow - *
Abode of Deities ! |
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