Sri Radha Radhanath Temple (Durban)
श्री राधा राधानाथ मंदिर
The flagship Hare Krishna temple of South Africa, where Sri Sri Radha Radhanath are worshipped in Krishna bhakti above the Durban coast
Chatsworth, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Śrī Rādhā Rādhānātha Mandira (Durban)Also known as: ISKCON Durban, Sri Sri Radha Radhanath Temple, Hare Krishna Temple Chatsworth
Sri Radha Radhanath Temple (Durban)
श्री राधा राधानाथ मंदिर
युग
Opened in 1985; the flagship ISKCON temple in South Africa, built by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
वास्तुकला
A modern ISKCON temple of striking design, a lotus-and-dome shrine rising over Chatsworth in the south of Durban
विशेष
The temple keeps the daily round of ISKCON worship, the mangala arati before dawn, the deity aratis through the day, kirtan and Bhagavad Gita classes, with the Sunday Feast and the Govinda's restaurant a focus of the week. Timings are set by the temple and vary with the calendar of festivals; they should be confirmed locally.
पवित्र कथा · पवित्र कथा
The Sri Radha Radhanath Temple at Chatsworth, in the south of Durban, is the flagship temple of the Hare Krishna movement in South Africa and one of the great centres of Krishna bhakti on the African continent. Here, in the presiding deities Sri Sri Radha Radhanath, Krishna is worshipped as the Supreme Personality of Godhead together with Radha, his eternal consort and the embodiment of pure devotion. Opened in 1985, the temple is known across Durban for its striking architecture, a soaring lotus-and-dome design rising above the surrounding township, and for the daily round of arati, kirtan and the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra that fills its halls. It was raised by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON, in the tradition of Gaudiya Vaishnavism carried into the modern world by its founder-acharya, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. For Durban, home to one of the largest communities of Indian descent outside India, the temple is both a spiritual anchor and a meeting place, drawing devotees to its festivals, its Bhagavad Gita classes and its renowned vegetarian restaurant, Govinda's, where food first offered to Krishna is served as prasadam. In the deities of Radha and Radhanath, the ancient devotion of Vrindavan is made present on the Indian Ocean coast of Africa.
Sacred Designationपवित्र पदनाम
Sacred Origin Storyपवित्र उत्पत्ति कथा
Source: Gaudiya Vaishnavism, the tradition of Krishna bhakti taught by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and carried to the world by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, drawing on the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam
In the theology of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, the tradition to which this temple belongs, Krishna is not one god among many but the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all that is, and Radha is his eternal beloved, the personification of the highest devotion. The deities worshipped here as Sri Sri Radha Radhanath are Radha and Krishna together, the divine couple whose love is understood as the very form of the relationship between the soul and God.
The Srimad Bhagavatam tells of Krishna's descent into the world at Mathura and his childhood and youth in Vrindavan, where he tended the cows, played his flute, and drew the hearts of the cowherd folk and the gopis to himself in pure love. Radha stands foremost among them, her devotion the model and the summit of bhakti. The rasa, the circle of divine love in Vrindavan, is held in this tradition to be the innermost expression of the relationship between Krishna and the surrendered soul.
In the Bhagavad Gita, spoken on the field of Kurukshetra to the warrior Arjuna, Krishna reveals himself as the Supreme, teaching the paths of action, knowledge and devotion, and calling the soul to take shelter in him. Gaudiya Vaishnavism holds bhakti, loving devotion, to be the highest of these, and the Gita and the Bhagavatam together are its foundational scriptures.
In the sixteenth century, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, revered by his followers as Krishna himself come as his own devotee, revived the worship of Radha-Krishna and above all the congregational chanting of the holy names, the sankirtan, teaching that in this age the surest path to God is the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare. From Chaitanya the tradition passed down through a line of teachers to A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who in 1966 founded the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and carried this bhakti across the world.
At Durban, the deities Sri Sri Radha Radhanath make this whole tradition present on the coast of Africa. To stand before them, to hear the maha-mantra sung, to receive the prasadam offered first to Krishna, is, in the understanding of the devotees, to enter the same devotion that began in Vrindavan and was given to the world by Chaitanya and Prabhupada.
उद्धृत स्रोत:
- Bhagavad Gita
- Srimad Bhagavatam
- Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
- Teachings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and ISKCON
अन्य परंपराएँ · अन्य परंपराएँ
The meaning of the name Radhanath and the worship of Radha-Krishna together
विद्वत संदर्भ
The Sri Radha Radhanath Temple belongs to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), the worldwide movement founded in New York in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, which carries the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, the Bengal school of Krishna bhakti descending from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, into the modern world. ISKCON's worship centres on Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead with Radha, on the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and congregational sankirtan, on the study of the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam, and on the distribution of prasadam. The temple's setting in Durban reflects the deep history of the Indian community in South Africa. From 1860, indentured labourers from India were brought to the British colony of Natal to work the sugar plantations, and were followed by 'passenger' Indian traders; their descendants formed one of the largest communities of Indian origin outside India, concentrated around Durban, and preserved a rich Hindu religious life. The Hare Krishna movement reached South Africa in the 1970s and found a ready welcome among this community, and the temple opened at Chatsworth in 1985 as its flagship centre. Scholars of the Hindu diaspora note ISKCON's role in South Africa both as a devotional movement and as a bridge between the Indian-descended community and a wider public, through its festivals, its Ratha Yatra on the Durban beachfront, its book distribution, and its vegetarian restaurants. Eternal Raga presents the temple as a living centre of Gaudiya Vaishnava worship and of the Hare Krishna movement in Africa, set within the history of Durban's Hindu community.
Historyइतिहास
The Sri Radha Radhanath Temple stands within the long history of the Indian community in South Africa. From 1860, indentured labourers from India were brought to the British colony of Natal to work its sugar estates, and were followed over the following decades by 'passenger' Indian traders and their families. Their descendants became one of the largest communities of Indian origin outside India, concentrated in and around Durban, and carried with them the temples, festivals and devotions of their Hindu faith.
Into this community came the Hare Krishna movement. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness had been founded in New York in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who set out to carry the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Krishna bhakti, and above all the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, across the world. In the 1970s ISKCON devotees brought this bhakti to South Africa, holding kirtan, teaching the Bhagavad Gita and distributing prasadam, and found a warm response among Durban's Hindu community.
Out of this work grew the plan for a great temple. Land was secured at Chatsworth, the large Indian township in the south of Durban, and construction began to a striking design, a lotus rising over a domed shrine. In 1985 the Sri Radha Radhanath Temple was opened and the presiding deities Sri Sri Radha Radhanath were installed, giving South Africa its flagship ISKCON temple and a landmark of Krishna bhakti on the African continent.
Around the shrine grew the wider life of the temple: Govinda's, the vegetarian restaurant serving food first offered to Krishna as prasadam; the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam classes; the distribution of Prabhupada's books; and the great festivals, above all Janmashtami, the appearance day of Krishna, and the Ratha Yatra, the Festival of Chariots, held on the Durban beachfront and grown into one of the largest Hindu festivals in the country. Through the end of apartheid and into the new South Africa, the temple continued to grow as a centre of worship, education and food distribution, welcoming visitors of every background.
Today the Sri Radha Radhanath Temple remains the flagship ISKCON temple in South Africa and a living centre of Krishna bhakti, its daily arati and kirtan, its festivals, its Gita classes and its Govinda's prasadam drawing devotees of the Hare Krishna movement and the wider Hindu community of Durban to Sri Sri Radha Radhanath.
Historical Timelineऐतिहासिक कालक्रम
Indentured labourers from India begin arriving in the British colony of Natal to work its sugar estates, followed by 'passenger' Indian traders; they carry their Hindu faith with them, laying the foundation of one of the largest communities of Indian descent outside India, centred on Durban.
The Durban Indian community, drawn from both indentured and later 'passenger' migrants, preserved a rich Hindu religious life that would in time welcome the Hare Krishna movement.
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founds the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in New York, carrying the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Krishna bhakti and the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra to the wider world.
Prabhupada carried the tradition of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, translating the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam and establishing temples across the world.
ISKCON devotees bring the Hare Krishna movement to South Africa, beginning sankirtan and the preaching of Krishna bhakti, and finding a warm welcome among Durban's Hindu community of Indian descent.
ISKCON establishes a growing presence in Durban, holding kirtan, teaching the Bhagavad Gita, and distributing prasadam, gathering the congregation that would raise the great temple.
Land is secured at Chatsworth, the large Indian township in the south of Durban, and construction of a grand new temple begins to a striking lotus-and-dome design.
The Sri Radha Radhanath Temple is opened and the presiding deities Sri Sri Radha Radhanath are installed, giving South Africa its flagship ISKCON temple and a landmark of Krishna bhakti on the African continent.
The temple's opening in 1985 established it as the principal ISKCON centre in South Africa; its architecture, a lotus rising over a domed shrine, became a Durban landmark.
Govinda's, the temple's vegetarian restaurant, is established, serving food first offered to Krishna as prasadam and drawing visitors from across Durban to the temple.
The Ratha Yatra, the Festival of Chariots, is held on the Durban beachfront, the deities drawn in procession on a great chariot, growing into one of the largest Hindu festivals in South Africa.
Through the end of apartheid and into the new South Africa, the temple grows as a centre of worship, education and prasadam distribution, serving Durban's Hindu community and welcoming visitors of every background.
Janmashtami and the annual festivals draw great crowds, and the temple's outreach expands, the distribution of the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, kirtan programmes, and food-relief work among them.
The Sri Radha Radhanath Temple remains the flagship ISKCON temple in South Africa and a living centre of Krishna bhakti, its daily arati and kirtan, its festivals and its Govinda's prasadam drawing devotees and visitors to Sri Sri Radha Radhanath.
What You'll Seeदर्शन में
At the heart of the temple, on the central altar beneath the great dome, stand the presiding deities Sri Sri Radha Radhanath. Krishna, worshipped here as Radhanath, the Lord of Radha, is shown in the classic form of Gaudiya Vaishnavism: dark-complexioned, standing in a graceful threefold-bending pose, his flute raised to his lips, adorned with garlands, a peacock feather in his crown. At his left stands Radha, his eternal beloved, richly dressed and adorned, the embodiment of the highest devotion. The two are worshipped always together, one divine reality in two forms.
The deities are dressed and adorned afresh through the day, in fine cloth and flower garlands, and are the focus of the aratis, when the curtains are drawn back and the assembled devotees behold them amid lamps, incense and the singing of the maha-mantra. The offering of food, first placed before Krishna and then distributed as prasadam, is central to their worship, as is the offering of the sacred tulasi leaf.
Around the central deities the temple holds the other forms dear to the tradition: Gaura-Nitai, the deities of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his companion Nityananda, who revived the chanting of the holy names; a murti of the founder-acharya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, honoured as the one who carried this devotion to the world; and, for the Ratha Yatra, the deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra, drawn in procession on the great chariot. The tulasi plant, sacred to Krishna, is tended within the temple.
The controlling image remains Sri Sri Radha Radhanath upon the altar, the divine couple of Vrindavan made present on the coast of Africa, before whom the daily arati is offered and the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is sung.
Distinctive Practicesविशिष्ट परंपराएँ
Harinam Sankirtan and the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra
हरिनाम संकीर्तन और हरे कृष्ण महामंत्र
Daily, and in public sankirtan
At the heart of the temple's worship is the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare, both in congregational kirtan before the deities and in harinam sankirtan, the singing of the holy names carried out in procession and in public. Devotees also chant the maha-mantra privately on their japa beads.
Gaudiya Vaishnavism, as taught by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, holds that in this age the surest path to God is the chanting of the holy names, in which Krishna is fully present in his name. To sing the maha-mantra together is to call upon Radha and Krishna directly, purifying the heart and awakening love of God; the sankirtan carried into the streets is understood as an act of compassion, offering the holy name to all who hear it. This chanting is the practice above all others that Prabhupada carried to the world, and it is the living centre of the worship at Durban.
The Deity Arati
विग्रह की आरती
Daily, from the pre-dawn mangala arati onward
Through the day the deities Sri Sri Radha Radhanath are honoured with a round of aratis, beginning with the mangala arati before dawn, in which lamps, incense, water, flowers and a whisk are offered before them to the singing of prayers and the maha-mantra, the curtains drawn back so that the assembled devotees behold the deities freshly dressed and adorned.
In the Vaishnava tradition the deity is served as the Lord himself present in the temple, and the arati is the loving service offered to him through the day, as one would serve a beloved guest and master. To offer lamp and flower before Sri Sri Radha Radhanath and to take their darshan at the arati is to enter into direct relationship with Krishna and Radha, receiving their mercy; the daily rhythm of the aratis keeps the temple centred, from before dawn to night, on the service of the divine couple.
Prasadam Distribution
प्रसादम् का वितरण
Daily, and at the Sunday Feast and festivals
Food is first cooked as an offering to Krishna, placed before the deities as bhoga, and then, sanctified as prasadam, distributed to devotees and visitors. The temple's vegetarian restaurant, Govinda's, serves prasadam through the week, and the Sunday Feast offers a full meal of sanctified food to all who come, as do the great festivals.
In Gaudiya Vaishnavism food is never taken for oneself alone but first offered to Krishna, who accepts the devotion in it, and then received back as prasadam, 'mercy,' carrying his grace. To eat prasadam is held to purify the one who takes it and to draw the heart toward Krishna, so that the sharing of sanctified food is at once an act of worship and of compassion. Prabhupada made prasadam distribution a pillar of ISKCON's mission, and at Durban the Govinda's kitchen and the festival feasts carry this to the whole community.
Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam Classes
भगवद्गीता और श्रीमद्भागवतम् की कक्षाएँ
Daily and weekly, in the temple
The temple holds regular classes in the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam, the two foundational scriptures of the tradition, read in Prabhupada's translations and commentaries. The morning Srimad Bhagavatam class and the study of the Gita are part of the temple's daily and weekly life, alongside kirtan and darshan.
Gaudiya Vaishnavism rests upon the study of scripture as well as the chanting of the holy names, for the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam reveal Krishna as the Supreme and teach the path of devotion. To hear and study them under the guidance of the tradition is to understand what one worships, so that bhakti is grounded in knowledge; the classes at Durban carry Prabhupada's mission of spreading this understanding to the community, that devotion may be both felt and understood.
Did You Know?क्या आप जानते हैं?
The Sri Radha Radhanath Temple at Chatsworth is the flagship ISKCON temple in South Africa, opened in 1985 and dedicated to Radha-Krishna as the deities Sri Sri Radha Radhanath.
ISKCON South Africa
The presiding deities are Sri Sri Radha Radhanath, Radha and Krishna worshipped together, Krishna as Radhanath, 'the Lord of Radha,' in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.
ISKCON tradition
The temple is known for its striking architecture, a soaring lotus-and-dome design that rises above Chatsworth and has become a landmark of Durban.
ISKCON Durban
Durban is home to one of the largest communities of Indian descent outside India, drawn from indentured labourers brought to Natal from 1860 and later 'passenger' Indian traders.
Histories of the South African Indian community
The temple's vegetarian restaurant, Govinda's, serves food first offered to Krishna as prasadam and draws visitors from across Durban.
ISKCON Durban; Govinda's restaurant
The temple belongs to ISKCON, founded in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, carrying the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to the world.
ISKCON history
At the centre of the temple's worship is the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, in congregational kirtan and in harinam sankirtan carried into the streets.
ISKCON tradition
The Ratha Yatra, the Festival of Chariots, held on the Durban beachfront, has grown into one of the largest Hindu festivals in South Africa.
ISKCON Durban festival records
The temple holds regular classes in the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam and distributes Prabhupada's translations of these scriptures.
ISKCON Durban
Visitor Accessप्रवेश जानकारी
The Sri Radha Radhanath Temple welcomes visitors of all backgrounds, whether devotees of the Hare Krishna movement, members of Durban's Hindu community, or newcomers curious to see the temple. There are no restrictions of caste, community or origin. Visitors are asked to dress modestly and to remove their footwear before entering the temple. Photography and phone use should follow the temple's directions, and quiet, respectful conduct is expected during the aratis and classes. The temple's Govinda's restaurant serves vegetarian prasadam through the week, and the Sunday Feast and programme are a welcoming point of entry for visitors. Timings for the aratis, classes and the restaurant are set by the temple and are best confirmed locally, especially around the great festivals.
Dress modestly and remove footwear before entering the temple. The great festivals, above all Janmashtami and the Ratha Yatra, are the most vivid and the busiest times; ordinary days and the Sunday Feast offer a gentler introduction. The aratis, especially the morning and evening, are the fullest times for darshan and kirtan. Govinda's restaurant is a good starting point for first-time visitors, and the temple's Bhagavad Gita classes and programmes are open to those who wish to learn more. Confirm the current timings of the aratis, classes and the restaurant, and the festival dates, with the temple before visiting, as these are set locally.
Festivalsत्योहार
Janmashtami (Krishna Janmashtami)
जन्माष्टमी (कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी)
Aug-Sep (Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami)
The appearance day of Krishna, the greatest festival of the temple, kept with fasting, night-long kirtan, abhishekam and the adornment of the deities, and the offering and distribution of prasadam. Devotees from across Durban and beyond fill the temple to celebrate the birth of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead worshipped here as Radhanath.
Ratha Yatra (Festival of Chariots)
रथयात्रा (रथों का उत्सव)
Held annually, often mid-year, on the Durban beachfront
The Festival of Chariots, in which the deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra are drawn in procession on a great chariot, held on the Durban beachfront and grown into one of the largest Hindu festivals in South Africa. Devotees pull the chariot with ropes amid kirtan, and prasadam is distributed to the crowds, carrying the tradition of the Jagannath Ratha Yatra of Puri to the African coast.
Radhashtami
राधाष्टमी
Aug-Sep (Bhadrapada Shukla Ashtami)
The appearance day of Srimati Radharani, the eternal consort of Krishna and the embodiment of the highest devotion, kept a fortnight after Janmashtami. The goddess whose name comes first in Sri Sri Radha Radhanath is honoured with special worship, adornment and offerings, celebrating Radha as the supreme devotee and the very form of love of God.
Gaura Purnima
गौर पूर्णिमा
Feb-Mar (Phalguna Purnima)
The appearance day of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, revered as Krishna come as his own devotee, who revived the chanting of the holy names and founded the tradition of Gaudiya Vaishnavism the temple follows. Kept with fasting, kirtan and the worship of Gaura-Nitai, it honours the source of the sankirtan movement carried to Durban.
Diwali and Govardhan Puja (Kartik)
दीवाली और गोवर्धन पूजा (कार्तिक)
Oct-Nov (Kartik)
The month of Kartik, the most sacred for the worship of Krishna, brings Diwali and, the day after, Govardhan Puja, commemorating Krishna's lifting of Govardhan Hill to shelter the people of Vrindavan. At Durban, a major centre of Diwali celebration for the Hindu community, the temple keeps these days with the offering of lamps, the annakut (a mountain of food offered to Krishna), kirtan and prasadam.
Traditional Offeringsपारंपरिक अर्पण
प्राथमिक अर्पण
Tulasi leaves
तुलसी पत्र
तुलसी
The tulasi leaf is the dearest of all offerings to Krishna, and in the Vaishnava tradition no offering of food to him is complete without it. Tulasi is herself revered as a great devotee of Krishna, and the leaf placed upon his food and at his feet is held to carry the highest devotion. The tulasi plant is tended with care within the temple.
Bhoga offered and distributed as prasadam
भोग जो अर्पित और प्रसादम् के रूप में बाँटा जाता है
नैवेद्य
Food cooked for Krishna is first offered before the deities as bhoga and then, sanctified as prasadam, distributed to all. In Gaudiya Vaishnavism the offering of food is a central act of devotion, and the sharing of prasadam, 'mercy,' carries Krishna's grace to those who receive it, so that the offering and the feeding of the community are one.
Flowers and garlands
पुष्प और मालाएँ
पुष्पमाला
Flowers and fresh garlands adorn the deities Sri Sri Radha Radhanath and are offered before them through the day. The garlanding of Krishna and Radha is part of their daily service and adornment, the flowers a token of the devotee's love laid at the feet of the Lord and his beloved.
The Hare Krishna maha-mantra and kirtan
हरे कृष्ण महामंत्र और कीर्तन
नामसंकीर्तन
The chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and the singing of kirtan before the deities are themselves held to be among the highest offerings. In Gaudiya Vaishnavism the holy name is non-different from Krishna, so that to sing his names in loving devotion is to offer him the very best that can be given, and the temple resounds with the maha-mantra through the aratis and beyond.
Lamps and incense in the arati
आरती में दीप और धूप
आरति
The arati, in which lamps, incense, water, cloth and flowers are offered in turn before the deities to the singing of prayers, is the daily loving service offered to Sri Sri Radha Radhanath. The lamp waved before the Lord and the incense offered are the tokens of the devotee's service, and the flame taken by the devotees after the arati carries the Lord's blessing.
Sweets, butter and milk offerings
मिठाई, मक्खन और दुग्ध अर्पण
नवनीत
Sweets, and above all butter and milk-sweets, are dear offerings to Krishna, who as the cowherd boy of Vrindavan loved fresh butter, and are offered before the deities and shared as prasadam. Such offerings recall Krishna's childhood among the cows and the cowherds and are made with the affection of the devotee for the beloved Lord.
इस मंदिर की विशेषता
The Offering to Sri Sri Radha Radhanath and the Feast of Prasadam
श्री श्री राधा राधानाथ को अर्पण और प्रसादम् का भोज
What is particular to this temple is the offering made to its own presiding deities, Sri Sri Radha Radhanath, and the great sharing of prasadam that flows from it. Food is cooked with care as an offering to Krishna, placed before Radha and Radhanath, and then distributed, through the Govinda's restaurant, the Sunday Feast, and the festival meals, to devotees and visitors of every background. A devotee offers tulasi, flowers, sweets and the maha-mantra as in any ISKCON temple, but here the offering is made to Radha and Radhanath upon the Durban altar, and the prasadam that returns from them is carried out to the whole community, the food first given to Krishna becoming the mercy shared with the city. In this the offering and the blessing meet: what is placed before the Lord in devotion is received back as his grace and shared with all.
Offerings at the Sri Radha Radhanath Temple follow the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition of ISKCON, with tulasi, the bhoga cooked for Krishna and distributed as prasadam, flowers, the maha-mantra kirtan and the arati central, and the Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam as the guiding scriptures. Eternal Raga presents these practices as a devotional tradition; specific arrangements should be confirmed at the temple.
How to Reachकैसे पहुँचें
The Sri Radha Radhanath Temple stands at Chatsworth, a large township in the south of Durban, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal on the Indian Ocean coast of South Africa.
By air: King Shaka International Airport, serving Durban, is about 45 km north of Chatsworth, connected to Johannesburg, Cape Town and international destinations; from the airport the temple is reached by road.
By rail and road: Chatsworth is linked to central Durban by road and by the metropolitan rail network. The temple is reached by car, taxi or the city's transport within the Durban metropolitan area.
By road from further afield: Durban is connected by the national road network to Johannesburg (about 570 km) and other South African cities, and by long-distance bus services.
Most visitors reach the temple as part of a stay in Durban, a major coastal city with a full range of transport and accommodation. Confirm the temple's timings and festival dates locally before visiting.
Plan Your Visitयात्रा की योजना
🌤 सर्वोत्तम मौसम
Durban has a warm, humid subtropical climate on the Indian Ocean coast, and the temple can be visited year-round. The cooler, drier winter months, roughly May to September, are the most comfortable for travel; the summer months, October to March, are warm and humid with rain. The great festivals give the temple its fullest life: Janmashtami and Radhashtami in the late-winter months, the Ratha Yatra on the beachfront, Gaura Purnima in the early year, and Diwali and Govardhan Puja in Kartik. These are the most vivid but also the busiest times. The mornings and evenings, around the aratis, are the most atmospheric times for darshan and kirtan on any day.
👘 पहनावे का नियम
Modest dress is expected at the temple. Cover the shoulders and legs, and choose simple, respectful attire; many devotees wear traditional Indian dress. Footwear is removed before entering the temple. Simple, clean clothing is appropriate for the aratis, kirtan and classes.
📱 फोन और फोटोग्राफी
Keep phones silenced within the temple, and follow the temple's directions on photography, which may be restricted around the deities during the aratis. Quiet, respectful conduct is expected during worship, kirtan and classes.
🏨 आवास
The temple is within the Durban metropolitan area, a major coastal city that offers a full range of accommodation, from beachfront hotels to guest houses and budget lodging, within easy reach of Chatsworth by road. Visitors typically stay in Durban and travel to the temple. Demand and crowds rise around the great festivals, above all Janmashtami and the Ratha Yatra, and around the Durban Diwali celebrations, so booking ahead is advisable at those times. Enquire with the temple about any pilgrim facilities or programmes.
Sacred Soundsपवित्र ध्वनि
क्या आप जानते हैं? · Did You Know?
वही अनुवाद त्रुटि जिसने हिन्दू धर्म में '33 कोटि' को '33 करोड़' बनाया, बौद्ध धर्म में भी हुई। बौद्ध ग्रन्थों के चीनी अनुवाद ने 'सप्त कोटि बुद्ध' (7 श्रेष्ठ बुद्ध) का अनुवाद '7 करोड़ बुद्ध' कर दिया। तिब्बती अनुवाद ने सही किया: 7 प्रकार, 7 करोड़ नहीं। एक संस्कृत शब्द, दो प्रमुख विश्व धर्मों में गलत पढ़ा गया, ने दो एकसमान भ्रम स्वतन्त्र रूप से उत्पन्न किए।
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