Radha Madhav Dham Temple (Formerly Barsana Dham Austin Tx) is one of the biggest Hindu temples in United States. The temple, devoted to Radha and Krishna, the holy pair in Hindu mythology, was built in 1990. Radha Madhav Mandir is one of the largest Hindu temples and ashrams in the United States, with hundreds of guests from all walks of life attending religious services, family festivals, and devotional retreats every day.
Just open to all religions and sects and welcomes everyone with open arms. Radha Madhav Mandir, is the major U.S. center of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, a nonprofit organization established on more than 200 acres of land in Hays County, Texas, south of Austin. It is a Hindu temple and ashram complex, the largest in North America and the oldest in Texas.
This temple complex has been created on an area of more than 200 acres, similar to the Braj city linked with Radha-Krishna, where other temples such as Braj, Govardhan, Radha Kund, Prem Sarovar, and Shyam Kuti are also located. The temple was erected with a combination of North and South Indian arts, with the help of Indian architects and artisans.
The temple is dedicated to ‘Shri Radha Rani’, the spiritual consort of Lord Krishna, radiates the beauty of Hinduism in all its glory. This Shri Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple is Austin’s first Hindu temple and one of the largest in the United States. The temple is around 35,000 square feet (3,300 m2) in size, and it has a 90-foot (27 m)-tall golden dome on top.
Huge Campus of Radha Madhav Dham Austin : 200+ Acres
Radha Madhav Mandir is a huge and beautiful Hindu temple. This temple of “Lord Radha and Krishna”, is built on more 200 Acres of land, which feels like nature reserve. Massive play ground for kids. vast space under huge trees, swings and peacocks around! the campus is sprawling with lots of parking and grounds and trails to walk. Everyone is welcome here and there is no discrimination.
The temple complex is quite vast, including a massive main shrine dedicated to Radha and Krishna, as well as smaller shrines dedicated to other deities such as Lord Narsimha, Lord Jagannath, and Lord Balarama. There is also a community hall, a kitchen, and a gift shop at the temple.
This is a great place for a for a day trip or a longer stay. You can sit in the shade of a tree or on a swing, take a walk and enjoy the scenery, meditate with your eyes open or closed. You have all options available to you. Choice is yours. You will love amazing design of temple exterior which is complemented with the divine pond, and the gardens. The peacocks and deer in the ground add to the charm of the temple.
Temple Itinerary Help
Address: 400 Barsana Rd, Austin, TX 78737, United States Website: http://www.radhamadhavdham.org/ Contact: +15122887180 Google Map: 1.524R+7Q Austin, Texas, USA 2.https://maps.app.goo.gl/HJFYRSKq653THQ799 Timings: Open on All days of week from Sunday to Friday Open Time : 4:30–5:30 pm 7:30–9 pm Saturday Timings :11 am–12:30 pm 4:30–5:30 pm 7:30–9 pm Email: contact@radhamadhavdham.org If you are going for day visit, Wait time :No wait Reservation recommended :No Price for adult entry: Free, No Entry Fee In case you are planning to stay there, Wait time: Up to 10 min Reservation recommended :Yes
Temple Structure – Radha Madhav Dham Austin
Temple has a main Garbhagriha(Main temple), Hall and the huge campus.
Main Temple
The main prayer hall has a skydome surrounded by quotations from scriptures like Gita and Ramayana that refer to surrendering oneself to God. Temple walls outside have beautiful carvings of Radha Krishna. There is a shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva.The main temple was big enough and the radha krishna idol was quite beautiful.The main shrine is beautifully decorated, with intricate carvings and paintings that depict the life and stories of Radha and Krishna.
Large main shrine dedicated to Radha and Krishna, and smaller shrines dedicated to other deities such as Lord Narsimha, Lord Jagannath, and Lord Balarama.
Main Hall
Some very old Sanskrit texts are housed in enclosed glass cases in the temple’s main hall and are considered to be cultural heritage.These, in our opinion, should be fully displayed (secured) with translations. The ceiling view inside the hall is fantastic.Do cast a glance if you come here.
Courtyard
The temple also includes a big courtyard where many cultural activities and festivals are held throughout the year, including Janmashtami, Radhashtami, and Holi.
Atmosphere- Ambience
The entire area is quite calm and pleasant.It’s a terrific place for motivation, relaxation, and has an stress-free environment. There is a lot of greenery and peacocks, which helps to quiet the mind. It’s a lovely, tranquil spot to meditate and spend time in a religious and cultural setting.The temple has a lively and joyous atmosphere, and the worshippers are warm and friendly. They have frequent kirtans (devotional singing) and provide a variety of services such as arati (lamp worship), kirtan, and prasad (sweets offering).
You will wake up with sound of peacocks early morning making you feel like you are in India.Temple fosters a sense of community and belonging.There is also a large pond with lotus blossoms. In fact there are flowers and trees everywhere on their 200+ acre land as well as a very serene atmosphere for meditation. You can walk around as long as you like through the lovely scenery, which is nestled in the midst of nature.
- There is a small pond full of small fishes.
- There is a stream nearby and the water of stream is crystal clean and clear.
Location
Located in the rolling hills southwest of Austin, Radha Madhav Temple is an integral part of the local interfaith community, One of the best places to visit and stay at near Austin. It is located outside downtown Austin. Although it’s located in Southwest of Austin, people frequently come here from North Austin as well. Beautiful temple is is located on periphery of Austin. Even if the city is creeping close to this nice place, keeps its sanctity due to the large space it has.
The entire area exudes tranquility and is furnished with beautiful walking trails, vast but well maintained grounds, crape myrtle-lined entryway, several peacocks and deer, and an abundance of natural beauty.
Numerous peacocks roam the gardens. None of these peacocks are caged , they have a lot of area to roam around freely in this 200+ acres property. These peacocks are friendly and can be found lazing around everywhere. Peacocks by the cafe are a treat to watch. Peacock are indigenous to Indian subcontinent and finding them in America surprises many people. Its’ a great attraction for some visitors.
This serene location also offers accommodations to stay. Free of cost. Yes!(Till the time of writing this post)
Radha Krishna Temple Austin is spread in a sprawling area with the Kalindi river and Govardhan hill all within its property. The entire area has been modeled after India’s Braj dham. There are other localities named after those prominent piligramage landmarks, including,
- Govardhan Hill
- Prem Sarovar
- Radha Kund.
- Kalindi River
- Parikrama Marg
Temple staff can arrange to walk you to small hill opposite to the Temple in early morning.From Hill Top you can see the Perfect view of Temple. So make sure to request for the Hill tour which is provided by Temple for those who stay overnight or if you reach there in very early morning.
Temple is beautiful and you will love parikrama marg, on which you can see models of actual places like Govardhan, Prem sarovar, Radha kund etc.
Self guided tours
The Temple staff is highly proficient and courteous. Many people will greet you with open arms. Staff are available inside the temple’s main door to explain the history of the grounds and provide you with a leaflet for a self-guided tour.
This a must visit for those interested in their Hindu/ Indian heritage and sincere spiritual aspirants. The guided tour will help you as a bigginers for sure.
Aarti-Pooja Prayer Time
The temple is run by amazing people who are thorough professionals in their work. RadhaMadhavDham is regarded as one of the best run temples. Prayer, Aartis, and Bhog rituals are all held on schedule. If you are there, you should attend the evening prayer/puja and soak in the vivid energy and ambiance. Aartis are serene, where it is believed that the Deity present at the time of Aarti in temple in their subtle form.
For evening darshans of the main deities (Shri Radharani and Shri Krishna), you can arrive between 3:30 and 5:00 pm or 7:30 and 9:00 pm. Darshan is also available early in the morning.
Satsangs are held every day at 7.30 p.m. They do bhajan, arti, and pravachan, which will leave you with a beautiful feeling. Prasad is given after the bog aorta. You will enjoy it as well.
Customs of the Place-Rules
- You have to take off the shoes before entering the temple. Outside the temple you can use your shoes to roam around. Request you to please adhere to the custom of removing your shoes when in the buildings.
- Dress appropriately while entering the main temple. Wear something which hides your knees and shoulders.
- You may take Photograph outside but not inside the main temple, especially do not take images of Deity Idols which are worshipped. Thus Photography is allowed outside but not within the Mandir.
- Please do not bring or eat any non-veg food here, especially beef. As cows are considered selfless creatures and sacred in Hinduism and are given special status.
Destination for Family Getaway
It’s a wonderful spot to visit for a family with kids or a couple or a single person. Beautiful Radha-Krishna idols lends a spiritual touch to the surroundings. Listen to Lord Sree Krishna’s Bhajan, attend Satsang, and other events. The place is spacious, offering ample room for your family to relax and enjoy quality time together. You could come on weekends for Satsang and Aarti , have some good lunch ‘Prasada’ and go for hiking the Govardhan hill here in the property with everyone chanting ‘Hari naam’. Everyone chanting Hari naam makes the hiking a really memorable spiritual experience altogether.
Radha Madhav Dham Accommodations
Guests can stay here overnight as well.Prior booking is recommended if you plan to stay there.The accommodation and food is simple and homely. If you are staying overnight, breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served for free.Food is entirely vegetarian only. Don’t expect too much from the food, as it is only simple temple fare. Do not expect hotel like services, it’s just a temple and they provide you simple rooms to stay, kitchens to arrange for your food and same support staff. That’s it.
If you are coming with Kids they will love peacocks, deer and hiking. If your parents came from India bring them here for the Darshan, they would love to see the Indian culture so far away from home too.
Make sure to check the aarati(praying) time so you can attend.The area is so vast they you can walk around for the whole day. It’s a must-visit destination for a peaceful and memorable family outing.
Note
Please keep in mind that there is a lot of natural vegetation here, so mosquito bites and fire ant bites are possible. Remember to use mosquito repellent and wear long pants as a precaution.
Retreat Programs at Radha Madhav Dham Austin
If you’re needing to meditate or practice Mindfulness, this is the place to be at. The temple hosts special weekend family retreats, mini-intensives, and weekend seva retreats throughout the year. These retreats and programs include instruction in Hindi, yoga, and Indian dance. R.M.D. has been called one of the “best places to relax, reflect, and renew” in the world. Temple also offers trips to schools, other educational institutions, and community groups.
Radha Madhav temple also organizes a new year’s retreat. This weekend retreat includes relaxation and meditation. Yoga lessons and meditation sessions are open to families, and a 24-hour continuous chant known as Akhand Sankirtan takes place from noon on New Year’s Eve to noon the next day.
Classes
The temple offers regular Bhakti Yoga sessions and workshops, making it an excellent place to study and practice various devotional techniques. They also offer workshops for children (particularly during summer camps) to learn about veda, art, music, and dance, among other things.They have a lovely yoga complex as well.
Dham also hosts free family camps as well as “Basics of Hinduism” classes.
Store
You can also buy tulsi plants here along with many other stuff. We will give more details about it later.
Festivals at Barsana Dham Austin
Dham celebrates all of the main Hindu festivals, attracting thousands of followers. The Temple hosts one of North America’s largest Janmashtami festivities. October 27, 2001 was proclaimed “Radha Rani Rath Yatra Day” by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson to recognize the annual Rath Yatra event held at the shrine.
They celebrate all Indian festivals. We will just tell abut a few below,
- On Shivaratri day they organise Shiva and Parvati play. Lots of devotees gather here to watch the superb performance of actors.
- Radha Ashtami’s is a huge celebration here as the temple is dedicated to Shri Radha Rani only.
- Temple celebrates Holi in big way every year. The big campus is full with people sprayed with all kinds of colours. If you miss home back in Indian be here on Holi for sure that say it’s the Best place to celebrate Holi festival in Texas.
- On Diwali temple makes nice arrangements. Everyone gathers here in nice ethnic clothes.There is an arrangement of plenty of food stalls and handicraft items. Later on, they also do a crackers show.
Radha Krishn Jhanki at RMD, Austin
Also Read about Temple of Lord Krishna in New Jersey
Food
Within the premises they have a canteen where you get food and beverages. There is small cafeteria that serves fresh food , drinks at reasonable price.Cafeteria serves fresh homemade food prepared by amazing ladies. Temple’s ‘Prasad'( lunch ) is very yummy, this ‘Prasada’ meal is already offered to God so it has special spiritual significance. All the meal and snack items are purely vegetarian.
In snack shop where you can get some tasty samosas, idli sambhar or chai/mango lassi,Chai (Tea) and chat.
- Free food every Sunday between 12.30 pm – 1.30 pm
- If you get a chance, sponsor Sunday lunch as well. It would be a very satisfying experience.
Parking
There is no problem for parking here. Huge space available for parking. Even on festivals when it’s crowded , the volunteers help out to park the car easily.
Social Acts of Barsana Dham Austin
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Dham conducted a fundraising campaign and welcomed those who had been evacuated. Radha Madhav temple provided food and shelter to hundreds of Hurricane Ike evacuees in September 2008.
Call it a Temple or Retreat but this place is perfect for a person looking for solitude. The spiritual vibes here you will not find in any retreat or hotel. This is the uniqueness of this place. It connects you to your higher self and divine prowess. Plus it’s a great learning center for culture. You can teach your kids a lot about Hinduism and Indian culture in a single weekend. Overall this is a great place to spend some time in spiritual vibes.