Which Deities Are Worshipped at New Radhakunda (ISKCON Sweden)?

Updated

The presiding deities at New Radhakunda, the ISKCON temple at Korsnäs Gård near Stockholm, are Sri Sri Gandharvika-Giridhari — the divine presence of Radha and Krishna. The temple also houses Sri Caitanya and Sri Nityananda, Giri-Govardhana, Lord Nrsimha, and twelve sacred shalagram-shilas. The founder-acarya is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896–1977), who established the Korsnäs Gård temple in 1976.

The Presiding Deities: Sri Sri Gandharvika-Giridhari

The temple describes Sri Sri Gandharvika-Giridhari as encompassing the divine presence of Radha and Krishna. This is the central pair of deities at New Radhakunda, and the temple presents itself as the one and only Radha-Krishna temple in Scandinavia.

For visitors, this means the main altar is dedicated to the Radha-Krishna form, and darshan (viewing the deities) centres on this pair.

Other Deities on the Altar

Alongside the presiding pair, the temple lists these sacred figures:

Deity Notes
Sri Caitanya and Sri Nityananda Present together at the temple
Giri-Govardhana The hill form associated with Krishna's pastimes
Lord Nrsimha The lion-avatar form of Vishnu
Twelve shalagram-shilas Sacred stones representing Vishnu

The temple invites visitors to "come for darshan and immerse yourself in their divine presence." Altar opening timings are published separately on the site, so check those before travelling if darshan is your main purpose.

Who Founded the Temple?

The founder-acarya is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896–1977), revered as the founder-acarya and foremost spiritual master of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

According to the temple's own account:

  • Under his guidance, 108 temples were established worldwide.
  • The temple at Korsnäs Gård, in the south of Stockholm, was established in 1976.

This places New Radhakunda within the global ISKCON network founded by Prabhupada, and identifies the Swedish temple as one of the earlier European centres.

Practical Notes for a Visit

  • Location: Korsnäs Gård, near Tumba, south of Stockholm — described as a Hare Krishna temple near Stockholm in the Stockholm countryside.
  • Open daily: The temple states it is open daily and that everyone is invited.
  • Daily programme (as listed): 4.30 am Arati, 7.45 am Greeting the Deities, 8 am Guru-puja and Kirtan, 8.15 am Meditation and Q&A, 1.30 pm Arati, 7 pm Gaura-arati.
  • Open House: The site describes a "Meet Krishna Today – Open House" with the note that everything is free.
  • Temple shop: Srila Prabhupada's books, including a premium edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is and companion volumes, can be obtained from the temple shop in Sweden; the site directs readers to contact the temple for ordering information.

If your interest is specifically in seeing the deities, the greeting of the deities at 7.45 am and the arati times are the moments built around darshan.