Radha Raman Temple

The history of Radha Raman Temple is intricately linked to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. During His travels in South India, He spent the rainy season, known as Caturmasya, in Shri Rangam. While there, He stayed at the home of Vyenkata Bhatta, the chief priest of the Ranganatha Temple. His son, Gopala Bhatta, had the opportunity to serve the Lord with great devotion.

Pleased with Gopala Bhatta’s dedication, Lord Caitanya initiated him and instructed him to go to Vrindavana after the passing of his parents. In Vrindavana, Gopala Bhatta was to stay with Rupa and Sanatana Goswami, focusing on bhajana (devotional practices) and writing spiritual texts.

After the death of his parents, Gopala Bhatta traveled to Vrindavana at the age of thirty. Lord Caitanya was delighted to hear that he had arrived and met Rupa and Sanatana. Although Gopala Bhatta did not receive an invitation to visit Mahaprabhu in Puri, the Lord sent him His personal asana (seat) and cloth through Rupa and Sanatana. These items are still displayed during special festivals at Radha Raman Temple.

When Gopala Bhatta learned of Lord Caitanya’s disappearance, he felt a profound sense of loss, having only known the Lord during his childhood. One night, Lord Caitanya appeared to him in a dream and instructed him to make a pilgrimage to Nepal if he wished to see Him again.

In Nepal, Gopala Bhatta visited the Gandaki River. After bathing, he filled his water pot and was astonished to find Shalagrama-shilas (sacred stones) inside. He emptied the pot and filled it again, only to discover that the stones had returned. After filling the pot a third time, he found twelve Shalagrama-shilas inside. Believing this to be the Lord’s mercy, he decided to bring them back to Vrindavana.

Upon his return, a wealthy devotee offered Gopala Bhatta dresses and ornaments for a deity. However, since he was only worshiping a Shalagrama-shila, he suggested that the devotee give the items to someone who had a deity. It was Narasimha Caturdasi, and this incident reminded Gopala Bhatta of how Lord Narasimha had manifested from a stone pillar. He prayed to the Lord, expressing his desire to serve Him in a full form.

That night, he read about Lord Narasimha’s pastimes in the Shrimad Bhagavatam and went to sleep. When he awoke the next morning, he found that one of the twelve Shalagramas, the Damodara-shila, had manifested as Shri Radharamana.

Gopala Bhatta immediately called Rupa, Sanatana, and other devotees to witness this miraculous event. They were all amazed by the beauty of Shri Radharamana. They noted that His form combined features of the deities Madana-Mohanaji, Gopinathaji, and Govindadeva. With the blessings of all the Vaishnavas, Gopala Bhatta began the worship of Shri Radharamana, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the temple’s history.