Shree Govindajee Temps, Imphal East: History, Timings & Visitor Guide

Shree Govindajee Temps is open every day, usually from early morning to late evening with a break in the afternoon. Darshan and aarti timings change with the season and on festival days.

• MorningOpens early morning (around 5 to 6 AM)
• AfternoonShort break around midday at many temples
• EveningEvening aarti around sunset, closes by about 8 to 9 PM

Ask the temple office on arrival for the day's aarti schedule.

Dress Code & Temple Rules

• DressModest, traditional clothes covering shoulders and knees
• FootwearRemove before entering; use the shoe stand
• PhotographyNot allowed inside the sanctum
• Not AllowedLeather items, tobacco, alcohol, non-veg food
• QueueFollow queue lines and staff instructions on festival days

Maharaja Nara Singh (1844–50 AD) of the Manipur kingdom commissioned the temple on 16 January 1846 and dedicated it to Shree Govindaji, which was their royal deity. The temple and the deities were substantially damaged during an earthquake of 1868. Consequently, the temple was rebuilt to its original design during the reign of Maharaja Chandrakriti (1859-1886) and was consecrated on 26 April 1876. However, during the Anglo Manipur war of 1891 the idols of the temple were moved to Kongma. In 1908, after the Maharaja Churchand Singh took up residence at his new palace the idols were also moved and reconsecrated in the present temple.

It is also said that (Maharaja Jai Singh) or Bhagya Chandra Karta (1763–1798), who was an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna, received an epiphany from the Lord to build a temple for him. Accordingly, he formally initiated the carving of the idol of the Lord Govindaji, in 1776, which was then completed and consecrated in November 1779 on the full moon day in a temple built by him in his palace. On this occasion Ras Lila was performed for five days at Raas Mandal Pukhri at Langthabal.

Architecture of Shree Govindajee Temps

The temple is simple in design with two gold plated domes, a paved court and a large, raised Mandop (Meitei for 'Mandapa')), or congregation hall. The central chamber of the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) has Govindaji (Krishna) and his chief consort Radha as the main deities. The other two chambers on the either side of the central altar is dedicated to Krishna and Balarama on one side and Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra on the other side.

The temple appears very elegant. It is built in an idyllic location with a well tended garden surrounding the premises. There is a small pond in the vicinity of the temple, and also a large open space where a row of tall trees are planted along the boundary.

Festivals & Rituals at Shree Govindajee Temps

The daily worship practice followed in the temple, in the morning and evening hours, is very ritualistic and highly disciplined with strict dress code observed by the devotees. The temple doors are opened with the ringing of the large temple bell fixed in a separate bell tower next to the temple, which resounds over a large area. With blowing of ritual conches the main curtained door in front of the sanctum is opened revealing the main images enshrined in the sanctum. Devotees line up on either side of the main shrine, with women queuing up one side and men on the other side. Men who come to offer worship here are to wear only a white shirt or a kurta in a light shade and a dhoti, while women are dressed in traditional Pungou phanek and Innafi, salwar kameez or sari. Women carry offerings to the deity in a brass plate with or without a bell. Live music by permanently stationed musicians is a regular feature in the temple during the main prayer hours. The Meitheis, an ethnic group of Manipur, are the ardent devotees of the Lord of this temple.

Important festivals held with much fanfare are the Janmashatami, during the month of August, and Kang (Rathayatra), during June–July, which are attended by a very large number of devotees. Another important activity held in the precincts of the temple is the Ras Lila, a dance form of Manipur, held with great enthusiasm during Halangkar (Holi festival), Basant Purnima in February, and Kartik Purnima in October. Ras Lila is a dance form which was started by Maharaja Jai Singh. In this dance form the typical skirt that the dancers wear was revealed to Jai Singh in a dream, when the Lord appeared before him wearing a similar dress, directing him to build a temple for Him. The Ras Lila is a grand visual treat when a large number of gopis in traditional attire dance around the temple's main deity, which is brought out for the occasion onto the grounds at the sacred Kaina. Kaina, which is 29 km from Imphal, is the location where Maharaja Jai Singh was directed by Lord Govindaji to carve out his image from a jackfruit tree and enshrine it in a temple.