Shree Govindajee Temple
| Shree Govindajee Temple ( Rathayatra | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Location | Imphal |
| State | Manipur |
| Country | India |
  Location in Imphal, Manipur  Shree Govindajee Temple (India) | |
| Geographic coordinates | 24°47′52″N 93°56′55″E / 24.797798°N 93.948486°E |
| Architecture | |
| Creator | Maharaja Nara Singh and Maharaja Chandrakirti Singh |
| Completed | Original in 1846, rebuilt in 1876 |
| Specifications | |
| Temple(s) | 1 |
| Monument(s) | 3 |
Shree Govindajee Temple (
Location
Shree Govindajee Temple is located in Imphal, the capital of the Indian state of Manipur, next to
History
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.
It is also said that (
Structure
The temple is simple in design with two gold plated domes, a paved court and a large, raised
Main temple
The temple is built over a square plan on a high platform like a royal residence. The sanctum sanctorum is surrounded by a circumambulatory passage (
Mandapa
Facing the facade of the temple to the east is an open colonnaded mandapa, an outdoor pavilion with arcades. It is an independent structure, but within the enclosed precincts of the temple. It is built with royal elegance and is built double storied. It is covered by a protective railing at the first floor level. At the cornice level on the first floor a row of elephant heads are provided which support the inclined roof slabs. A mini temple tower is built as an extension of the mandapa. Seating arrangements are built within the mandapa on its eastern and southern sides to accommodate to devotees who come to witness the cultural and religious programmes held in the mandapa. The roof covering is made of corrugated cement sheets. There is also another mandapa known as the Natyashala, which is also a colonnaded structure with arcades with idols fixed at the four corners of the roof.[citation needed]
Worship
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
Temple administration
The temple management was earlier with the former king, as per Article II of the Manipur Merger Agreement of 1949 (when Manipur became a part of India after the latter's independence). However, by popular demand, it is now managed by a board with members drawn from the priestly community and important people of the city.[10] The chief minister of the state of Manipur is the board's president.[11]
Festivals
Important festivals held with much fanfare are the
Renovations
The temple and the mantapa are under renovation since November 2012. The gold plating of the domes which was removed for renovation has been redone during August 2013. The plating is said to weigh 30 kilograms (66 lb) of gold. The mantapa is also undergoing renovation. The flooring in the temple was proposed to be changed to tiles. The total cost of the renovations was estimated at Rs 8 crore.[11][14]
See also
Notes
References
- ^ Sanajaoba 2003, p. 452.
- ^ a b Laveesh 2009, p. 37.
- ^ Broadcasting2010, p. 1169.
- ^ "Imphal Tourism". Indiasite. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
- ^ Devi 2003, p. 124.
- ^ a b Ghosh & Ghosh 1997, p. 63.
- ^ Sharma, H. Surmangol (2006). "Mandop". Learners' Manipuri-English dictionary. Digital Dictionaries of South Asia. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ "BEST MOMENTS AT SHREE SHREE GOVINDAJEE TEMPLE". Connecting Your Soul To The Sacred. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
- ^ Dikshit & Dikshit 2013, p. 327.
- ^ Assembly 1972, p. 122.
- ^ a b "Govindajee temple development high on priority list of Govt". The Sangai Express. 4 May 2014.
- ^ "Art in the land of dreams". The Hindu. 18 November 2011.
- ^ "Manipur:Jewel of India". National Informatics Centre. Archived from the original on 10 January 2007.
- ^ "Gold plating works over". The Sangai Express. 10 October 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
Bibliography
- Assembly, Manipur (India). Legislative (28 November 1972). Proceedings. Official Report.
- Broadcasting, India. Ministry of Information and (2010). India: A Reference Annual. Research and Reference Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. ISBN 978-81-230-1617-7.
- Darpan, Pratiyogita (July 2008). Pratiyogita Darpan. Pratiyogita Darpan.
- Devi, L. Kunjeswori (2003). Archaeology in Manipur. Rajesh Publications. ISBN 978-81-85891-18-7.
- Dikshit, Kamal Ramprit; Dikshit, Jutta K (21 October 2013). North-East India: Land, People and Economy. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-94-007-7055-3.
- Ghosh, G. K.; Ghosh, Shukla (1 January 1997). Women of Manipur. APH Publishing. ISBN 978-81-7024-897-2.
- Laveesh, Bhandari (1 September 2009). Indian States At A Glance 2008-09: Performance, Facts And Figures - North-East And Sikkim. Pearson Education India. ISBN 978-81-317-2348-7.
- Sanajaoba, Naorem (2003). Manipur, Past and Present: The Heritage and Ordeals of a Civilization. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-853-2.