On 29th April 2018, the auspicious day of Vaisakhi Purnima, JKYog inaugurated a new temple in the East Coast – the Radha Krishna Temple of North Carolina in Apex NC. This follows the July 2017 grand inauguration of the Radha Krishna Temple of Dallas, which serves as the national headquarters of JKYog in USA.

The inaugural ceremony was conducted in the presence of an overwhelming community response. Devotee volunteers had been preparing for months for this special day. This included major renovations, property site development, road improvement, fencing the pond, street lighting and developing the temple website. The county had assigned a new street address to the property – 23 Radhika Way.

Days before the event, devotees stayed up until late hours decorating the altars, making garlands, putting up road signs in the vicinity, making parking arrangements with neighbors and nearby facilities and finishing countless other tasks preparing to welcome the divine couple.

It was a mild, sunny day. The occasion was marked by day-long festivities, Hindu Vedic rituals, and chanting as devotees honored and welcomed the Supreme Lords to their new abode, situated in a serene and peaceful setting overlooking a nearby pond, and enclosed by tall trees.

Kalash Yatra

The day started with kalash yatra, where women and young girls carried the sacred waters while chanting kirtans.

Vedic Rituals

Hindu Vedic rituals and prayers were conducted by respected Dr. Gangadhar Sharma. Mrs. Saroj Sharma rang the first bell of the Radha Krishna Temple of North Carolina. Both are revered community leaders and the founding members of Hindu Society of North Carolina (HSNC). Mr. Gopal Dave, from Maryland, further assisted with the priestly functions.

Many Pujas (Vedic rituals) were done for Ganesh, Durga, Radha Krishna, Navagraha etc.

Radha Krishna Abhishekam

Abhishekam for multiple Radha Krishna deities continued through the day near the Govardhan Hill. Devotees from Florida and Virginia each carried one set of deities back to their home states after the Abhishekam.

Unveiling of the deities

The unveiling of the beautiful deities of Sri Radha and Krishna ended the long wait for the devotees awaiting this divine moment!

With love filled hearts and eyes brimming with tears, devotees welcomed their beloved Shri Radha and Krishna to their new home in Apex, a beautiful temple of ‘divine love’ – the Radha Krishna Temple of North Carolina!  The bewitching beauty of the deities, resplendent in their regal attire, jewels and curly hair captivated the hearts of the devotees. Their mesmerizing, nectarine gaze enchanted the mind of the beholder and one could not help but linger on to derive more joy from it. Many devotees lovingly sponsored the Lord’s Murali or flute. It was as if Vrindavan had descended upon Apex!

Dhvaj Arohan

Amidst crowd cheers, the dhvaja(flag) was hoisted on the temple!

Havan

A Havan ceremony was conducted with Vedic mantras and ahutis (offerings made to the sacred fire in the havan kund or pit).

Bhog and Arati

Bhog and arati concluded the morning festivities. Delicious and simple food was served as prasad all day. After lunch, several groups and individuals chanted kirtans.

A Radha Krishna Raas dance by a mother daughter devotee duo was a special treat on this divine occasion.

Many community and religious groups supported the event.  Morrisville council members Mr. Steve Rao and Satish Garimella attended the event.  Many devotees travelled from Charlotte, Connecticut, Baltimore, Washington, Florida, and Virginia to participate.

Several groups and individuals participated in day long chanting and bhajans. People were delighted to see the supreme Lords and spend blissful moments in the calm inviting surroundings on this day with perfect outdoor weather.

The off-site parking and long crowds did not deter the devotees from coming to visit the temple. Dedicated devotee volunteers kept directing endless stream of cars all day long. Even after the evening arati the flow of devotees did not subside. A group of young girls continued to chant long after the evening arati, in the spiritually charged atmosphere.

Currently, the new temple is housed in the lower level of the Center of Human Excellence Building. Plans are underway to build the main temple slowly in several phases. For more details on the Radha Krishna Temple of North Carolina, visit
radhakrishnatemplenc.org.