Shree Shree Govindajee Temple
Next to the old royal palace (Sana Konung), Imphal · Shree Govindaji (Krishna) with Radha; Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra; Balarama and Krishna
The twin gold domes of Manipuri Vaishnavism, beside the old royal palace of Imphal.
Shree Govindajee is the royal temple of Manipur and the centre of Meitei Vaishnavism. Commissioned in 1846 next to the royal palace in Imphal, damaged by the 1868 earthquake and rebuilt in 1876, it has two gold-plated domes, a large open congregation hall (mandapa) and worship accompanied by live sankirtan music. The image of Govindaji is traced to King Bhagyachandra in the 1770s.
Timings
- Morning: 5:30 AM – 1:00 PM (Incredible India)
- Evening: 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM (Incredible India)
Darshan types and costs
- General darshan – Free
Sevas and costs
- Prasad / bhog sponsorship – Check locally (Daily)
How to book darshan
No booking for darshan. Indian visitors from outside Manipur need an Inner Line Permit to enter the state.
Dress code
Traditional dress is expected. Men: white shirt or light-coloured kurta with dhoti. Women: phanek with innaphi, salwar kameez or sari (Wikipedia). Modest clothing at minimum.
Best time to visit
October to March. Ras Lila nights at Kartik Purnima and Basanta Purnima, and Rath Yatra (Kang) in June/July, are the great occasions. Check the current security situation before travelling.
How to reach
- air: Imphal (Bir Tikendrajit) International Airport, about 8 km; flights from Guwahati, Kolkata, Delhi and other cities.
- rail: No railhead in Imphal yet; Jiribam (about 220 km) or Dimapur (about 215 km) in Nagaland.
- road: NH-2 from Dimapur via Kohima, or NH-37 from Silchar via Jiribam. Both have been disrupted by landslides and by the conflict since 2023; flying is the simplest option.
Festivals
- Kang (Rath Yatra) – June/July
- Janmashtami – August
- Ras Lila – Kartik Purnima – Oct/Nov full moon
- Ras Lila – Basanta Purnima – Feb/Mar full moon
- Halangkar (Holi season) – Feb/Mar