Thousands attend Vrindavan temple's anniversary celebrations

Vrindavan: The anniversary celebrations of one of the largest temples here -- the land of Lord Krishna -- saw thousands of devotees performing aarti on Wednesday.

The Prem Mandir, established by the fifth Jagadguru, Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj, is part of a sprawling 54-acre complex on the outskirts of this holy town and is run by the philanthropic Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat (JKP).

The fifth anniversary celebration, attended by JKP President Vishakha Tripathi, was marked by a grand "abhishek", singing of devotional songs and a bhoj for devotees.

JKP Secretary Raam Puri said the temple, whose foundation stone was laid in January 2001, took about 12 years to complete and employed over 1,000 artisans.

The uniquely designed two-storey temple, which stands 125 feet tall, used both traditional chisels and hammers for intricate carvings, as well as computerised robotic machines that gave shape to its structure, made entirely of Italian marble.