Govind Dev Ji is a special form of Lord Krishna. This statue is considered the same form of Lord Krishna that Radha Rani appeared in Vrindavan. It is believed that this idol was established by Shri Roop Goswami, the great devotee of Brajbhoomi himself, about 450 years ago. This idol itself was made by Vajranabha, grandson of Shri Krishna and it was kept under great protection from his time to the period of Mughals.
Background before temple construction
The original statue of Govind Dev Ji was installed in Vrindavan (Uttar Pradesh). During the reign of the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, there was a fear of destroying Hindu temples and idols, which removed the idols of many temples from there to safe places. The statue of Govind Dev Ji was also brought from Vrindavan to Jaipur for this reason. This work was done by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of the then Amer (now Jaipur), who himself was an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna. When he decided to bring the divine idol of Govind Dev Ji from Vrindavan to Jaipur, the architectural plan of the entire city was made for him.
Interesting story of temple construction
When Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II was establishing the city of Jaipur, he employed the entire city by keeping the temple of Govind Dev Ji in the center. It is said that the place of the temple and it was constructed according to the principles of Vastu and Astronomy. An interesting belief is that there is no wall between the temple and the Maharaja’s palace so that the king can see Govind Dev Ji from his palace every day. This thing is still considered true today because a direct visual route has been built from City Palace to the temple, so that the devotees could see the kings daily.
Temple architecture
In the architecture of Govind Dev Ji Temple, a unique confluence of Rajasthani and Mughal style is seen. This temple, made of red stone and white marble, is located in a huge courtyard. Its dome, pillars and carvings on roofs give it a grand appearance. The statue of Lord Govind Dev Ji, who is in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, is so emotional that the devotee becomes emotional after seeing it. The beautiful statue of Radha Rani is installed with her. There are seven tableaux in the temple from Mangal Aarti to Sleep Aarti every day, in which a large number of devotees participate.
Public beliefs related to temple
Devotees believe that this idol of Govind Dev Ji itself is awake and fulfills the wishes of the devotees. Many people also say that just by visiting the temple, the mind becomes calm and positive energy is communicated. It is also believed that if Govind Dev ji is seen before the start of any work, then success is certain. This is the reason that thousands of people start the morning in Jaipur with Mangal Aarti of Govind Dev Ji.