The Art of Loving Krishna: Ornamentation and Devotion

The Govindadeva Temple: From the King’s God to the People’s God

The Govindadeva Temple: From the King’s God to the People’s God Ask anyone in Jaipur “Who is the king of Jaipur?” and the unhesitating answer will always be “Govindev-ji!” and not Sawai Bhawani Singh, the current maharajah of the Rajput kingdom. “Bhawani Singhisonlyaman,”Iamadmonished.“Govindev-jiisLordKrishna; there is no comparison.” Most are aware that Govindadeva is a selfrevealed manifestation of Krishna who made his way to Jaipur from Vrindabanandthathewasinstalledasthecity’smaindeitybySawai JaiSingh(1688–1743)inaconvertedgardenpavilionatthecenterof hisnewroyalcityintheearlyeighteenthcentury.SawaiJaiSinghwas alsoresponsiblefortheroyalpronouncementthathefoundshelterat thefeetofhisgod;andinthetwentiethcentury,hisdescendantSawai Man Singh II (1912–1970) announced publicly that the kingdom belongedtoGovindadevaandhewasbutthedeity’sminister.1 Thus, peoplearealsofondofpointingoutthatthemaharajah’sofficialresidence , the Chandra Mahal (Moon Palace), looks upon Govindadeva ’s temple, originally designated the Surya Mahal (Sun Palace, also known as the Govinda Mahal; figs. 3.1–3.3). That architectural connection is an important visual testament to the long history that exists between the rulers of Jaipur and their tutelary god. It also obscures the complexity of the current relationship among god-king, mortal king, and the populace of Jaipur. Today’s Govindevji Mandir, as it is known in contemporary parlance ,stillpreservessomesenseoftheoriginalopenness,cosmiccenteredness , and verdant serenity of its original garden setting, but it is gainedataprice.Visitorstothetemplehavetofighttheirwaythrough Jaipur’s chaotic traffic and vibrant street life to enter through one of theboundarygatesthatonceclearlydefinedthewalledperimetersof the City Palace, newly established early in the eighteenth century as the nucleus around which the rest of the city of Jaipur was oriented. The temple is at the center of a south-north nexus of built compo3 nents uniting the Chandra Mahal, the Surya Mahal, and the Jai Niwas,anelegantplannedgardenthatliesbehindandtothenorthof the temple. Those interrelationships are now, however, obscured by thecurrentjigsawofspatialuses andabuses.2 We will soon consider more fully the historical circumstances for this original configuration of structures and their place in the history of Jaipur, but for now our concern is with the present temple . Once one has successfully negotiated the maze of obstacles between the city streets and the temple gates, there are further transitional moments that tell us that we are in a more diverse milieu than what was previously encountered in Vrindaban. Not only are there a couple of Hanuman shrines and a Shiva shrine, but also the shops in the street and in the small plaza in front of the temple compound’s entry gate offer a broader selection of ritual paraphernalia and souvenirs than is available in Vrindaban. ThemerchandiserangesfromShaivaiterudrakshabeadstopocketsized plastic Ganeshas, glow-in-the-dark religious stickers, lucky 7YFWMHEV] &YMPHMRK 7YFWMHEV] &YMPHMRK 7YFWMHEV] &YMPHMRK 7YFWMHEV] &YMPHMRK 7YFWMHEV] &YMPHMRK 7YFWMHEV] &YMPHMRK 6SSQ 7YV]E1ELEP W N E S ' % 2 % 0 6SSQ 4SVGL 'LERHVE1ELEP Figure 3.1. Plan of Chandra Mahal and Surya Mahal (Govindadeva temple), Jaipur. Courtesy of Jue Yang 124 The Art of Loving Krishna ornaments to suspend from car mirrors, and a hodgepodge of other items. A modest array of Krishna and Radha figurines and accessories from Vrindaban shares space with framed photographs —in small, medium, and large sizes—of Govindadeva. Cassettes and CDs with the latest popular religious tunes can be purchased, along with pamphlets of devotional songs and prayers for Durga, Ganesha, Hanuman, Shiva, and Parvati, and guides for observing ekadashi vows. On their way into the temple, devotees can also pick up an offering packet, comprising a set of three marigold garlands: one for Govindadeva, one for his consort Radha, and one for his flute. There is also a tiny dairy with a cow and a calf or two tethered nearby. Some sense of the formality and expansiveness of the temple’s originalsettingcanbegleaneduponenteringfromthemaineastern gate,whichaffordsavistaoftheChandraMahaltothesouth(orleft; fig. 3.2) and the Surya Mahal (now the Govindadeva temple) to the north (right; fig. 3.3). These days, a fence separates the two structures , and there are barrier walls, ongoing construction, and recent additions that confuse their original relationship. The architectural typologyoftheGovindadevatempleisalsounusualandunexpected: as its original designation as a palace structure or pleasure pavilion (mahal) and not as a temple (mandir) indicates, it is shaped like the royal halls of public audience seen in Mughal and Rajput architecFigure 3.2. View of Chandra Mahal (looking south from Surya Mahal), City Palace, Jaipur The Govindadeva Temple 125 ture, departing from the courtyard (haveli) or tall temple styles that one expects of a Vaishnavite religious structure.3 The original architectural configuration is centered on a square building that encloses the sanctum of the god. Silver doors on its south side provide access to the sanctum for the priesthood as well as affording...