Prem Mandir, Hindu temple in Vrindavan, India

Prem Mandir is a two-storeyed white marble temple in Vrindavan, entirely built of Italian marble on a 22-hectare (55-acre) site. Including its flag it stands 125 feet high, 190 feet long and 128 feet wide, with Radha Krishna on the first level and Sita Ram on the second. Its walls are 3.25 feet thick, and the garbha-griha walls are 8 feet thick to bear the shikhar, golden kalash and flag.

Jagadguru Kripalu Maharaj laid the foundation stone on 14 January 2001 before thousands of devotees, and the temple took about 12 years to build with roughly 1,000 artisans. The inauguration ran from 15 to 17 February 2012, when the temple opened to the public, at a cost of 150 crore rupees.

The outer walls display hand-carved scenes from the lives of Radha and Krishna, while 94 decorated columns support the interior. Each column carries depictions of gopis and traditional Indian motifs that visitors can examine up close.

The temple sits 12 kilometers from Mathura Railway Station and opens daily from morning until evening without an entry fee. Visitors should plan for late afternoon to experience both daylight and the evening illumination, with shoes removed before entering.

A specialized lighting system changes the color of the white marble every 30 seconds, creating flowing color sequences across the entire facade. This light show begins after sunset and runs throughout the evening, making the building appear in shifting tones.