Vrindavan will soon be home to a 70-storey temple as it positions itself to be a prime spiritual and religious destination for domestic and overseas visitors.

The Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir, or Vrindavan Heritage Tower, will soar to a height of 700ft and have space for shikhars, grand temple halls, a gaushala, an annadanam hall, a museum and expo space dedicated to Srila Prabhupada, residential facilities, and a cultural education centre. Built at an estimated cost of INR 6.6 billion, the temple will also accommodate multi-level parking facilities for over 3,000 cars at a time. The building will be a major display of Indian culture internationally according to Chanchalapathi Dasa, the president of the temple and senior vice president of ISKCON Bangalore.

The octagonal building will have four wings and according to an official handout the temple complex is envisioned as a cultural hub to propagate the messages of the “Bhagavad Gita” and “Srimad Bhagavatam” in a contemporary context. The heritage tower hopes to appeal to thinkers, leaders and inquisitive minds from around the world to understand Krishna and his wisdom.

The project is bound to draw millions of visitors to Vrindavan and Uttar Pradesh as religious tourism ramps up. It is hoped that the temple will improve the socioeconomic development of the Braj region and benefit the local community equitably. The new temple is also expected to boost India’s reputation on the global stage as a beacon of spirituality and improve its tourism prospects with international visitors.

The Phase 1 inauguration of the temple is slated for November 2024 and the organisation behind the temple is soliciting donations through its official website and social media accounts.