A Web of Deceit: The Virtual and the Visible In the Radhaballabh Temple, Vrindaban: Journal of Vaishnava Studies

Abstract

As I sit at my desk while on sabbatical in Kyoto, Japan, I am able— courtesy of my laptop—to have daily digital darshan of Radhavallabhji, the principal iconic manifestation of Krishna residing in the Radhavallabh temple in Vrindaban, India. Not only am I provided an unhurried look at the Picture of the Day, but I can also learn a great deal about the temple’s history, its practices, its daily calendar, the cycle of service to the deity, and a host of other useful information. While it is possible to correspond by e-mail with someone at the temple, there is nothing to buy, and there are no links for donating money or arranging any other kind of transaction. This website is truly a labor of love, and having read about the recent phenomenon of “anytime blessings ATMs,” I can only hope it stays that way