Radhadesh started life as an extension of ISKCON’s Amsterdam centre . Therefore, in order to understand the origins of Radhadesh we need first to pay a call in Amsterdam. Amsterdam was one of the first places where a Hare Krishna centre was opened in continental Europe. In 1970 Dhananjaya Dasa, who had been the president of the temple at Bury Place in London, came by himself to Amsterdam and started the Amsterdam centre. At that time the city attracted many young people, and the colourful Hare Krishna devotees became very popular there.
The ISKCON temple in Amsterdam quickly became a vibrant centre. By 1971 there were twenty-five full-time devotees there. That year Jagannatha Deities were carved by Haribolananda Dasa and Tirtha Sadhaka Dasa in Amsterdam, and Prabhupada installed Them on the 26th July the following year. This form of Krishna and His divine siblings is very popular in Orissa — Prabhupada himself had worshipped similar deities in early childhood. Because the centre was new, and none of the devotees were experienced, on the morning of the installation, preparations were still not complete. Many things needed finishing, including the altar, the clothes for the Deities, and flower garlands. Nevertheless, in the presence of Dutch television, Prabhupada firmly guided his inexperienced disciples to successful completion of this important installation ceremony.
In 1976 Deities of Gaura-Nitai were installed in Amsterdam. Gaura-Nitai are the divine brothers, Caitanya and Nityananda, who spread Krishna consciousness all over India in the early part of the sixteenth century. These Deities had been bought by Shyamasundar Dasa and Malati Devi Dasi in India. That same year, Radha-Krishna Deities, along with two gopi companions, were bought, also by Malati, in the historic Indian city of Jaipur. In 1977 these gorgeous Deities were installed in Amsterdam with the blessings of Prabhupada who gave Them the names “Radha-Gopinatha.” The installation ceremony was performed by Bhagavan Dasa, Jaya Tirtha Dasa, and Narottamananda Dasa. The purchase and installation of these three sets of Deities was a historic achievement for ISKCON in the Benelux.
In the beginning, the worship was naturally simple since devotees were inexperienced. However, over the years the standards of temple worship have developed to a high level, bringing to the Benelux the best of the tradition and spirit of ancient India.
In Gaudiya Vaishnavism deities are forms of God (Krishna) authorised in scripture and venerated in temples. ISKCON temples often have a Deity of the movement’s founder-acarya, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

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Food offerings
04.00 – Balya bhoga €61 (mangala milk sweets)
08.00 – Upalaya bhoga €41 (breakfast)
12.00 – Raja bhoga €61 (lunch)
15.00 – Vaikalika bhoga €31 (fruit offering)
18.40 – Sitala bhoga €41 (dinner)
20.30 – Ratrikalini bhoga €41 (bedtime snack)
Flowers
Pushpadan bhoga €61 (one day’s worth of flowers for garlands and for decorating the altar)
Aratis
04.30 – Mangala arati €31
07.15 – Shreengar arati €25
08.25 – Dhupa arati €21
12.30 – Raja Bhoga arati €31
15.20 – Dhupa arati €25
19.00 – Sandhya arati €31
20.50 – Sringara arati €25
Lunch at the temple (prasadam seva)
€608 (Monday to Saturday)
€808 (Sunday feast)
Cake distribution during lunch prasadam
Crumble pie with pudding €50
Two layer sponge cake €70
Three layer sponge cake €80
Food and care for the cows (go seva)
€108 for one cow per month