[3] The nearest rail link is at Dimapur, 215 kilometres (134 mi) away, from where regular bus services operate to Imphal.

[4] Maharaja Nara Singh (1844–50 AD) of the Manipur kingdom commissioned the temple on 16 January 1846 and dedicated it to Shree Govindaji, which was their royal deity.

Accordingly, he formally initiated the carving of the idol of the Lord Govindaji, in 1776, which was then completed and consecrated in November 1779 on the full moon day in a temple built by him in his palace.

[6] The temple is simple in design with two gold plated domes, a paved court and a large, raised Mandop (Meitei for 'Mandapa')[7]), or congregation hall.

The central chamber of the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) has Govindaji (Krishna) and his chief consort Radha as the main deities.

There is a small pond in the vicinity of the temple, and also a large open space where a row of tall trees are planted along the boundary.

The outer chamber and the porch are built with huge columns in an arcade system where the walls above the arches rise up to the cornice.

At the cornice level on the first floor a row of elephant heads are provided which support the inclined roof slabs.

[citation needed] The daily worship practice followed in the temple, in the morning and evening hours, is very ritualistic and highly disciplined with strict dress code observed by the devotees.

Men who come to offer worship here are to wear only a white shirt or a kurta in a light shade and a dhoti, while women are dressed in traditional Pungou phanek and Innafi, salwar kameez or sari.

Live music by permanently stationed musicians is a regular feature in the temple during the main prayer hours.

However, by popular demand, it is now managed by a board with members drawn from the priestly community and important people of the city.

[11] Important festivals held with much fanfare are the Janmashatami, during the month of August, and Kang (Rathayatra), during June–July, which are attended by a very large number of devotees.

[6] The Ras Lila is a grand visual treat when a large number of gopis in traditional attire dance around the temple's main deity, which is brought out for the occasion onto the grounds at the sacred Kaina.

[12] Kaina, which is 29 km from Imphal, is the location where Maharaja Jai Singh was directed by Lord Govindaji to carve out his image from a jackfruit tree and enshrine it in a temple.