This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2011)

Udaya Chandrika, better known by her screen name Radha (Malayalam: രാധ; born 3 October 1965) is an Indian actress^[1] popular in the 80s and early 90s. She has acted in numerous movies with top actors of the South Indian cinema such as Chiranjeevi, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Sathyaraj, Prabhu, Vijayakanth,Karthik, Suresh, Mohan, Mohanlal, Krishna and Venkatesh. She has acted in over 200 movies in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi.

Personal life[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (December 2011)

Radha hails from Kallara in Thiruvananthapuram District in Kerala. Radha Nair and her husband R.S Nair, son Vignesh Nair, daughters Thulasi Nair and daughter Karthika Nair have settled in Mumbai. For the past 20 years they have owned a chain of restaurants in Mumbai and two hotels called UDS in Kovalam at Kerala (www.uds.co.in), which have won the best coastal beach resort award, they also own a restaurant in the UK named "Rock and Role Kitchen"(RRK). Her sister Ambika is also an actress. Her daughter Karthika Nair started her career as an actress with the Telugu film Josh and went on to do Makaramanju and Ko.

Career[link]

Radha was spotted by director Bharathiraja and was cast as a teenager in Alaigal Oivathillai in 1981 opposite then newcomer Karthik.

Tamil cinema[link]

Radha started her career with Bharathiraja's 'Alaigal Ooivathilai'. Gopurangal Saivathillai proved her acting talents. She played a powerful role as a second wife of Mohan and matched the national award winner Suhasini (who played the first wife) in this movie. Radha played a small role in Tik Tik Tik, a Kamal Haasan starrer. Tik Tik Tik played a significant role in her career. She then starred in a number of Kamal Hassan movies like Oru Kaithiyin Diary, Thoongathey Thambi Thoongathey, Kathal Parisu and Jappanil Kalyanaraman. Her close friend and mentor, actress Suhasini Maniratnam helped her in improving her make-up and took special care by voluntarily opting to hairdress Radha whenever they acted together.

Her major break came from her mentor Bharathiraja. Radha was cast a movie opposite Sivaji Ganesan. Muthal Mariyathai released in the year 1985. After Muthal Mariyathai, she got a number of challenging roles including in movies like Nyaya Tharasu.

Her sister Ambika is also a very popular actress. They acted together in films like Enkeyo Ketta Kural, Kadhal Parisu, Anna Nagar Mudhal Theru, Idhaya Kovil and Vellai Roja.

The two sisters were at the zenith of their beauty and fame when they acted in Kadhal Parisu. They put up electrifying performances that easily overshadowed even Kamal Hasan, the senior actor paired opposite to them. Ambika and Radha managed their careers very carefully, seldom directly competing in the same turf. They both used the Tamil movie industry to launch their careers, but spent only a minority of time in Tamil once their success & fame spread across the South. Ambika acted in more Kannada and Malayalam movies, quickly getting to the top-2 spots in both markets. Radha conquered the undisputed top spot in Telugu movies for almost 5 years consecutively between 1984 and 1989. Ambika and Radha were both very selective about taking up roles in Tamil movies once they became successful, rejecting many offers and only pairing with the top actors and directors of the time. It was very rare to see both the sisters in the same movie after their early years in Tamil. So it was indeed a dream come true for fans when Kadhal Parisu hit the screens, especially since both sisters played the roles of very glamorous and highly desirable women in the movie.

Telugu cinema[link]

She acted in her first Telugu film with Sobhan Babu in Mr.Vijay. Her notable films in Telugu include Yamudiki Mogudu and State Rowdy, Raamudu Bheemudu, Agni Parvatam. She has acted in around 16 films with Chiranjeevi. 3 films with Balakrishna and worked with all major heroes like NTR, ANR, Krishna, Shoban Babu and many more. Her Glamour roles wre brought out by K. Raghavendra Rao and A. Kodandarami Reddy

Kannada cinema[link]

Radha has also done quite a number of Kannada films. She acted with veteran Vishnuvardhan and actress Lakshmi in Soubhagya Lakshmi, a remake of the Hindi film Maang Bharo Sajana. This film in turn is a remake of a Telugu movie. She has also done films with Ravichandran. In 1991, she did a Kannada movie Ranachandi with co-actors Sharat Babu, Ramesh Bhat, Mukhyamantri Chandru and Sudhir. In the film, she played a cop with Sharat Babu as her husband and Mukhyamantri Chandru as the villain. She had many stunts and fight sequences in the film. It was a big hit in Kannada & is still remembered by Kannada movie goers.

Malayalam cinema[link]

Radha acted only in a few Malayalam films, the most notable being K. G. George's state award winning film Irakal (1986). Her performance as Nirmala in this film is widely regarded as one of the best in her career. She produced the Malayalam film Ayitham (1987) in which she enacted the lead role. She also played significant roles in Sathyan Anthikad's Revathikkoru Pavakkutty (1986) and P. G. Viswambaran's Innathe Programme (1991).

Selected filmography[link]

Telugu films[link]

Tamil films[link]

Malayalam films[link]

Hindi films[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Radha at the Internet Movie Database

Radha
A Rajasthani style painting of Radha.
Devanagari	राधा
Sanskrit Transliteration	Rādhā
Tamil script	Radaa

Radha (Devanagari: राधा, IAST: Rādhā), also called Radhika, Radharani and Radhikarani, is the childhood friend and lover of Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda of the Vaisnava traditions of Hinduism.^[1] Radha is almost always depicted alongside Krishna and features prominently within the theology of today's Gaudiya Vaishnava sect, which regards Radha as the original Goddess or Shakti. Radha is also the principal object of worship in the Nimbarka Sampradaya, as Nimbarka, the founder of the tradition, declared that Radha and Krishna together constitute the absolute truth.^[2] Radha's relationship with Krishna is given in further detail within texts such as the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Garga Samhita and Brihad Gautamiya tantra.

Radha is often referred to as Rādhārānī or "Radhika" in speech, prefixed with the respectful term 'Srimati' by devout followers.^[3][4][5]

Radha the Gopi[link]

Brooklyn Museum - Radha Pining for Her Beloved Page from a dated Rasikapriya Series

In the story of Krishna, as told in the Mahabharata and the Bhagavata Purana, he spends much of his childhood in the company of young cow-herd girls, called Gopis in the village of Vrindavan. Krishna left his native place at the age of twelve for study at gurukul .The Mahabharata does not describe Krishna's earlier life in Vrindavan in much detail, and focuses more on the later battle of Kurukshetra but within the Bhagavata Purana the child-hood pastimes of Krishna are described very vividly. Within the Bhagavata Purana, Radha is not mentioned by name but is alluded to within the tenth chapter of the text as one of the gopis whom Krishna plays with during his upbringing as a young boy. Krishna left Vrindavan for Mathura at the age of 10 years and 7 months according to Bhagavata Purana.^[6] So Radha is assumed to be also 10 years old or less when Krishna left Vrindavan. It is in later texts such as the Gita Govinda where we find the story of Radha given in more detail.

Within Vaishnavism[link]

Radha with Krishna, as painted by Raja Ravi Varma

Krishna and Radha Seated on a Terrace - Brooklyn Museum

In the Vaishnava devotional or bhakti traditions of Hinduism that focus on Krishna, Radha is Krishna's friend and advisor. For some of the adherents of these traditions, her importance approaches or even exceeds that of Krishna. She is considered to be his original shakti, the supreme goddess in both the Nimbarka Sampradaya and following the advent of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also within the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. Other gopis are usually considered to be her maidservants, with Radha having the prominent position of Krishna's favour "Among the eternal associates of the Lord the gopis are the most exhalted, and among the gopis Srimati Radharani is the best. It has been mentioned in the narration of the Skanda Purana that out of many thousands of gopis, 16,000 are prominent. Out of these, 108 are important, and out of 108, eight are principal. Out of eight gopis, Radharani and Candravali are chief, and out of these two Srimati Radharani is superior."^[7]

Her connection to Krishna is of two types: svakiya-rasa (married relationship) and parakiya-rasa (a relationship signified with eternal mental "love"). The Gaudiya tradition focuses upon parakiya-rasa as the highest form of love, wherein Radha and Krishna share thoughts even through separation. The love the gopis feel for Krishna is also described in this esoteric manner as the highest platform of spontaneous love of God, and not of a sexual nature.

Proponents of the Gaudiya and Nimbarka schools of Vaishnavism give the highly esoteric nature of Radha's relationship to Krishna as the reason why her story is not mentioned in detail in the other Puranic texts.^[8]

Birth[link]

Radha was the daughter of Vrishbhanu Gurjar who was king Suchandra in his previous life. Suchandra and his wife had acquired a boon from Brahmaji that in the Dwapar age Shri Laxmi will be born as a daughter to them in the form of Radha. King Suchendra and Queen Kalavati only were reborn as Vrishbhanu and Kirtikumari and Laxmiji was incarnated as Radha.

It is said^{[citation needed]} that at Radha’s birth, Devarshi Narad himself went and met Vrishbhanu and informed him, “This girl’s beauty and nature is divine. All the houses, wherever her footprints are, Lord Narayan with all other deities will reside. Nurture this girl thinking her to be a Goddess.” According to Naradji’s advice, Vrishbhanu nurtured Radha with great love and care. Nandbaba who lived in the nearby village was friends with Vrishbanu. Once during the festival of Holi; Vrishbanu went to Gokul to meet Nandrai. At Nandrai and Yashoda’s house Krishna (who was growing up as their son) met Radha. Their union was divine, phenomenal and incessant^{[citation needed]}. This meeting was Radha and Krishna’s first meeting which became eternal.^{[citation needed]}

Radha’s love towards Krishna in the terrestrial or customary meaning is not just the relation between a man and woman. The feeling of this love is divine and phenomenal which gives this love a pious form. The philosophical side of this reduces the distance of the support and supportive, also the difference between the worshipper and worshipful is not there. Krishna is the life of Vraj; Radha is the soul of Krishna. That is why, it is said, “Atma Tu Radhika Tasya” (Radha, you are His soul). One form of Radha is, she is a devotee, worshipper of Krishna and in the second form she is the worshipful, devoted by Krishna. ‘Aradhyate Asau itii Radha.’ Radha – Krishna’s love is the symbol of the feeling of being united. When two souls are united, the difference of the other or the second vanishes.Her father Vrsabhanu was the king of cowherds Gop. Vrsabhanu was a partial incarnation of Lord Narayana while her mother Kalavati was a partial incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi.

Her worship is especially prominent in Vrindavan, the place where Krishna is said to have lived. Wherein Her importance surpasses even the importance of Krishna. Radha's love for Krishna is held within Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the most perfect primarily because of its endless and unconditional nature. Thus she is the most important friend of Krishna, 'His heart and soul', and His 'hladini-shakti' (mental companion potency).

In the Brihad-Gautamiya Tantra, Radharani is described as follows: "The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all the attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord."

Nimbarka[link]

Nimbarka was the first Vaishnava acharya to disseminate teachings about Radha.^[9][10]

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu[link]

The Bengali saint Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1534) is believed by many (see especially the modern-day ISKCON movement) to be an incarnation of both Radha and Krishna, simultaneously in one form. Throughout his life, Chaitanya lived as a devotee of Vaishnava tradition, not openly claiming to be any form of Avatar, but in his biographies it is claimed that he revealed his divine form to some of his closer associates.^[11]

Names & Worship[link]

Radha has many epithets describing her qualities and characteristics.

• Radhika - This is the most common epithet, meaning she whose worship of the Krishna is all powerful. She who embodies supreme focus and mental clarity. The incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi. Beauty, intelligence, and good fortuned one.
• Gandharvi - Expert singer^[12]
• Govinda-nandini - She who gives happiness to Govinda (Krishna)
• Govinda-mohini - She who mystifies Govinda
• Govinda-sarvasva - One to whom Govinda is the all-in-all, or everything.
• Sarva-kanta Shiromani - The crown jewel of all Krishna's consorts
• Krishnamayi - The one who sees Krishna both within and without
• Madan-Mohan-Mohini - Within Gaudiya tradition Krishna (as the Supreme Person) is believed to be the enchanter of all living beings, including even Kamadeva (Madan) - The god of attraction. Because Radha has the unique position of being able to enchant even Krishna she is therefore known as Madan-Mohan-Mohini: the enchanter of the enchanter of Cupid.
• Aradhana - The root name of Radharani, meaning one who excels in worshiping Krishna
• Sarva-lakshmi - The original source of all the goddesses of fortune
• Vrshabhanu-nandini - Daughter of Vrishabanu
• Vrshabhanu-suta - Daughter of Vrishabanu
• Vrshabhanu-Dulari - loving daughter of Vrishabanu
• Vrndavaneshvari - Queen of Vrindavana
• Lalita-Sakhi - Friend of the gopi Lalita
• Gokula-Taruni - She whom all young girls of Gokul worship
• Damodara Rati - She who dresses herself to please Damodara (Krishna)
• Radharani – Radha the queen
• RadhaKrishna - Krishna Himself in the form of Radha (Worship of Krishna with Radha)
• Vrajrani - Queen of Vraj ( Krishna being the king)
• Swaminiji- The companion of Krishna
• Karika_Mix form of Krishna and Radha; Verse; Reborn
• Ramika_Reborn; New Face; Modern
• Sakalepsitdaatri- She fulfills all desires of her devotees.
• Raaseshwari - The goddess of raas (folk-dance).
• Sarveshwari - The one who is goddess of all.
• Raj- Rajeshwari - The goddess of god.
• Ladali - The beloved.
• Barsaane Wali - The one who lives at Barsaana.
• Krishna-Priya - beloved of lord Krishna.
• Haridaas-Dulari - beloved of swami Haridas

One of her names, Hara (mentioned in Narada-pancaratra 5.5.59), in vocative Hare, forms a part of the Hare Krishna 'Maha-Mantra', one of the most popular Vedic mantras, especially amongst Gaudiya Vaishnavas. Radharani's names hold a place of prime importance within Gaudiya Vaishnava religious practices.

View Complete Namavali with essence of each name of Radharani -100 auspicious names in IPA Sanskrit.

Temples dedicated to Radha[link]

• Barsana and Vrindavan in Mathura District, Northern India contain a large number of temples dedicated to both Radha and Krishna, including the Radhavallabh Temple.^[13]
• The Shree Raseshwari Radha Rani Temple at Radha Madhav Dham in Austin, Texas, USA, established by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj, is one of the largest Hindu Temple complexes in the Western Hemisphere,^[14] and the largest in North America.^[15][16][17]

Temple Deities in India and abroad are generally named in order of Radharani first and then Krishna. Krishna is approachable through the mercy of Srimati Radharani and no one else. So for example, if one were to enter the Govindaji temple in Vrindavan the Deities are named Radha Govinda and devotees of Krishna would pray to Radha and Govinda not just Krishna. This is because Krishna is controlled by Radharani's love.

Mantras and shloks[link]

• "Radha tu meri swamini , main Radhey ko daas, janam janam mohe dijiye , shri vrindavan ko vaas."
• "Sab Dwaran ko chodd kar , aayo tere dwar, Shri Vrshbhanu-ki-ladali meri aur nihaar."
• "Radha sadhyam, saadhnam yasya radha , Mantro radha mantra daatri ch Radha, Sarvam Radha , jeevanam yasya Radha , Radha radha vaachkin tasya shesham."
• "Radhey tu badbhagini, kaun tapasya kinhi, Teen lok taaran taran, hain radhey tere aadheen."
• "Radhe Jaya Jaya Madhava Dayite, Gokula taruni mandala mahite" By Rupa Gosvami

Quotations about Radha[link]

• "Although the effulgence of the moon is brilliant initially at night, in the daytime it fades away. Similarly, although the lotus is beautiful during the daytime, at night it closes. But, O My friend, the face of My most dear Srimati Radharani is always bright and beautiful, both day and night. Therefore, to what can Her face be compared?" (Vidagdha-madhava 5.20)
• "When Srimati Radharani smiles, waves of joy overtake Her cheeks, and Her arched eyebrows dance like the bow of Cupid. Her glance is so enchanting that it is like a dancing bumblebee, moving unsteadily due to intoxication. That bee has bitten the whorl of My heart." (Vidagdha-madhava 2.51)
• "Just as Srimati Radharani is most dear to Krishna, Her bathing pond is similarly dear. Of all the gopis, She is the most beloved of the Lord." (Padma Purana)
• "The transcendental goddess Srimati Radharani is the direct counterpart of Lord Sri Krishna. She is the central figure for all the goddesses of fortune. She possesses all attractiveness to attract the all-attractive Personality of Godhead. She is the primeval internal potency of the Lord." (Brihad-gautamiya-tantra)
• "Among all persons, it is Sri Radha in whose company Lord Madhava is especially glorious, as She is especially glorious in His." (Rig-parisishta)
• "Radharani is the source of spiritual inspiration" (A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)

See also[link]

• Neela Devi (Nappinnai)
• Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
• Gaudiya Vaishnavism
• Hare Krishna (mantra)
• Lakshmi
• Nimbarka Sampradaya
• Rukmini
• Shakti
• Shri Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu
• Sita

Further reading[link]

• Krsna: The Supreme Personality of Godhead (ISBN 0-89213-354-6) by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
• Hindu Goddesses: Vision of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Traditions (ISBN 81-208-0379-5) by David Kinsley
• Hawley J.S. & D.M. Wulff (ed.) (1986) The Divine Consort: Radha and the Goddesses of India, Beacon Press, Boston, ISBN 0-8070-1303-X.
• Radha by Krishna Dharabasi, a Nepali novel awarded with Madan Puraskar, Most prestigious literary award.

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Radha

General Information[link]

• Sri Radharani Official Homepage
• Krishna.com: Who Is that Girl with Krishna?
• Sri Radha in detail
• Sri Radha the supreme power Radhavallabh Homepage
• Srimati Radharani - Personality
• Sri Radha's detailed supreme existence

Festivals[link]

• Celebrating Radhastami
• Srimati Radharani's Appearance
• Radhashtami the festival of delight
• Radhashtami Celebration in Vrindavan

Names of Radha[link]

• Sri Radha's name in Bhagavata Purana
• The Names of Srimati Radharani
• Sri Radha rani's 100 essence filled divine names.

Further resources[link]

• Krsna and Radha, Goloka - references
• "Srila Prabhupada's Presentation of Srimati Radharani". http://www.sdgonline.org/radha/radharani_prabhupada.html. 

v t e Hindu deities and texts Gods Deva Ganesha Brahma Vishnu Shiva Rama Krishna Murugan Hanuman Indra Surya more Goddesses Adi parashakti Devi Saraswati Lakshmi Sati Parvati Durga Shakti Kali Sita Radha Mahavidya Navadurga Matrikas more Texts Vedas Upanishads Puranas Ramayana Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita more Hinduism Hindu mythology

Radha Mitchell
Mitchell at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival
Born	Radha Rani Amber Indigo Ananda Mitchell (1973-11-12) 12 November 1973 (age 38) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1988–present

Radha Rani Amber Indigo Ananda Mitchell (born 12 November 1973) is an Australian actress. Her film roles include Pitch Black, Finding Neverland, Phone Booth, Man on Fire, Silent Hill, and The Crazies.

Early life[link]

Mitchell was born in Melbourne. Her mother is a model turned designer, and her father is a filmmaker. She had a spiritually inclined upbringing, drawing from Hindu culture by her parents.

Her first name, Radha, is of Hindu origin and is the name of the soulmate to Lord Krishna. The other parts of her name coming from an Indian origin are Rani ("Queen") and Ananda ("Joy"). She attended the private St Michael's Grammar School.

Career[link]

Mitchell began her career starring on ABC TV's Sugar and Spice in 1988. Progressing to Neighbours in 1994, Mitchell played two separate characters over her three-year stint on the show.

In 1997 she starred in two films, High Art and Everything Put Together, both Independent Spirit Award winners. Other films—including Pitch Black opposite Vin Diesel, Phone Booth opposite Colin Farrell, and Man on Fire opposite Denzel Washington—soon followed.

Mitchell gained recognition for her performance in the Academy Award–winning Finding Neverland, which co-starred Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet. This performance earned the cast a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture.

Mitchell then took the title role in Woody Allen's Melinda and Melinda, followed by a part with Josh Hartnett in Mozart and the Whale and then starred in the movie adaptation of the videogame Silent Hill, which co-starred Laurie Holden and Sean Bean. Though the horror film received mixed reviews from critics, it opened number one at the box office with over $20 million in box office loot.^[1] In 2008, Mitchell starred in Rogue with Michael Vartan, as well as Henry Poole Is Here opposite Luke Wilson and The Children of Huang Shi opposite Jonathan Rhys-Meyers.

For her role in Claire McCarthy's The Waiting City, Mitchell won Best Actress in October 2010 at the Antipodes Film Festival, in St. Tropez, France.^[2]

She stars on the upcoming ABC drama series Red Widow.^[3]

Filmography[link]