A Web of Deceit:

The Virtual and the Visible in the Radhaballabh Temple, Vrindaban

Abstract

The article “A Web of Deceit: The Virtual and the Visible in the Radhaballabh Temple, Vrindaban” by Cynthia P. Atherton explores the intersection of tradition and technology through the lens of a historic Krishna temple’s digital presence. By analyzing the Radhavallabh temple’s website and its representation of rituals, festivals, and sectarian identity, Atherton argues that digital platforms are used not to modernize practice, but to reinforce the temple’s historical distinctiveness and devotional ethos. The study foregrounds how modern tools can preserve and even bolster tradition within contemporary Vaishnava worship.