Famous temple of Kshira-chora Gopinatha, the Krishna Deity who stole condensed milk (Kshira) for His dear-most devotee, Sr Madhavendra Puri, lies in a small pastoral village named Remuna in the Balasore (Baleshwar) district of Orissa. Balasore is halfway between Puri and Kolkata, is the nearest railway junction to Remuna. Remuna is called Gupta Vrindavana because Gopinatha had many pastimes here in the mood of Vrindavana with His intimate vraja-madhurya premi bhaktas.

Between 5am-7am visitors can have full darshana of the Deity while the pujari baths and dresses Gopinatha. One can clearly see cows, cowherd boys and asta-sakhis carved in black stone bas-relief Deity of Kshira-Chora Gopinatha. On Gopinatha's right & left are black stone Deities of Govinda and Madana-Mohana brought. There are also Deities of Radha-Rasabihari, Lord Jagannatha and Mahaprabhu. All Vaishnavas are welcome here for Gopinatha's special darshana, and the indescribably mouth-watering milk sweet known as amrta-keli, prepared from condensed milk, cream, sugar and a smidgen of raisins.

How Gopinatha Got the Name Kshira-Chora

THE NAME "Kshira-Chora" means "one who stole condensed milk." When Lord Chaitanya visited the Gopinatha temple in Remuna, He told the devotees traveling with Him how the Deity had come to receive that name. Lord Chaitanya had heard the story from His spiritual master, Isvara Puri, a disciple of Madhavendra Puri. As related in Chaitanya-caritamrta, it is Madhavendra Puri for whom the condensed milk was stolen.

Over 500 years ago Madhavendra Puri was going to Puri to get some sandalwood for his Sri Gopal deity in Vrindavana. After a few days in Navadvipa, Sri Puri started for Orissa. Within a few days he arrived at Remuna where Gopinatha is situated. Seeing the beauty of the Deity, Madhavendra Puri was overwhelmed.

In the corridor of the temple, from which people generally viewed the Deity, Madhavendra Puri chanted and danced. Then he sat down there and asked a brahmana what kinds of foods they offered to the Deity. Madhavendra Puri thought: "I shall inquire from the priest what foods are offered to Gopinatha so that by making arrangements in our kitchen, we can also offer similar foods to Sri Gopala."

When the brahmana priest was questioned in this matter, he explained in detail the types of food that were offered to the Deity of Gopinatha. The brahmana priest said: "In the evening the Deity is offered sweet rice in twelve earthen pots. Because the taste is as good as nectar, it is named amrta keli. This sweet rice is celebrated throughout the world as gopinatha-kheer. It is not offered anywhere else in the world."

While Madhavendra Puri was talking with the brahmana priest, the sweet rice was placed before the Deity as an offering. Seeing this Madhavendra Puri thought "If, without my asking, a little sweet rice is given to me, I could then taste it and make a similar preparation to offer my Lord Gopala." Then immediately Madhavendra Puri realised his mistake in desiring to taste the sweet rice, and he immediately repented, "I have committed an offence. I have desired to taste the preparation before it was offered to the Lord." Thinking in this way Puri Gosvami left and went to a near-by vacant marketplace. Sitting there he began to chant.

After finishing the worship to Gopinath the Pujari (priest) rested. In a dream Gopinath told him to get up and take the pot of khira that he had hidden under his garments and to give it to Madhavendra Puri. The Pujari got up, found the sweet, and brought it to Madhavendra Puri. The Pujari told him For you Sri Gopinath has stolen khira. There is no other fortunate man like you. This is how the deity got the name "Khira Chora Gopinatha". 'Khira' means milk, and 'Chora' means thief.