Śrī Śrī Rādhā Mādhava & Aṣṭa-sakhīs History
Information – It wasn’t until 1980, however, that Prabhupäda’s desire to see life-sized deities in Mäyäpur would come to fruition. Jananiväsa Prabhu takes up the story: “Big Rädhä-Mädhava were installed on Gaura-pürnimä of that year (1980). The temple was in the Lotus Building then, and They were worshipped there until 1986 (View Photo Album), when the first four gopis (Lalitā Sakhī, Campakalatā Sakhī, Citrā Sakhī and Tuṅgavidyā Sakhī) arrived. The other four (Viśākhā Sakhī, Indulekhā Sakhī, Raṅgadevī Sakhī and Sudevī Sakhī) arrived in 1992.”
“Then he made a gesture with his hands, the same gesture as Rādhārāṇī, and he said, ‘Rādhārāṇī will be dancing, because when She is dancing, Kṛṣṇa can never leave Her.’ He then gave the dimensions for Radha-Madhava and the other deities. He said, ‘Kṛṣṇa will be six feet four inches. Rādhārāṇī should be five foot ten inches.’ (‘He’ refers to Srila Prabhupada)
(Article Full of Abundant Grace’, Mayapur Magazine 2006)
Based on the recollections of devotees who were present in Śrī Māyāpur during the installation:
In 1986, a set of eight gopī Deities arrived in Śrī Māyāpur. According to the recollections of devotees present at the time, four of the Deities sustained damage during transit and were therefore not installed. As a result, only the remaining four gopī Deities were installed that year.
Replacement Deities were subsequently prepared, and in 1992 the remaining four gopīs were installed, completing the full group of eight gopīs on the altar.
In the present altar arrangement, the four gopīs installed in 1986 are situated on the right side of Śrī Mādhava, while the four gopīs installed in 1992 are situated on His left side.