Hindu Temples in the
United States and Canada

      The first Hindu temple in the United States was built in San Francisco in 1906. Swami Paramhans Yogananda started the Self-Realization Fellowship in 1920, which constructed a string of elegant worship centers, mostly in California. These earlier religious establishments, however, although philosophically related to Hinduism, had their own codes. These were not typically Hindu organizations. The main purpose of these earlier places of worship was to cater to the local populace, the majority of which was non-Hindu. These institutes have continued to render most admirable service in acquainting the devotees with the basic principles of Hindu philosophy for nearly a century. After the large influx of Hindu immigrants in the latter half of the twentieth century, classical Hindu temples were built. In the United States and Canada alone, there are nearly eight hundred Hindu temples. Most of these have been built in the last two or three decades.

        Dr. V. Ganpati Sthapati of Tamil Nadu, India, and other from the United States and India have contributed enormously toward erecting magnificent Hindu temples in North America. Many of these temples have been built according to the traditional Vastu Shastra of the Vedic period. There have been modern adaptations also. Although there was initially strong resistance for building the Hindu temples from the local communities at some places, the courts of law often prevailed and gave permission after satisfying themselves with some basic requirements. In few places, however, the leading Christian churches supported the cause of the Hindu temples. These new temples in America have a large community basis. Spacious halls have become part of the temple premises, which are used for weddings and other socio-cultural functions.

       There is also generally a good mix of various sects and communities from different parts of India. In most temples, there may be one presiding deity, such as Lord Shiva or Lord Vishnu, but other major and minor deities are usually also recognized. In a few places, the deities of Jain, Buddhist, and Sikh faiths also have been accommodated in the same temple. Although this practice may have become necessary to meet the demands of various sections of Hindu populations in a foreign land, there appears to be a hidden advantage in bridging the unnecessary gulf among the different sects. Indeed, in the United States at present there is growing number of places where interfaith worship is performed and encouraged. Many Hindu temples also associate with such institutes.
Sri Meenakshi Temple, Pearland, Texas, like the one at Madurai, India, is dedicated to goddess Meenakshi, symbolizing the female power (shakti) aspect of the Lord.
Sri Viswanatha Temple, Flint, Michigan, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. He is represented as Shiva Linga, the formless and eternal being. The scenic situation of the temple on the shore of a lake has enhanced its spiritual value.
Hindu Sabha, Brampton, Ontario, in which the main deity is goddess Durga as Jagdamba Mata, contains idols of other deities also. These idols in white marble and bright red dresses follow the North Indian Mathura art style.
Hindu Temple, Dayton, Ohio, has as the main deity the boon giver, Sri Satyanarayana, whose idol in black granite occupies the central place.
Connecticut Valley Hindu Temple has as its main god Sri Satyanarayana, who is considered as Mahavishnu, the giver of boons. He is also known to represent the Hindu trinity, a combination of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara.
Sri Rajeshwari Radha Rani Temple, Austin, Texas, is a large establishment of 230-acres, which has been converted as the land of the great saint of the Lord, Shree Radha. The large piece of land is virtually transformed into the ancient land of Barsana Dham in Braij, India.
Venkateshwara Temple, Bridgewater, New Jersey, has Lord Venkateshwara as the presiding deity, whose granite image measures seven feet in height. The temple has nine acres of land and an eleven-thousand-square-foot area built for worship and other cultural activities.
Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, Lemont, Illinois, has Lord Shiva as the main deity in the form of Shiva Linga. But like most other temples in the United States, it is a multi-deity Hindu worship place. It has become famous for its Kalinga-style architecture.
Hindu Temple of St. Louis, Ballwin, Missouri, has been acclaimed as an architectural marvel for its artistic designs and superb sculptures. The elegantly carved pillars in the porch and prominent towered roof, shikara, are the highlights of this temple.
Palace of Gold, New Mathura, and Vrindavan, Moundsville, West Virginia, is monument of golden domes and stained glass, an architectural wonder accomplished by the devotees of the Hare Krishna Temple, located among the scenic winding hills of West Virginia.
Shiva-Vishnu Temple, Livermore, California, has one entrance guarded by a majestic gate, rajagopura, which opens into a spacious hall, mahamandapa, leading to two main shrines of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.
Sri Lakshmi Temple, Ashland, Massachusetts, was built initially with the help from the Tirumala Tirupati Temple of India. It houses the main deities of Sri Venkateshwara, Sri Mahalakshmi, and Sri Ganesh.
Ganesha Temple, Richmond Hill, Ontario, houses Lord Ganesha and Lord Murgan, also known as Subramanya or Kartik. The image of Murgan is made of blue granite and is the tallest Murgan idol in the world. There are images of other gods also.
Sri Ranganatha Temple, Pomona, New York, situated deep in the wooded valley of Pomona in Rockland County, New York, this beautiful temple is dedicated to Lord Ranganatha. The principal deity is Lord Vishnu, or Narayan, as Sri Ranganatha in repose on the bed of the five-headed serpent, Adisesha.
Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, Lanham, Maryland, is situated twelve miles from Washington DC. It has been richly incorporated with Mayan, Pallava, Vijayanagara, Kerala, and South Canara styles of temple architecture. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are the three principal deities in this temple.
Sri Maha Vallabha Ganpathi Devasthanam, Flushing, New York, has a logo, adapted from Sri Satya Sai Baba’s ecumenical symbol—a light surrounded by insignias of several religions with “Om” on top, which represents the fundamental unity as the core point of all religions. The Hindu Temple Society of North America built this temple. Lord Ganesh is the principal deity.
The Hindu Temple of Atlanta, Riverdale, Georgia, first installed the idol of Lord Ganesh. Images of Sri Venkateshwara, Sri Devi (Lakshmi), Sri Bhudevi, Sri Durga, and others are also housed here. The temple was constructed in the Pallava and Chola styles of temple architecture.
Hindu Jain Temple, Monroeville, Pennsylvania, has on the main axis the Lakshmi-Narayan temple, with two subordinate temples of Sri Radha Krishna and Sri Ram Pariwar. On the cross axis are the Jain temple and Shiva temple, facing one another.
Hindu Temple, Loudonville, New York, represents a blend of the modern and the traditional, the new and the old, in a smooth manner. All the idols are painted in bright colors. The main deities in this temple are Sri Lakshmi Narayan and Sri Shiva Parvati.
Sri Ganesha Temple, Nashville, Tennessee, has Sri Ganesha as the main deity. The Chola style of architecture, as seen in the temples at Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, has been adopted here. The temple has sixteen forms of Ganesha in the niches on the outer walls of the Ganesha shrine.
Sri Shiva Vishnu Temple, Davie, Florida, is a large structure with two entrance towers, rajagopuras, and two sanctum towers, vimanas. The architecture of the Shiva temple is adapted from the Chola and Pallav style of temple architecture. The architecture of the Vishnu temple, dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara (Balaji) is according to the Vijaynagara style. The Ayyapan temple is built in the Kerala style.
Sri Venkateshwara Temple, Penn Hills, Pittsburgh, is one of the earliest Hindu temples in the United States, and has been called the Tirumala of the Western Hemisphere. The idols were a gift from the famous Balaji Temple of Andhra Pradesh, India. The main deity is Lord Vishnu as Lord Venkateshwara here.
Hindu Temple, Las Vegas, Nevada, serves the spiritual and cultural needs of the Hindu community and is visited by many travelers. The main deities are the Sri Radha Krishna, Sri Shiva Parvati, Balaji Padmavati, and Sri Ram Pariwar. There has been a new addition of nine planets, navgrah, to this temple.
Sri Venkateshwara Temple of Greater Chicago, Aurora, Illinois, is excellent blend of the ancient temple architecture, according to the Shilpa Shastra, and modern design. A unique feature of this temple is the provision for circumambulation, pradakshna, inside the temple, not only around the main deity, Lord Venkateshwara, but also around the other deities.
Malibu Hindu Temple, Los Angeles, California, is a spiritual landmark for the Hindu community of the metropolitan Los Angeles area. This temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara. There also is a completely separate Shiva temple housing Sri Shiva, Sri Ganesha, Sri Subramanya, and goddess Jyothi.
Hindu Samaj Temple, Wappingers Falls, New York, received a gift of the idols of Lord Venkateshwara and Sri Laksmi (Padmavati) from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams in India. It is now a multi-deity temple and includes even the Jain deities to serve the needs of the larger Indian community.
Kauai Aadheenam, Hawaii, is also known as Kauai’s Hindu Monastery. It is a traditional South Indian-style monastery/temple complex on the mystical garden island of Kauai, Hawaii. The current guru mahasannidhanam is Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927–2001) founded this powerful spiritual sanctuary on 458 acres of tropical lushness. This temple complex has rendered noble service to the cause of Hinduism by spreading its teachings through its magazine, Hinduism Today, and regular Internet lessons.
Sanatan Dharam Temple, Los Angeles, California, has become a landmark of numerous religious and cultural activities in the thriving Hindu community. The beautiful idols of the important gods, all in a row in one single place, truly reflect the changing pattern of Hindu temples in the modern world.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Houston, is regarded as the first traditional Hindu mandir in the United States and is built entirely of stone and marble. Spread on twenty-two acres, this elegant place of worship houses thirty-three thousand carved pieces that were shipped from India.
Vedanta Society Temple, Seattle, Washington, along with the spacious Vivekananda Assembly Hall in the adjoining premises, has been an active Hindu worship center since 1938. Swami Bhaskarananda is in charge. He has written many important religious and spiritual books, including the world-famous Essentials of Hinduism. The center also has regularly published a quarterly magazine, Global Vedanta for the past twelve years.
Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, Riverside, California, is situated on the eastside of Los Angeles. Spread on four acres, it has activities throughout the year. A gorgeous navgraha ceiling and many other ambitious additions are underway at this popular religious center.
Radha-Krishan Temple, Los Angeles, California, is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Southern California and is very close to the buzzing Indian community and trade center is now preparing to move to a much bigger place. The temple houses the idols of Sri Radha and Lord Krishna, along with the Ram Parivar and Lord Shiva, in accordance with the new trend of the U.S. Hindu community.
Sindhu Center, Los Angeles, California, started by the Sindhi Hindu community, houses the beautiful idols of Sri Radha/Krishan, Ram Parivar, and Lord Shiva/Parvati along with Lord Ganpati in three sections. It also houses images of all other Hindu gods, including the Sindhi Hindu god Jhulelal and Guru Nanak.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Chicago, Illinois, also known as Shikharbaddha Mandir, is spread over thirty acres and is considered as the largest stone and marble traditional Hindu temple in the United States. It has an adjoining cultural center, Haveli, which displays intricate wooden carvings.
Chinmaya Mission Center, Los Angeles, California, has two elegant centers: one is the Kasi center, with Lord Shiva as the main idol; and the other is the Mithila center, with Lord Rama as the presiding god. Swami Ishwarananda, who is a very dynamic leader and prolific speaker, is the head of these two temples. Apart from various religious functions and spiritual talks, the main attention is given to the children’s religious classes.
Vedanta Society Temple, Los Angeles, California, started around 1930. This temple has served the local American and Indian communities for over seven decades. Swami Swahananda and Swami Sarvadevananda conduct the affairs of this temple in a most professional manner and also are closely involved with many interfaith activities in Los Angeles.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Los Angeles, California, is under construction as of this writing. Built on a twenty-acre site, the temple will have an imposing and artistic structure, with adjoining Haveli Cultural Center. The project includes stupendous marble, stone, and wooden carvings. It also plans to promote inter-religious and inter-cultural harmony, a new activity to meet the needs of the present-day Hindu community.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Temple, Toronto, Canada, was recently inaugurated by Shri Pramukh Swamiji, and was a gift to all the communities of Canada. The prime minister of Canada received the magnificent complex with graciousness, opening a new trend of the multicultural approach in religious organizations. The temple, built in traditional style with stone and marble, has twenty-four thousand pieces of sculpture and carvings specially brought from India.
Hindu Temple of Atlanta, Georgia, was built at a cost of $19 million in the Lilburn suburb of Atlanta. The white temple covers an area the size of two and a half football fields. Swaminarayan sect leader Pramukh Swami Maharaj consecrated the temple and said, “The temple is open to all people, not just followers of the Swaminarayan faith. All those who come here will experience peace and happiness.” The temple is built of marble, limestone, and sandstone, and used over thirty-four thousand stone slabs, including over two thousand hand carved figurines. The idols in the temple include those of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Radha/Krishna, Sita/Ram and Shiva/Parvati. Many other Hindu temples are run by the Vedanta Society, Chinmaya Mission, Swaminarayan Sampradaya, ISKCON, and other Hindu organizations in major cities (and some minor ones) in North America.

NOTE: This chapter is adapted from Kolapen Mahalingum. Hindu Temples in North America. Winter Park, Fla.: Titan Graphics and Publications, 2002.

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