Last Updated: October 27, 2021
Famous Hindu Temples In The USA
Today, the United States of America boasts more than 450 Hindu temples throughout the country. Most of them are situated on the East Coast, and New York alone has 135 temples. With so many spectacular Hindu temples in the country, how can you ever decide which ones are worth visiting?
That’s where we come in, with this guide to all the most famous Hindu temples in the USA! We’ve covered the best, largest, and most culturally significant Hindu temples in the United States of America, so keep reading to see what (and where) they are!
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Hindu Temple Society of North America (Ganesh Temple), New York
Image courtesy of Benniken – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Hindu Temple Society of North America is a Hindu temple complex in New York. They claim to be the first traditional Hindu temple in the US, and they’re certainly one of the most prominent Hindu temples in New York. The complex was originally constructed in the 1970s and it is more commonly known as the Ganesh Temple.
This famous Hindu temple in the USA was built from granite, and it is known for its South Indian architecture. Its main shrine is devoted to Lord Ganesha – hence the name – and the other shrines feature idols of other deities, including Lord Hanuman, Goddess Mahalakshmi, Sri Nagendra Swamy, and Lord Balaji.
Also, the temple boasts a spacious vegetarian restaurant that serves South Indian cuisine. It’s also known as the Temple Canteen, and it feeds approximately 4,000 people each week. During the Diwali holiday, the restaurant feeds as many as 10,000 people.
Hindu Temple of Florida
The Hindu Temple of Florida was first established in 1983, by a group of local individuals who felt like they needed a safe place for worship and practice of Sanatana Dharma. The group had previously met in their homes and other places to celebrate important Hindu festivals, and they finally came together and raised enough money to buy a plot of land in 1989.
That plot of land originally featured a house, which was the initial „Balalaya“ of the temple. Over time, interest from other Hindus in this temple grew, and eventually, enough money was raised to begin the construction of the temple in 1994.
Today, this is one of Florida’s most significant Hindu temples. In addition to being a place where all Tampa Bay Hindus can practice Sanatana Dharma, this temple also offers Shloka classes for children, religious classes for adults, plus many other educational classes. It’s possible to learn several languages here, as well as art, music, dance, and much more.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Texas
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is a prominent Hindu temple in Houston, Texas. It’s an 11,500 sq. ft. open-air temple constructed from Turkish limestone and Italian marble. Well, the temple pieces were carved out from those materials in India, and then they were shipped to the US.
It took about 28 months and some $7 million to construct this temple, which is even more insane when you consider the fact that most Indian craftsman who carved out the temple pieces mostly donated their time.
This is the largest temple of its kind in Texas, with grounds that cover an area of more than 22 acres. Apart from the stunning temple, the grounds are also home to a cultural center, and the Understanding Hinduism exhibit. The exhibit is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the key tenets of Hinduism, so don’t miss out on it if you ever find yourself in this spectacular Hindu temple!
Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago
The Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago is a temple complex established in 1977 in Lemont, Illinois, which features two separate temples – the Rama Temple and the Ganesha-Shiva-Durga Temple. There’s also a Spiritual Center on the grounds, which offers meditation and yoga classes, spiritual lectures, and hosts important events.
The Rama temple was built in authentic Chola dynasty architectural style, but it still manages to be an exceptional blend of ancient and modern architecture. Visitors to the hillside temple can also observe an 80-foot tall tower, and the 10-foot tall statue of Swami Vivekananda, which was the first-ever statue of Vivekananda that was displayed in a public place in the US.
The smaller Ganesh-Shiva-Durga Temple is north of the Rama temple, and it was constructed in the Kalinga dynasty architectural style.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Atlanta
Image courtesy of 22varshthiaalinemachhu – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is a traditional Hindu temple in Georgia, and it is one of six Swaminarayan temples in the United States. The temple construction began in 2005, and it was completed two years later, in 2007. This is the largest temple of its kind outside of India, so it’s easy to see why it’s one of the most famous Hindu temples in the USA.
It was made from 34,450 pieces of Indian pink sandstone, Turkish limestone, and Italian marble. The landscaped temple grounds take up an area of some 30 acres, and in addition to the mesmerizing Swaminarayan temple, they also feature classrooms, a family activity center, an assembly hall, and an exhibit on the key principles of Hinduism.
This famous temple is open daily for both devotees and visitors, so be sure to check it out if you’re ever in Lilburn, Georgia!
Hindu Temple of Atlanta
The Hindu Temple of Atlanta is another famous Hindu temple in Georgia. It was established by a group of locals who needed a place for worship in Atlanta. They came up with the idea to build a temple in the area in the late 70s, but the construction wasn’t completed until 1984 because it took a long time to find an adequate plot of land and to raise enough money for the temple construction.
The grounds feature two separate temples, both of which are adorned with ornate carvings of Hindu deities. One temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and the other to Lord Balaji, and they’re both equally captivating to observe.
Malibu Hindu Temple
Image courtesy of By Ganeshk – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5
The Malibu Hindu Temple was the first temple to be constructed in California, back in 1981. It is situated in the city of Calabasas, and it’s owned by the Hindu Temple Society of Southern California. The temple was constructed in traditional South Indian architectural style, and it is one of the largest temples of its kind in the entire Western hemisphere.
There are actually two separate temples on the grounds – one is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara and the other one to Lord Shiva. Both temples feature shrines dedicated to other deities as well, so Hindus from all over California can come here to worship their gods.
Shiva-Vishnu Temple, California
The Shiva-Vishnu Temple in California was originally established in 1977, but its official construction didn’t begin until the 1980s. It took several years to acquire an adequate plot of land and start construction, and only in 1992 did most of the temple buildings get completed. It’s worth noting that the temple grew over time, and certain rooms of it were completed as recently as 2012.
This traditional Hindu temple is quite big, and it is best known for its ornate carvings and altars devoted to countless Hindu deities. Devotees from California can come here to pray to whichever Hindu god they want, which is exactly what makes this temple so special.
Sri Venkateswara Temple, Pennsylvania
Image courtesy of Bohemian Baltimore – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sri Venkateswara Temple is a famous Hindu temple in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was constructed by the Hindu Temple Society of Pittsburgh, which was established in 1973. They got a very generous donation from the Hindu Temple Society in New York for the construction of this temple, and it didn’t take them too long to build Sri Venkateswara, which opened in 1976.
The temple is built in traditional South Indian architectural style, with two sides and a tower in the middle. It features a cafeteria in the basement, which is open for all visitors to the temple. It’s worth noting that this is one of the smaller Hindu temples in the US, but it still manages to serve more than 10,000 Hindus from the area.
Also, the temple is visited by a lot of pilgrims, and some of them come from as far as India just to see it!
Sri Lakshmi Temple, Massachusetts
Sri Lakshmi Temple in Ashland, Massachusetts was the first-ever traditional Hindu temple built in New England. It was established in 1978, but it wasn’t officially completed until 1990 when it was inaugurated. After the inauguration, the temple was expanded two times – once in 2005, and also in 2018.
The temple is dedicated to Lakshmi, who is considered the Goddess of Prosperity in Hinduism. Although she is the central deity of the temple, devotees can also worship Hariharaputra, Ganesh, Subramanya, Balaji, Garuda, Navagraha, and Nataraja here.
It is also worth noting that this famous Hindu temple hosts daily and weekly rituals, plus there’s a canteen that is open for all visitors to Sri Lakshmi Temple.
About the Author Anna Timbrook
Anna is the co-owner of expert world travel and can't wait to share her travel experience with the world. With over 54 countries under her belt she has a lot to write about! Including those insane encounters with black bears in Canada.
