Day 271: Ganesh Temple, Flushing, New York
📌APIA Every Day (271) - Ganesh Temple—more formally known as Šri Mahã Vallabha Ganapati Devasthãnam—was founded in 1970 by the Hindu Temple Society of North America. After the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 eliminated national-origin quotas, a significant South Indian community settled in Flushing in the late 1960s. Built to accommodate the rapidly growing South Indian community in Queens, the temple quickly became an important religious and cultural center for Hindu immigrants in the area.
The temple's early congregation initially occupied a former Russian Orthodox Church on Bowne Street. In 1977, a new temple complex was built on the same site, designed in a classical South Indian architectural style. This pioneering structure became one of the earliest traditional Hindu temples in North America, and the first to be built with imported Indian granite. Skilled artisans hired from India crafted the elaborate stone carvings seen throughout the building's interior and exterior.
Since its founding, the temple has expanded to include a Hindu Community Center featuring an auditorium, two wedding halls, and a canteen serving authentic South Indian cuisine. Across the street, additional facilities house a Senior Center, Outreach Office, and a shrine dedicated to the saint Šri Rãghavendra Swãmy Sannidhi. Today, the temple complex offers space for worship, cultural events, and community classes in Indian languages, classical dance, yoga, and more.
For over 50 years, Ganesh Temple has served as a cornerstone for Hindu immigrants in Queens, maintaining its role as a vital spiritual institution for the South Indian community. In 2022, this significance was recognized when Bowne Street was co-named Ganesh Temple Street in a ceremony attended by the New York Consul General of India, Randhir Jaiswal, and Queens Borough President, Donovan Richards.
Written by Avneet Dhaliwal
LEARN MORE:
NY Ganesh Temple: Temple History – Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam
The Knight News: Part of The Flushing Experience: Hindu Temple Society of North America
Times of India: Street in New York named Ganesh Temple Street after prominent Hindu temple
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