01A temple in a living room
When the United States opened its doors to Indian professionals in 1965, a wave of doctors, engineers and scientists settled around New York. Alagappa Alagappan, a Tamil working at the United Nations, began hosting meetings in his living room for a temple, and the Hindu Temple Society of North America was formed in 1970. The society bought the site of a former Russian Orthodox church in Flushing and, with sthapatis from India, built a temple whose front recalls the gopurams of the south. It was consecrated on 4 July 1977, American Independence Day, a few months after the Sri Venkateswara temple at Pittsburgh.
02Ganesh of Queens
Ganesh is the presiding deity, and around him the temple has consecrated a long line of shrines, Venkateshwara and Lakshmi, Shiva and Parvati, Murugan with Valli and Devasena, Durga, Ayyappa, Hanuman, the Navagrahas and others, so that families from every part of India find their own devata here. Uma Mysorekar has led the society since 1994. The temple canteen in the basement, serving dosas and idlis, has become a New York institution in its own right. Ganesh Chaturthi brings a chariot procession through the streets of Flushing.
The life of this place
- 1970The Hindu Temple Society of North America is formed.
- 4 July 1977The temple is consecrated.
- 1994Uma Mysorekar becomes president of the society.
45-57 Bowne Street, Flushing, Queens; a short walk from the Main Street subway station (7 train).
