01Tirumala in Pennsylvania
In the early 1970s Hindu families in Pittsburgh, many of them engineers, doctors and scientists from Andhra and Tamil Nadu, prayed together in a basement in Squirrel Hill. They chose to build a temple to Sri Venkateswara in the South Indian style, and ground was broken in Penn Hills in 1975. Workers came from India to carve the gopuram and vimana after the shrine at Tirumala. The murtis were consecrated on 17 November 1976, and the building was finished in 1977.
02A temple for a whole continent
For years few traditional temples existed in America, and families drove from Ohio, New York and Canada to have a child’s first rice-feeding, a thread ceremony or a wedding performed at Balaji’s feet. Many still do. The temple follows Tirumala’s order of worship, with priests trained in India, and keeps the Brahmotsavam, Vaikuntha Ekadashi and weekly abhishekam. Its success helped set the pattern for the hundreds of Hindu temples built in North America since.
The life of this place
- 1975Ground was broken in Penn Hills.
- 17 November 1976The murtis were consecrated.
- 1977Construction of the temple was completed.
About 20 minutes east of downtown Pittsburgh. Weekends are busiest; the canteen serves South Indian food.
