Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam the First Hindu temple in USA

Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam  the First  Hindu temple  in USA

Compiled  from Wikipedia  and the web site  of the temple

By

P.R.Ramachander

The temple  ( Tamil : ஸ்ரீ மஹா வல்லப கணபதி தேவஸ்தானம். Telugu:శ్రీ మహావల్లభ గణపతి దేవస్థానం Sanskrit: श्री महावल्लभ गणपति देवस्थानम्) is   at 45–57 Bowne Street, Flushing, Queens, in New York City, claims to be the very first of the traditional Hindu temples in the USA and  is managed  by Hindu temple  Society of North  America, It is popularly referred to as the Ganesh Temple, Flushing since the main deity is Lord Ganesh.

History

The Hindu Temple Society of North America was incorporated on January 26, 1970, and initially met in the living room of one Sri Alagappan . It acquired from the Russian Orthodox Church a site on which the present Temple of Lord  Ganesa (The first Hindu Temple in USA)   is situated. The present structure, designed in accordance with the Agama Sastras (scriptures relating to temple building), was completed in 1977, and the First Kumbabishekam   of the temple   was performed on July 4 of the same year. Sri La Sri Padrimalai Swamigal, from Madras, had prepared twenty-six yantras for the temple and done pujas for them for five years before installing them.

The temple

The temple  is dedicated to Lord Ganesha, while other shrines house idols of Lord Balaji, Goddess Mahalakshmi, Lord Hanuman and Sri Nagendra Swamy. Temple includes a dhvajastambha (Flag post) and a rajagopuram . In September 1995, the Hindu milk miracle was observed at the temple. It was reported that "People held the spoon filled with milk under the trunk, by the mouth, and the milk would be taken up

Ameneties

The temple includes a Pathsala (school) where children learn languages such as Hindi, Tamil, English and Sanskrit as well as Math, Science and Religion. Yoga and Meditation classes also offered. Construction of the Vedanta Library, Senior Citizen Center, and Staff Quarters has also been undertaken. The Hindu Temple Society of North America today has over twenty thousand devotees on its mailing list. In addition to these, there are thousands of other devotees not necessarily on the mailing list who benefit from religious and cultural activities of the Temple, and to which generous contributions are made. It is the intent of the Society to offer formal instructions in religion, philosophy, culture and the arts to its devotees and their families.The temple has  a very great  vegetarian canteen and has  a community hall  which is rented out to religious functions. The canteen feeds 4,000 people a week, with as many as 10,000 during the Deepavali (Diwali)holiday. The canteen feeds 4,000 people a week, with as many as 10,000 during the Deepavali (Diwali)holiday.

The  temple managed by a11-member honorary board.

Neighborhood, Address and contact  Particulars

The Hindu Temple is situated right in the heart of Flushing, which is a part of Queens County. Although Queens is, politically speaking, one of the five boroughs of New York City, it is, in geographical terms, a part of Long Island and is, therefore, largely a residential area. The Temple is easily accessible both by private and public transportation. Within walking distance of the Temple are two branches of the New York Public Library, the Queens Botanical Garden, Kissena Park, and Flushing Meadow Park, and the Main Post Office. The Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts is a stone’s throw away from the Temple, while the Queens Museum is a short ride away by automobile or subway.

The temple  has 11  well  trained  Priests.

Temple Address : 45-57 Bowne Street, Flushing, NY 11355. Phone: (718) 460-8484 Ext 112 Fax: (718) 461-8055
Temple Hours : Weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. Weekends 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.