Sri Venkateswara Temple, Pittsburgh

Last updated
Sri Venkateswara Temple
Sri Venkateswara Temple - Penn Hills 01.jpg
Religion
Affiliation Hinduism
Deity Venkateswara
Location
Location Penn Hills
State Pennsylvania
CountryUnited States
USA Pennsylvania location map.svg
Om symbol.svg
Location in Pennsylvania
Geographic coordinates 40°26′28″N79°48′19″W / 40.441001°N 79.805182°W / 40.441001; -79.805182
Architecture
CreatorThe Endowment Department of Andhra Pradesh
Completed1977
Website
www.svtemple.org#/

Sri Venkateswara Temple, Pittsburgh is a Hindu temple in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania. Constructed in the style of the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati, India, it is the oldest Hindu temple in the United States built by Indian immigrants. It is a pilgrimage site for Hindus in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and has been described as "the trend-setting South Indian temple in its celebration of expensive, time-consuming, and intricate rituals." [1]

Contents

History

During a Pongal celebration in January 1972, a group of Pittsburgh-area Hindus established a shrine with images of Hindu deities in a store basement. In the summer of that year, a granite Ganesha statue was donated to the group by Balakrishna Naidu of Coimbatore, India. Since Ganesha is worshipped before beginning an auspicious endeavor, the group saw the gift as "a good omen to invoke blessings to a larger project." [2]

The temple's groundbreaking occurred on April 17, 1975. After the groundbreaking, tensions developed between two factions of the community: those who thought the temple should reflect South Indian traditions and architecture, and those who wanted North Indian traditions and deities represented as well. This led to a split between the factions. The North Indians constructed their own temple in suburban Monroeville, and the South Indians' temple was built in Penn Hills. [1]

The Penn Hills temple was completed and consecrated on June 8, 1977, becoming the first Hindu temple in the United States built by Indian immigrants. [3]

In 2005, the temple was remodeled to resemble the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati at a cost of $1.5 million. [4]

In 2011, $15,000 in credit cards and jewelry was stolen from the temple. [5]

Design

The temple was designed by The Endowment Department of Andhra Pradesh. The temple is designed with two sides and a tower in the middle symbolizing two hands and a head. The temple operates a cafeteria as well in its basement. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venkateswara</span> Form of the Hindu god Vishnu

Venkateswara is a form of the Hindu god Vishnu and is the presiding deity of the Venkateswara Temple, located in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India. Venkateswara is also known by various other names.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams</span> Hindu organization in Andhra Pradesh, India

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is an independent trust which manages the temples including the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh, India. The trust oversees the operations and finances of the richest and the most visited religious center in the world. It is also involved in various social, religious, literary and educational activities. TTD is headquartered at Tirupati and employs about 16,000 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tirupati</span> City in Andhra Pradesh, India

Tirupati is a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tirupati district. The city is home to the important Hindu shrine of Tirumala Venkateshwara Temple and other historic temples. It is located at a distance of 150 km from Chennai, 250 km from Bangalore,406 km from Amaravati. It is one of the eight Svayam vyakta kshetras dedicated to Vishnu. Tirupati is a municipal corporation and the headquarters of Tirupati (urban) mandal, Tirupati (rural) mandal, and the Tirupati revenue division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Padmavathi</span> Hindu goddess

Padmavati also known as Alamelu Manga is a Hindu goddess and the consort of the deity Venkateshvara, a form of Vishnu. She is described as a daughter of a local king and an avatar of goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala</span> Hindu temple in Andhra Pradesh, India

The Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the hill town of Tirumala at Tirupati in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The Temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared on the earth to save mankind from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. Hence the place has also got the name Kaliyuga Vaikuntha and the deity here is referred to as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam. The temple is also known by other names like Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple and Tirupati Balaji Temple. Venkateswara is known by many other names: Balaji, Govinda, and Srinivasa. The temple is run by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which is under control of Andhra Pradesh Government. The head of TTD is appointed by Andhra Pradesh Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vaikhanasa</span> Tradition of Hinduism

Vaikhanasa or Vaikhanasagama is a tradition of Hinduism that primarily worships Vishnu as the Supreme God. The tradition draws its name from the philosophy propounded by its founder, Sage Vikhanasa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thiruvaragunamangai Perumal Temple</span> Vishnu temple in Thoothukudi

Thiruvaragunamangai Perumal Temple is one of the Nava Tirupati, the nine Hindu temples dedicated to Vishnu located in the Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli route, Tamil Nadu, India in the banks of Thamiraparani river. All these 9 temples are classified as Divya Desams, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet-saints of the Sri Vaishnava tradition, called the Alvars. The temple at Natham also known Chandran Sthalam, the second of the Nava Tirupatis. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is dedicated to Vishnu who is worshipped as Vijayasana Perumal and Lakshmi as Varagunavalli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thirupuliyangudi Perumal Temple</span> Hindu temple in Thoothukudi

The Thirupuliangudi Permual Temple is one of the Nava Tirupati, the nine Hindu temples dedicated to Vishnu located in Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli route, Tamil Nadu, India in the banks of Thamiraparani river, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu who is worshipped as Bhumipalar and Lakshmi as Pulingudivalli. It is located 22 km from Tirunelveli. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu. The temple is also classified as a Nava Tirupati, the nine temples revered by Nammalvar located in the banks of Tamiraparani river. The temple is one of the Navagraha temples in the region, associated with Budha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alipiri</span> Suburb of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, India

Alipiri Padala Mandapam or Alipiri is the place at foot of seven hills in Tirupati, the pilgrim city of Sri Venkateswara Swami, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hindu Temple Society of North America</span> Hindu temple in New York, United States

The Hindu Temple Society of North America is a nonprofit organization that manages the Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam temple in Flushing, Queens, in New York City. It is known as the Ganesha Temple after its main deity, Ganesha. In 1977, it opened the second Hindu temple in the United States built by Indian immigrants. Uma Mysorekar has served as its president since 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vishvaksena</span> Commander-in-chief of the army of the Hindu god Vishnu

Vishvaksena or Vishwaksena, is the commander-in-chief of the army of the Hindu deity Vishnu, additionally serving as a gatekeeper and chamberlain of his celestial abode of Vaikuntha. As the embodiment of the tantras, Vishvaksena is worshipped before any ritual or function in the Vaikhanasas and Sri Vaishnavism sects. He occupies an important place in Vaikhanasa and Pancaratra temple traditions, where temple festivals often begin with his worship and procession.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiji Sanatan Society of Alberta</span> Building in Alberta, Canada

The Fiji Sanatan Society of Alberta, also known as Vishnu Mandir in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is a modern-style Hindu temple that was built by some of the very first Fijian Hindu immigrants in Edmonton in 1984. Hindus have been living in Canada for over a century, especially in Edmonton. Fijian Hindus began to settle in Edmonton in larger proportions starting in the 1960s and 1970s. They conducted prayers and meditated in individual households via groups they formed in the community. Talks of the need of a temple started in 1983 by four major Hindu Bhakti groups in Edmonton at the time, Shree Sanatan Dharam Ramayan Society, Edmonton Geeta Ramayan Congregation, Edmonton Vedic Congregation and later joined by Edmonton Prem Society, the group founded the Sanatan Board and raised funds to buy a property for the temple. It became the first Fijian Hindu cultural society in all of Canada, and till date is the largest. It started as a small place of worship in the Balwin residential area, constructed out of an old Church building. Since then it has been renovated 2 times, first adding a basement, then in 2006 expanded further making it the second largest Hindu temple in Edmonton.

Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of the Rockies in Centennial, Colorado is the major Hindu Temple in the Denver, Colorado region. The Hindu Society of Colorado was incorporated in 1984. During 1996-2015 the temple was located in a former church building in Littleton. The formally designed temple opened on July 3, 2015. with Prana Pratishtha on June 5–7, 2015. The temple membership grew to include 1,500 families in 2011. The temple is non-regional and non-sectarian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prasanna Venkateswara Temple, Appalayagunta</span> Hindu temple in India

Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy Temple is a temple at Appalayagunta, Tirupati located in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India. The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, referred to as Prasanna Venkateswara. Unlike other typical Venkateswara temples the presiding deity has its right hand in Abhaya posture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Govindaraja Temple, Tirupati</span> Hindu temple in India

Sri Govindarajaswamy Temple is an ancient Hindu Vaishnavite temple situated in the heart of Tirupati city in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh in India. The temple was built during 12 century and was consecrated in the year 1130 AD by Saint Ramanujacharya. The temple is one of the earliest structures in Tirupati and also one of the biggest temple complexes in Tirupati district. The Tirupati city is built around this temple. The temple is currently administered by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.

Venkateswara Temple is an important Vaishnavite temple situated in the hill town of Tirumala in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, built by a Tamil king and later expanded and renovated under the Vijayanagara Empire. The Temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, an incarnation of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared here to save mankind from the trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. The temple is situated at a height of 853 metres on Tirumala Hills which are part of Seshachalam Hills and is constructed in South Indian Tamil Architectural Style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina</span> Hindu Temple in Cary, North Carolina

Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina is a Hindu Temple located in Cary, North Carolina and serves the estimated 21,000 Hindus in the Research Triangle area. The temple is "dedicated to promoting the Hindu religion and humanitarian services across the Triangle."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lakshmi Temple, Ashland, Massachusetts</span> Hindu temple in Massachusetts, United States

The Sri Lakshmi Temple in Ashland, Massachusetts, also known as the New England Hindu Temple, Inc. (NEHTI), is New England’s first traditional Hindu temple. The temple was inaugurated in 1990 by priests from India, the United States, and Britain. Following the inauguration in 1990, the temple was expanded in 2005 and 2018. The central deity worshiped is Lakshmi, who Hindus consider as the Goddess of Prosperity.

References

  1. 1 2 Altman, Michael (2022). Hinduism in America: An Introduction. Taylor & Francis. p. 233. ISBN   9781000577891.
  2. Narayanan, Vasudha (2006). The Life of Hinduism. University of California Press. p. 234. ISBN   9780520249141.
  3. "The Temple Builders", The Pluralism Project, Harvard University
  4. Reid R Frazier (28 April 2005). "Temple gets "Indianization"". triblive. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  5. "Police Investigate Robbery at Hindu Temple". pittsburghCBSLocal. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  6. Madmax673. "Vankateswara Temple Canteen Pittsburgh". pitstburghindia. Retrieved 23 January 2020.