Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam

Consecrated in the 1970s, the Ganesha Temple in Queens is believed to be the first traditional Hindu temple of America. Built in a typical South Indian style of architecture, the temple is made of granite and has many intricate carvings depicting various gods and goddesses of Hinduism. Most of the construction materials were imported from India as it was of great significance to the worshipers. Along with Lord Ganesha, eight main deities are worshiped within the temple complex and the images of 20 saints are also found on the temple walls. After visiting the temple, you must head to the canteen in the basement where you can relish authentic South Indian cuisine at a reasonable price. This canteen feeds almost thousands of people every week and has featured in food writer Anthony Bourdain’s tours of New York City.