Wow... definitely a privilege for my 100th review and to think I would reach such a milestone so…read moresoon. The Brooklyn Hindu Temple, a place where solace and devotion reside. I've been a member for roughly about 18 years now and will continue to support this temple. At times where I was lost, I have found guidance here. The moments of despair where things might have felt like it was the worst, this is where I sought refuge and found hope. So many values, morals, and ideals have been instilled within my character due to my experiences here; I can and will never forsake my temple. Having being grown and reared by my fellow church members, this temple has shaped a portion of who I am. So many things it has given me, and it asks for nothing in return but complete and selfless devotion in whichever way I could. Whether it be through the medium of music or simply just opening my mouth and joining in simple hymns, there is no requirement or limitations on prayer. A simple reminder, service is usually held on Sunday mornings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and major Hindu holidays are usually observed. God does not discriminate and materializes himself/herself in many different forms and ways. There is only one way to immerse yourself in this temple, and that is to come and experience it for yourself. Jai Shri Ram.

Have been visiting this temple since I995. It has been a…read moreplace of divine worship, peace and soulful connections. The Main One with God and others with our fellow community members. It is definitely a place to get blessings and love.

love this temple. the priests are very nice. place is well lit. the priests are more than happy…read moreto help you with a puja. there is a nice shrine for the nine planets too. very good energy here. everyone is nice and welcoming to non-hindi speaking folk too.

This temple is amazing and the people are great. I attend as much as I can. As soon as you walk in…read moreyou are greeted by friendly face and the most down to earth people.

Very good and bless place to be ..always forgets a your problems when your here because of the…read morelovely blessings of Maa and the wonderful people here..I will advise anyone to come here and enjoy the blessings of Maa.

I have never been to a more welcoming place for kirtan and yoga. I was immediately greeted like a…read morelong lost friend and immediately felt cared for. The kirtans on Thursdays are amazing!

From the owner: The Bhakti Center is a spiritual cultural center on New York City’s Lower East Side with a talented…read morestaff devoted to sharing the experience of self-transformation through the timeless culture and practices of Bhakti-yoga. It’s a center of authentic learning, and a great place to meet new people, make lasting relationships, and find inspiration and support on the spiritual path. Want to get in contact with us? Send us an e-mail at: info@bhakticenter.org

Toto, I've a feeling we're not in New Jersey anymore. We must be over in India. Nothing will…read moreprepare you for the wonder of this majestic place. Having visited some of the most famous temples around the world, this is by far one of the most impressive. It took 12.5K volunteers and close to 100 million dollars to build. Every inch tells a story and you can't help but admire the intricate details. To still have this type of craftsmanship in this day and age is astounding. The artisans painstakingly hand-carved each limestone piece in India before it was shipped to Robbinsville, New Jersey to be put together like a jigsaw puzzle. Whether you are religious or not, this is a must visit. My review will not do this place justice. You just have to come and see for yourself. 1. Admission is free but you have to reserve a time online for weekends and holidays. Parking is free as well. 2. No picture or video taking allowed inside. Please respect this. 3. Do not miss any of the short films shown throughout the small theaters. 4. Check the website for the strict dress code. Sarongs are offered if needed. 5. No shoes allowed inside. The marble floors were spotless. 6. Visit the gift shop before you exit because there will be no reentry. 7. Donation boxes throughout. Please be generous. More exciting things are still being constructed like a museum on the upper levels to be completed by the end of 2026. Nightime offers a much different vibe with the lights. I plan to visit again with my son when he comes back this summer.

I had been waiting to visit this temple the day it was open. I don't drive & going to NJ from…read moreStaten Island without a car is a pain so finally one of my closest friend who had a school project & he requested that i join him & give him some ideas for the project. Respectfully I chose my own cultural clothing to show respect while I am there . And everyone loved & appreciated that where ever I was going . All the volunteers are absolutely amazing besides one. I almost cried & thought of leaving immediately. But some older gentleman reminded me not to ruin my peace & happy journey here for just one person. She was so racist, mean, have no idea how to treat people. I was probably one of the first hijaby she met on a Hindu temple and her heart couldn't take it ! I grow up with a father who was very close to culture, different religions never bothered him while making friends. Most of his friends are Hindu actually & we grow up like one family. So going to a temple & showing respect isn't new to me. I was gonna make a written complaint but I have decided to let it go & be a better person! If you are residing in New Jersey then you should not miss this temple. One of my all time favorite 'Awe' moments! There is a section where you are not allowed to take any pictures, that's the area I feel like not leaving ! A must see . If you wanna do a photoshoot try to make an appointment in advance, so they don't give you any problems. I don't think you have to pay anything for that , I am not sure though. But most of the areas you can definitely take pictures as much as you want with your phone . They have a big cafeteria, and the food is good . They also have a gift shop and as a South Asian I was shocked how cheap the items are considering outside in any other places. I ended up buying a lot of stuff , very good idea to get stuff for gifts . I am dreaming to come back again with some comfortable shoes lol !

One of a kind of a temple in USA .. its like a replica of Tirupati venkatschalapathy.. never seeen…read moresuch temple in US. Fantastic and really has fantastic aura. It's a new temple and just had kumbabishekam ... we just loved the positivity in this temple... They encourage lots of young kids and artists to perform in this temple .. . Big thanks to all organizers .. lots and lots of parking around . Nice location. Right in t he heart of NJ . 5 star for sure !

No doubt temple is very good but priest is rude. They should be polite and respectful to everyone…read morewho visit temple.

A Lovely temple right next to the Indian Street in Journal Square. The temple has idols of Raha…read moreKrushna, Durga Maa, Ganesh, Sai Baba, Shiva Linga and Nava Graha. Its a small but beautiful place for Hindu religion. They have special aarti every thrusday for sai baba followed by Langar (Prasad Sevan).

We had our wedding here (originally scheduled May 202, rescheduled to May 2021) and had a wonderful…read moretime. Everyone we interacted with was very professional, helpful, and happy to go above and beyond to make sure everything went smoothly. The temple was very flexible in terms of working with us to set up prior to the wedding. We had a multi-racial wedding and my husband's family and our non-Indian friends were never made to feel uncomfortable at the temple. Rescheduling a wedding can be a mess as you can imagine but Shailja made the process very smooth for us and was one of our easiest vendors to work with. The temple made for an affordable and beautiful location for a wedding; we had a beautiful baraat before the wedding and there are grassy areas around the temple for pictures.

Went there for Diwali on Saturday night. Very nice North Indian Temple. A puja was held, it was…read morewell organized. One of the better temples in the Tri-State area.

The Shiva Mandir is one of the loveliest temple in Elmhurst Queens, walking distance from…read morea few near by bus stops. I came to the Shiva Mandir for a coworker son's wedding and was very impress with the overall decor. Basically the Shiva Mandir has three levels. The first level is where the prayer services, puja, engagement or marriage ceremonies are held. Considering I went to India I am familiar with what to expect in a temple. With that said they have some lovely statues of the Hindu Gods- Shiva, Ganesh, Ram, Vishnu and Krishna. My mother and I were touch by the Hindu Goddess/Mothers - Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga. Usually in a temple, one is expected to sit on the ground during a service. However, I noticed more temples in Queens have chairs for those who are not used to sitting on the ground. Now the basement level is where the food is prepared and they also have benches where they serve only vegetarian food, tea, non alcoholic beverage and delicious sweets. Awesome place to have a Hindu wedding ceremony. Keep it simple in a holy place that's close to the mighty one and your love ones. If in the area, do stop by ring the church bell, take your shoes off, and learn more about the Hindu religion and culture. For females, just be sure to wear a long skirt or dress. Thanks for reading!

No matter what your religion is, you do not have to be afraid of coming to the Shiva Mandir temple…read more The people who attend services are beyond nice and even when I attend a service, other religions are mentioned and it does not matter to them what your religion is. When people walk into the temple, they take off their shoes and turn off their cellphones before going into the main room. There is a bell that can be rung for clarity of the mind (I do it for fun.) Upon walking through the main doors, Hindu believers kneel a bit and touch the ground first and then touch their head all with their hands. They do a similar action when they touch the Gods feet and the holy water. If they are holding a plate of candles and sacrificial fruits, they lift the entire plate up to make a three circular motion paths around each God. The Gods' platform on bright blue ceramic tiles is brightly lit with a beautiful sky and mountainous background. In addition, there might be lighted props, holy objects, or plants nearby and the windows decorated. During the services, I typically see a child or two walk around even though they are not supposed to. The entire room is carpeted dark red and everybody sits on the floor unless the person has difficulty sitting on the floor. In that case, foldable chairs are provided at the back of the room where mostly the elderly or disabled sit. The person who leads the service, called the Pundit, sits in what looks like a bed, but is not. While he speaks mostly English and some Hindi, there is always live music in the background with a band including a harmonium, electric piano, guitar, and drums to name a few. The music is broadcast through microphones and loud speakers and the entire room is brightly lit with many lights. There are also special people who sit up in the front, though I am not familiar as to what their roles are, but one of them is a singer while the other VIPs who wish to do the service sit and do the service. In between speeches, the band and singer(s) segues into a song. Towards the end, people are allowed to make announcements such as birthdays and events happening at the Shiva Mandir. After the end of the service, contributions are given, prays are done to a candle light, and everyone accepts a spot of milk to drink on their palm. Then, after the upbeat music is over, everybody goes down to the basement level to eat what I believe is Trinidad, Indian, and various vegetarian food and snacks prepared with soda or water and provided by volunteers who use a big kitchen and storage room to prepare it. It's like a mini-party every time I go for Thursday services, especially if it's around somebody's birthday. The women dress in beautiful traditional sari clothes while the men either wear traditional clothes or in their semi-formal attire. I even wore a sari myself when I attended Shiva Mandir for the first time. The looks of wonderment and surprise came from some temple goers and even people who live in the block. They loved how I tried to dress in a sari. Everybody is positive and everybody has fun here and now I know why going to the temple is the highlight of my co-worker's life.