A Street in Flushing, N.Y., to Be Co-named to Honor First Hindu Temple in the U.S.

A block of Bowne Street, between Holly Avenue and 45th Avenue in Flushing, New York, which houses the Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam or the Ganesh Temple, will be co-named Ganesh Temple Street. 

The news was announced on the Facebook page of the Hindu Temple Society of North America, which runs the temple. According to the post, the co-naming was approved on Dec. 14 by a committee, chaired by councilman Mr. Peter A. Koo, under the New York City Council. “The temple will soon announce the official installation day of the street nameplate once it is added in the official Map of New York City,” the post said.

Confirming the news to American Kahani, Ravi Vaidyanaat Vidyacharya, who works in the temple office said the official date for the co-naming will take place once the new officials take office. He said that although street names almost always recognize an individual, the city council made an exception for the temple to recognize it with a sweet name, as it’s the “first Hindu temple in the continent.” 

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Built on Bowne Street on land bought from the Russian Orthodox Church, the temple was established in 1970, for the rapidly increasing Hindu immigrant population of New York. Built in the South Indian style, by skilled craftsmen and temple builders from India, the idol images are carved from granite imported from India as well. The temple itself is a thriving place of worship and a popular community center. The temple and its related buildings take up most of a city block. The temple is run by the Hindu Temple Society of North America, a non-profit religious institution incorporated on Jan. 26, 1970, under the laws of the State of New York.