Ganesha Hindu Temple of Utah

Ganesh Temple Salt Lake City

Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple in Salt Lake City, is a place to worship, conduct religious activities and pursue Hindu ideals, traditions and culture.

Ganesh  Temple Vision and Mission

To establish and build A Hindu Temple in Utah to worship, conduct religious activities and pursue Hindu ideals of tradition and culture.

To consecrate, in addition to Lord Ganesha as the main sanctum, all important deities of the Hindu pantheon and conduct regular Puja services as per Hindu tradition.

To organize and share religious, cultural, philosophical, yogic, educational and other aspects of all denominations of Hindu religion and tradition on a continuous ongoing basis for all years to come. 

The Temple hours:

Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Saturday & Sunday: 8:30 am to 9:00 pm

How To Reach : Even though temple is located in South Jordan, the Ganesh temple is about 10 minutes drive from the main interstate I-15 in Salt Lake City.

Ganesh Temple of Salt Lake City, 1142 W South Jordan Pkwy, South Jordan, Utah

SV Temple of Colorado

Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple of Colorado 

Sri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple build with the back drop of majestic rocky mountains in Castle Rock, Colorado as per Agama & Vasthu shastras. It provides Hindu religious services as per Vedic traditions, and to fulfill the cultural and spiritual needs of devotees by promoting Classical music, dance, art, scriptures and meditation.

The SV Temple has the vision to benefit the future generations with Hindu culture and traditions to be responsible and ethical citizens in promoting world peace and brotherhood.

SV Temple of Colorado is located in 8 acres land nestled in the quaint location with Pikes Peak as the background. The size of the land also provides great opportunity to expand in the future and build separate temples for other deities.

Temple Timings

Weekdays : 09:00AM to 12:00PM  and 06:00PM to 08:30PM

Weekends/Holidays : 09:00AM to 08:30PM

Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple (SVTC) site is located in Castle Rock. The temple can be reached by taking Founder Park Exit (Factory Outlet Malls) and going east for about 5 miles. It is within 15 minutes drive from Denver Tech Center, DTC area.

Address : SV Temple of Colorado, 1495 S Ridge Rd, Castle Rock, CO 80104.

Hindu Temple of Colorado

Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of the Rockies      

Hindu Temple and Cultural Center, is  the hub of Hindu religious and cultural activities in the Rocky Mountain Region, and also it provides a forum for religious worship and celebrations, and for cultural, religious and spiritual development activities based on Hindu / Vedic / Sanatana – Dharma traditions.

Temple Structure : 


The new 4.25 acre temple is located on a hill with a 360 degree view of the mountains and the plains. The main floor has a prayer hall with seven shrines: Shiva Parvati, Durga, Venkateshwara (Vishnu), Laxmi Narayan (Visnu), Rama & Sita, Radha & Krishna, and Saraswati. The deities were carved in marble at Jaipur, India, except for the Venkateswara granite image was carved at Tirupati. In the front granite Shiva-Linga with Nandi and an image of Ganesha. The shrines are surrounded by a parikrama. On the other side of the hall, there are smaller shrines for Hanumana, Jagannath (with Balram and Subhadra), Ayappa, and Subramanya (Kartikeya) with Devyani and Valli.

Major Milestones to know about this temple:

1984    – Hindu Society of Colorado is incorporated. Community members meet for religious discourses at their residences on sporadic basis. For a brief period, a house in Aurora is rented where several deities are installed and worshiped by community members.

1995    – Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of the Rockies (HTCC) is incorporated and Hindu Society is merged into HTCC.

1996    – HTCC buys a small old church building on South Wadsworth Blvd in Littleton an remodels it to house the Temple. Community members raise funds to pay in cash. Publication of Mandir Vani, news letter, begins.

1998    – HTCC recruits a full-time highly qualified and experienced Chief Priest (Acharya Kailash C. Upadhyay ) from Canada and installs all major deities. Temple is opened every evening and 5 mornings each week, with sponsored poojas and Prasad lunch on Sundays. HTCC buys the adjacent vacant lot.

1999    – A web site (www.hindutempleofcolorado.org) is established and e-mail broadcasts are used in addition to Mandir Vani, to keep the community informed of activities at the Temple.

2001    – HTCC starts Bal Manidr program for children and Yoga classes for adults.

2002    – HTCC buys the third adjacent vacant lot and considers building a new Temple at the site but decides against it due to small total land size (less than 1 acre).

2003    – After obtaining Special Use Zoning Permit from Jefferson County, a major inside remodeling is undertaken to increase the seating capacity upstairs, and improve food preparation and distribution downstairs.

2004   – Outside improvements (parking lot, sidewalk, landscaping, and fences ) re completed.

2005    – New Temple Committee (comprising of Several Trustees and Community Members) is formed to expedite the purchase of land and construction of s new, larger and better Temple.

2006   – HTCC celebrates 10 years of continuous operation of the current temple. A highly-qualified South Indian Assistant Priest (N. D. Raghavendra) is recruited from India to expand the temple operation hours and service to the community. HTCC sells the third lot and signs a contract for purchase of 4.25 acres of land for a new Temple.

2007    – HTCC purchased the new land at 7200 South Potomac Street, Centennial, Colorado on January 30, 2007 at a price of $500,000, which was raised with the community support. The Bhoomi Puja, veneration and sanctification of the land (Earth/Bhoomi) was performed in a grand scale on June 23, 2007.

HTTC Temple has the following idols to worship:

Sri Ganesha

Sri Shiva and Parvati

Sri Venkateswara (Sri Maha Vishnu)

Sri Rama and Sita

Sri Krishna and Radha

Sri Durga

Sri Hanuman

Address: Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of the Rockies, 7201 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112. 
The temple is located around 30 minutes drive from Denver down town area.

Memphis Hindu Temple

India Cultural Center and Temple Memphis 

Sri Venkateswara Temple is located in Eads , suburb of Memphis, TN, USA. It is one of the traditional Hindu Temple built in Tennessee state in the United States. 

The India Cultural Center and Temple, Inc organization will have the religious purpose of serving as a place of worship to the devotees as well as a place to promote and celebrate the Indian culture, through its cultural wing. The organization will provide a place for all, regardless of the ethnicity and background to practice and learn about Indian culture, traditions and values.

On Vijaya Dasami day in 1985, the land was consecrated with a Bhoomi pooja done by a priest from Sri Venkateswara Temple in Pittsburg. The first religious ceremony -Sri Sita-Rama Kalyanam- was organized by the members of Telugu Association in April 1986.

On November 2, 1992, Mr. Varadaraja Bhattar of Sri Venkateswara Temple, Pittsburg performed the ground- breaking ceremony. There was a heavy down pour of rain throughout the day, as though the Gods were blessing the event from heavens. Actual construction was started on June 27, 1993 and the buildings were completed in May 1994. 

The temple has the master plans for the project envisions a meditation garden, an Arch, a Pushkarini, a Community Center and a Performing Arts Center in the 3rd phase of development. Two additional acres of land were acquired to accommodate these ambitious plans.

Temple has 9 shrines in its complex. The main shrine of our temple is Lord Venkateshwara along with his consorts Sridevi, Bhudevi & Dwara-Palakas ( Jaya & Vijaya). The temple consists of both Vaishnavite ( i.e. people who worship Lord Vishnu ) and Shaivite ( i.e. people who worship Lord Siva) deities. 

Temple Deities :

Sri Venkateswara

Sridevi and Sri Bhudevi

Sri Rama Parivar

Radha Krishna

Sri Chandramouliswara

Sri Parvathi Devi

Sri Ganesha

Valli, Devasena Sahita Sri Subrahmanyeswara

Address : Memphis Hindu Temple, India Cultural Center and Temple, 12005 Highway 64, Eads, TN 38028.

Idaho Oregon Buddhist Temple

Idaho - Oregon Buddhist Temple 

The Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple facility was formally dedicated on April 13, 1947, however, the temple got its start long before the foundation was poured or the walls were formed.

During World War II, many Treasure Valley farm families lacked workers, with many laborers gone into military service or working in war related jobs. Some Japanese-Americans came to the Treasure Valley to work on farms when laborers were few. By May, 1942, Japanese-Americans who resided on the Pacific Coast from Washington to California were sent via railcar to the detention camps. About that time, Treasure Valley farmers issued an appeal for farm laborers to come to the area. Japanese-Americans in the detention camps were given the option of going to work on farms and coming to the Ontario area. Following the end of the war, some Japanese-Americans returned to their formal coastal homes, but found conditions less than pleasant and came back to the Treasure Valley where they were building their niche in the community. It wasn't long until Ontario became a center of Japanese culture.

Many of the first generation Japanese-Americans, or "Issei," were active Buddhists and decided to form a local congregation. Japanese-Americans who resided in the area prior to the war constructed a community hall in the late 1930's for their young people to have a place to participate in athletics and social activities as well as provide the Buddhist congregation with a gathering place.

By 1946 a planning committee was established, and with help from Reverend Tesshin Shibata, a budget was prepared. Reverend Shibata had previously served as the minister at the White River Buddhist Temple in Auburn, Washington, prior to the war. A plot of land about six miles southwest of Ontario, near today's golf course, was acquired and construction began by late 1946 to build a residence for the Shibata family and a temporary place for temple services.

The facility was dedicated on April 13, 1947, and the Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple was officially added to the list of the Association of Buddhist Churches of America. A membership drive was launched, with members coming in from Boise, Nampa, Caldwell, Emmett, Weiser, Payette, New Plymouth, Fruitland, Vale, Nyssa, Ontario and the Oregon Slope. 

As membership increased, a need for larger quarters arose. In 1949, the Issei met with the "Nisei", second generation Japanese-Americans, and discussed plans of enlarging the Buddhist Temple. They reached the decision to build closer to town and land was purchased on the East side of Ontario where, at that time, a majority of the Japanese businesses and homes were located. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in January, 1952, with the dedication of the new temple taking place in February, 1959.

Members from Eastern Oregon and Southwestern Idaho continue to be served today by the temple. Our temple is part of the Jodo Shinshu Nishi Hongwanji tradition of Buddhism. The proper name for our sect of Buddhism is the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanjiha. Jodo Shinshu Buddhism was founded in Japan over 700 years ago. Our founder was Shinran Shonin (1173-1262). We are headquartered in Kyoto, Japan at the Nishi Hongwanji. Our mother temple in Kyoto provides leadership worldwide for the tradition. The Idaho-Oregon Buddhist Temple is a member of the Buddhist Churches of America and part of their Northwest District. We are located in Ontario, Oregon. Community members look forward each year to the Obon Festival, Bazaar and other annual events.

Address: Idaho Oregon Buddha Temple,  286 SE 4th Ave, Ontario, OR 97914.

Martha Falls Trail in Little River Canyon

Martha's Falls Trail in Little River Canyon National Preserve

Martha's Falls, formerly Little Falls is a popular swimming area at Little River Canyon National Preserve. Little River Canyon National Preserve is a United States National Preserve located on top of Lookout Mountain near Fort Payne, Alabama, and DeSoto State.

The Martha’s Falls Trail starts at the back of the Little River Falls parking lot. If you are on the Little River Falls Overlook boardwalk and viewing the falls, when hiking back, take the gap in the fence and proceed down the trail to the right. 

Length: 1.5 miles round trip

Type of Hike: Out and back

Time: 1 hour, not counting stopping at the falls to swim or relax on the riverbank

Difficulty:  Easy to Moderate with a steep downhill / uphill climb over rocks, serious injury possible

Points of Interest: Little River Falls (at trailhead) and; Martha's Falls is a popular swimming spot. 

Most of the trail is flat, but often very rocky, making it difficult to breeze along. In addition, it often appears to peter out, which may lead to moments of backtracking to make sure you didn’t miss anything. This is most problematic when the trail turns nearly to all rock, making it harder to follow the path as compared to when it is cut through the dirt. As a rule of thumb, as long as you are hiking along the river (far below), you are on the Martha’s Falls Trail . Parking is available off Highway 35, near Road 861.

Address: Little River Canyon National Preserve, 4322 Little River Trail NE #100, Fort Payne, AL 35967

Wilson Trail Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary

Cornell Lab of Ornithology Sapsucker Woods - Wilson Trail

Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary  is located in the beautiful 220-acre inside the Cornell Lab Area, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a world leader in the conservation, appreciation, and study of birds. It is also a popular tourist site with a number of attractions and activities. 

Hike wooded trails, learn about rare and endangered birds and watch fascinating movies in the observatory. A sanctuary for learning and discovery, this popular Ithaca attraction is a one-of-a-kind haven for nature enthusiasts.

Founded in 1915, the Cornell Lab is a nonprofit organization supported by 100,000 friends and members. Our vibrant community includes 400,000 citizen-science participants from all walks of life and 14 million bird enthusiasts of all ages who connect with us online at All About Birds.

Admission is:             Free

Activity Type: Bird Watching

Nearby City:   Ithica

Length:           0.75

Trail Type:      Loop/Lollipop

Skill Level:     Easy

Best Times:    Best Spring through Fall

If you know anything about birds, you've most likely heard about the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Its reputation is world-renowned. We're fortunate to have it in our region of New York State. Its research facilities and on-going programs involving the public have a dramatic impact on helping birds.

A few of these programs are:

Project Feeder Watch—People monitor their backyard feeders and provide information on bird visits to the lab.

The House Finch Disease Survey—People monitor the house finch and other birds for an eye disease and give relevant data to the lab.

This is often done in conjunction with Project Feeder Watch.

The Birdhouse Network—This is a monitoring program for bird nest boxes, such as those on bluebird trails.

Birds Likely Seen: Ducks, geese, finches, robins, warblers, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, titmice, vireos and thrushes.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. Ithaca, NY 14850

Hours - Visitor Center open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily (Trails in Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary are open daily, dawn to dusk)