When it comes to the most popular Hindu temples of Houston are often found to be a hive of festivity. Although they represent faith and religion, they are also there for anyone to admire all year round.
These temples are often stunning to look at, boasting incredible architecture, monuments, and artwork, along with the chance to worship or witness practices taking place. These often include ceremonies, deities, and hymn singing.
Temples are also a fabulous place to experience cultural activities and educate children on subjects like heritage, music, language, and other cultures.
So whether you’re looking to practice your religion and looking for a new temple, or are simply interested in other cultures and want to broaden your knowledge, I have put together this guide to let you know which Hindu temples are the best ones in Houston.
Where to Find the Best Temples in Houston?
Throughout this guide, I will tell you the whereabouts of some of the best temples in and around Houston.
I will also look at what they offer in terms of activities for the family, what attractions they have regarding artwork and architecture, and what times they practice worship.
So whether you want to find a temple for religious reasons or education, there will be something in this guide that will suit you.
So here we go, my top picks for Houston’s most popular Hindu temples in no particular order.
1. Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
| Location | 1150 Brand Ln, Stafford, TX 77477 |
| Deities | Swaminarayan, Rama-Sita, Radha-Krishna, Ganapati, Shiva-Parvati, Gunatitanand |
| Activities | Gujarati language lessons, hymns, bathing deities, spiritual discourses, heritage classes |
This temple was built in 2004 and is a famous Hindu temple amongst the locals and tourists. The temple is built on the principles of Shilpa Shastras.
It is the most popular Hindu temple Houston has with a large area, and it boasts an open-air temple, wide open grounds, stunning surroundings, a decking area, and a haveli.
Inside the temple, you will see multiple shrines, which house the deities such as Ganapati, Shiva-Parvati, and the central deity, Swaminarayan.
The temple is open seven days a week and offers practices such as bathing the deity, singing hymns, food offerings, and aarti performing, which takes place up to five times per day.
If you’re not there for the religious practices, other activities, such as lessons in the Gujarati language and live performances, are available too.
2. Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple ISSO
| Location | 10080 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77498 |
| Deities | Deity of Suryanarayan, Deity of Ganapati, Deity of Hanuman Dev, Lord Nar Narayan Dev, Almighty Lord Swaminarayan, Lord Laxminarayan, Deity of Shankar Parvati, Lord Harikrishna and Radhakrishna. |
| Activities | Festivals and events, religious camps, medical camps, blood donation, Gurukul |
Shree Swaminarayan Hindu Temple (ISSO) was initially established in the year 2000. It is the fourth temple of the Shri Swaminarayan Sampraday in America.
It is open to guests and practitioners every day of the week and focuses on worshiping the Almighty Lord Swaminarayan, Lord Laxminarayan Dev, and quite a few others.
They’re pretty big on education here, so if you’re looking for somewhere to take the kids for a day of learning and enlightenment, then this one is an excellent place to stop by. They offer several activities and classes, such as Gurukul and religious camps.
They also have the unique benefit of camps such as medical camps and blood donation camps and do a lot to distribute essentials to those in need.
They hold Darshans daily, which are open to anyone who wishes to attend. They also have events all year round, such as Shrimad Bhagwat, Kesar Snaan, and Katha.
3. Gauri Siddhivinayak Temple
| Location | 5645 Hillcroft Ave, #701, Houston, TX 77036 |
| Deities | Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha |
| Activities | Events, wedding ceremonies, Shri Gayatri, Laghu Rudra |
This one is a popular choice for Hindu temples within the city dedicated to the god of wisdom and prosperity, Lord Ganesha, and the goddess who created him, Goddess Gauri.
All over the temples, you can see impressive statues and monuments of the deities, which are worth looking at even if you aren’t there for a religious matter.
They pride themselves on their religious education for children, which they offer in multiple ways, such as social and cultural activities.
They hold ‘aartis’ (worshiping by offering light to deity/ deities) on a daily basis and are also known to put on a great festival, something which takes place at various times throughout the year.
I found this temple to be one of the most chosen for celebrations and ceremonies, especially for occasions such as weddings and Vaastu Shanti.
4. Chinmaya Mission Houston
| Location | 10353 Synott Road, Sugar Land, TX 77498 |
| Deities | Not stated |
| Activities | Language lessons, Sunday Satsang, Houston Junior CHYK Camp, science camps. |
Chinmaya Mission Houston was established in 1982. Its main goal from the beginning was to spread the Hindu message of Vedanta.
This temple has a lot to offer when it comes to educating people on spirituality and scriptures, and the best part is that all of their programs are aimed at adults and children, so anyone can attend.
On Sundays, they hold discourses and Satsangas for adults, where they are invited to participate in prayer, bhajans, and invocations.
There are children’s classes held throughout the week, including games, stories, and arts and crafts, all focusing on teaching about the Hindu culture. They also offer language lessons specializing in Hindi, Telugu, Gujarati, and Marathi. The language lessons are provided for people of all ages and are made fun and entertaining by things like yoga and chanting.
They also have a bookstore open every Sunday where you can purchase educational DVDs, books, and videotapes.
5. Nithyanandeshwara Hindu Temple
| Location | 14140 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77077 |
| Deities | Sri Nithyanandeshwara Linga |
| Activities | Nithya Satsangs, spiritual healing, culture promotion, meditation |
This temple is a relatively new one, being first established in 2017. They offer meditation workshops and specialize in the celebration of faith, enlightenment, and cleansing.
They also have the nine steps known as the Navagraha Kavacha, representing the planets.
They offer daily pujas, which include yantra, tantra, and Vedic mantra. They also provide educational classes aimed at children where they are taught meditation in the forms of games, yoga, and art, and also offer life solution classes.
6. Sri Meenakshi Temple
| Location | 17130 McLean Rd, Pearland, TX 77584 |
| Deities | Sri Rama, Lakshman, Ayappa Swamy, Durga. Parvati, Lord Shiva, Ganesh, Sita |
| Activities | Festivals, photo opportunities, canteen, private poojas |
I would probably say that this temple is the most authentic in terms of likeness to the ones you would find in India. It has a marble structure, impressive carvings throughout, and super high ceilings, and it’s set within a vast piece of land.
When you first enter the temple, you are required to remove your shoes. Once inside, you will come across plenty of great photo opportunities, and photography is allowed in this temple.
Private Poojas are available to be held by appointment, and the same can be done with the priests at the temple, one again with an appointment in place.
They host a variety of festivals each year, like Saraswathi Puja, Navarathri, Ganesh Chaturthi, and Aadi Sukravara Puji.
Another attraction is that they have an on-site canteen, which is always a hit with visitors. They sell traditional Indian dishes like curd rice, dosa, sambar rice, and idli.
7. Hare Krishna Temple and Cultural Center
| Location | 1320 W 34th St, Houston, TX 77018 |
| Deities | Sri Sri Gaura Nitai, Sri Sri Radha Giridhari, Sri Sri Radha Nilamadhava |
| Activities | Motel Gita Program, Food for Life, Sunday School, Sunday Love Feast, Vedic Education, Mangala Arti, Book Distribution |
This cultural center and temple were established way back in 1972 and are dedicated to Lord Krishna. They have, however, introduced more deities over the years, including Sri Sri Chaitanya Chandra, Sri Sri Radha Nila-Madhava, and Sri Sri Nitai Chandra.
One of the things that makes this temple such a popular one is the immense amount of Greenland surrounding it. There are some gorgeous gardens and multiple temple buildings of various sizes and ages.
They offer many services in terms of worship which take place throughout the week, and there are usually scheduled times for darshan.
Quite often, cultural events are held in the Gauranga Hall, which sometimes include live music and dances.
There is a vegetarian restaurant on site open daily, as well as a gift shop where you can purchase items such as scriptures, incense sticks, and chanting beads.
There is also an academy that concentrates on educating children about spiritual subjects.
8. Shri Radha Krishna Temple
| Activities | 1625 Beechnut St, Houston, TX 77072 |
| Deities | Lord Krishna, Lord Hanuman, Lord Rama |
| Location | Weddings, priest service, Mundan, feasts |
This popular Hindu temple is a go-to spot for worship and admiration from tourists and locals. It prides itself on being a clean space and feels almost clinical when you enter but still welcoming.
Every day they hold organized sets of pujas and different rituals, including offering food to deities, bhog, aarti, and darshan. These are usually held twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evenings. They give the deities time to rest in the middle of the day.
Prayers to Lord Hanuman take place on Tuesday and Saturday, where they worship by reciting the Hanuman Chalisa.
They also offer services such as Marriage engagement, Mundan, Namkaran and priest services, and loads more, and not all of these have to be performed at the temple; in some cases, you can have the priest perform them at your own home.
Summary
So, whatever your reasoning may be for wanting to find the best Hindu temples in Houston, I hope that this guide has covered everything so that you can find the perfect temple to visit.
If you thought this guide was helpful and you want to learn more about things you can do in Houston, then you should definitely have a look at 7 Best Country Clubs in Houston or 8 Amazing Dog Parks in Houston.