• Home

The Complete Pilgrim - Religious Travel Sites

Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

  • AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SITES
  • CHRISTIAN SITES
  • JEWISH SITES
  • CATHOLIC SITES
  • INDIAN/HINDU SITES
  • HOLIDAY SITES
  • CASTLES
  • BATTLEFIELDS
  • MOUNTAINS
  • NATURE
  • WILDLIFE SITES
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
  • ARCHIVES
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MALIBU HINDU TEMPLE

April 12, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Calabasas, California

Malibu Hindu 8The Malibu Hindu Temple in California was one of the earliest major Hindu temples on the West Coast, and is arguably the most beautiful in the United States.  It is also considered to be one of the finest examples of traditional Indian religious architecture in America.  Since its consecration this magnificent temple has been a magnet in California for those seeking an alterative to traditional American Christianity but still mainstream from an international perspective.

History

Soon after the expansion of immigration policy in the 1960s, immigrants from India began arriving on the West Coast.  Not surprisingly, many found their way to California, which already had a worldwide reputation for progressiveness and was at the time one of the more welcoming regions for Hindus.

Malibu Hindu 6Hinduism thrived in California, thanks in part to the counter-culture movement that was then sweeping the United States.  This movement was particularly strong in California, where young people were looking to embrace new theological ideas and philosophies.  Here Hinduism enjoyed the benefits of being a major religion while at the same time being alternative, both of which gave it credibility in California.

By the late 1970s, the Hindu population of Southern California was large and included both Indian immigrants as well as many American-born adherents, and it was decided that a new temple was needed to serve the community.  A site was chosen in the wealthy Los Angeles suburb of Malibu.

Malibu Hindu 9In 1981, the Malibu Hindu Temple was completed.  Thanks to generous donations from local wealthy Hindus, many of whom were part of the fil industry, the temple was built in lavish form and scale, and was one of the most beautiful religious centers opened in the 1980s.  Since its completion, it has hosted many celebrities, many of whom are adherents, and has occasionally been used as a filming location.

Visiting

 The Malibu Hindu Temple is a stunning complex of white brick and marble buildings.  It is considered to be one of the finest examples of Hindu architecture anywhere outside of the Asian subcontinent.  Surrounded on several sides by open space, the temple stands out against the lush tree-dotted hills.  The most striking features are the pyramid-like towers covered with carved images from Indian mythology.

Malibu Hindu 12The large complex is divided into two sections: the upper temple and lower temple, where the Hindu Lords Venkateswara and Shiva are venerated respectively.  There are also facilities, both indoors and outdoors, for those seeking quiet and meditation.

The Malibu Hindu Temple is set among the scenic Santa Monica Mountains, approximately ten miles northeast of Malibu and thirty miles west of Los Angeles.  It is open weekdays from 9:00am-7:00pm (closed midday 12:30pm-5:00pm; longer hours in summer) and weekends from 8:00am-7:00pm.  There is no cost of admission.  Web: http://malibuhindutemple.org (official website).

Other Sites

Malibu Hindu 10Over the last few decades, Hinduism has spread throughout Southern California, and there are now a number of local temples that serve the community.  Probably the next best known one is the Valley Hindu Temple in nearby Los Angeles.  Interestingly, the largest Hindu temple complex in the United States is the Radha Madhav Dham in Austin, Texas.

Filed Under: Asian, Hindu Tagged With: US-California

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

Follow us!

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

Return to top of page
Copyright © 2025 The Complete Pilgrim, LLC || Marietta, GA 30068 || Legal Disclaimers

Website by: Kristina McInerny, Notes From Kris, Inc.