In less than ten miles to the north of Tampa International Airport, on an ordinary side road overlooking flat land and sumptuous greenery, over treetops, there is an unusual building. A Hindu temple in a western landscape surprises every person coming to a city for the first time. 

The temple in Florida is open. It was built to meet the needs of a growing Indian community.

The construction was completed in 1996. The building has an unusual pyramidal structure. The entrance tower leads to the outer stairs at the top. Believers use it to come to the rooftop courtyard and Puja area. Here, the services take place. After the construction was completed, the process of “Indianization” of the building began. Architects added national decorations to the ornate details.

The Snow White lace of the walls seems to soar in the air. Sunrays try to enter openings, making the building glow from the inside. Silent guards, heroes of national legends are waiting in the doorway. Dark sculptures contrast with the entire building. If you look attentively, you can see miniature golden figures of Indian gods and characters of myths. They are hidden in small deepening in all five towers. The patios are equipped with benches. You can use them to relax in the shadow after a service or a walk.

The Florida Hindu Temple organizes weddings, birthdays, and various public and private events. Priests conduct services mainly in Sanskrit. Following the non-canonical origin of Hinduism, the oldest religion in the world, the temple has no prescribed time for worship, required donations, or rules. You only need to come in modest clothes and take off your shoes before climbing the steps.