The Shiva Mandir is one of the loveliest temple in Elmhurst Queens, walking distance from…read morea few near by bus stops. I came to the Shiva Mandir for a coworker son's wedding and was very impress with the overall decor. Basically the Shiva Mandir has three levels. The first level is where the prayer services, puja, engagement or marriage ceremonies are held. Considering I went to India I am familiar with what to expect in a temple. With that said they have some lovely statues of the Hindu Gods- Shiva, Ganesh, Ram, Vishnu and Krishna. My mother and I were touch by the Hindu Goddess/Mothers - Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga. Usually in a temple, one is expected to sit on the ground during a service. However, I noticed more temples in Queens have chairs for those who are not used to sitting on the ground. Now the basement level is where the food is prepared and they also have benches where they serve only vegetarian food, tea, non alcoholic beverage and delicious sweets. Awesome place to have a Hindu wedding ceremony. Keep it simple in a holy place that's close to the mighty one and your love ones. If in the area, do stop by ring the church bell, take your shoes off, and learn more about the Hindu religion and culture. For females, just be sure to wear a long skirt or dress. Thanks for reading!

No matter what your religion is, you do not have to be afraid of coming to the Shiva Mandir temple…read more The people who attend services are beyond nice and even when I attend a service, other religions are mentioned and it does not matter to them what your religion is. When people walk into the temple, they take off their shoes and turn off their cellphones before going into the main room. There is a bell that can be rung for clarity of the mind (I do it for fun.) Upon walking through the main doors, Hindu believers kneel a bit and touch the ground first and then touch their head all with their hands. They do a similar action when they touch the Gods feet and the holy water. If they are holding a plate of candles and sacrificial fruits, they lift the entire plate up to make a three circular motion paths around each God. The Gods' platform on bright blue ceramic tiles is brightly lit with a beautiful sky and mountainous background. In addition, there might be lighted props, holy objects, or plants nearby and the windows decorated. During the services, I typically see a child or two walk around even though they are not supposed to. The entire room is carpeted dark red and everybody sits on the floor unless the person has difficulty sitting on the floor. In that case, foldable chairs are provided at the back of the room where mostly the elderly or disabled sit. The person who leads the service, called the Pundit, sits in what looks like a bed, but is not. While he speaks mostly English and some Hindi, there is always live music in the background with a band including a harmonium, electric piano, guitar, and drums to name a few. The music is broadcast through microphones and loud speakers and the entire room is brightly lit with many lights. There are also special people who sit up in the front, though I am not familiar as to what their roles are, but one of them is a singer while the other VIPs who wish to do the service sit and do the service. In between speeches, the band and singer(s) segues into a song. Towards the end, people are allowed to make announcements such as birthdays and events happening at the Shiva Mandir. After the end of the service, contributions are given, prays are done to a candle light, and everyone accepts a spot of milk to drink on their palm. Then, after the upbeat music is over, everybody goes down to the basement level to eat what I believe is Trinidad, Indian, and various vegetarian food and snacks prepared with soda or water and provided by volunteers who use a big kitchen and storage room to prepare it. It's like a mini-party every time I go for Thursday services, especially if it's around somebody's birthday. The women dress in beautiful traditional sari clothes while the men either wear traditional clothes or in their semi-formal attire. I even wore a sari myself when I attended Shiva Mandir for the first time. The looks of wonderment and surprise came from some temple goers and even people who live in the block. They loved how I tried to dress in a sari. Everybody is positive and everybody has fun here and now I know why going to the temple is the highlight of my co-worker's life.

Dr Rakesh Kumar is amazing. He gives advice that is frank and relevant and his link to providing…read moreAyurvedic homeopathic natural medicine is highly recommended for any and all ailments. I have been following him for few years and will continue to do so.

ve been going to this center since 8years ago and I am amazed by the accuracy of the readings and…read morethe peaceful ambience. The details are mind blowing ! IDr Kumar told me yers ago than in my mid 50 ' I will develop a blood disorder but not to worry to much about it and right after I turned 55 it happened... I have referred a lot of friends and they all got their questions answered and also very helpful advises and guidance! I'm just speeches and thankful!

Nice temple. Swamiji gives good pravachan. People worship there and celebrate Indian festivals.read more

I was not aware of this beautiful temple in queens. We were here for Durga puja and saw the Geeta…read moreashram board. from the outside, it does not give a vibe of a temple, and it's just a board. but go inside and feel the vibe. it's HUGE... ignore outside, and enter - you will see beautiful Shivling with a backdrop of 100s small shivlings (i don't know the count). it's amazing. the temple has all the Hindu deities and it's serene. they have also replicated the Vaishno Devi cave. God Shiva, Hanuman, Ram-Janki, Krishna Ji, Vishnu, Durga Ji - one can not miss this temple when around. all the Sati rupa (52) murti are there along with 9 grah. I was finding deities at all corners. hope this review and pics encourage someone to go and visit this temple.

He's a gentleman and does what he says he can do very very nice man he's helped tremendously…read moreThankyou

I won't lie at first I was a little intimidated but a friendly reception went a long way to ease my…read morenerves. The humble exterior of the temple hides intricate wood cravings. And statues beautifully adorned. Added to the sense of peace one feels within. I left feeling centered. And wold definitely go back.

Geeta Mandir is a wonderful place to go for Pooja. They keep it very clean and have Aarti on time…read moreeveryday. All of the Pandits including Guru Mukesh ji are very nice and polite with all the attendees.

Beautiful Temple…read more.. We were there for Durga Pujo. To be honest, every temple in NJ was charging $40-80 for visit. And we find this temple in queens where nothing like this happens. Though we did donation part. Coming to temple, it is a small but beautiful temple. We went there continuously 2 years for Durga Pujo. Hall is big enough to accompany 100 people. Durga idol is very beautiful. They also perform Kali puja in Diwali. The only problem is you won't find parking over there. Just 2 blocks away, there is a gas station. You can park over there for $10

Festive air of acceptance...if you can find parking nearby! Everyone was in such a good mood-for…read morethemselves & for us too!

If my memory serves me correctly, this is the location of my favorite Hindu temple in Queens…read more I discovered this place through a recommendation. Seven years ago, I had a conversation with a Indian woman about Durga. She suggested that I should try this place. The minute I walked in, I fell in love. I will be totally honest here; haven't visited this space in a while because basically, I moved. I'm kinda partial to this place, because it was the first Hindu temple I've ever visited. Even attended a Puja here once. Despite the fact that I wasn't Indian, I still felt welcomed by everyone. Some of the women even taught me a few traditional dances.

Very intriguing temple in an industrial neighborhood. The mandir is very large with beautiful…read moremurtis. You can easily get lost in the Game of Thrones looking alcoves, however the xmas decorations on the ceiling spoil the look in the main hall. The holy man was very welcoming and offered a blessing despite being a complete stranger. There is a small, dusty 40x40 room that can be used for private events ~$150/hr.