BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills is truly an architectural gem. Built from thousands of…read moreindividual pieces of imported Italian marble and Indian pink sandstone, each intricately hand-carved by more than a thousand artisans, the level of craftsmanship is remarkable. From the pillars and domes to the smallest decorative details, there is something beautiful to notice everywhere. The spacious grounds and lotus-shaped reflection pond add to the peaceful and uplifting atmosphere. More importantly, this is an active place of worship that offers a quiet space for prayer and reflection. Visitors should remove their shoes where required and respectfully follow the guidelines regarding silence and photography. The entire complex is exceptionally clean and well maintained. The staff and volunteers are courteous, welcoming and always available to answer questions about the Mandir, Hindu traditions or visitor etiquette. Shayona is also worth visiting before leaving. It offers vegetarian meals along with a huge collection of Indian sweets, dry snacks, namkeen and other packaged foods. The food is great quality, and the service is consistently friendly and efficient. A beautiful place to experience faith, Indian culture, extraordinary craftsmanship and community in Southern California.

Came here for the America 250 Years Celebration…read more Plenty of parking next to the temple. Had a great time here. The light show was fantastic! The music that accompanied the show was awesome. Very upbeat. It matched the light show perfectly! Had a blast watching the lights and music blended well together. It was a very fun experience. Glad we were able to be here and enjoyed the America 250 Years Celebration. Check out some of the videos I have posted. Make sure you have the sound on. Enjoy!

Temple Review: Unfair Treatment and Favoritism by Volunteer (Komal/Reeta)…read moreI am writing this review today because my friends and I finally found out the name of the woman responsible for pushing us away from this temple: Komal (also known as Reeta). For a long time, many of my South Indian friends and I faced continuous issues with her, but because we didn't know her name, we couldn't properly address it in a review until now. Unfortunately, this was not a one-time misunderstanding. This happened to us an uncountable number of times. Here are the main reasons why we, along with many other South Indian families, have completely stopped attending this temple: Targeted and Rude Comments: Komal/Reeta is usually the main person distributing the prasad. She consistently targets South Indian devotees with unwelcoming comments, telling us things like, "You need to volunteer and not just come here for the prasad. These insulting remarks are selectively directed at us while others are welcomed warmly. Favoritism During Kanjak Puja: During Kanjak Puja, she deliberately hoards and distributes the gift bags to her own relatives and circle, completely ignoring the children's ages. However, the moment our kids line up, she suddenly claims that the bags are "finished." It is heartbreaking to see children discriminated against in a place of worship. Gatekeeping the Temple: Multiple devotees have noted that she treats the temple like a private club, making it clear she only wants her specific circle to be there. Enabling a Hostile Environment: Her friends and family members have now started mimicking her toxic behavior. Because her inner circle behaves the exact same way, the temple environment has become incredibly toxic and unwelcoming.

Went to a satyr Narayan puja today when pandit came from this temple to perform at 7am. This pujari…read morewas good and did a good job but we wish he had mingled with the people after the puja so people felt left out. This is just a constructive feedback. Thank you.

Good temple Well maintained…read more Super convenient location - Brea downtown. Serene atmosphere, very peaceful and quiet

First time and love it. Love their foods inside the cafeteria. They also have a nice grocery store…read moretoo.

Jai Ma! Visiting the…read moreKali Mandir in Laguna Beach was such a beautiful and divine experience. I'm so grateful they allowed me to play the Veena as an offering to Ma Kali. It was truly special to perform Mahishasura Mardini Stotram in such a sacred space..it felt like a blessing straight from the heart. The temple has such a peaceful and positive vibe, and everyone there was so welcoming and kind. I felt deeply connected, and it's an experience I'll always cherish. If you're looking for a place to feel calm, connected, and close to the Divine, this is the place. Jai Ma!

Gratitude for this place and the people who are managing. Must visit for spiritual seekers. Jai…read moremaaa !!!

This is a wonderful, cultural, religiously, educational opportunity. They also do a vegan feast I…read morebelieve once a week with dancing, etc. We attended, I believe the - fire dance and I'm sure it's not called that! So if you're visiting the city of Laguna Beach, you may want to check this out.

So peaceful and calm. Felt the blessings. Had prasad and left after Darshan. It is close to beach…read moreand shopping area. But parking is problem. Need to park on curbside.

We used All World Gayatri Pariwar priest for our son's wedding recently. The priest was actually…read morePriestess Mrs. Rishma Bhatt. She did the great job performing the Hindu ceremony. Her explanation of all the Hindu Vedic Ceremony rituals in English was wonderful and easy to understand. All our non Indian guests were amazed by her explanation in English. She kept all our wedding guests engaged and captivated throughout the entire ceremony. The entire ceremony in Hindi with the Sanskrit Slokas and then translated in English was perfect, clear, straightforward and comprehensible. She did not waste any time and she was completely thorough and quick. We would highly recommend her for any Hindu rituals and ceremonies.

The trustee told us that we need to Darshan from outside because we are in wheelchairread more

First time visiting this gorgeous Vedanta monastery . Beautiful grounds; meditation room that just…read morefeels so good to get quiet in; library and meeting room where Gerald Heard, Aldous Huxley, Huston Smiths , and other modern seekers sat and talked and thought and tripped and wrote. Lovely little gift shop where you can get their honey from hives on campus; I bought myself a little Tibetan Tingsha bells (they look like tiny thick cymbals connected with a leather thong). I will return to hike the shrine trail for walking meditation

Listen up! Do you want to know where to buy the most delicious honey ?…read more The Ramakrishna Monastery has their own bee hives, clover, and wildflower honey! It is the most delicious honey that I've ever found! I get the wildflower with the honeycomb inside, and by extra bottles to give as gifts. They sell the honey in their store, and the proceeds help support the monastery. Today, while purchasing honey, we had a Swami teach us about "Chaitanya". We learned that Sanskrit means "consciousness," "awareness," or "life force." It can also mean "energy," "enthusiasm," or "intelligence". It was a beautiful ride down living Oak Canyon road. There is a beautiful hiking trail in this area as well. Feeling very fortunate that we have so much stuff to do, and learn about here in Orange County!