Malibu Hindu Temple
మాలిబు శ్రీ వేంకటేశ్వర ఆలయం
Venkateswara temple · Calabasas (Malibu Canyon area), Los Angeles County, California, United States
Malibu Hindu Temple is a South Indian-style Hindu temple dedicated to Venkateswara (Balaji), a form of Vishnu, at 1600 Las Virgenes Canyon Road in Calabasas, California, in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu. It is run by the Hindu Temple Society of Southern California, which was formed in 1977 to raise funds for it. The main deity was consecrated on 13 May 1984, and the complex also has a separate Shiva temple.
The Los Angeles Times wrote in 1985 that the temple was the largest built by Indian immigrants anywhere in the United States, and in 1988 called it the largest Hindu shrine of its architectural style in the Western Hemisphere. Built in the Chola tradition of South Indian temple architecture, it is one of the oldest traditional Hindu temples in the western US.
Faith & Tradition
Religious Significance of Malibu Hindu Temple
Venkateswara is the deity of the great hill shrine at Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh. In 1985 a temple manager told the Los Angeles Times that the society chose Venkateswara because he is worshipped across India by people of every region and social class. He also said the canyon site was picked partly because its surrounding hills recall the seven hills of Tirupati.
Besides Venkateswara, the temple honours Shiva, Mahalakshmi, Andal, Ganesha, Subrahmanya and the Navagrahas, all of whom have regular abhishekams on the temple's schedule. Southern California Hindus use it for daily worship, weddings, Satyanarayana pujas and festivals, and early press coverage stressed its role in passing Hindu culture on to children born in America.
Heritage
History of Malibu Hindu Temple
The Hindu Temple Society of Southern California was formed in 1977. According to the Los Angeles Times, the society scouted sites in the Hollywood Hills, San Dimas, Diamond Bar and Walnut before settling on a 4.5-acre canyon property off Las Virgenes Canyon Road. The temple gives 1981 as its founding year, and construction of the temple itself began in early 1982.
Daily worship began after the main deity, Venkateswara, was consecrated on 13 May 1984. Construction continued around it: in October 1985 the Times reported the installation of marble images of Radha and Krishna in a side shrine. The project was financed largely through a State Bank of India loan guaranteed by about 30 member families, together with community donations.
By March 1988 the Times described the temple as nearly complete. It said the temple had been consecrated the previous October, when its 52-foot entrance tower was dedicated. The complex then covered about 13,000 square feet with nine domed towers over the deities, and had cost more than $3 million. South Indian silpis (temple craftsmen) chosen by the architect S. M. Ganapathi did most of the building, following the Shastras.
In a December 2022 report, temple president Nadadur S. Kumar listed recent work: retrofitting the foundation of the Venkateswara temple, rebuilding the auditorium, installing permanent dhwajasthambhams (flagstaffs) and completing four shrines in the Shiva complex, which were due to open in 2023.
Architecture and sacred features
The temple follows the Chola style of South Indian architecture, named after the dynasty that ruled much of the Tamil country around the 10th and 11th centuries. In 1985 the Times described carved column scenes from Hindu scripture and lion-faced yali figures, and in 1988 it noted brick-and-mortar walls carved with animals, deities and lotus motifs. The Venkateswara temple and the Shiva temple stand as separate shrines on the hillside, with a gopuram-style entrance tower about 52 feet high.
Scholarly and press accounts describe smaller shrines around the main Venkateswara sanctum, including shrines for Krishna, Rama, Lakshmi and Bhudevi and a shrine for Hanuman. A multipurpose auditorium on the site is used for weddings and cultural events.
Plan Your Visit
Darshan and Visitor Information
The temple's website lists weekday hours split into morning and evening sessions and continuous hours on weekends, with extra openings on festival days (as listed by Malibu Hindu Temple, checked October 2026; confirm before travelling). A canteen serves sattvic vegetarian food made without onion or garlic, and pujas, abhishekams and weddings can be booked through the temple.
Remove footwear before entering the shrines and dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, as is customary at South Indian temples. Confirm current arrangements with Malibu Hindu Temple by phone or email before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Hindu Temple Society of Southern California (official website) before travelling. Last reviewed 5 October 2026.
Sacred Calendar
Festivals at Malibu Hindu Temple
Sri Rama Navami
Celebrated at the temple since at least the 1980s; the Los Angeles Times described a 1988 observance with abhishekam of the Rama deity, hymns, music and dance.
Diwali
The temple names Diwali as one of its main festivals, when the hillside temple is lit up.
Navaratri
The temple lists Navaratri among its major celebrations, honouring the Goddess, who is worshipped here as Mahalakshmi and Andal.
Maha Shivaratri
The main night of the year at the temple's separate Shiva complex; check the temple's events page for the schedule.
Location
How to Reach Malibu Hindu Temple
The temple is at 1600 Las Virgenes Canyon Road, Calabasas, CA 91302, in the Santa Monica Mountains between the US-101 freeway corridor and the Malibu coast. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the main international gateway, and Hollywood Burbank Airport is another option for domestic flights.
The canyon location is best reached by car, and public transit options are limited. Check road conditions before travelling, especially during the wildfire season, when canyon roads in the Santa Monica Mountains can close.
Location: Calabasas (Malibu Canyon area), Los Angeles County, California, United States 91302
Nearest airport: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX); Hollywood Burbank Airport
Nearest railway station: None close by; access is by road
Questions
Malibu Hindu Temple: Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Malibu Hindu Temple actually in Malibu?
Its address is 1600 Las Virgenes Canyon Road, Calabasas, CA 91302, in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu, which is where the name comes from.
Who is the main deity?
Sri Venkateswara (Balaji), the form of Vishnu worshipped at Tirumala. The complex also has a separate Shiva temple and shrines to Mahalakshmi, Andal, Ganesha, Subrahmanya and the Navagrahas.
When was the temple built?
The Hindu Temple Society of Southern California was formed in 1977, and the temple gives 1981 as its founding year. Construction began in early 1982, and Venkateswara was consecrated on 13 May 1984.
What architectural style is it?
South Indian Dravidian architecture in the Chola style, built largely by silpis from South India chosen by the architect S. M. Ganapathi.
Is there an entry fee?
The temple does not list any entry fee for darshan. Pujas, abhishekams and hall bookings are separate paid services.
Is there food at the temple?
Yes. The temple's canteen serves South Indian vegetarian food made without onion or garlic. Check the temple's food service page for current days and menu.
Why was the site chosen?
A temple manager told the Los Angeles Times in 1985 that the canyon's hills recall the seven hills around the Venkateswara temple at Tirupati.
Sources and attribution
- Malibu Hindu Temple (Hindu Temple Society of Southern California) — About Us – Malibu Hindu Temple
- Malibu Hindu Temple — Plan a Visit (temple timings)
- Malibu Hindu Temple — Temple Services (abhishekam schedule by deity)
- Malibu Hindu Temple — State of the Temple from 2018 to Present
- Malibu Hindu Temple — Contacts
- Los Angeles Times — Legacy of Peace: Devotees Enact Rich Ritual at Festival as Work Progresses at Nation's Largest Hindu Temple (27 Oct 1985)
- Los Angeles Times — Sight to Behold: Ornate Hindu Temple in Malibu Is Shrine Where East Meets West (25 Mar 1988)
- Cambridge Scholars Publishing — Rediscovering the Hindu Temple (Bharne & Krusche, 2014), pp. 247–248
- Wikipedia — Malibu Hindu Temple (pointer only)
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