Sunnyvale Hindu Temple & Community Center: Timings, Pujas and Visitor Guide

Sunnyvale Hindu Temple timings and aarti schedule

All times are Pacific Time. Every morning the temple performs a Ganesha abhishekam and pooja, followed by Ganesha aarti and the Maha Mangala Arati; the official page does not give a clock time for it.

Some map and review sites show different opening hours (for example, an earlier opening time). Those listings are not maintained by the temple, so treat the temple's own hours as the reference and call ahead on festival days, when programs often run late.

Want to plan around auspicious timings? Check today's tithi and nakshatra on the ShivMarg Panchang, or read the aarti collection before you go.

History of the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple

The temple began as the "Hindu Temple and Community Center of South Bay" project. According to the temple's own history, Raj Bhanot, Balwant Birla and Rajinder Sharma led the effort, and a first gathering at Raj Bhanot's home in August 1991 was followed by a board decision that December to create a temple in the South Bay.

After rejecting many sites, the group found the Persian Drive property in April 1993, made an offer that October, and took ownership on December 23, 1993. The community then used the building for festivals such as Ganesh Utsav, Holi and Diwali, along with bhajans, yoga and religious classes for children. Over time it became widely known as the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple.

In 2012 the trustees decided to rebuild. Groundbreaking took place on March 23, 2012, construction finished on March 31, 2013, and the Maha Kumbhabhishekam and inauguration were held between May 8 and May 12, 2013. The temple's account says the project was funded largely from its cash reserves and donations, with the balance financed by a bank loan, and that a team traveled to India to select the vigrahas, a total of 32 from across regional and sectarian traditions.

Source: temple's About page. Dates and figures above follow that page.

Weekly and monthly pujas

The temple builds its week around a different deity each day. Times below are taken from the temple's Activities page. A few entries on that page do not list a time, and the page still carries some older wording, so confirm the current calendar with the office before planning a special visit.

Weekly schedule

Monthly schedule

For the current date list of Poornima, Chaturthi and festival days, use the temple's monthly events dates and festival list. You can also cross-check tithi timings on the ShivMarg Panchang or browse upcoming Hindu festivals.

If you attend the Tuesday Hanuman program, our Hanuman Chalisa page has the full text to follow along.

Pooja services and Preeti Bhoj

Booking a pooja or ceremony

The temple lists the following services and says the required pooja samagri is provided, while devotees are welcome to bring prasad, fruit and flowers. Fees are not shown online, so you need to ask the office when you schedule.

• Archana for all deities, and Vaahana (car) pooja
• Satyanarayana katha and Navagraha pooja
• Annaprasana, Naamakarana and Punyaha Vachana
• Shanti havan, and havans for Rudra, Durga, Mrityunjaya and Ganesha
• Griha Pravesh and Bhoomi pooja, and office pooja at businesses
• Weddings and Yagnopavitam

To schedule, call (408) 734-4554 or (408) 734-0775, or email hindutempleofsunnyvale@gmail.com. Details are on the temple's services page.

Preeti Bhoj (community meal)

According to the temple, volunteers prepare and serve Preeti Bhoj every Saturday and Sunday, on the first Friday of the month, on Poornima, and at major festivals. Devotees sponsor the meals and can help cook and serve. Sponsorship is arranged through an application, paid by check or cash, and the temple manager at (408) 734-4554 handles questions. The site does not state a per-person price for attending, so ask on the day if you are unsure. More on the Preeti Bhoj page.

Directions, location and parking

The temple sits at 450 Persian Drive in the Silicon Valley city of Sunnyvale, in Santa Clara County. The temple describes its property as near Fair Oaks Avenue and Highway 237. Approximate coordinates from the temple's own map link are 37.4048, -122.0140.

Parking and getting there

Third-party Listings mention on-site parking but limited capacity. The temple does not publish a parking policy or the number of spaces, so plan extra time on weekends, Poornima and festival days, and carpool where you can.

Not published The temple does not list public transit or rideshare instructions. If you plan to use buses or light rail, check current routes on the VTA website before you leave.

Visitor tips

The points below are general Hindu temple etiquette followed across the United States. The temple has not published its own rules online, so follow any signs and volunteer guidance on site.

• Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered.
• Remove shoes before entering the prayer hall and keep phones on silent.
• Ask a volunteer before taking photographs near shrines or during aarti.
• Prasad is usually offered after aarti; receive it with your right hand.
• Visitor reviews describe weekends as busy, so allow extra time for parking and the meal line.

First time chanting? Start with a simple mantra from our Mala Jaap tracker to build a daily practice that continues after your temple visit.

Other Hindu temples near Sunnyvale

The South Bay has many temples, and several share similar names. These are separate organizations from the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple & Community Center.

• Bay Area Hindu Temple, 255 San Geronimo Way, Sunnyvale, CA 94085. Its website lists Satyanarayan puja dates and a monthly Pradosham Rudra Abhishek. Official site.
• Shiv Durga Temple of Bay Area, now in Santa Clara. It moved from Kern Avenue in Sunnyvale to Flora Vista Avenue in Santa Clara in June 2021. Background on Wikipedia.
• Balaji Temple, San Jose. Established in Sunnyvale in 2006 and moved to its permanent San Jose center in 2012. Official site.

Explore more listings in the ShivMarg temple directory. Always confirm timings with each temple before you travel.

Verified vs. unconfirmed details

ShivMarg is an independent devotional resource and is not affiliated with the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple & Community Center. Temple schedules change, so use this page as a planning aid and confirm with the temple.

Sunnyvale Hindu Temple FAQs

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Continue on ShivMarg

• Temple directoryBrowse Hindu temples by city and state
• Aarti collectionLyrics for daily aarti
• Daily PanchangTithi, nakshatra and muhurat
• Hindu festivalsDates and puja guides

Sources

• Sunnyvale Hindu Temple & Community Center (official site): home, About, Activities, Services, Preeti Bhoj and Festivals pages
• Bay Area Hindu Temple
• Shiv Durga Temple of Bay Area (Wikipedia)
• Balaji Temple San Jose (Wikipedia)