Less than ten miles north of the Tampa International Airport, on an unassuming side road that rolls through the flat terrain and lush vegetation typical of Florida's bay area, an architecturally distinctive building bursts suddenly above the treetops. Built to serve the needs of a growing Indian community, the Hindu Temple of Florida is unique among its suburban environs.
Completed in 1996, the building is characterized by its prominent pyramid structure, which forms an entrance tower situated atop an exterior staircase that conducts worshippers to a rooftop courtyard and pooja room. After the building's completion, a process of "Indianization" began to adorn the exterior in the florid architectural details seen today.
The Hindu Temple of Florida is available for weddings, birthdays, and various public and private poojas, and is attended by priests who conduct services primarily in Sanskrit. Consistent with the non-canonical nature of Hinduism—the oldest religion in the world—the temple has no prescribed days or times for services, nor required donations or methods of worship.