Shiva Murugan Temple
Concord, California (San Francisco Bay Area), USA
Also known as: Palaniswami Sivan Temple
- Deities
- Shiva, Murugan
- Traditions
- shaiva
- Worship status
- active
- Address
- 1803 2nd St, Concord, CA 94519.
- Coordinates
- 37.97782, -122.02752
- Darshan hours
- Varies by season; consult the temple's own website for the current daily schedule before visiting.
- Best time to visit
- Year-round; the temple's Thaipusam pilgrimage is its major annual event.
- How to reach
- In Concord, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area's East Bay; reachable by car.
- Festivals
- Thaipusam (January/February)
Location
Open in Google MapsFew Hindu temples in North America trace as far back as this one: founded in 1957 by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami as the Palaniswami Sivan Temple in a San Francisco residence, it is counted among the earliest traditional Hindu temples established on the continent. The community relocated to its present Concord site in 1988, was renamed Shiva Murugan Temple and formally incorporated as a nonprofit in 1996, and โ after decades of gradual development โ completed its full Kumbhabhishekham consecration ceremony on 9 May 2025.
Built in classical Chola-style South Indian architecture, the temple is notable as the first panchavarna (five-color) South Indian-tradition temple built in the United States, its 48-foot gopuram gateway tower and 47-foot vimanam over the main sanctum finished in the traditional five colors of yellow, red, green, black, and white, with hand-carved granite murtis, sanctums, and pillars. The temple, dedicated to Shiva and his son Murugan, serves the wider Bay Area Hindu community and is the destination of an annual Thaipusam pilgrimage โ a 21-mile walk undertaken by devotees from San Ramon to the temple.
Sources
- historical record: Wave 2 re-verification: address added and coordinates cross-checked via Komoot Photon geocoding, which identifies 'Shiva Murugan Temple' at 1803 2nd Street, Concord, CA 94519 (37.9776377, -122.0273849), matching this entry's pre-existing coordinates to within about 10 meters.
- historical record: Cross-checked via Wikipedia's 'Shiva Murugan Temple' article: originally founded in 1957 by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami as the Palaniswami Sivan Temple in a San Francisco residence -- making it one of the earliest traditional Hindu temples established in North America -- the institution relocated to its current Concord site in 1988, was renamed Shiva Murugan Temple and incorporated as a nonprofit in 1996, and held a Kumbhabhishekham (full consecration ceremony) on 9 May 2025. Built in classical Chola South Indian architectural style, the temple is described as the first panchavarna (five-color) South Indian-tradition temple in the United States, featuring a 48-foot gopuram gateway tower, a kodimaram flagpole, and a 47-foot vimanam over the main sanctum, with hand-carved granite murtis, sanctums, and pillars. The temple hosts an annual Thaipusam pilgrimage, a 21-mile walk from San Ramon to the temple.