Sri Venkateshwara Temple of North Carolina

The SV Temple in Cary is a beautiful and spiritually uplifting place with many positives. One of the highlights is the small Shiva temple, which houses Lord Shiva, Ayyappa, Subramanian, Ganesha, and the Navagrahas. I appreciate that they accept traditional offerings like coconuts, fruits, and milk, keeping the rituals authentic. The main temple features Lord Balaji as the primary deity, and the sanctum radiates peace and devotion. I’ve also had priests from this temple perform ceremonies for my family, including a housewarming and car pooja, and they’ve done an excellent job in those contexts. However, my rating is three stars due to several issues: • Priest behavior: While knowledgeable, some priests can be a bit rude. For example, my younger child accidentally spilled the theertham (holy water), and the priest was visibly upset with me. Kids will be kids, and a little patience would go a long way. I’ve also noticed certain priests showing a bit of greed for money—though I don’t believe this reflects the temple institution as a whole. • Crowd management: The temple often gets very crowded, and the flow of devotees isn’t handled well. • People’s behavior: Many visitors can be rude, jump the line, and completely ignore basic civic sense—much like the unruly behavior you might see in crowded places back in India. This really affects the overall temple experience. • Volunteer support: Volunteers can sometimes be more annoying than helpful, not really addressing visitors’ needs effectively. • Parking challenges: Parking is often full, and you may need to drive around to find a spot. The ongoing expansion and construction work probably add to the congestion. Overall, this temple offers a rich and authentic South Indian temple experience with beautiful deities and rituals, but it requires a lot of patience—both for the crowds and the behavior of some people.

I visited the Sri Venkateswara Temple of North Carolina on 17th August 2024 and had a peaceful and spiritually fulfilling experience. The temple is beautifully maintained, with intricate architecture that adds to the serene atmosphere. The priests were welcoming and conducted the rituals with devotion, which enhanced the overall experience. The temple grounds are spacious and provide a calm environment for meditation and prayer. Parking was convenient, and the facilities were clean and well-organized. My only suggestion would be to improve the signage inside the temple for first-time visitors to better understand the various rituals and areas. Overall, it's a wonderful place to connect with your spirituality and experience divine blessings.

Temples are divine and somehow I feel a great feeling in this temple. All the priests are humble and very kind. The staffs, volunteers are also very kind, humble and offer great service. Entering the temple is a hiccup and if they can add more street lights in the entry it will be great. I am sure the temple committee are aware and are working hard to improve.

It’s such a beautiful temple. My in-laws volunteered in this temple from when it was so small and its amazing growth. Srinivasa swami is the most beautiful in this temple. They also have a Raja gopuram the tallest in the US. They have Srinivasa temple and a shiva temple. The shiva temple is still developing but they have a beautiful Meenakshi statue which is a must watch.

Due to construction work, the entrance to the temple is different from what is showing in the google map.