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Only one Hindu temple outside India is dedicated to the goddess of marriage. Why's it in Pearland?

The Sri Meenakshi Hindu Temple is located in Pearland, just outside of Houston.
KERA News
The Sri Meenakshi Hindu Temple is located in Pearland, just outside of Houston.

This episode of the KERA video series "The Shape of Texas" explores the architecture of Sri Meenakshi Hindu Temple in Pearland, TX, the only temple outside of India dedicated to Meenakshi, the goddess of marriage.

The Dravidian-style temple, constructed in the 1980s in Pearland, stands out from its relatively rural surroundings. This vast, ornate building is a replica of the world's largest temple dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

The complex is the only temple outside of India dedicated to Meenakshi, the goddess of marriage. The temple's several towers, constructed with Indian white granite, feature ornate sculptures of animals and individuals from Hindu mythology.

Outside of its stunning architecture, the temple is an active center for its area's Hindu community. The most sacred section of the temple, the Garbhagriha, was the first part of the complex to be constructed, in accordance with Hindu regulations.

KERA's“The Shape of Texas” video series explores how our built environment holds our history, reflects our diverse cultures and projects our ambitions for the future. From the glittery, kitschy Beer Can House in Houston to the soaring Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, architecture helps tell the story of who we are in Texas.

Find out more about the Sri Meenakshi Hindu Temple, as well as other Hindu temples you can visit in Texas.

Max Chow-Gillette is the Fall 2022 Art&Seek intern.