When Hindu families immigrated to Queens they brought their devotion to their faith and the worship of goddesses and gods. They brought so many different aspects of Hindu devotion. There are celebrations, devotees, and spiritual leaders from every culture.
This borough is now filled with many different temples and mandirs where you can find Lakshmi. She comes alive in various worship services and on Diwali and Navarathri, her big festivals.
It was discovered while researching this project that so many of these temples evolved in local Queens communities because people wanted to worship together. They began as worship gatherings in basements, and then they expanded into homes, storefronts, and buildings. Some are smaller temples and others, such as the Ganapati Temple in Flushing, are grand. But even that began when devotees bought the building from a Russian Church in 1971 and built (what is believed to be) the first Hindu temple in the country.
Apologies in advance for any mandir not included here. There are so many! Photos are not typically allowed inside, so it is hoped the following section (with photos from Alamy photos and those taken by the creator of this exhibit) will help show how Lakshmi is so much a part of the vibrant spiritual world in Queens.