Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas CityVerified
A Sacred Space for Peace, Prayer & Purpose
Hindu Temple · Shawnee, KS · Since 1988
- May 22, 1988Temple opened
- 5 acres, bought 1984Grounds
- 35 ft · consecrated 2023Rajagopuram
- 501(c)(3) since 1982Nonprofit
Plan a visit
Open every day
Mon–Fri 10 AM–12 noon & 5:30–8:30 PM · Sat–Sun 9 AM–8:30 PM, open all day · Aarti 11 AM & 7:30 PM on weekdays, 12 noon & 7 PM on weekends
Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City · 6330 Lackman Rd, Shawnee, KS 66217
No ticket, no sign-up: shoes off at the door, shoulders and knees covered, and walk in. Weekend prasadam counter 10 AM–2 PM. Coming up: Ganesh Chaturthi Sep 14, the Annual Dinner Oct 10, Navaratri garba Oct 11–16, Deepavali Nov 8.
Directions open Google Maps for Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City's Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City.
Coming up8
Sri Krishna Janmashtami
Thu · HTCC, 6330 Lackman Rd
On the temple calendar; the day's program is posted on their events page and newsletter.
Details & tickets ↗Scholarship applications close
Sun
Last day for the HTCC Student Scholarship 2026 — three awards of $1,500 for juniors and seniors of member families.
Details & tickets ↗Jain Paryushan — eight days
Tue SEP 8 – Tue SEP 15 · HTCC, 6330 Lackman Rd
Simandhar Swami and Padmavati Devi have their own shrines in the main hall; Paryushan sits on the temple's own calendar.
Gowri Kalasha Sthapana · Haritalika Teej
Sun · HTCC, 6330 Lackman Rd
Ganesh Chaturthi
Mon · HTCC, 6330 Lackman Rd
Rishi Panchami follows on the 15th; Anantha Padmanabha Chaturdashi on the 25th; Pitru Paksha begins the 27th.
Details & tickets ↗Annual Dinner 2026 — an evening with Manhar Udhas
Sat · 5:30 PM · HTCC, 6330 Lackman Rd, Shawnee, KS 66217
Save the date: the temple's annual evening of appreciation, celebration and giving, with a special musical evening by Manhar Udhas; the 2026 scholarship winners are honoured here. Tickets and sponsorships via the office, (913) 631-7519 · managers@htccofkc.org.
Devi Navaratri — Chandi Paath daily
Sun OCT 11 – Tue OCT 20 · HTCC, 6330 Lackman Rd
Chandi Paath every day Oct 11–18, Chandi Havan and Durga Ashtami on the 18th, Maha Navami on the 19th, Vijayadasami with Raavan Dahan on the 20th. The chief priest conducts the Laksha Astotra and Kumkum Archana through the nine nights.
Details & tickets ↗Community Garba — six nights
Sun OCT 11 – Fri OCT 16 · HTCC, 6330 Lackman Rd
Garba on the first six nights of Navaratri, Sunday through Friday.
Programs12
Bal Vihar
Ages 4–18 · six sections by age/gradeSundays 10:00–11:15 AM · 2026–27 term began August 16 · HTCC Temple classrooms · Non-members add the $25 HTCC annual membership at enrollment
Running on the temple premises for over 37 years, Bal Vihar is value-based moral education with an emphasis on Indian culture and spirituality — Satya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema, Ahimsa and Bhakti, broken down into honesty, kindness, obedience and service. Classes are grouped by age and mix stories, arts and crafts, shloka and Veda chanting, bhajans, discussions, projects and performances, taught by volunteer teachers with parents helping in the room. Children run a food stall at the Diwali and Holi melas, lead bhajans at special functions, and the seniors give short talks on festival days. Guest lectures and field trips each year. No classes on holiday weekends or during the local public-school summer break.
Details on their site ↗Hindi Class
Children · beginner to advancedSundays 11:00 AM–12:30 PM · 2026–27 session began August 16 · HTCC Temple Hall · Non-members add the $25 HTCC annual membership at enrollment
Twenty-one years old (2005–2026) and, new for 2026–27, affiliated with HindiUSA — a supplementary education program accredited by WASC — with a proficiency-based curriculum aligned to the ACTFL framework and a pathway toward World Language Credit and the Seal of Biliteracy (subject to your school district). Listening, speaking, reading and writing, with Bhagwan darshan every Sunday, and a stage for the children on Republic Day, Diwali, Holi and the Annual Day; the class also writes visitors' names in Hindi at the Nelson-Atkins Museum's Passport To India. Questions: HindiClass@htccofkc.org.
Details on their site ↗Yoga class
Sundays 9:30–10:30 AM · HTCC Temple Hall
A weekly yogasan class — postures, Surya Namaskar, pranayam and the philosophy behind them, in the half-hour before Bal Vihar starts. Their page carries the class handouts: Surya Namaskaar, Pranayam, Shanti Path and Gayatri Mantra meanings, Ayurvedic notes on food combinations and asanas for common ailments.
Details on their site ↗Youth Group of Kansas City (YGKC)
Teens · began for ages 10–18Monthly events · HTCC Temple and around the metro
Born in the early 90s when a group of kids asked a few temple moms to chaperone a monthly get-together for Indian kids from all over Kansas City. Membership passed 100 within a few years, with a teen board of 5–7 running everything from skating nights to the annual holiday party and the Youth Group Talent Show. The group's pride is its civic work — the Salvation Army soup kitchen, Thanksgiving meals, adopting angels at Christmas — and the three mothers who carried it for decades: Suma Hegde, Neelam Kumar and Pratibha Trivedi.
Details on their site ↗Pujas, homams & samskaras
Families · at the temple or at your homeBy request, 5 AM–8 PM slots · $11 archana to $501 wedding at the temple; $151–$801 at home (full table below)
Twenty-six services you can book online — abhishekam, Satyanarayana puja, Rudrabhishekam, havan, Navagraha and Ayusha homams, Aksharabyasam, Annaprasana, Namakaranam, Mundan, baby shower, Upanayanam, Shashtipoorthi, Vivah, Gruhapravesham, and the shraddha rites (Atma Shanti on the 11th day, Barsi, Hiranyasradham, and the three-day last rites in Kansas City). Pick temple or house, a date with two alternates, a time slot, and your priest — Srinivasacharyulu or Pritam Das Bhairagi — and add your gothra, star and rashi in the comment. Each puja's page lists exactly what to bring; at the temple you skip the kalasam, mandapam, lamps, incense, bell and deity photos.
Details on their site ↗Prasadam counter
EveryoneSaturdays & Sundays 10 AM–2 PM · Temple kitchen
The temple kitchen's weekend menu, per the July 2025 newsletter: dosa, masala dosa, idli, vada and pongal with sambar and peanut chutney; puri with channa masala; puliyogare; gulab jamun; tea. The Kitchen & Prasadam committee runs it to county health standards, and Sunday Lunch is one of the sponsorships you can pick on the donation form.
Soup Kitchen seva
Volunteers 8–10 per month · sponsorsLast Monday of every month, 11:15 AM · Salvation Army, 3013 E 9th St, Kansas City, MO 64124
Since 1990 the Hindu community under the temple's umbrella has supported the Salvation Army soup kitchen, monthly since 1998. A member delivers the groceries the Friday before; on the last Monday a group of 8–10 goes down to serve 125 or more people. Sponsor the whole meal or part of it, or come and serve — contact the temple manager or Suma Hegde at 913-491-1969.
Details on their site ↗Harvesters fresh-produce giveaway
Anyone in need · free2nd Thursday of the month, 4–5 PM · Temple parking lot, 6330 Lackman Rd
The Community Food Network and the temple bring a semi-truck of fresh fruit and vegetables to the temple lot each month, free to anyone in need. Vehicles start lining up before the truck arrives, so come early.
Details on their site ↗HTCC Student Scholarship 2026
High-school juniors and seniors who are children of HTCC membersApply by Sunday, September 6, 2026 · Three awards of $1,500
Judged on academics, essay writing, volunteer service and SAT/ACT score. The 400–420-word essay is on one of four topics: Adi Shankaracharya's contributions to Hindu philosophy; science and spirituality — conflict or complement; applying Bhagavad Gita teachings to daily student life; or the Jain Navkar mantra in modern life. Recipients are announced mid-September and honoured at the Annual Dinner on Saturday, October 10, 2026 (complimentary admission). Extra documents to scholarship@htccofkc.org with the applicant's name in the subject line.
Details on their site ↗Hall & classroom rentals
Families and community groupsCommunity Hall $1,250 / 6 hrs or $2,000 full day · Fellowship Hall $350 / $600 · classrooms from $100
The Community Hall comes with kitchen access and custodial support (sound system $25/hr, extra hours $125). The basement Fellowship Hall suits smaller gatherings — kitchen use there is warming pre-cooked food only, no cooking. Two classrooms rent singly or together ($200 / 6 hrs, $400 full day). Capacity per the Kansas Fire Marshal; 50% advance, a 25% (individuals) or 50% (organisations) deposit, balance three weeks before; tiered cancellation fees and no refund on the day. Requests are handled by the manager on duty in the order received.
Details on their site ↗Become a Sevak
EveryoneEight standing seva teams: youth programs, prasad seva, temple maintenance, festive decorations, cleanliness, crowd management at big festivals, technology & communication (newsletter, digital updates, automation), and language teaching — Hindi and other regional languages for children and adults. One short form to join any of them.
Details on their site ↗HTCC Patrika — the monthly newsletter
EveryoneMonthly by email
The e-newsletter (Sikhara Prabha through 2025, HTCC Patrika from January 2026) carries the month's pujas, festival flyers and the fundraising calls. Subscribe from the Mailchimp archive. Businesses can sponsor an insert — $25 for one release, $40 for two, $100 for five, $110 for three months, $225 for six — via pr@htccofkc.org.
Details on their site ↗
Weekly rhythm
- 9:30–10:30 AMYoga class · Temple Hall
- 10:00–11:15 AMBal Vihar (ages 4–18) · Classrooms
- 10 AM–2 PMPrasadam counter — dosa, idli, vada, pongal, puri · Kitchen
- 11:00 AM–12:30 PMHindi Class · Temple Hall
- 12 noon & 7 PMAarti · temple open 9 AM–8:30 PM
- 11 AM & 7:30 PMAarti · open 10–12 & 5:30–8:30
- 11 AM & 7:30 PMAarti · open 10–12 & 5:30–8:30
- 11 AM & 7:30 PMAarti · open 10–12 & 5:30–8:30
- 11 AM & 7:30 PMAarti · open 10–12 & 5:30–8:30
- 11 AM & 7:30 PMAarti · open 10–12 & 5:30–8:30
- 10 AM–2 PMPrasadam counter · Kitchen
- 12 noon & 7 PMAarti · temple open 9 AM–8:30 PM
About Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City
The metro's founding Hindu temple: planned by four families in 1982, opened on Lackman Road in May 1988, and serving the Hindu and Jain communities of greater Kansas City ever since. Daily worship, a cultural hall that hosts everything from weddings to arangetrams, classrooms for Bal Vihar and the Hindi class, and a cafeteria known for its South Indian prasadam on weekends. The festival calendar runs the whole year — Brahmotsavam, Rath Yatra, Ganesh Chaturthi, the Diwali Mela.
It began on a hot July evening in 1982, when a handful of families talking late realised the Indian community of Kansas City needed a temple of its own — a place to worship, share the culture with neighbours, and hand the traditions to their children. Four couples took the first step: Abhay and Mina Bisarya, Swaran and Kusum Jain, Ashok and Alka Rattan, Om and Sumitra Rattan. They wrote a constitution, incorporated in Kansas, were recognised as a nonprofit by the state and the IRS, and on September 18, 1982 held the first puja in the Rattans' living room; the community answered with $6,594 in cash and $33,933 in pledges that day. Five acres on Lackman Road — chosen because it sat close to eighty percent of the city's Indians — were bought in April 1984, bhumi puja followed in October 1985, and at 9 AM on May 22, 1988 the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of Kansas City opened its doors. The murtis, brought from India after many trips, were consecrated in April 1991.
What you walk into today is that same building, grown up: a carpeted worship hall with a central aisle leading to a row of marble shrines under a floral mandap, a basement Fellowship Hall and classrooms, a kitchen that turns out dosa and idli on weekend mornings, and — since May 2023 — a 35-foot white Rajagopuram and a Dwajasthambam with gold-electroplated ornaments out front, carved on site by shilpis brought from India. It is a temple for all of Hindu Kansas City rather than one tradition: Venkateswara, Shiva as Nataraja, Radha-Krishna, Ganesha, Saraswati, Mahalakshmi, Durga, Hanuman, Jagannath, Ayyappa, Subramanya, the Navagrahas and Shirdi Sai Baba all have their days on the calendar, and the Jain tirthankaras have their own shrines. Two priests serve the temple; the chief priest, here since 2007, is a Pancharatra Agama scholar with two master's degrees.
The temple is run entirely by its members through an elected Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, and it gives back deliberately: monthly meals at the Salvation Army since 1990, a free produce truck in its own parking lot every month, a youth group that has been the metro's meeting place for Indian teenagers since the early 90s, and a scholarship for member families' children. A Classroom Plus expansion broke ground in November 2025.
Deities & shrines
The main hall is one long row of marble shrines behind a carved gold-and-red mandap, with a middle aisle so you can bow to every deity in one walk. Photos are fine; the signs ask you not to touch the murtis or leave money on them (there are hundi boxes). From the temple's own gallery, priest page and calendar, the shrines and the deities worshipped here:
- Sri Venkateswara (Balaji) with Sridevi and Bhudevi — monthly Balaji abhishekam, the annual Brahmotsavam in May, and Dhanurmasa abhishekams in December
- Shiva as Nataraja — Natarajar abhishekams with Sri Rudram chanting; Arudra darshan on Datta Jayanthi (Dec 23, 2026); Rudrabhishekam bookable any day
- Radha-Krishna — Sri Krishna Janmashtami (Sep 3, 2026)
- Ganesha — Sankata Hara Chaturthi every month and Ganesh Chaturthi (Sep 14, 2026)
- Saraswati, Mahalakshmi and Amba Mata / Durga — Aadi Velli Mahalakshmi abhishekams on the Fridays of Aadi month (mid-July to mid-August), Amba Mata Durga puja monthly, and the Navaratri Chandi Paath
- Hanuman — Sundar Kand Path monthly; installed 2008 under the chief priest
- Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra — monthly Jagannath puja and the July Rath Yatra; installed 2008
- Ayyappa Swami — monthly puja; installed 2008
- Subramanya (Murugan) — Krittika abhishekam each month, Skanda Shasti and Kalyanam in November
- The Navagrahas — installed 2008; single-planet archana or Navagraha homam on request
- Shirdi Sai Baba — Guru Purnima parayana, abhishekam, palki seva and sej harathi
- Simandhar Swami and Padmavati Devi, with a marble tirthankara — the Jain shrines; Paryushan is on the temple calendar (Sep 8–15, 2026)
- Tulasi — Tulasi Kalyanam on Dev Dwadashi (Nov 21, 2026)
The festival year
The temple publishes a full panchang-style calendar — every Ekadashi, Amavasya, Purnima, Sankata Hara Chaturthi and the start of each maasam — and layers its big days on top. The rhythm of a year, from their calendar, flyers and priest page:
- Every month on the 2026 calendar: Sundar Kand Path on the first Tuesday, Lord Balaji abhishekam and Ayyappa Swami puja on the second Saturday, Jagannath puja on the third Sunday, Amba Mata Durga puja on the fourth Friday, plus Krittika abhishekam on the nakshatra day
- Spring into summer: Holi Mela (the Bal Vihar children run a food stall), then the Vasant Utsav abhishek in June (2026: June 27, from 10 AM; sponsorships $101–$501) and the Nataraja abhishegam with Sri Rudram (2026: June 21)
- May: Sri Venkateswara Brahmotsavam — three days of vahana sevas (Gaja, Garuda, Sesha, Surya Prabha, Chandra Prabha), a 108-kalasha abhishekam, Rathotsavam and the Kalyanam (2025: May 2–4; sponsorships $51–$5,001), introduced by the chief priest
- July into August: Guru Purnima with a day-long Sai Satcharitra parayana (2026: July 29), the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra (2026: July 18), and Aadi Velli Mahalakshmi abhishekams on five Fridays from mid-July
- Shravan (Aug–Sep): Varalakshmi Vratham, Raksha Bandhan, the chief priest's 108-mandapa Mahalakshmi Laksha Astotra and Kumkum Archana, and Janmashtami
- September: Ganesh Chaturthi, Gowri puja, Haritalika Teej, Jain Paryushan
- October: Devi Navaratri with daily Chandi Paath, six nights of community garba, Saraswati puja with community Aksharabhyasam, Chandi Havan on Durga Ashtami, and Raavan Dahan on Vijayadasami — the same day the Rajagopuram broke ground in 2019
- November: Deepavali (2026: Nov 8), Govardhan Annakut, the Diwali Mela, Skanda Shasti Kalyanam, Tulasi Kalyanam, Kartika Purnima with the 108-mandapa Maha Satyanarayana puja
- December: Subramanya Shashti, Geeta Jayanthi, Datta Jayanthi with Arudra Nataraja abhishekam, Dhanurmasa Balaji abhishekams — and the annual fundraising dinner (2025: Dec 6; 2026: moved to Oct 10)
- Weddings, kalyanams and yagyas through the year: Shiva-Parvathi, Goda, Tulasi and Subramanya kalyanams, the 1008 Suhasini puja, Bhagwat and Ram kathas by Pritam ji
Priests & staff
Two priests serve the temple, and both can be requested by name on the puja form.
Chief Priest Shree Srinivasacharyulu Mahendrada — "Guruvu Garu", "Mama" or "Pandit Ji" around the temple — comes from a family of Shree Vaishnava priests who served the Venugopala Swamy temple in the Sri Kurmam complex of Andhra Pradesh. Home-schooled in Pancharatra Agama by his father and grandfather, he holds a master's in Telugu from Andhra University and a master's in Pancharatra Agamam from the Andhra Pradesh Endowments Department, plus the Telugu Pandit and Hindi Visharada qualifications. He joined HTCC in 2007 and within a year led the installation of the Navagrahas, Ayyappa, Hanuman, Ganapathi and Jagannath; he performed the Dwajasthambam prana pratishtha and the 2023 Rajagopuram Kumbhabhishekam, and brought Brahmotsavam and the Shiva-Parvathi, Goda, Tulasi and Subramanya kalyanams to Kansas City. Sought after for sukthas, Upanishads, weddings and homams. The temple also thanks Smt. Padmavathi Garu for her service.
Priest Shree Pritam (Pritam Das Bhairagi) joined in November 2020 with 22 years' experience and a master's in Sanskrit from Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi. Known for a melodious voice and a storyteller's gift, he conducts Shrimad Bhagwat Katha, Ram Katha and Gita discourses, Sundar Kand Path, Ganpati, Rudra, Chandi and Vishnu yagyas, astrology and vastu consultations, griha pravesh, Satyanarayana puja, Navagraha shanti, weddings, engagements and shraddha.
Bhavesh Patel is the temple manager — the person for puja scheduling, hall bookings and sponsorship forms — and Stapathi Ramu ji is also on the temple staff.
Puja fees — at the temple / at your home
The temple publishes its dakshina schedule on the booking form; the amount shows once you pick a service. Bring the samagri listed on each puja's page (the temple provides kalasam, mandapam, lamps, incense and the bell for pujas held there).
- Archana (108 names) $11 · Navagraha archana, single planet $31 · Sahasranama puja $75 · Samoohika Satyanarayana puja/katha $51 — temple only
- Abhishekam $101 / $201 · Rudrabhishekam $101 / $151 · Satyanarayana puja $101 / $201 · Havan $101 / $251
- Aksharabyasam $101 / $201 · Annaprasana $101 / $201 · Namakaranam $101 / $251 · Mundan $101 / $151 · Ayusha homam (first birthday) $101 / $201
- Baby shower $151 / $301 · Navagraha homam $151 / $251 · Srivari Kalyana Utsavam $151 / $251
- Shashtipoorthi (60th birthday) $201 / $301 · Upanayanam (sacred thread) $251 / $351 · Vivah (wedding) $501 / $801
- Gruhapravesham at your home: with havan only $201; with havan and Sri Satyanarayana puja $401
- Shraddha rites: Atma Shanti puja (11th day) $51 / $201 · Hiranyasradham $101 / $201 · Barsi / annual ceremony $251 / $301 · Funeral and three-day karma in Kansas City $301 (temple-arranged)
- Satyanarayana puja & katha with two hours of the basement hall: $251
Rajagopuram — a journey
In October 2018 a devotee emailed that the temple's elevation deserved better. Within days the trustees agreed a Rajagopuram was long overdue. Shawnee's 45-foot height limit meant three tiers; a model by Minnesota sthapathi Ramasamy Sithambaram won the community over, Ravindran Chidambaram was chosen as head sthapathi, and Selvam Rajavelu — architect of the Utah temple's gopuram — signed on in August 2019. A single fundraising dinner on September 28, 2019 pledged about $800,000; donations passed $1.1 million by January 2023 against a $765,000 budget plus $130,000 for the new front entrance. COVID held the shilpis' R-1 visas for eighteen months, so the idols, Dwajasthambam and doors sailed from Chennai in a container in January 2021 and the carvers arrived in September 2021.
- Oct 15, 2018A devotee's email starts the conversation; the Board of Trustees meets within five days
- Apr 2019Three more sthapathis invited from Minnesota, California and Dallas; Ravindran Chidambaram selected as head sthapathi
- Sep 28, 2019Fundraising dinner in the community hall — about $800,000 pledged in one night
- Oct 8, 2019Groundbreaking on Vijayadasami; city permit received the same month
- Jan 2021Idols, Dwajasthambam, doors and accessories shipped from Chennai
- Sep 2021Shilpis arrive after the pandemic visa freeze
- May 15, 2022Dwajasthambam with gold-electroplated ornaments inaugurated before thousands
- Dec 15, 2022Carving essentially complete — five sthapathis at work since July
- May 14, 2023Rajagopuram Kumbhabhishekam
Classroom Plus — building now
The next project adds classroom space for Bal Vihar, Hindi and the growing weekend programs. Design and exterior drawings were finalised in 2025, a phased permit was applied for and the foundation permit received, and five general-contractor bids came in between $1.4 and $1.7 million — above the early estimate, which the committee attributes to labour and inflation — before value engineering and a down-select to one contractor. The 2025 annual dinner raised money for it; pledges go through the online pledge form.
- Aug 18, 2025Final drawings completed
- Sep 26, 2025General-contractor bids due
- Oct 23, 2025Contractor selected
- Nov 11, 2025Construction contract signed; notice to proceed
- Nov 29, 2025Groundbreaking
- Sep 3, 2026Published completion target
Kitchen, prasadam & the halls
The weekend prasadam counter (Saturday and Sunday, 10 AM–2 PM) is the temple's cafeteria: dosa, masala dosa, idli, vada and pongal with sambar and peanut chutney, puri with channa masala, puliyogare, gulab jamun and tea, per the menu in their July 2025 newsletter. The Kitchen & Prasadam committee handles scheduling, hygiene to county health standards, supplies and catering for festivals, rentals and community programs. Downstairs is the Fellowship Hall and two classrooms; the Community Hall upstairs hosts the melas, the annual dinner, weddings and arangetrams — all four spaces rent by the six-hour block or the full day (9 AM to midnight).
Who runs it
A member-elected Board of Trustees sets policy and an Executive Committee runs the temple day to day, with standing committees for finance and audit, HR and legal, growth and fundraising, public relations, community engagement and seva, facilities and safety, IT and communication, kitchen and prasadam, religious and cultural programs, and education. The bylaws are public on their site. 2026 leadership:
- Raj Mishra — Chairman, Board of Trustees · Rekha Sheth — Vice Chair · Jay Parikh — Vice Chair, Life Members · Debjit Kanjilal — Chair, Life Members · Ravi Mehra — Chair, Fellow Members · Puneet Gorawara — Vice Chair, Fellow Members
- Varun Parashar — Executive Committee President · Mayapati Tripathi — Vice President · Arvind Tiwari — Secretary · Chandra Gupta, Kasturi Patro and Ranganathan Varadarajan — Treasurers
- Trustees and fellows: Ashish Patel, Dr. Ashutosh Bapat, Sanjay Mishra, Prakash Patro, Venkat Gorrepati, Alok Bisarya, Swapan Saha; Ranganathan Varadarajan, honorary member
- Founding families (1982): the Bisaryas, Jains, and both Rattan families; Bob Sathyanarayana supervised construction, Pradeep Shukla designed the devasthan, and Abhay Bisarya, Jagan Agrawal, Thakor Patel and Laxmi Naidu brought the murtis from India
- Board chairs 2001–2013: Hasu Doshi, Pyare Mohan, Ajay Bisarya, Abhay Bisarya, Ramesh Lokre, Mahendra Sheth, Vishal Adma, Deb Bhaduri, Ravi Mehra
- Board chairs 2014–2025: Ravi Mehra, Dhanunjay Lakkireddy, Prakash Patro, Sanjeev Goyal, Sonia Garapaty, Lakshmi Naidu Velakaturi, Srini Penugonda, Ashish Patel, Keval Shah, Deepak Dave, Raj Mishra
How it began
- Jul 1982Four families decide Kansas City needs its own temple
- Aug 26, 1982First Samachar Patrika mailed to the community
- 1982Constitution framed, Articles of Incorporation filed; nonprofit recognition from Kansas and the IRS
- Sep 18, 1982First puja at Om and Sumitra Rattan's home — $6,594 donated, $33,933 pledged
- Apr 9, 1984Five acres bought on Lackman Road, Shawnee
- Oct 27, 1985Groundbreaking and bhumi puja
- May 22, 1988Temple opens at 9 AM
- Apr 1991Murti Sthapana — the temple complete
- 2008Navagrahas, Ayyappa, Hanuman, Ganapathi and Jagannath installed
- 2018Courtyard completed; Hawan Kund project begun
- May 2023Rajagopuram Kumbhabhishekam
- Nov 2025Classroom Plus groundbreaking
Flyers & photos
Tap one to open it full size — handy for forwarding.
Photo: Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City 
Photo: Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City 
Photo: Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City 
Photo: Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City 
Flyer: Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City 
Flyer: Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City 
Flyer: Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City 
Flyer: Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City 
Photo: Hindu Temple & Cultural Center of Kansas City
Questions people ask
When can I visit, and when is aarti?
Every day of the year. Weekdays the temple opens 10 AM–12 noon and 5:30–8:30 PM, with aarti at 11 AM and 7:30 PM. Saturdays and Sundays it stays open all day, 9 AM–8:30 PM, with aarti at 12 noon and 7 PM. Hours can shift on festival days — the homepage shows today's timing, and the events page carries the calendar.
What should I wear? Do I take my shoes off?
Modest, clean clothing that covers shoulders, chest and knees — dhoti, kurta or long pants for men; saree, salwar kameez, or a long skirt or dress for women; modest Western wear is fine if you have nothing traditional. Skip shorts, mini skirts, sleeveless or crop tops, and leggings without a long top. Shoes come off in the designated area at the entrance, wash your hands before the inner sanctum, and keep voices low inside.
Is there parking, and is the building accessible?
Yes — the temple has its own lot at 6330 Lackman Road (the same lot the monthly produce truck uses). Inside there are wheelchair ramps, elevators, braille signage and reserved seating for seniors and anyone with mobility needs; exits are marked and trained volunteers and first-aid kits are on site.
Can I eat there?
On Saturdays and Sundays, 10 AM–2 PM, the kitchen serves prasadam — dosa, masala dosa, idli, vada, pongal with sambar and peanut chutney, puri with channa masala, puliyogare, gulab jamun and tea (menu from their July 2025 newsletter). Prasad is also served at most festival evenings, and you can sponsor a Sunday lunch through the donation form.
What is there for my kids?
Bal Vihar on Sundays 10:00–11:15 AM for ages 4–18 (six age groups), Hindi Class right after at 11:00–12:30, both on the temple premises with the same drop-off; the yoga class runs at 9:30. Teens have the Youth Group of Kansas City, and juniors and seniors from member families can apply for the $1,500 HTCC scholarship. Enrollment is online; non-members add the $25 annual membership.
How do I book a puja, and what does it cost?
Use the Request a Puja form: choose temple or home, the service, a date with two alternates, a time slot (5 AM–8 PM), and your priest, and note your gothra, star and rashi. The fee appears when you select the service — for example archana $11, abhishekam or Satyanarayana puja $101 at the temple ($201 at home), Namakaranam $101, Upanayanam $251, a wedding $501 at the temple or $801 at home, Gruhapravesham with havan and Satyanarayana puja $401. Each puja's page lists the samagri to bring. You can also call the office or ask the manager.
Can I rent the hall for a party or a wedding?
Yes. The Community Hall is $1,250 for six hours or $2,000 for the full day (9 AM–midnight), with kitchen access and custodial support; sound system $25/hr, extra hours $125. The basement Fellowship Hall is $350 / $600 (warming only, no cooking); classrooms $100 each for six hours, or both for $200 / $400 full day. Pay 50% up front plus a refundable deposit, balance three weeks before; capacity per the Kansas Fire Marshal. Book online or through the manager on duty.
How do I become a member, and is my donation tax-deductible?
HTCC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit — recognised by the IRS and the State of Kansas from its founding in 1982 — so gifts are deductible. Annual membership is $25 a year (the amount the enrollment form charges non-member families); the bylaws on their site also describe one-time Life ($2,500) and Fellow ($10,000) donor memberships, payable over three years with qualifying donations counted. Give online by card on the donation page, choose an event to sponsor, or file a pledge for the building fund.
How can I volunteer?
Fill in the Become a Sevak form and pick a team — youth programs, prasad seva, temple maintenance, festival decorations, cleanliness, crowd management, technology and communications, or language teaching. Off-site, the temple needs 8–10 people at the Salvation Army soup kitchen at 11:15 AM on the last Monday of each month (Suma Hegde, 913-491-1969), and hands for the second-Thursday produce giveaway in the parking lot.
Which are the big festivals here?
Deepavali (Nov 8, 2026) with the Diwali Mela, Navaratri with six nights of community garba (Oct 11–16, 2026), Holi Mela in spring, the three-day Sri Venkateswara Brahmotsavam in May with its chariot procession, the July Rath Yatra and Guru Purnima, Ganesh Chaturthi (Sep 14, 2026) and Janmashtami. Devotees are asked to come in traditional wear for pujas.
I'm Jain — is this temple for me too?
Yes. Simandhar Swami and Padmavati Devi have their own shrines in the main hall alongside a marble tirthankara, Paryushan is on the temple calendar (Sep 8–15, 2026), and the scholarship essay even offers the Jain Navkar mantra as a topic.
How do I keep up with what's on?
Subscribe to HTCC Patrika, the monthly e-newsletter, from the Mailchimp archive; watch the events page and the temple's YouTube, Facebook and Instagram; or scan the WhatsApp community QR printed on every flyer at the temple. Event questions go to events@htccofkc.org or (913) 631-7519.