Sri Ganesha Temple, one of the largest Hindu temples in Europe, opens doors in Berlin
Berlin, June 8
Following several days of festivities, the Sri Ganesha Temple in Berlin's Neukolln opened on Sunday. Located on the edge of the Hasenheide park, the seventeen-meter-high tower.
Devotees could be seen enjoying themselves at the spot with music and Malakamba sports being played.
"I feel so proud like our, you know, the big Indian temple, Ganesha temple is inaugurating today. So, I feel really proud and happy to see our Indian sports, especially Malakamba. It's our ancient Indian sports. So, I feel so proud and very happy," a devotee said.
"This is for the newcomers from India, the students, the IT workers... together with the German population, not just alone... together with happy dancing and music celebrations," another devotee added.
Founded 24 September 2005, consecrated 7 June 2026 -- twenty-one years of construction, funded entirely by donations and seva. Today, one of the largest Hindu temples in Europe, the Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple, is run by ten volunteer board members and three pujaris, recognised as a registered non-profit by the Finanzamt fur Korperschaften.
Doors at Hasenheide 106 open every day from 4 pm to 6 pm. Aarti takes place in the morning and evening. The temple is open to every Hindu current -- Vaishnava, Shaiva, Shakta, Smarta -- and to anyone who walks in: Berlin families, students, mixed-faith couples, colleagues from the office next door, school groups on open days.
In 2015, the first Gopuram tower rose. Black granite from Tamil Nadu, hand-carved by Indian stonemasons, begins to show against the Hasenheide sky. In Britz, the smaller Sri-Mayurapathy-Murugan-Tempel had opened the year before as Berlin's first Hindu temple.
From 3-7 June 2026, the five-day festival took place. On 7 June, water from the Ganges and from Berlin is poured by crane onto the spire of the 17-metre vimana. One of Europe's largest Hindu temples opens its doors.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is wonderful news! I love that they're open to all Hindu traditions and even welcome non-Hindus. It's exactly the kind of cultural bridge-building we need in today's world. And the Malakamba sports demonstration is a beautiful touch - showcasing our ancient traditions to Europe. ❤️
I'm a German who visited the temple during the opening. The architecture is stunning - those hand-carved black granite pieces from Tamil Nadu are incredible. It's heartwarming to see such cultural exchange happening right in our neighborhood. The Indian community here is so vibrant and welcoming.
While I'm happy for the community, I hope the temple management ensures proper protocols are followed. Being a registered non-profit is good, but with donations from abroad, there should be transparency. Also, visiting hours from 4-6 PM seem quite limited for such a grand temple. Still, a historic achievement for Hindus in Europe! 🕉️
I'm an American who visited Berlin last week and stumbled upon this temple. The energy during the festival was unbelievable! The music, the dancing, and the sense of community was so warm. I've never seen anything like Malakamba - those performers were incredible. It's amazing to see Hindu culture thriving in Europe.
As a first-generation Indian student in Berlin, this feels like home. ❤️ Knowing I can visit a temple with Ganges water and hand-carved granite from Tamil Nadu is incredible. The fact that it's open to mixed-faith couples and school groups shows how inclusive our culture can be. Well done to everyone who made this possible!
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