In India, such cultural activities are omnipresent and it is easy to take them for granted. We see them on tv, in our next door neighbor’s homes, and in school. But in the United States, they become a much rarer sight, and thus all the more precious to us. Because of this situation, the Hindu temple in America becomes an important center for nurturing these extracurricular activities. The temple creates a positive and affirming place for us in American society to practice our religion as well as our culture.