The Hindu Temple of Florida was founded in December 1983 by a dedicated group of Tampa Bay residents seeking a place for Sanatana dharma worship. They began with home gatherings for poojas and festivals, later forming a non-profit corporation to raise funds for land acquisition. In 1989, they purchased the current site with an old house serving as the initial Temple, "Balalaya." Construction began in 1994, concluding in 1996 with the Maha Kumbabhishekam ceremony. Indianization efforts commenced in 2000, culminating in the completion of Vimana gopurams and the main Raja gopuram in 2006.