The temple is located on Bank Street in the rural area to the south of urban Ottawa, south-east of the airport.

The $4 million structure, funded by donations made by Canadian Hindus, was officially opened in 1989.

The temple follows traditional Hindu architectural styles, though compromises had to be made to adapt to the cold and weight of snow accumulation.

The effort to build the temple was by Pandit Madhu Sahasrabudhe, a food science researcher who had also served as a priest in the city since 1960.

He frequently appeared as part of the Ottawa Citizen's panel of local religious leaders.