San Ramon's Sri Karpaga Temple Consecrated as Khaki Restaurant and Holi Expand Desi Scene
San Ramon's South Asian community saw significant milestones on multiple fronts in late 2025 and early 2026: the Sri Karpaga Ganapathi Temple held its formal Maha Kumbhabhishekam consecration in November, and the teams behind Curry Up Now and Michelin-recognized Tiya opened a new upscale Indian restaurant called Khaki at City Center Bishop Ranch. The city's beloved annual Holi celebration also returns to Bishop Ranch this spring for its 15th edition. In separate news, an Indian-origin man, Badal Dholaria, has been charged in connection with a fatal drunk-driving crash and is being held on $1.2 million bail.
🪔 Sri Karpaga Ganapathi Temple Holds Kumbhabhishekam in San Ramon
The Sri Karpaga Ganapathi Temple in San Ramon conducted its Maha Kumbhabhishekam, the formal consecration ceremony, on November 10, 2025, after four days of preliminary pujas and prayers led up to the event. The dedication drew Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and Sannyasin Yoginathaswami of Kauai Aadhenam, who traveled from Hawaii to San Ramon to attend and participate in the ceremony. The small Ganesha temple was founded by Sivasri Suresh Viswanathan Sivacharyar. The chief priest overseeing the Kumbhabhishekam was Sivasri Swaminaha Sivacharyar, who journeyed from Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, and was assisted by Sivashri Karthikeya Sivacharyar and Sivasri Balu Gurukkal. The Maha Kumbhabhishekam is the defining ritual that formally consecrates a Hindu temple, spiritually establishing the deity's presence in the sacred space. The ceremony represents a significant milestone for Tamil Hindu devotees in the San Ramon area and the broader San Francisco Bay Area, who now have a dedicated local space for Ganesha worship and Tamil Hindu religious practice within their community. [2]
🍛 Khaki Opens at Bishop Ranch, Bringing Elevated Indian Dining to East Bay
Khaki, a new Indian restaurant formed through the collaboration of the teams behind Curry Up Now and the Michelin Guide-approved Tiya, opened for dinner on Thursday, July 31, at 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon at City Center Bishop Ranch. The space previously housed a Curry Up Now location, but Khaki represents a clear departure from that casual, fast-casual format, offering a more upscale dining experience to East Bay diners. The Curry Up Now brand is described by Eater San Francisco as a tremendously popular mini empire in Bay Area Indian food, while Tiya has earned a place in the Michelin Guide as a standout South Asian restaurant. The partnership brings together two of the most recognized names in Bay Area South Asian cuisine into a single, new concept that aims to position City Center Bishop Ranch as a destination for elevated Indian dining in the East Bay. The restaurant opened with dinner service, establishing Bishop Ranch, already a popular retail and dining hub in San Ramon, as a growing center for South Asian culinary culture. [6]
🎉 Bishop Ranch Hosts Its 15th Annual Holi Celebration on April 12
City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon will host its 15th annual Holi celebration on Sunday, April 12, from 2 to 4 p.m. at 2700 Camino Ramon, near the intersection of Camino Ramon and Bishop Drive. The event marks the Hindu Festival of Colors, which celebrates the arrival of spring and the symbolic triumph of good over evil, with the central tradition of throwing colorful dyes observed by Hindus around the world. At the Bishop Ranch celebration, guests can also enjoy live music, dhol drummers, dancing, henna art stations, selfie stations, food trucks, and cultural performances in addition to the dye-throwing activities. General admission is priced at $10 per person, with children age 10 and younger admitted free of charge. Tickets are available for purchase in advance through the Bishop Ranch online ticketing platform. The 15th edition of the event underscores Bishop Ranch's longstanding commitment to hosting South Asian cultural celebrations as a regular and expected part of its community programming calendar in San Ramon. [1]
Indian-Origin Man Charged in Fatal California Drunk-Driving Crash
Badal Dholaria, a man of Indian origin, is in custody at the Martinez Detention Facility in California after allegedly driving a Tesla into an SUV at 240 kilometers per hour while under the influence of alcohol, killing a woman in the collision. His bail has been set at $1.2 million, according to NDTV reporting published on December 8, 2025. The Martinez Detention Facility is located in Contra Costa County, which encompasses the San Ramon area. NDTV reported the case as part of its diaspora coverage of the Indian-origin suspect, who remains held on the substantial bail amount while the legal proceedings continue. The incident drew significant attention from Indian and mainstream American media outlets given the severity of the crash, the fatality involved, and the identity of the accused. The case highlights ongoing concerns about drunk-driving enforcement and road safety in the East Bay corridor, and has been closely followed by both South Asian community publications and general-interest news organizations covering the California diaspora. [4]
Sources: [2] hinduismtoday.com · [6] Eater San Francisco · [1] Patch · [4] NDTV