Sri Karpaga Ganapathi Temple Consecrated in San Ramon; Khaki Brings Upscale Indian Dining to Bishop Ranch
San Ramon's South Asian community marked a landmark religious milestone in November 2025 when the Sri Karpaga Ganapathi Temple was formally consecrated with a Maha Kumbhabhishekam ceremony attended by spiritual leaders from Kauai's renowned Hindu monastery. On the culinary front, Khaki — a joint venture between the teams behind Curry Up Now and the Michelin Guide-recognized Tiya — opened at City Center Bishop Ranch, bringing an elevated level of Indian dining to the East Bay. The community calendar also featured Bishop Ranch's 15th annual Holi celebration, drawing residents to mark the Festival of Colors with live music, dhol drummers, henna, and food.
🪔 Sri Karpaga Ganapathi Temple holds historic Maha Kumbhabhishekam
The Sri Karpaga Ganapathi Temple in San Ramon, California, reached a defining religious milestone on November 10, 2025, when it underwent the Maha Kumbhabhishekam — the sacred Hindu consecration ceremony that formally installs the divine presence in the temple's principal deity. The event was preceded by four days of preliminary pujas and prayers, following the precise Agamic ritual protocols of South Indian temple tradition rooted in Tamil Nadu. Attending to lend spiritual authority to the occasion were Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami and Sannyasin Yoginathaswami of Kauai Aadhenam, the globally respected Hawaiian Hindu monastery and publisher of Hinduism Today. Their presence underscored the ceremony's significance for the Tamil Hindu diaspora in the Bay Area. The temple was founded by Sivasri Suresh Viswanathan Sivacharyar. The Kumbhabhishekam was led by Sivasri Swaminaha Sivacharyar, who traveled from Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, bringing deep expertise in the elaborate Shaiva Agamic rituals central to South Indian temple consecration. He was supported throughout the multi-day ceremonies by Sivashri Karthikeya Sivacharyar and Sivasri Balu Gurukkal. The temple is located in San Ramon near San Francisco, serving the Tamil Hindu community of the greater East Bay and Bay Area. The Maha Kumbhabhishekam is among the most sacred events in a Hindu temple's existence, marking the moment when the deity's divine energy is formally invited to reside in the murti, transforming the structure from a building into a living place of worship. [2]
🍛 Khaki opens at Bishop Ranch, merging Curry Up Now and Tiya teams
San Ramon's City Center Bishop Ranch has added a significant new chapter to the East Bay's Indian dining scene with the opening of Khaki, a restaurant born from the collaboration of two of the Bay Area's most celebrated South Asian culinary teams. The venture pairs the team behind Curry Up Now, a widely beloved Indian-American fast-casual concept with a devoted regional following, with the team behind Tiya, a restaurant that has earned recognition from the Michelin Guide for its approach to South Asian cuisine. Khaki opened for dinner on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road in San Ramon. The space it occupies was previously home to a Curry Up Now outlet, but Khaki is an entirely different proposition. According to Eater San Francisco, the restaurant is designed to be considerably more upscale than the fast-casual Indian burrito format that Curry Up Now built its name on, positioning itself as a refined dining destination rather than a quick-service stop. The pairing of Curry Up Now's broad audience reach and operational knowledge with Tiya's fine-dining credentials and Michelin-level cooking creates a compelling offer for East Bay diners. City Center Bishop Ranch, an open-air retail and dining complex in San Ramon, is already a community anchor for the area's large South Asian population. Khaki's arrival signals that the complex intends to serve as a serious hub for Indian culinary culture, giving the local Desi community an upscale gathering place closer to home. [7]
🎉 Bishop Ranch Holi marks 15th annual Festival of Colors
Bishop Ranch in San Ramon hosted its 15th annual Holi celebration on Sunday, April 12, with festivities running from 2 to 4 p.m. at 2700 Camino Ramon, near the corner of Camino Ramon and Bishop Drive. Fifteen consecutive years of Holi at this East Bay venue reflects the deep roots the Hindu Festival of Colors has put down in the San Ramon community and across the broader South Asian diaspora of the region. Holi is celebrated by Hindus worldwide to welcome the arrival of spring and honor the triumph of good over evil, and its most joyful expression involves participants throwing handfuls of brilliantly colored dye powders at one another in a spirit of communal exuberance and renewal. The Bishop Ranch celebration expanded well beyond the traditional dye-throwing experience. Attendees enjoyed live music performances, the driving rhythms of dhol drummers, group dancing, henna art, selfie stations, food trucks, and additional performances, creating a multi-sensory festival atmosphere accessible to families and first-time attendees alike. Admission to the event was set at $10 per person. Children aged 10 and under were admitted free of charge, making the celebration accessible to the many young families that make up a significant share of San Ramon's South Asian community. The event is held at the City Center Bishop Ranch complex, which has become one of the area's most prominent venues for Desi community gatherings and celebrations throughout the year. [1]
Sources: [2] Hinduism Today · [7] Eater San Francisco · [1] Patch