The only Ram temple in the Tri-State area, built at a cost of nearly $1.5 million, here consecrated a number of deities at a three-day ceremony that concluded on Sunday.At the only Hindu temple in Staten Island borough of New York, Hindu deities consecrated included Hanuman, Radha-Krishna, Shiva-Parvati, and goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The Ram Parivar deities were installed last year.

The culmination of the three-day activities attended by hundreds was an address by Swami Pradyagbhodananda of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam and a classical music recital by Pandit Madhav Gudi and his group.

Nearly 500 Hindu families in the Staten Island can now offer their prayers at this temple instead of travelling long distances to the nearest Maha Vallabha Ganapathy temple in Flushing, Queens, and Sri Venketeswara Temple in Bridge Water, New Jersey.

“This has been a true blessing for our community. This temple was built from scratch,” said Rajiv S. Gowda, a civil engineer and City Council candidate — Staten Island’s first from the South Asian community.

The temple will also offer facilities for community and cultural events and run educational activities, yoga sessions and Balavihar, a pre-school for young children.