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The Vedanta Society of Southern California (VSSC) was founded in 1930 in Los Angeles, California, USA. The Society is under the spiritual leadership of the Ramakrishna Order of India; Vedanta societies are the Western branches of the Ramakrishna Order.
The Vedanta temple in Santa Barbara is located on magnificent property overlooking the ocean and nestled against the mountains. There is a convent (Sarada Convent where nuns resides. They oversee the maintanance of the 45-acre property and participate in the public work of the temple, convent and bookstore.
The temple,built by architect Maria Lutah Riggs and dedicated in 1956, has received several awards for its design, the gardens has been landscaped through boulders with drought resistant flora.
The temple is open daily to the public. Activities include daily worship, meditation and vesper services, special puja celebrations and Sunday lectures.
The bookstore (Sarada Convent Books) is located next to the temple and is well-stocked with religious classics and hard-to-find books on the major religions of the world. The store also carries incense, religious statues and imported gifts.