Where Rajasthani Families Live in Chicago

Chicago’s Rajasthani community is overwhelmingly suburban. By 2000, roughly 80% of Indian Chicagoans had moved to the suburbs — a trend that has only deepened. The Rajasthani geographic footprint follows Hindi-speaker density (since many Rajasthanis speak Hindi as their primary language in the US) and is further confirmed by the ARA’s own organizational base. Devon Avenue’s West Ridge neighborhood has cultural significance but relatively low Rajasthani residential density. The real community is in the west and northwest suburbs.

Naperville — Community HQ (3,536 Hindi Speakers (ACS 2022))

Naperville has the single largest concentration of Hindi speakers in the Chicago metro (3,536), and more importantly, it is the registered base of ARA (Chicago Association of Rajasthanis in America). That organizational presence is the clearest signal of Rajasthani community density. Naperville is part of the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor along I-88 — professionals drawn to tech companies and consulting firms along this route have settled here. With 13,000+ South Asian immigrants overall, Naperville has South Asian grocery, restaurant, and professional infrastructure that makes it practical for Rajasthani newcomers to land here first.

Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates & Streamwood — The Northwest Corridor (3,800+ Hindi Speakers (ACS 2022))

Schaumburg South and Hoffman Estates/Streamwood together account for roughly 3,800 Hindi speakers (ACS 2022) — the second-largest cluster in the metro. Schaumburg is the commercial hub of Chicago’s northwest suburbs, with a South Asian business community estimated at 9,000+. The Gujarati-Marwari overlap is strong here: both communities are business-oriented, often Jain or Vaishnava, strictly vegetarian, and share many institutions including the JSMC Jain Temple in nearby Bartlett. Vanam Indian Pure Vegetarian (337 W Golf Rd, Schaumburg) with its dedicated Jain menu is one of the few restaurants that explicitly serves the Marwari Jain dietary tradition in a suburban setting. Annapurna Hoffman Estates (721 W Golf Rd) is a 35-year institution serving the northwest corridor.

Buffalo Grove & Vernon Hills — North Suburbs (2,626 Hindi Speakers (ACS 2022))

The north suburban corridor has a significant Hindi-speaker population (2,626) with a professional Indian community. While less specifically documented for Rajasthani presence than Naperville or Schaumburg, this corridor attracts Indian professionals working in the north suburban tech and corporate sector. Rajasthani families here would connect with ARA for community programming and drive to JSMC Bartlett or Devon Avenue for cultural needs.

Devon Avenue / West Ridge — Cultural Heart, Not Residential Hub

Devon Avenue has 1,431 Hindi speakers (ACS 2022) in the local PUMA — smaller than any of the above suburban concentrations. But it matters enormously as a cultural and commercial destination. Patel Brothers (2610 W Devon Ave, the original 1974 location, rebuilt with a $3.5M revamp in 2021) is the go-to Indian grocery for the entire metro. Sukhadia’s is the premier mithai shop. Annapurna Simply Vegetarian (2600 W Devon) has served Chicago’s strict vegetarians since 1982. Most Rajasthani families in Chicago drive to Devon for groceries, sweets, and the Diwali shopping season — even if they live in Naperville, 35 miles away.

Temples & Houses of Worship

There is no dedicated Rajasthani or Marwari mandir in the Chicago metro. The Rajasthani Hindu community worships primarily at pan-Indian temples — with the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago in Lemont serving as the community anchor for ARA events. Rajasthani Jain families have the JSMC in Bartlett. Below are the key institutions by sub-group.

Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago (HTGC)

Address: 10915 Lemont Rd, Lemont, IL 60439 • Website: htgc.org • Founded: Organization 1977; temple inaugurated July 4, 1986

HTGC is the primary pan-Hindu temple serving Chicago’s South Asian Hindu community, including North Indian communities. It operates two temple complexes (Rama Temple and Ganesha/Shiva/Durga temple) plus the Swami Vivekananda Spiritual Center. The ARA holds its annual Holi Milan celebration here — making it the most documented Rajasthani community use of a religious venue in Chicagoland. Key festivals: Sri Ramanavami (April), Mahashivratri, Diwali, Holi. Located approximately 28 miles southwest of downtown Chicago.

Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago (JSMC) — Jain Families

Address: 435 N. Route 59, Bartlett, IL 60103 • Website: jsmconline.org

For Rajasthani Jain families, JSMC Bartlett is the primary place of worship. The temple draws heavily from Rajasthan and Gujarat — the two states that have historically produced the largest Jain diaspora. JSMC provides temple worship, Paryushan observance, a vegetarian community kitchen, matrimonial events, and youth programs. Its location on Route 59 in Bartlett puts it directly accessible from Schaumburg and Naperville — exactly where Rajasthani families live.

BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir — Vaishnava Families

Location: Bartlett, IL (27-acre campus with Stone Mandir, Wooden Haveli, and Heritage Exhibition) • Website: baps.org

Primarily Gujarati-affiliated but accessible to Vaishnava Hindus of all backgrounds. Marwari Vaishnava families in the Schaumburg/Bartlett corridor attend. The temple’s Haveli architecture reflects 15th–19th century Rajput-period design. Not Rajasthani-specific, but architecturally and culturally resonant for Marwari families from Rajasthan.

Rajasthani Festivals & Cultural Events

ARA Holi Milan — Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, Lemont

Held annually at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago in Lemont during Holi season (March). ARA’s Holi Milan is the primary community celebration of Holi for Rajasthanis in the Chicago metro — the one confirmed Rajasthani community event at a religious venue. Traditional color play, Rajasthani atmosphere, and a chance for new arrivals to meet the broader community. Contact ARA at (630) 886-3106 for exact date each year.

ARA Diwali Milan Gala Dinner — Crowne Plaza, Glen Ellyn / Lombard

The marquee annual event for Chicago’s Rajasthani community. Held every October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the Glen Ellyn/Lombard area, drawing 200+ community members. The evening program: Laxmi Aarti, Ganesh Vandana dance, traditional and contemporary performances, a Rajasthani community dinner, and a turban ceremony for the chief guest. Attendees wear traditional Rajasthani attire — the Diwali Gala is both a celebration and a visible cultural affirmation. The Indian Consulate Chicago representative attends. For newcomers, this is the event to attend first to meet the community.

Teej & Gangaur — Family & Community Celebrations

Teej (July–August) and Gangaur (March–April) are the two most distinctly Rajasthani women’s festivals. Teej celebrates marital bliss with green attire, henna, and swings; Gangaur celebrates Goddess Gauri with folk songs and traditional dress. In Chicago, these festivals are observed within family networks and ARA community gatherings rather than as large public events. The ARA and ROAR (Rajasthani Organization of American Residents) are the right contacts for families who want to participate in Teej and Gangaur programming.

Navratri & Garba — Shared with Gujarati Community

Navratri garba events in the Chicago suburbs are organized primarily by the Gujarati Samaj Chicago (gujchicago.org) and draw participation across all Vaishnava North Indian communities, including Rajasthanis. The northwest suburban garba events — particularly in Schaumburg and Naperville — are a shared cultural space where Gujarati and Marwari communities celebrate together. Check Gujarati Samaj Chicago for the annual Navratri event calendar.

Paryushan — Jain Holy Season at JSMC

For Rajasthani Jain families, Paryushan is the most important annual religious observance — an 8-to-10-day period of fasting, forgiveness, and communal prayer. The Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago (JSMC) in Bartlett hosts comprehensive Paryushan programming for its 1,800 member families. This is when the full weight of Chicago’s Jain community — drawing from Rajasthani and Gujarati families throughout the northwest and west suburbs — comes together at the Bartlett temple.