Joanna James
Among the many places to explore in Singapore Sri Thendayuthapani temple takes a significant place. It is one of the most culturally significant places in Singapore being recognized as a National Monument by the National Heritage Board. Moreover, you could witness some of the religious ceremonies that are colourful and even taste traditional Hindu food offered at the Poojas if you visit during the right time.
Sri Thendayunthapani temple is one of the oldest temples in Singapore being built in 1859. The temple has gone through many modifications after the initial construction, where two sanctums were built in 1878 for Lord Sundareswarar and Meenakshi Amman. The construction was completed in 1983 after the completion of a 75 feet tall Rajagopuram which is a traditional entrance tower of Hindu temples. Modern facilities such as marriage halls and dining facilities have been added to the temple during reconstruction to cater to the needs of people. The latest renovation has been done in 2009 keeping with the Hindu tradition of renewing temples every 12 years.
The temple is primarily dedicated to the Hindu god Murugan also known as Subramanian or Sri Thendayuthapani. In addition, you could also see statues of Lord Shiva and Sakthi which are housed in separate sanctums of the temple. There is also a statue of Lord Jambu Vinayagar at the entrance of the main sanctum and a statue of Lord Idumban on the left. During the renovation and construction processes, other statues belonging to different deities such as the Navagrahas were added.
The temple is also known as the Chettiar's temple due to the fact that it was built by Nattukkotai Chettiars who are believed to have introduced Thaipusam to Southeast Asia. The management of the temple is handled by Chettiar's temple society who also manage another temple in China Town known as Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar. You could witness the religious procession from one Chettiar temple to another on the eve of Thaipusam which falls on the full moon during the tenth month of the Tamil calendar.
The temple is beautifully decorated with many statues and monuments belonging to the Singaporean culture. Stretching across a large landscape, the temple is a beautiful site where you can get a glimpse of the Hindu religion and its influence on Asia making it one of the must visit places on your trip to Singapore. The temple is not far off reach from Grand Park City Hall a popular hotel in the city also holding the status as the best luxury hotel in Singapore. The temple has a grandly decorated Alangara Mandapam which is a place found in Hindu temples for holding decorated statues on special occasions.
Interestingly, the temple was not solely a place of worship at the inception and was alsoused as a place for networking by the Chettiars who were traders, merchants and finance dealers. It was used as a place for people to network leading up to business activities as the Chettiars issued low interest loans to people and were generous enough to allow extra time for debt settlements.
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