Sri Mariamman Temple

The founder

Singapore's oldest Hindu temple was founded in 1827 by Naraina Pillai

Naraina Pillai was a government clerk from Penang who arrived with Sir Stamford Raffles in May 1819. He founded the temple in 1827, eight years after the East India Company set up a trading settlement. He also set up the island's first construction company.

1827the year the temple was founded

Finding a site

Two sites failed before the South Bridge Road land was granted in 1823

Telok Ayer Street lacked fresh water for Hindu rituals. A site near Stamford Canal, let to Pillai in 1821, was lost to the 1822 Jackson Plan. In 1823 the present South Bridge Road site was finally granted.

The gopuram

The six-tiered gopuram dates from 1925 and replaced a slimmer tower of 1903

The original three-tiered gopuram was built in 1903 and was slimmer and less richly embellished. The present six-tiered tower went up in 1925. Each tier is slightly smaller than the one below, which helps create the illusion of height.

The doors

The doors are studded with small gold bells that devotees ring

The entrance has a pair of very large double-leaf timber doors, whose scale is meant to induce humility in the visitor. They are studded with small gold bells arranged in a grid, which devotees are supposed to ring as they move through.

A refuge

The temple sheltered new immigrants and still hosts a firewalking festival

The temple was a refuge for new immigrants, particularly South Indian Tamil Hindus, who were given shelter until they found work. Its priest alone could solemnise Hindu marriages. The Theemithi firewalking festival is held about a week before Deepavali.