Sri Mariamman Temple

Origin
Even before Singapore was established as a British colonial outpost in 1819, waves of migrants including soldiers, traders and manual workers from the Indian subcontinent had settled here. By 1827, along South Bridge Road, Indian settlers built this Hindu temple, Singapore’s first. It was known as Sithi Vinayagar Gothanda Ramaswamy Mariamman Kovil. Sanctums dedicated to Sri Mariamman, Sri Vinayagar, Sri Subramaniyar and Sri Ramar, representing different Hindu traditions (Shakta, Shaiva and Vaishnava) were worshipped at this temple from inception. The early temple was a granite and lime plaster structure with a three-tiered tower. By the early 1900s, the temple was simply referred to as the Sri Mariamman Kovil.

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Administration
Throughout the 1800s, Sri Mariamman Temple was managed by trustees who oversaw its daily affairs. Priests from the Coromandel Coast (south-eastern coast of India) assisted with religious rituals. The trustees, involved in serving the temple, periodically sponsored its expansion. By 1887, a Supreme Court order directed the appointment of a manager who helped with the appointment of Brahmin priests here. In 1907, the temple came under the colonial administration of the Mohammedan and Hindu Endowments Board (MHEB). A panchayat or committee of native Hindu managers were appointed by the MHEB from 1914 to oversee and assist with temple operations. The temple became an integral part of the lives of Hindus especially those who were arriving from India to work and live here. Since 1969, the temple has been under the administration of the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB), a statutory body. A 12-member management committee appointed by the HEB for three-year terms oversees the temple’s daily operations.

National Recognition
The Preservation of Monuments Board (now Preservation of Sites and Monuments) declared Sri Mariamman Temple a National Monument in 1973. It is the first Hindu religious site to gain this recognition.

Architecture
Sri Mariamman Temple has the basic elements of any traditional Hindu temple – shrines for the gods and goddesses, a central hall for worshippers and a tower entrance. Parts of the temple, including its peripheral wall, domes and sanctums, date back from the 1840s. The portico connecting the main entrance to the sanctums where the deities are housed was added in 1916.

Rajagopuram (Tower Entrance)
The rajagopuram or tower entrance seen today was remodelled in 1936. It has five-tiers, each with a niche in the centre and replete with brightly painted stucco figures. The lowest tier has figures depicting scenes from Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. In the higher tiers, are images of gods and goddesses from the Hindu pantheon, as well as those of saints, poets, and bearers of the tower. The rajagopuram culminates in a barrel-vaulted roof with a row of gold-plated brass vessels. A pair of timber doors ornamented with brass bells at the base of the rajagopuram opens into the temple proper.

Boundary Wall
It is unique that nandis or sacred bulls line the temple’s boundary wall instead of lions. A lion is the mount of the principal deity here, Goddess Sri Mariamman. Nandi, which represents strength and justice and is the vehicle of Lord Shiva, occupies a prime position here.

Mandapam (Pillared Hall)
The mandapam or pillared hall leading to the main sanctums feature colourful ceiling frescos of Hindu gods and goddesses. It is flanked by a series of square ornamented columns, some of which feature brightly painted tiles. The space has trefoil arched openings along the north and south elevations. A closer look at the arches will show that there are two variations in design. The parapets in the hall are adorned with heavy mouldings supporting sacred bulls. An interesting feature here is the presence of two circular windows on both sides of the temple entrance, which are reminiscent of oriental architecture and the temple’s Chinatown location.

Open Courtyard
Within the open courtyard on the left is an elevated viewing gallery below which are the temple office and a meeting room. It is from this gallery that devotees view the temple’s main festival, Theemithi (Fire Walking) which falls between October and November annually.

Ancillary Buildings
At the back of the temple grounds is a three-storey annex building which houses the temple kitchen, stores, and staff quarters. In 1996, the addition of a wedding hall cum auditorium with a separate entrance on Pagoda Street completed the collection of buildings on the property.

Opening Hours

Mondays – Sundays
Morning: 7:00am to 12:00 noon
Evening: 6:00pm to 9:00pm (9:15pm on Fridays only)

Archanai services will end at 11:45am & 8:45pm (9:00pm on Fridays only) daily.

DAILY EVENTS

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DEITIES

Services

Services Price
Special Abishegam/Poojai
Additional deities (Each)
$131
$71
Santhana Kappu Fulll (Each Deity)
Face Only
$131
$61
Homam (Each Deity) (2 kinds of Prasadam provided) $251
Sathru Samhara Trisathi Poojai for Sri Murugan $251
Navagraha Homam (9 Kinds of Prasadam provided) $351
Rudra Abishegam $351
Sangu Abishegam $351
Auyushya Homam $301
Mrithyunjaya Homam $301
Sudharsana Homam $401
108 Kalasa Abishegam $451
Shanmuga Archanai $501
Mudikayiru $3
Margazhi Thiruppalli Ezhuchi Poojai $61
Prayers for New Vehicle $35
Uchikaala/ Arthajama Special Poojai $51
30th Day Prayers for a new born child $51
Kulanthai Thatham $51
Namakaranam (Child naming ceremony) $51
Annaprasanam (First feed for child) $51
Vidyarambam (Individual Prayers) $51
Sathya Narayana Poojai $321
Sahasranama Archanai $40
Padaiyal Poojai $251

MANAGEMENT COMMITEE

Chairman: Mr Shekaran s/o Krishnan
Vice Chairman: Mr T G Gritharan
Secretary: Mr Annamalai Saravanan
Finance Member: Mr Kannan s/o Govindasami
Members: Mr M Segar
Mr Parthiban s/o Murugaiyan
Mr Sivakumaran Thangavelu
Mr Balamurugan s/o Vadivelu
Mr Kannappan Muthuganapathy
Mr Murugaian Ravikumar
Mr Ramesh s/o V R Soman
Ms Shantini d/o Vengadasalam

Contact us

244 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058793