Singapore spent over Rs 21,50,00,000 to restore oldest Hindu temple: Know history of 200-year-old Sri Mariamman Temple

Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong reopened the country's oldest Hindu temple, and over 20,000 people joined the minister. The Sri Mariamman Temple, built 200 years ago was reopened on Sunday (February 13) after a year-long restoration. Singapore government spent $2.6 million on the restoration work, involving 12 specialist sculptors and seven metal and wood artisans from India who worked on the sanctums, domes and ceiling frescoes.

The work was done under the guidance of Chief Sculptor Dr K Dakshinamoorthy who is also the restoration advisor to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments of Tamil Nadu.

"This is part of living in multicultural Singapore, where the whole community comes together to celebrate each other's cultural and religious milestones," Deputy PM Wong wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday. "Rain in the morning did not dampen the spirits of about 20,000 people here to celebrate the Consecration Ceremony of the Sri Mariamman Temple today! Glad to take part in the ceremony."

People, in huge numbers, have gathered near the temple to witness the milestone in the sixth consecration ceremony, which is also known as the Maha Kumbabishegam. The ceremony is held every 12 years.

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History of Sri Mariamman Temple - Singapore's oldest Hindu temple

The Sri Mariamman temple was founded by Naraina Pillai in 1827. It was built in the Dravidian style. Notably, Pillai was a government clerk from Penang who arrived in Singapore with Sir Stamford Raffles in May 1819. in 1831, the temple grounds were expanded when private land was donated.

The oldest parts of the existing temple structure dates back to 1843. Legends have it that most of the elaborate plaster sculptures and ornamentation in the temple premises were produced by skilled craftsmen from the Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts of Tamil Nadu. A major part of the present temple structure is believed to have been constructed in 1862–1863.

The temple has now been gazetted as a National Monument and is a major tourist attraction in Singapore. The temple is managed by the Hindu Endowments Board, a statutory board under the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.