Sri Mariamman Temple (Singapore)
The temple Sri Mariamman ( tamil : ஸ்ரீ மாரியம்மன் கோவில், Mariamman Kovil ) in Singapore , the 1827 Dravida style was built, is the oldest Hindu - Temple in the city state. It is dedicated to the mother goddess Mariyamman (also Mariamman), who is especially venerated in the south of India and north of Sri Lanka.
The temple is located in the center of Singapore in the actual Chinatown district on South Bridge Road between Pagoda Street and Temple Street. It serves as a house of prayer for most of the Tamils and members of the city's Hindu population. Because of its historical and architectural importance, the temple was declared a national monument on July 6, 1973.
history
Some sites for the Hindu temple were discarded (such as Telok Ayer Street , then a quayside near the place where Telok Ayer Basin was later built ); they offered no way of getting fresh fresh water for the Hindu rituals. Finally, a place was chosen in today's South Bridge Road at the point where - close to a canal - there was a "Kling Chapel" - which is recorded on a map from 1823; "Kling" was then one of the expressions that were used in Singapore (and all of Malaysia, often derogatory) for immigrants from South India.
The temple was founded in 1827 at the instigation of the government official Naraina Pillai (also known as Narayana Pillay) from Penang , who came to Singapore in 1819, and with the assistance of immigrants mainly from the provinces of Nagapattinam and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu . The first simple building was made of wood and a roof of palm leaves cover the nipa palm .
After the property was enlarged through donations in 1831, temple improvements were also started: the temple was gradually rebuilt from bricks. The first structure made of this building material dates from 1843, most of the renovations of this type are generally dated to the years 1862/63. The original three-story gopuram , the gate tower at the entrance to the temple, was replaced by a five-story tower in 1925.
Following the Hindu tradition, temples are renovated and consecrated every 12 years. The first ceremony of this kind is documented at the Sri Mariamman Temple in 1936, the last took place in 2010. For this purpose, craftsmen and artists from South India are commissioned with the work. In 2010 it was a team of 20 artists who renovated the numerous statues.
In the temple, the annual Hindu festival of the fire walk in honor of Draupadi , who is considered the incarnation of Mariamman, is celebrated, the so-called Thimithi (also Theemithi); it is associated with various rituals.
Remarks
- ↑ Tamil kovil , also koil , koyil , modern kōvil , is now usually translated as "house of God" (in the sense of " temple ").
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Bonny Tan and Valerie Chew: Sri Mariamman Temple , in: Infopedia , Server of the National Library Board, Singapore Government, online at: eresources.nlb.gov.sg /.../ SIP_778 ...
- ↑ a b c d e Sri Mariamman Temple , website of the state's National Heritage Board, online at: roots.sg / ...
- ↑ Sri Mariamman Temple , website of the state-run Singapore Tourism Board, online at: visitsingapore.com / ...
- ↑ Naraina Pillai , in: Infopedia , Server of the National Library Board, Singapore Government, online at: eresources.nlb.gov.sg /.../ SIP_771 ...
- ↑ Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore , private website, online at: chinatownology.com / ...
- ↑ Theemithi , in: Infopedia , Server of the National Library Board, Singapore Government, online at: eresources.nlb.gov.sg /.../ SIP_762 ...
See also
Web links
- Sri Mariamman Temple on roots.sg, the website of the National Heritage Board of Singapore (English).
Coordinates: 1 ° 16 ′ 57.4 " N , 103 ° 50 ′ 43" E