- Address: Singapore, 244, South Bridge Road
- Phone: +65 6223 4064
- Fax: +65 6225 5015
- E-mail: smt@heb.gov.sg
- Date of construction: 1827.
- Architect: Naraina Pillai
The temple of Sri Mariamman, which belongs to the Hindu faith, is the oldest in Singapore and is located in the central part of Chinatown . It is one of the most popular tourist attractions of the city and a cult building for the majority of Singaporean-immigrants from India.
The internal structure of the temple
In the center of the main prayer hall is the image of the goddess-mother Mariamman. On both sides of it are installed shrines in honor of Rama and Murugan. The main hall is surrounded by free-standing shrines, located in pavilions, which adorn special dome roofs of Wiman. Here, believers pray to such popular Hindu deities as Ganesha, Iravan, Draupadi, Durga, Muthularaja.
The Draupadi Sanctuary is worth a visit, as it is here at Sri Mariamman Temple that the ancient ceremony of thimithi is held - walking barefoot on burning coals. Also pay attention to a stand-alone flagpole: shortly before the main holidays or the performance of religious rituals, a banner flutters on it. The temple is sanctified every 12 years in accordance with the canons of Hinduism. And the festival of Thimitha in Singapore is celebrated with a colorful procession from the temple of Sri Srinivasa Perumal to the shrine of Sri Mariamman. It suits seven days before dipavali - the most important Hindu holiday, which falls on the end of October - the beginning of November. So if you are interested in ancient ceremonies, you just need to visit the country at this time.
Visiting rules Sri Mariamman
In Sri Mariamman there are rules that must be adhered to by all visitors:
- Before entering the temple, take off not only shoes, but socks: ministers will take care of their safety.
- Entering the sanctuary and leaving it, do not forget to ring the bell: thus you greet the gods, and then say goodbye to them. In this case, try to make a wish, which must necessarily come true.
- Photographing on the territory of the temple is allowed, but you have to pay $ 1 for photography and $ 2 for the right to shoot the video. Interior decoration of Sri Mariamman can be imaged on a camera for $ 3.
How to get there?
The temple is open for free visits from 7.00 to 12.00 and from 18.00 to 21.00. To get to Sri Mariamman, you need to rent a car and go to the coordinates or use public transport , for example, the metro - you need to go to Chinatown station line NE7 and walk a short walk along Pagoda Street to the intersection with South Bridge Road or take buses 197 , 166 or 103 of SBS company, which go from the metro station City Hall. From North Bridge Road, you can reach the temple by bus 61, owned by SMRT. Upon arrival in Singapore, we recommend you to immediately purchase one of the special cards - Singapore Tourist Pass or Ez-Link right at the airport . So you can save up to 15% when paying for the fare.
The entrance to the temple of Sri Mariamman in Singapore is impossible not to notice because of the high five-tier gate tower, skillfully decorated with beautifully executed statues of Hindu deities and fairy-tale monsters. And directly above the gates leading inside, always hangs a bunch of exotic fruits - symbols of purity and hospitality.
From the gate tower to get to the entrance to the sanctuary it is possible through the arcade, the vaults of which are painted with the most bizarre and fantastic murals. However, the main altar is closed to tourists, who can only admire the sculptures of Hindu deities in the side galleries, as well as images of sacred white cows, according to legend, the goddess Mariamman is moving.
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