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Sri Krishnan Temple

 

Singapore Biennale 2006

Exhibition venue of the
Singapore Biennale 2006

When in the 1870s already a large community of Hindus had settled in the area near Waterloo Street, Mr. Hanuman Beem Singh, feeling there should be a spiritual presence and guidance for all the Hindus arriving there, placed images of Sri Vigneshwarar and Sri Hanuman at the foot of a banyan tree and converted it into a shrine. He performed regular pujas (Hindu rituals) and, as the community grew, constructed a platform for an image of Lord Krishna, the ninth incarnation of the god Vishnu.

His son, Mr. Humna Somapah, managed the temple from 1880 to 1904. He improved its structure by erecting a proper fence around it. A priest from Kasi, India, was appointed to carry out the pujas and ceremonies. In 1904, Mr. Humna Somapah entrusted the temple services to his niece, Madam Joognee Ammal, who built a main shrine and the Vimanam (temple dome). The MahaKumbabishegam or consecration ceremony was conducted in 1933.

In 1935, Mr. V. Pakirisamy Pillai took over the administration. The Mandapam (a room for meditating and praying) was built in front of the shrine and consecrated in 1959. Brahmin priests conducted prayers and ceremonies from 1935 to 1989. Since 1984, temple affairs have been entrusted to Mr. Pillai's son, Mr. P. Sivaraman, currently the trustee of the Sri Krishnan Temple.

Major renovations were undertaken by Mr. Siva in 1987. These included the building of the main entrance, a "gopuram" (a tower with sculptured figures over the entrance), additional sanctums for Sri Anjaneyar, Sri Vishnu Durgai, Sri Gumvayurappan, Sri Sudharshana, Sri MahaLakshmi, as well as the Vasantha Mandapam (a prayer room for the Vasanthosavam, the Spring Fest). A new priest and musicians were brought in to perform the ceremonies. The consecration was conducted on November 12, 1989.

An additional redevelopment and expansion phase followed in 2001. This added behind the actual temple facilities a four-storey ancillary block with multipurpose halls, where educational courses, religious meetings, and cultural events are offered to a broad public. With the consecration of the new building on November 24, 2002, a plaque marking the temple an historic landmark was unveiled. One of the special aspects of this Hindu temple is that numerous Chinese come here to pray, after having prayed to their Taoist deities at the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple, located on the same street.

(Based on information on the website of the Hindu Endowments Board of Singapore.)

Address:
152 Waterloo Street

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The Biennale event Encounters 04 with the blessing ceremony of the Singapore Biennale 2006 took place here on 1 December 2005.
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Singapore / City Tour / Northern Centre

7 photo pages