Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore

Sri Mariamman Temple
The gopuram (entrance tower) of Sri Mariamman Temple
Sri Mariamman Temple Location within Singapore
Name
Tamil	ஸ்ரீ மாரியம்மன் கோயில்
Malay	Kuil Sri Mariamman
Chinese	马里安曼兴都庙
Pinyin	Mǎlǐ'ànmàn Xīngdū Miào
Japanese	スリ・マリアマン寺院
Geography
Coordinates	1°16′57.4″N 103°50′43″E / 1.282611°N 103.84528°E / 1.282611; 103.84528Coordinates: 1°16′57.4″N 103°50′43″E / 1.282611°N 103.84528°E / 1.282611; 103.84528
Country	Singapore
Location	South Bridge Road
Culture
Primary deity	Mariamman
Important festivals	Timiti
Architecture
Architectural styles	Dravidian architecture
History and governance
Date built	1827
Creator	Naraina Pillai
Website	Official website
National monument of Singapore
Designated	6 July 1973

The Sri Mariamman Temple (Tamil: ஸ்ரீ மாரியம்மன் கோவில்) is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple. It is an agamic temple, built in the Dravidian style. Located at 244 South Bridge Road, in the downtown Chinatown district, the temple serves the majority Hindu Singaporeans, Tamilians, in the city-state. Due to its architectural and historical significance, the temple has been gazetted a National Monument and is a major tourist attraction. Sri Mariamman Temple is managed by the Hindu Endowments Board, a statutory board under the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.

The Sri Mariamman Temple was founded in 1827 by Naraina Pillai, eight years after the East India Company established a trading settlement in Singapore. Pillai was a government clerk from Penang who arrived in Singapore with Sir Stamford Raffles on his second visit to the island in May 1819. Pillai went on to set up the island's first construction company, and also entered the textile trade. He rapidly established himself in business and was identified as a leader of the Indian community.

Initially, the British authorities allotted land for a Hindu temple along Telok Ayer Street. This street ran alongside Telok Ayer Bay, where most early Asian immigrants first landed in Singapore, and where they went to pray and give thanks for a safe sea journey. The Thian Hock Keng and Nagore Durgha Shrine, respectively Singapore's earliest Chinese and Indian Muslim places of worship, are located there. However, Telok Ayer Street lacked a convenient source of fresh water which was needed for Hindu temple rituals.