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Dear friends,
We are knowing about Hindu Temples of Singapore for sometime now. Next in line is the Sri Vairavimada Kali Amman Temple. It is quite an old temple of Singapore and is very popular. During the month of Adi, they perform Santhanakuda abhishekam where over hundred devotees carry their Santhanakudam around the temple and give it to the priest to perform abhishekam to the Kali Amman. I was fortunate enough to do it once three years back. If you visit Singapore make it a point to visit this temple.
Varadarajan
Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman Temple
Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman Temple is one of the oldest temples in Singapore. Originally erected at Killiney Road, the temple was relocated two more times before it finally moved to Toa Payoh.
The original temple structure at Killiney Road was in the path of a proposed railway line which was to run from Tank Road to the Causeway in Woodlands. As such, the local municipal railway authorities negotiated with the temple’s trustees and bought over the temple’s land for the purpose of constructing the new railway lines. Trustees of the temple then erected a new structure on vacant land at Orchard Road. Unfortunately, the railway authorities once again acquired land owned by the temple and it had to be relocated for the second time. In 1921, a new piece of land at 21 Somerset Road (just in front of the Telecoms building) was purchased for building the temple. The temple structure at this location was constructed by the Mohammedan and Hindu Endowments Board in 1933. A consecration ceremony was held on 6th December 1933 following its completion.
In September 1970, all 8,854 sq. ft of land at the temple’s Somerset Road location was acquired for development purposes by the government. On 5th September 1982, the temple was relocated to its present location in Toa Payoh. The deities were housed temporarily at the wedding hall which was built before the temple itself. Upon completion of the temple complex, a consecration ceremony was held on 27th March 1986.
Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman Temple holds the honour of introducing Saraswathy Kindergarten – the first Tamil/ English pre school in Singapore. The service proved to be so popular that a full fledged Kindergarten was set up at Kim Keat in 1990.
The main festivals celebrated here are Chithira Pournami Brahmotsavam, Santhanakudam Abishegam, Periyachi Pooja, and Makara Villaku.
What is Project Bhakti?
Project Bhakti classes are conducted by a group of youth volunteers under the aegis of the Hindu Endowments Board. Since its inception in 2001, Project Bhakti has catered to the religious needs of Hindu children in Singapore. The English-medium classes are taught to children between the ages of 5 to 16 years old. Each year, more than 500 children partake in these Hinduism classes, which are conducted at some of the local Hindu temples.