Sri Manmatha Karuneshvarar Temple
Encyclopedia
Sri Manmatha Karuneshvarar Temple or Sivan Temple is a Hindu
temple
for Sri Manmatha Karuneshvarar Sivan or Shiva
as the presiding deity located on Kallang Road
in Singapore
.
It was established soon after the Municipal Gasworks of depot was set up in Kallang Road. The large number of Hindu employees started a shrine and installed the main deity to seek its protection as well as to sustain their Hindu traditions and values.
In 1909, the site, an area of 8255 square feet (766.9 m²), was granted on government lease for 99 years made in favour of four persons; Soona Veloo Vendir, Nagalingam Kathiraysonm, Annamalai Mecppa Komarasamy and Veerapatra Mudaliar. In 1934, after their death, the sons of A.V. Irullappa Pillay, V. Pakirisamy Pillai and V. Narayanasamy Pillai funded the reconstruction of the temple in memory of their late father at the request of the Hindu devotees. Although the lease was renewed in 1909, the plan to build a concrete mandapam (main hall) ran into financial difficulties. In March 1937, three trustees were appointed by the Chief Justice of Singapore; they were V. Pakrisamy, V. Narayanasamy and Balakrishna Murugase Thirunalam. After the consecration ceremony on 19 August 1937, a Committee of Management was formed with A.V. Irullappa Pillay, a foreman of the Municipal Gas Works, as chairman.
Further renovations were carried out in 1974 and the sons of V. Parkirisamy and grandsons of V. Narayanasamy are now managing the Temple.
Though there were not many Hindus in Kallang and Kampong Bugis, the Hindu employees of the Gas Depot had living quarters close to the Depot and so they built the shrine. At that time Indians were concentrated in Tanjong Pagar and Serangoon area.
Lord Siva is the destroyer while his consort, Parvati, is looked upon as an almighty Mother figure that pleads to Lord Siva on the behalf of mankind and creatures. However, even though he represents destruction, Lord Siva is viewed as a positive force or even the Destroyer of Evil, since creation follows destruction. Lord Siva has five jobs creator, preserver, destroyer, hiding the sins and blessing.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
for Sri Manmatha Karuneshvarar Sivan or Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
as the presiding deity located on Kallang Road
Kallang
Kallang is an urban planning area and a subdivision located in the southeastern part of Singapore.It is probably best known for being the location of the Singapore Indoor Stadium & the old National Stadium, as well as the new Singapore Sports Hub...
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
History
The temple was established on 1 January 1888 on a lease from the Governor of the Straits Settlements for the Tamil community as a place of worship, this temple is known to its devotees as the Kallang Gasworks Sivan Temple.It was established soon after the Municipal Gasworks of depot was set up in Kallang Road. The large number of Hindu employees started a shrine and installed the main deity to seek its protection as well as to sustain their Hindu traditions and values.
In 1909, the site, an area of 8255 square feet (766.9 m²), was granted on government lease for 99 years made in favour of four persons; Soona Veloo Vendir, Nagalingam Kathiraysonm, Annamalai Mecppa Komarasamy and Veerapatra Mudaliar. In 1934, after their death, the sons of A.V. Irullappa Pillay, V. Pakirisamy Pillai and V. Narayanasamy Pillai funded the reconstruction of the temple in memory of their late father at the request of the Hindu devotees. Although the lease was renewed in 1909, the plan to build a concrete mandapam (main hall) ran into financial difficulties. In March 1937, three trustees were appointed by the Chief Justice of Singapore; they were V. Pakrisamy, V. Narayanasamy and Balakrishna Murugase Thirunalam. After the consecration ceremony on 19 August 1937, a Committee of Management was formed with A.V. Irullappa Pillay, a foreman of the Municipal Gas Works, as chairman.
Further renovations were carried out in 1974 and the sons of V. Parkirisamy and grandsons of V. Narayanasamy are now managing the Temple.
Though there were not many Hindus in Kallang and Kampong Bugis, the Hindu employees of the Gas Depot had living quarters close to the Depot and so they built the shrine. At that time Indians were concentrated in Tanjong Pagar and Serangoon area.
Lord Siva is the destroyer while his consort, Parvati, is looked upon as an almighty Mother figure that pleads to Lord Siva on the behalf of mankind and creatures. However, even though he represents destruction, Lord Siva is viewed as a positive force or even the Destroyer of Evil, since creation follows destruction. Lord Siva has five jobs creator, preserver, destroyer, hiding the sins and blessing.