Set in Chinatown, Singapore, Singapore, Sri Mariamman Temple honours Mariamman, a South Indian mother goddess especially worshipped for protection against disease.
As Singapore's oldest Hindu temple and a National Monument, Sri Mariamman Temple is a landmark of the Chinatown district and remains an active place of worship for the goddess Mariamman as well as secondary shrines to Rama, Murugan, Draupadi, Durga, Ganesha, and Shiva. Sri Mariamman Temple was founded in 1827 by Naraina Pillai, a government clerk who had arrived in Singapore with Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819, initially as a simple wood and attap structure housing the goddess Mariamman.
Singapore carries a distinct temple identity of its own: Home to Sri Mariamman, Singapore's oldest Hindu temple and a national monument since 1973.
Darshan hours and daily worship
| Session | Timing (as published) |
|---|---|
| Morning | 7:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
| Evening | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM |
The temple closes at midday and reopens in the evening. Sources vary slightly on the exact morning opening time (6:00 AM to 7:00 AM), so treat the start time as approximate. Hours may extend during major festivals such as Theemithi.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Theemithi (Thimithi) | Roughly one week before Deepavali, typically October or November | A firewalking festival honouring the goddess Draupadi, in which male devotees who have completed a period of vows walk barefoot across a pit of burning coals. |
| Kumbhabhishekam | Roughly every 12 years (most recently February 2023) | A reconsecration ceremony for the temple. |
History and architecture
Architecture
Dravidian agamic temple architecture, with a six tiered gopuram carved with sculptures of Hindu deities, ornamental plasterwork, and a painted ceiling in the main hall
History
Sri Mariamman Temple was founded in 1827 by Naraina Pillai, a government clerk who had arrived in Singapore with Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819, initially as a simple wood and attap structure housing the goddess Mariamman. It is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple. The temple was rebuilt in brick from 1843, underwent major reconstruction in 1862 to 1863, and its present six tiered gopuram was completed in 1925. It was gazetted as a National Monument on 6 July 1973, the first Hindu religious site in Singapore to receive that status.
Planning your visit
How to reach
244 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058793. The nearest MRT station is Chinatown (NE4/DT19), Exit A, about a 6 to 8 minute walk south along South Bridge Road.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: High. Founding history, national monument date, and architecture are confirmed on Wikipedia and cross checked against Time Out Singapore and VisitSingapore. Exact opening hour boundaries vary slightly by source, so treat the morning start time as approximate.