In Tank Road, Singapore, Singapore, Sri Thendayuthapani Temple is a shrine to Lord Murugan in his Thendayuthapani form, with shrines to Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha, Idumban, Nandi and the Navagraha. It is also known as Chettiar Temple, Chettiar's Temple, Sri Thendayuthapani Kovil.
Sri Thendayuthapani Temple is one of the most important monuments to Singapore's South Indian Hindu community and the historic hub of the Chettiar community, whose Chamber of Commerce was established on the temple grounds in 1928. It is best known as the terminus of Singapore's Thaipusam kavadi procession, which draws tens of thousands of devotees and spectators each year. The temple was established on 4 April 1859 by the Nattukottai Chettiars (Nagarathars), merchant bankers and moneylenders from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu who began arriving in Singapore in the 1820s.
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 to 12:00 PM |
| Evening | 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM |
Timings are drawn from third party visitor guides rather than a published schedule on the temple's own site; confirm current hours with the temple directly, especially around major festivals.
Poojas and daily rituals
Regular archanai (offerings) can be booked online; the temple's calendar also includes special homams such as the Chathur Laksha Japa Homam.
Festivals and special-day timings
Regular darshan hours are usually extended, or set aside entirely, on these dates.
| Festival | Period | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Thaipusam | January or February, the Tamil month of Thai | The temple is the endpoint of Singapore's Thaipusam kavadi procession, which starts at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple on Serangoon Road. Devotees carry kavadi structures or milk pots, some with body piercings, as acts of penance and thanksgiving to Lord Murugan; the Nattukottai Chettiars are credited with introducing Thaipusam to Southeast Asia. |
| Thaipusam eve procession | The evening before Thaipusam | The temple's Lord Murugan statue is processed to Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple on Keong Saik Road and back. |
History and architecture
Architecture
South Indian Dravidian style with a five tiered gopuram entrance tower, Chettiar style thinnai (raised platforms), and 48 engraved glass panels depicting Shiva's Nataraja dance and forms of Ganesha
History
The temple was established on 4 April 1859 by the Nattukottai Chettiars (Nagarathars), merchant bankers and moneylenders from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu who began arriving in Singapore in the 1820s. Before the formal temple existed, the Chettiars worshipped a vel (a spear representing Lord Murugan) placed beneath a pipal tree by a water tank in the area, which gave Tank Road its name. The temple was rebuilt in the late 1970s at a cost of about S$3.3 million and consecrated on 24 November 1983, restored again in the late 2000s and re-consecrated on 27 November 2009, and most recently renovated in 2022, including reconstruction of the Meenakshi Amman sanctum. It was designated Singapore's 67th national monument on 20 October 2014.
Planning your visit
How to reach
Located at 15 Tank Road, within walking distance of Fort Canning MRT station (Downtown Line) and Clarke Quay.
Where this information comes from
Confidence: Medium. Core history, architecture and national monument status are well documented, but daily opening hours come from third party visitor sites rather than an official published schedule, and entry fee details were not confirmed