Singapore's first Hindu temple in 20 years to be built in Yishun

Singapore will build its first new Hindu temple in 20 years in Yishun, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) said on Wednesday (April 1).

The ministry said in a statement that construction for the Sree Guruvayoorappan Ayyappan Temple in Yishun Avenue 3 is expected to begin by September and will take up to three years.

The last Hindu temple to be built was the Arulmigu Velmurugan Gnanamuneeswarar Temple in Sengkang in 2006.

MCCY said that the Sree Guruvayoorappan Ayyappan Temple will also feature an adjacent annex building with a multi-purpose hall and event spaces to host cultural, educational and social outreach programmes.

The facilities will support community-building initiatives such as inter-faith collaboration and food distribution, the ministry added.  

Former MP R. Ravindran will lead the temple’s board of trustees to oversee the construction of the temple.

Speaking to reporters at Holy Tree Sri Balasubramaniar Temple in Yishun, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Dinesh Vasu Dash said: "This is the first time in 20 years that the Hindu community is having a temple in Singapore and it’s a celebratory moment for us all.

"We hope that this will give devotees an interesting and fulfilling experience as they visit the temple."

Dinesh added that besides serving the Hindu community, the new temple — in the vicinity of five Chinese temples in Chong Pang area — will help the people from other races and religions know more about Hinduism.

@asiaone Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Dinesh Vasu Dash said the new temple — in the vicinity of five Chinese temples in Chong Pang area — will help the people from other races and religions know more about Hinduism. #sgnews #Singapore #Hindu #Temple #Religion #Harmony ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

"Temples are always part of the overall harmony circles… to understand each other’s cultures which will be very helpful in building a stronger multicultural society."

The new temple will be first that will be dedicated to the deities Swamy Ayyappan and Sree Guruvayoorappan.

Once built, devotees will be able to use the temple as a starting point to fulfil their pilgrimage instead of going to a similar one in the southern Indian state of Kerala.

Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, who is an MP for Nee Soon GRC, said that the new temple will "fulfil the aspirations of all Hindus, and the Malayalee community in particular".

The Malayalees are the second-largest subgroup in Singapore’s Indian community.

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chingshijie@asiaone.com