Today’s The World Around Us will be presented in Tamil, with subtitles in Arabic, Aulacese (Vietnamese), Chinese, English, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, (Tamil,) and Thai.

Hinduism, originally called Santana Dharma or Righteousness, is known more as a way of life than as religion. There is no single divine prophet responsible for its origin and development. Temple worship is an important part of the daily life of Hindus. They believe that the images or statues of the deities at the temple are equivalent to their permanent residence there.

Hinduism is one of the earliest established religions in Singapore, a cosmopolitan and multi-religious nation. In the early 19th century, a wave of immigrants from southern India arrived in Singapore to work. Their arrival saw the building of temples throughout the island and the beginnings of a vibrant Hindu culture.

Hindu temples are built on the principles of Vastushastras. The Vastushastras describe a temple as the representation of the cosmos in a miniature form. The design and construction of Hindu temples are set out in the religious texts or Shastras which cover a wide range of subjects. A typical Hindu temple consists of an entrance, one or more attached or detached mandapas or halls, and the inner sanctum called the garbagriha. The tower built directly above garbagriha is known as the gopuram .

Hinduism in Singapore today is primarily governed by the Dravidian concept of bhakti or devotion, as devotees make offerings to the deities installed at the temples or in their homes. At present, there are approximately 31 Hindu temples in Singapore serving 250,000 Hindus.

Due to Singapore’s diverse ethnic mix of people, racial and religious harmony is the top priority of the governing institutions. The Singapore Hindu Endowments Board is a government body that manages 4 of the Hindu temples, namely the Sri Mariamman, Sri Srinivasa Perumal, Sri Sivan and Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman.

Located in Chinatown and serving the needs of the South Indian city dwellers, the Sri Mariamman Temple is the first and oldest Hindu temple in Singapore. It was the inspiration of Naraina Pillai, a trader and a leader of the Indian community who arrived in Singapore with Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore, in 1819.

The Sri Mariamman Temple is dedicated to Goddess Mariamman, known for her power in curing epidemic illnesses and diseases. Due to its architectural and historical significance, the temple has been made a national monument and is a major tourist attraction. Located near the Little Indian town in central Singapore, the 154-year-old Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple is one of the most popular and largest Hindu temples in Singapore.

It was declared as a national monument by the Preservation of Monuments Board in 1978. This temple was built in the Dravidian style, a style commonly seen in Tamil Nadu India. This style of architecture is known for its imposing entrance towers or grand tower called Rajagopurams, adorned with figurines from Hindu mythology. There are also complex friezes, intricate carvings and paintings or murals done on the walls and ceilings of the temple.

The main sanctum houses the principal deity. Sanctums for other deities flank the central sanctum. Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple is dedicated for Lord Vishnu. In this millennium, it remains a divine gateway for all its devotees seeking the Lord Perumal’s blessing.

Visitors to the temple today can witness the great efforts undertaken by the temple’s successive management committees to ensure that its conservation status is maintained. From well laid out sanctums, rich Sculptural embellishments, to an ornate mandapam (pillared pavillion) built for the worship of processional deities, these and many more new features make the temple a symbol of Hinduism.

The social and educational needs of devotees are also addressed through the temple. Visitors and devotees to this temple are able to experience Hindu spiritual worship as well as witness Hindu customs and practices at its best here.

According to the Hindu Calendar, there are about 38 festivals celebrated each year, from Tamil New Year, Chitra Pournami, Fire Walking Festival to Deepavali and Pongal, just to name a few. What you are about to see is a typical Chitra Pournami – the Full Moon Day prayer ritual.

Before entering the temple, devotees wash their feet in a specific manner as footwear is considered impure and it is not worn in the home and temple. The devotees pay their respects by ringing the bell at the door. Upon entering into the temple, one hears lively music playing, normally drums and trumpets, as it is considered auspicious for the deities.

The Chitra Pournami is observed on the full moon day in the month of Chitirai, in April or May. In this month, the sunshine is in its entire splendor, and the moon which borrows its luster from the sun is just as bright. This day is believed to be conducive to the happiness of humanity in general. Accordingly people make special offerings to please Lord Yama, and special prayers are arranged at all the Hindu temples on this revered day.

The devotees may make offerings of incense, jasmine flowers garlands, fruits, coconut and other foods to all or any of the deities during their visit. Typically a lamp is lit symbolizing the light of knowledge and expressing their wish for a prosperous life.

When we return, we will continue our visit to the beautiful Hindu temples in Singapore. Please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television.

Halo and welcome back to The World Around Us on Supreme Master Television. The basis of Hindus worship and practice is set out in the ancient scriptures known as Vedas, meaning knowledge in Sanskrit. The Vedas are considered to represent the foundation of the Hindu way of life. Rituals and recitation from the Vedas are almost always carried out by specially trained priests.

Modernday Hinduism combines the belief and practices of the Dravidians, or the indigenous people of India, with the philosophy and rituals of the Aryans. A visitor to a temple may request the performance of puja, or daily prayers, at the temple and make a donation for that purpose. These rituals express the personal nature of Hindu devotion to their deities.

In general, priests in the temples help make offerings to the deities. The priests are required to undergo rigorous training and have a thorough knowledge of the scriptures and prayer rituals so that they are able to act as intermediaries between the devotee and deity. Only priests are allowed to enter the inner sanctum where the deity is housed while devotees offer their prayers from the outer sanctum.

Devotees would sit on the floor quietly and watch the ritual service being performed. There is always musical procession carrying the deities around so that the devotees can take a closer look at the deities or touch the feet of the deities as a mark of respect.

On special occasions, devotees also seek the blessing of the deities through a Sadari, on which God’s feet are engraved in the form of a crown used by the Hindu priests to bless the heads of the devotees. After seeking the blessing of the deities, blessed raisins or turmeric rice were given to the devotees.

Only vegetarian food is served in the temple – no meat, no eggs, no alcohol, and no cigarettes are allowed. On the right side of the temple sits the dining hall and a garden with sculptures of auspicious animals like the elephants and peacocks.

The architecture of Hindu temples varies considerably between North and South India, although the basic religious tenets remain the same. Although Sivan Temple is modern and one of the newest Hindu temples in Singapore, it is actually 188 years old. However, due to city regulations, the temple was relocated to the current location 10 years ago.

The Hindu Endowments Board had intended to make this new temple unique in appearance, features and facilities. Well-known temple architects in India were consulted and a team was sent to study the best of both the North and South Indian Temples.

What followed was a unique design with an octagonal structure with a multi-purpose hall, priests’ residence, staff quarters, and gardens. It was build at a cost of $6 million on a 3,000 sq. meter plot of land. The new site is considerably larger than the temple's former site by around by four and a half times.

The Sri Sivan temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva of the Holy Trinity in Hinduism – Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. This three-story building has three beautiful prominent domes standing on its rooftop. There are 108 different female dancers, who are goddess figurines, each beautifully carved on the exterior side walls of this octagonal temple.

Inside the temple prayer hall are housed different sanctums for each respective deity. In the middle of the main hall stands the tall metal flagpole used for raising the temple’s flag, which is decorated with figurines and religious texts. Also, various intricate and beautiful floral carvings can be seen on the ceiling of the main hall.

Visitors to the Hindu temple can usually observe some form of prayer ceremony such as the special Deity Bathing ceremony. The fragrant water collected at the end of the bathing ceremony is given to the devotees by the priest as a form of blessing.

Hindus treat temples like their second home. After the prayer session, they sit around and enjoy the company of their friends and family members. The gathering always ends with happy and blissful notes, and very much so for the Hindus of Singapore.

Precious viewers, thank you for being with us on today’s episode of The World Around Us. Up next is Words of Wisdom, right after Noteworthy News, here on Supreme Master Television. May the Providence’s love be with you, always.

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