Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple

Prayer Timing

5.30AM Temple Opens

6.30AM Padithara Abhishegam to Lord Vinayagar

7.00AM Nithya Pooja

12.00 Noon Uchikala Pooja

12.30PM Temple Closes

5.30PM Temple Opens

6.30PM Nithya Pooja

(7.00PM)All Fridays And On Special Festival Poojas

9.00PM Arthasaama Pooja

11.00PM Temple Closes

Deities in temple

Sri Nagaraj

Goddess

Sri Bhairav

Sri Nataraja

Sri Dakshinamoorthy

Temple's official website

Location

19 Ceylon Road Singapore 429613

Tel: 6345 8176 Fax: 6344 2584

Email : ssvt_manager@yahoo.com.sg

View Picture Gallery

Facilities

Sunday Saiva Religious Classes

Music and Dance Academy

Iyanger Yoga Class

(Please Contact Temple For more Detail)

Information

The beginning

The history of the temple began more than 150 years ago- in the 1850s- with the discovery of a statue of Lord Ganesha by the side of a pond. A Chempaka tree, Senpaga in Tamil, stood on the bank of the pond and gave the identifying element to the Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple. The word Sri is a respectful prefix.

A Ceylon Tamil, Mr Ethirnayagam pillai pioneered the building of the first structure, a modest shelter with an attap roof with the help of Indian workers. This humble abode under the Chempaka tree became the temple of Sri Senpaga Vinayagar.

Appointment of priest

In 1909, the Ceylon Tamils who had grown in number to about 300 families, formed the Singapore Ceylon Tamils' association(SCTA). In 1913, a Management Committee of four persons was formed to renovate the premises for the ever growing number of devotees. In 1923, the SCTA assisted the Temple by purchasing the land on which the Temple stands today in 1923. A bigger Temple subsequently emerged with a priest (a pandaram) to initiate prayers(poojas) and other religious ceremonies.

SCTA's Role

In 1923, the SCTA became the official keeper and manager of this autonomous Temple. From that year onwards, the Temple Committee was elected from among the SCTA members. In the following year, the Committee decided to upgrade the Temple. Under the Chairmanship of Mr S Muthukumaru, the plans were finalized in 1926 and sculptor was commission. The construction of the concrete building was completed in 1929.

First Consecration Ceremony (Maha Kumbhabishegam), 1930

Generous donations from the Chairman; many well-placed community leaders and devotees permitted the addition of several new shrines within the precincts of the Temple. They included shrines for Lord Shiva, Goddess Ambal, and Lords Subramaniyam, Vairavar and Nagarajar,. On 3 February, 1930 a major Consecration (Maha Kumbhabishegam) of the Temple was held for the first time.

After 2nd World War

During the Second World War, a bomb damaged the Temple. Restoration began in 1949 under the Chairmanship of Dr. p. Thillainathan and six years later on 7 July, 1955, devotees witnessed another Consecration Ceremony. Periodic upgrading of the temple resulted in the addition of new halls, kitchens, classrooms, a perimeter wall, a wedding dias, and a library. On 8 November, 1989, the then Senior Minister, Mr S Rajaratnam declared open the three storey extension with an air-conditioned wedding and dining hall.

The New Temple

Chunks of Concrete began falling from the ceiling of the Temple and cracks appeared in its walls. these occurrences prompted the SCTA to act. At its Annual General Meeting in 1998, a resolution was passed to appoint Dr. R Theyvendran, PBM as the project Chairman for the rebuilding of the Temple. Despite his limited expertise in this field, he accepted the challenge and brought to bear his entrepreneurial skills. He was ably assisted by Mr S M Vasagar, ex-Chairman and then Advisor; Mr S Moganaruban, PBM, Chairman of the Temple Management Committee, its dedicated members and a legion of well-wishers.

PM Attends Consecration Ceremony

Between the years 1998 and 2003, the Chairman and the Committees worked feverishly to raise funds, find resourceful persons, obtain government approvals, import artifacts from India and supervise the mansions and the contractors. The Consecration of the Temple was held on 7 February, 2003. The Honourable Prime Minister then, Mr Goh Chok Tong was the guest-of-Honour on this auspicious occasion.

Historic Site

The National Heritage Board marked the Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple as a Historic Site as an acknowledgement of its significance in Singapore's social and cultural history.

Transformation

From a small shed the temple has today grown into a majestic Temple which many has described as really " Heaven on Earth"