SRI SENPAGA VINAYAGAR TEMPLE
19 Ceylon Road
Standing at approximately 21m, the Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple along 19 Ceylon Road is one of the tallest Indian temples in Singapore.
It all began when a certain distinguished gentleman called Ethirnayagam Pillay placed an image of the elephant god under a Senpaga tree. Thus, explains the name for the deity. This temple is housed along Ceylon Road, where many Ceylon Tamils resided here. Many of these Tamil labourers owned cattle farms in this area and their livelihood depended mainly through sale of goat's milk to their neighbours.
In 1923, Pillay with seven others housed the deity under a wooden roof, before they began to raise funds for a temple. The Singapore Ceylon's Tamils' Association then elected a committee to manage the building of this temple and plans were completed by May 1926. Most of the funds came from the generous donation of the public. Thereafter, on 3 February 1930, a consecration ceremony was held to mark the completion of this temple.
A decade later, on 22 January 1941, as Singapore faced the imminent attack by the Japanese, a bomb fell near the temple premises and the building suffered severe damage. However, after the Japanese Occupation, a gentleman named Dr. P. Thillainathan took the personal responsibility to restore the temple and soon this magnificent temple resumed its operation.
Today, this Ceylon Road temple remains a symbol of unity for the Ceylon Tamil community in Singapore and many Ceylon Tamils continue to visit their temple for its spiritual needs and communal harmony.
The Straits Times, 8 Feb 1930
The Straits Times, 12 Apr 1956
Fun fact >> President S.R. Nathan lives at Ceylon Road! The investigating team managed to locate his house and approached it with caution as it was heavily guarded! :D
MASJID KHALID
130 Joo Chiat Road
Masjid Khalid was named after Haji Abdul Khalid bin Haji Mohamed Tyeb, a philanthropist and businessman who agreed to turn the plot of land where the mosque now stands to wakaf site. Built in 1917, the mosque saw to a congregation of mostly Indian Muslims. The current mosque that stands at the site today is the result of major renovation in 1996.
.
Masjid Khalid is also famous for its good food, a tradition started by their first Imam, Almathum Syeikh Osman. Food is prepared at the mosque and given out to worshippers as well as members of the public during significant dates on the Islamic calender such as the month of Ramadhan.
ST HILDA'S ANGLICAN CHURCH
83 Ceylon Road
Built in 1934, the St Hilda's Anglican Church is located between Ceylon and Fowlie Roads. The church features a conical tower built in Victorian style, and seven decades on, the church bell housed within this tower is still used by the churchgoers today! A member of the church informed us that the bell is used mostly during weddings and Sunday school.
There is also a beautiful stained glass in the chapel.
KUAN IM TNG TEMPLE
62 Tembeling Road
The Kuan Im Tng Temple was built in 1921 and it has since been renovated twice.
It is an important place of worship for the chinese believers in Katong/ Joo Chiat area. It's front doors welcome us with it's circular windows, surrounded by its yellow, white and blue mosaic symbols of the eight immortals. It's roof tiles are green and chinese styled, with statues of dancing dragons and the celestial pearl. It symbolises prosperity and good fortune. The main prayer hall of the Kuam Im Temple is specially dedicated to Guan Yin (goddess of Mercy), Confucius as well as the Sun and Moon gods.
Locations of these places of worship on the map...
View Places of Worship in a larger map
