is said that the greatest temple builders in the history of India are the Cholas, one of the longest-ruling dynasties in southern India. Located in the heart of Katong off Ceylon Road is the Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple, which has adopted various features of the Chola style of architecture. With an understated yellow façade, the 21-metre high Raja Gopuram entrance tower makes this one of the tallest Hindu temples in Singapore. . Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple is the second oldest existing Hindu temple in Singapore with history dating back to the 1850s. A prominent Ceylonese Ethirnayagam Pillay installed a stone statue of Lord Vinayagar under the same Chempaka tree it was found and recovered from the shores of. Chempaka is known as Senpaga in Tamil, and this is how the name of the temple came about. Other than the feature about the temple’s name, Ceylon Road (where it is located) derived its name from the presence of the many Ceylonese or Sri Lankan Tamil immigrants in early Singapore in the area. The consecration ceremony in 1970 where the leading high priest climbed to the top of the Raja Gopuram tower and poured holy water to the chant of prayers. Initially a modest shelter with an attap roof built by Ethirnayagam Pillay and a few Indian labourers, the temple has been rebuilt several times even after damages during World War II. The temple was reconsecrated for the fifth time in 2003. While the exterior eschews rich colour in the quiet Katong residential estate, the interior main hall is the centrepiece with 32 different forms of Lord Vinayagar on four granite pillars with eight sculptures on each. . .
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 16:23:55 +0000
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