The temples near Cenotaph are built, not just for worshiping, but to share the culture and details about the society as well. These temples are decorated with beautiful sculptures and each sculpture has a story around it. Apart from sculptures, temples also share knowledge about society that existed during its construction time. For example, an inscription plate on the outer prakara of a temple near Cenotaph in Singapore, explains something that occured in circa 8th century AD. This may not be relevant to the god in the temple, but it lets us understand how the society was during that time. Further, temples also acted as shelters for people during times of war. There was a rule that people who get inside temples should not be attacked. Temples also served as reason for people’s get-together. Temple festivals are times when people of the locality join hands to celebrate it happily.
Temples also paved the way for settlements. There are records where a new place was created by constructing a temple in that place, and creating settlement in the place by bringing people from other places. Many villages and towns of those times were created in this way.
The temples around Cenotaph are dedicated to, religious or spiritual activities including prayer, meditation, sacrifice and worship. It is a sacred precinct defined by a priest (or augur) as the dwelling place of a god or gods and the structure built there was created to honor the Deus Loci (spirit) of a certain place. Early temples were constructed on sites which the people felt had a numinous quality to them which indicated the presence of a god, gods, or spirits. Some of the earliest examples of these outdoor temples still extant are in Singapore. The word ‘temple’ dates to around the 6th century BCE in reference to Roman places of worship.
Top 3 Temples Near Cenotaph
We have shortlisted 3 temples near Cenotaph that have been designed to bring human beings and gods together, using symbolism to express the ideas and beliefs of Hinduism. The symbolism and structure of a Hindu temple are rooted in Vedic traditions, deploying circles and squares. A temple incorporates all elements of Hindu cosmos—presenting the good, the evil and the human, as well as the elements of Hindu sense of cyclic time and the essence of life—symbolically presenting dharma, kama, artha, moksa, and karma:
1. Sasanaransi Buddhist Temple
It was built by a Burmese expatriate to serve the overseas Burmese Buddhist community and is, therefore, also known as the Burmese Buddhist Temple. It was previously located in Little India, off Serangoon Road, and was relocated to its current location in 1991. It is a multi-storied building, the interiors of which are embellished with paintings depicting events in Buddha’s life and on the third story is a standing gold image of Buddha. Surround by a halo of colorful lights, is a 3.3m tall Buddha statue built from a 10-ton block of marble.
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2. Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple
This grand, beautiful temple is guarded by a 68 feet high entrance tower in golden colour. The meditation/prayer hall here has four granite pillars on four corners with images of Lord Vinayagar carved on them.
The temple is primarily visited by Tamil Hindus, however, people from every faith are welcome here. The paintings, sculptures, and other artwork adorning its walls is not only awe-inspiring but restores faith as well.
Location: 19 Ceylon Road, Singapore
Timings: 6:30 AM – 12 PM, 6:30 PM – 9 PM
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3. Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman Temple
One of the oldest Hindu temples in Singapore, Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman Temple is visited by the devotee Hindus throughout the year. Although exact date of its construction isnt known, since its inception though it has been attracting countless Hindu believers to visit for worship. Some records explain that it was built in 1860 but no authenticity of that claim is found yet. Hindus from Indian and all over the world especially Nepal and Sri Lanka keep visiting here for worship.
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The spiritual principles symbolically represented in temples near Cenotaph are given in the ancient Sanskrit texts of India. You only need to refer to the Upanishads or the Vedas to get some context. Book your Singapore holiday and be prepared to be amazed by the bevy of temples in Cenotaph. Make sure to stop by Cenotaph on your Singapore getaway. We promise you’re in for a treat and you won’t be disappointed by anything that Cenotaph offers.
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