SINGAPORE: A new Hindu temple will be built in a land parcel along Yishun Avenue 3, in a move aimed at meeting the growing needs of the Hindu community in Singapore.
Already allocated by the, the site is near Yishun Innova Junior College and among residential blocks.
Following consultations with the Hindu Advisory Board and other community stakeholders, the new temple, named Sree Guruvayoorappan Ayyappan Temple (SGAT), is expected to begin construction in August or September 2026.
It will be near an existing Hindu temple in Yishun, Sree Maha Mariamman Temple, which is preparing for its consecration ceremony this year.
Holy Tree Balasubramaniar Temple (HTSB) is the other Hindu temple in Yishun.
The last Hindu temple to be built in Singapore was the Arulmigu Velmurugan Gnanamuneeswarar Temple in Sengkang in 2006.
Announcing the plans to the media at HTSB on March 28, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Dinesh Vasu Dash noted that there is currently no temple in Singapore dedicated to the two deities, Guruvayoorappan and Ayyappan.
The new SGAT will allow devotees to worship several deities alongside these two main deities.
Noting that the northern part of Singapore has a higher concentration of Indian residents, Dinesh said the new temple is well-positioned to serve the community.
In particular, the temple would serve as a starting point for Singaporean pilgrims, many of whom travel to the Sabarimala Sree Dharma Sastha Temple (Sabarimala) in Kerala, India.
The new temple would possibly make it easier for devotees, particularly elderly worshippers, to begin their spiritual journey, he added.
The Sabarimala, dedicated to Lord Ayyappan, attracts 40 to 50 million devotees annually, and involves a challenging 41-day preparatory trek to the hilltop shrine.
The physically demanding journey can be particularly challenging for elderly pilgrims.
Guruvayoor Temple, also in Kerala, is dedicated to Lord Guruvayoorappan (Lord Krishna) and similarly draws millions each year.
The two temples are especially significant to the Malayalee diaspora as they are located in their home state of Kerala and are closely linked to longstanding religious traditions and family practices.
Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam, who was at the media briefing, noted that the new temple has been a long-standing desire, particularly among the Malayalee community here, and said it will satisfy that desire.
“Beyond the Malayalee community, many other Hindus, including the Tamils, North Indians, the great devotees of the Ayyappan as well as Guruvayoorappan, millions make the pilgrimage in India to these two temples, and the fact that there is a dedicated temple for these two deities and other deities will fulfil the aspiration of all Hindus, said Shanmugam, who is also the anchor minister for Nee Soon GRC and Coordinating Minister for National Security. "(The) Malayalee community will be very happy.”
Dinesh said SGAT plans to deploy priests from Kerala, particularly those from the Sabarimala Temple.
Architecturally, SGAT’s layout and entrance would differ from typical Hindu designs to reflect Singapore’s concept of Harmony Circles, in which places of worship contribute to community cohesion.
This will offer an opportunity for people of all races to better understand Hinduism and appreciate the strength of multiculturalism in Singapore, Dinesh said.
Unlike the towering gopurams (ornamental entrance towers) that mark many Hindu temples in Singapore, the new SGAT will take inspiration from the traditional and distinctive Kerala gable, which facilitates natural airflow.
Other features that mirror traditional temples tin Kerala include the 18 steps of a Sabarimala-style Ayyappan shrine and elements inspired by the Guruvayoor Temple.
The new temple will also have an annex building, featuring a multi-purpose hall and event spaces to host cultural, educational and social outreach programmes.
These facilities will support community-building initiatives such as interfaith collaboration and food distribution.
Also present at the media briefing were Nee Soon East division MP Jackson Lam, and R. Ravindran, former MP and chairman of SGAT’s board of trustees.
Ravindran, who will oversee SGAT’s plans, said: “We are working on accommodating more devotees, though numbers may vary.”
A Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth spokesperson said plans for the temple are still in the developmental stage, with the construction timeline dependent on factors such as design and construction complexity, as well as the necessary planning and regulatory approvals, adding that SGAT will bear its own development and construction costs without subsidy.
More details will be shared at a later date.
The spokesperson added that during construction, the temple will work with the relevant authorities and grassroots advisers to minimise inconvenience and disamenities, and will abide by permissible noise limits and construction hours.
SGAT will be the 25th Hindu temple in Singapore, said the spokesperson. - The Straits Times/ANN
