Sri Thendayuthapani Temple, Singapore

The Nattukottai Chettiars founded the temple in 1859 on Tank Road (Roots.gov.sg; SG101). Hinduism Today adds that the Chettiars installed a Vel under a pipal tree in 1858 and that the temple was completed in 1859; the sources agree on 1859 as the founding year. The temple began as a private temple for the Chettiar community and later admitted other Hindus (Roots.gov.sg).

According to Hinduism Today, sanctums for Sundareswarar and Meenakshi were added in 1878. The Nattukottai Chettiars' Chamber of Commerce was set up within the temple grounds in 1928 (Roots.gov.sg; SG101). In 1925 the Chettiars also built Sri Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple on Keong Saik Road, and both temples are managed by the Chettiars' Temple Society (Roots.gov.sg).

The temple committee decided in the late 1970s to rebuild it, with the Chettiar community funding the S$3.3 million cost; the rebuilt temple was consecrated on 24 November 1983 (Roots.gov.sg). SG101 says the original building was demolished in 1981 and the new temple was consecrated in November 1983. Roots.gov.sg records a re-consecration on 27 November 2009, following the traditional 12-year renewal cycle. It was gazetted as a national monument on 20 October 2014 (SG101).

Architecture and sacred features

The temple is in the South Indian (Dravidian) style with a five-tiered gateway tower, or gopuram (Roots.gov.sg; Hinduism Today). SG101 gives the gopuram height as 23 m, and Hinduism Today gives 75 feet, which are consistent. The two sources describe its standing differently (among the tallest in Southeast Asia versus the tallest in East Asia when built), so no ranking is stated here.

Chettiar features include thinnais (raised platforms) at the threshold and 48 glass panels in the mandapam clerestory showing Nataraja and forms of Ganesha (Roots.gov.sg; SG101).