Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple to mark 200th anniversary with year-long celebration in 2027
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The Sri Mariamman Temple is set to launch SMT 200 to commemorate two centuries of legacy that began in 1827.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
- Sri Mariamman Temple will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2027 with year-long events honouring its legacy and community role since 1827.
- Celebrations include religious programmes, a silver chariot procession, and travelling and static exhibitions showcasing historical artefacts and photographs.
- A bilingual heritage publication will be launched, and the temple invites the community to contribute memorabilia for a special archive project by September 2026.
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SINGAPORE – In 2027, Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple, will mark its 200th anniversary with a series of celebrations.
The year-long SMT 200 initiative will commemorate two centuries of the temple’s history, which dates back to its founding in 1827.
It also “honours the generations of devotees, volunteers and community leaders who shaped the Sri Mariamman Temple into a living institution that has accompanied Singapore’s growth from a colonial port settlement into a modern multicultural nation”, the temple said in a statement on July 1.
The temple is located in the heart of Chinatown at 244 South Bridge Road.
Originally a simple wood-and-attap structure, the temple was gazetted as a national monument on July 6, 1973. It served not only as a place of worship, but also a centre of community support that welcomed early migrant communities and contributed to Singapore’s shared identity, the temple said.
A series of religious programmes “aimed at deepening spiritual engagement and encouraging broader participation across the community” will take place throughout 2027.
The celebrations will begin in January, during the four-day Tamil harvest festival of Pongal.
Religious activities, travelling exhibition to commemorate 200-year legacy
Among the celebration’s highlights are a silver chariot procession across various Hindu temples in Singapore and a multi-site exhibition showcasing photographs, artefacts and ceremonial treasures.
The exhibition, which will run from February to December, will take place at public spaces such as the Indian Heritage Centre, as well as public and regional libraries. A static exhibition will also be held at the Sri Mariamman Temple from April to June.
Tamil Murasu, Singapore’s only Tamil-language daily newspaper and a partner of SMT 200, has opened its photo archives to provide historical material for the initiative.
Both the travelling and static exhibitions will be open to the public and are free.
A heritage publication authored by a team of academics and historians is also set to be launched in the last quarter of 2027.
The bilingual publication – titled Amman’s Home, People’s Temple – will be available in both print and digital formats. It will explore the journey of early migrants, generations of devotees and the evolution of the temple alongside Singapore’s development.
As part of the lead-up to the celebrations, the Sri Mariamman Temple has unveiled a commemorative logo inspired by its historic grand entrance tower. It is also calling for contributions of temple-related memorabilia for a project to “help preserve the personal stories that have shaped Sri Mariamman Temple across generations”.
From July to September 2026, members of the community can loan or donate the following items to the temple:
Historical photographs of the temple and its surroundings.
Images that document changes in temple spaces, rituals or celebrations over time.
Wedding photographs and invitations connecting stories of multi-generational family marriages to the temple.
Festival objects and keepsakes linked to the temple.
Selected contributions may form part of the SMT 200 Community Archive. Those interested can e-mail smt@heb.org.sg or call the temple hotline on 6223-4064. The closing date for contributions is Sept 30.