Mariamman temples in South East Asia

[Jimano]

Singapore - Sri Maha Mariamman temple (located in Chinatown)

The oldest Hindu temple in Singapore, it was founded in 1827 by Narayana Pillai, a government clerk who arrived in Singapore with Sir Stamford Raffles on his second visit to the island in May 1819.

The oldest structure dates back to 1843 and the main gopuram was erected in 1903.

The annual fire wakling ceremony dedicated to Draupadi is a major festival conducted in the temple. This festival celebrated over a one month period, consist of daily recitation of the Mahabharata, and dramatic enactions of various important episodes.

A major tourist landmark, the temple has been gazeted as a National Monument due to its unique historic and architectural significance.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kirksiang/1558805146/

Padukalam - a ritual conducted before the fire walking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7PQfK3IBhs&NR=1

[Jimano]

Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) Sri Maha Mariamman Temple (Located at Chinatown)

Reputed to be the oldest functioing temple in Malaysia, it was founded by Thambusamy Pillai in 1873. First, established as a private shrine of the Pillai family it was later made public in 1920s and managed by a board of trustees.

It has the tallest silver chariot in Malaysia, which is used annually during the annual Thaipusam festival. Mounted with the Murugan deity, the charioted is paraded through downtown Kuala Lumpur to the Batu Caves temple.

Temple images

http://www.flickr.com/photos/plana/25850730/in/photostream/

Silver chariot procession to Batu Caves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1o3UWQLzu4

[Jimano]

Bangkok (Thailand) Sri Mariamman Temple

The Sri Mariamman temple or Wat Khaek is situated in Silom Road, the Wall Street of Thailand. This temple was built in 1879 by the Tamil community settled along the Silom Canal.

The temple was redeveloped in 1980s to reflect the Chola temple architecture style, with impressive gopuram and vimanams. It is managed by descendents of the Tamil migrants who had taken Thai wives.

The temple is very popular with the local Thais and is known to be patronised by the Thai King.

http://www.at-bangkok.com/places/wat_kak/wat_kak1.jpg

Agni catti, Thai style

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di3govNfTvU

A temple festival

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XV4IIGg6Q4

[Thalafanz]

Jimano bro,
If possible, write more about each temple. :)

Good Work. Keep it up!!! :thumbsup:

[crazy]

Good job :clap:

very interesting :P

[Jimano]

[tscii:70710acf3b]Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Vietnam - Mariamman temple

The temple is located at 45 Ð Truong Dinh, Ho Chi Minh City near the Reunification Palace in District 1. It was built in the late 19th century by Tamils from Pondicherry and Karaikal who were engaged by the French to develop Vietnam.

After reunification of Vietnam in 1975, the temple was shut and its valuable jewellery confiscated. The temple's premise was used as a factory for fish trade by the socialist government.

In 1993 it was re-opened to public worship with goverment appointed caretakers who are also the priests.

This temple is very popular with ethnic Vietnamese and foreign tourist. An attraction of this temple is the display of a number of colourful vahanas for the utsava murthis.

Celebration at Saigon Mariamman Temple

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wander4photos/175624824/

Temple courtyard

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82277742@N00/128851332/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ultrapop/2318768113/[/tscii:70710acf3b]

[crazy]

:bow:

[Jimano]

Medan Sumatra (Indonesia) Kuil Sri Mariamman

Medan, the 3rd largest city in Indonesia is the capital of the Sumatra province. There are about 70,000 Tamils and a sizeable Balinese Hindu community in Medan.

Medan has the unique distinction of having 2 old Mariamman Temples within the city. The Sungai Sepit Mariamman Temple located at the sounthern part of the city was built in 1876. Its famous for its fire walking and Thaipusam festivals.

The other Mariamman Temple at Kampong Keling (or Kampong Madras) was built in 1880. Texmaco, a gaint textile and chemical group founded by a Medan Tamil has contributed much to the temple's development

Images of Kuil Mariamman - Kampong Keling

http://www.asiaexplorers.com/indonesia/sri_mariaman_temple_medan.htm

[Jimano]

Johor Bahru (Malaysia) Sri Raja Mariamman Temple

The only Mariamman Temple that owes its existence to the state's King.

The temple was founded on Nov 8, 1911, by Kathamuthu Vandayar, a supervisor in a plantation belonging to Johor Sultan, Raja Ibrahim Sultan Abu Bakar. Vandayar, had asked the King for a place where he and his 300 men, could worship.

The benevolent King offered land and cash with which a basic temple housing a shrine for the Goddess was built.

In gratitude of the Sultan's kindness, the devotees decided to name the temple Raja Mariamman, making it the first Mariamman temple to have the title Raja.

Raja Mariamman temple below the grand old palace

http://www.flickr.com/photos/badri/11620452/

Johor Bahru Deepavali Fair

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAbislZC1Mc

[Jimano]

Gajah Berang, Malacca (Malaysia) Sri Muthu Mariamman temple

Built in 1822, this is the oldest Mariamman Temple in South East Asia and one of the 3 main temples managed by the Chitty Melaka community.

Simplification of Tamil Temple architecture among the Chitty Melaka is evident in the temple's architecture. Unlike the complex Dravidian Temple style with numerous rows of sanctums, this temple has only a single row. The temple was renovated in 1969 with had some scuptural works added to the temple.

Pesta Datuk Chachar (Mariamman festival) and Bhogi (Pongal) are two major week long festivals elaborately celebrated by the Chitty community.

Gajah Berang Mariamman temple

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Chitty_Temple.png

Chitty Melaka thread

http://www.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?t=2118