Sri Manmatha Karuneshvarar Temple — Attraction in Singapore

The temple organised Maha Sivarathri on 8/3/24.

The whole milk pot carrying event was a disaster. On one hand the organiser a woman was asking people to wait till instruction was given. On the other hand some people started to standby at the milk pot. Everyone was confused and all started to proceed to select a milk pot. The Committe member and volunteers were not able to control what was happening and was struggling to keep situation at bay. Me and my wife waited for the situation to be addressed and the people behind us followed to wait. Eventually things started to get organised. The use of barricades to control access into the milk pot area could have been incorporated during planning stage to prevent such hiccups.

There was no clear instruction on what to do with the things laid out infront of everyone. People were given a string of flower and asked to wear around the neck. Some found it strange and did not follow. At least an explanation as to why one have to wear the flower around the neck would have cleared the air. Give a briefing on what would be done with the things placed on the table. This would have prepared everyone mentally and everyone would know what needs to be done later. Seems like this step was overlooked.

No public was allowed to enter the temple when milk pot procession was going on. Barricades could have been better used to create the path for milk pot procession while public can still access the temple praying outside the barricade. Some public members were disappointed seeing that the sannathi was closed with curtain once milk pot procession was over. In that case why allow them into the temple. They had to wait in the queue which was overwhelming and entered the temple just to see that the main sannathi was closed with curtain.

Seems like the nitty gritty details is known to only the temple priest, volunteers and committee members. No information provided to public causing disappointment.

It seems like the planning was solely done with the objective on how and what needs to be done for Sivarathri poojai. Things like crowd control measures, public access to temple during milk procession, dissemination of need to know Information for devotees was not given priority.

I opine that the Committee members need to conduct an After Action Review to see what went wrong and importantly review the volunters or members in the team. Are they constructive members or people with routine mindset. We need to think out of the box and do things differently with devotees in mind.

Just my five cents worth...

Here's brief history of Sri Manmatha Karuneshvarar Temple, located at 226 Kallang Road, Singapore 339096, has a rich history dating back to the 19th century. Here's a brief overview¹ ²: Establishment: The temple was established on January 1, 1888, as a shrine for Hindu employees working at the Municipal Gasworks depot in the area. The government provided a 99-year lease for a plot of land measuring 8,255 square feet. Early Development: The temple was initially built by four trustees: Soona Veloo Vendir, Nagalingam Kathiraysonm, Annamalai Mecppa Komarasamy, and Veerapatra Mudaliar. In 1909, the lease was renewed for 99 years. Renovations: The temple underwent significant renovations in 1934, funded by the sons of A.V. Irullappa Pillay, and again in 1974. These renovations transformed the shrine into the full-fledged temple we see today. Management: The temple is currently managed by the descendants of V. Pakirisamy and V. Narayanasamy, who played a significant role in its reconstruction. Significance: Sri Manmatha Karuneshvarar Temple is one of Singapore's oldest Hindu temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva. It's also known as the Kallang Gasworks Sivan Temple due to its proximity to the gasworks depot. Architecture: The temple showcases traditional Dravidian architecture and features beautiful Sivalingams. Accessibility: The temple is located near Lavender MRT Station (EW11) and offers wheelchair accessibility via a ramp near the parking area.

The temple continues to be an important place of worship for the Hindu community in Singapore, preserving traditional practices and...

Sri Manmatha Karuneshvarar Temple (Tamil: ஸ்ரீ மன்மத காருணீஸ்வரர் கோவில்) or Sivan Temple is a Hindu temple for Sri Manmatha Karuneshvarar Sivan or Shiva as the presiding deity located on Kallang Road in Singapore.

The temple was established on 1 January 1888 on a lease from the Governor of the Straits Settlements for the Tamil community as a place of worship, this temple is known to its devotees as the Kallang Gasworks Sivan Temple. It was established soon after the Municipal Gasworks of depot was set up in Kallang Road. The large number of Hindu employees started a shrine and installed the main deity to seek its protection as well as to sustain their Hindu traditions and values.

The temple is serene and celebrates all Indian Saivaite festivals in a grand scale. Even though the Indian origin population around the temple is scarce, there is a strong following in the temple.

Lord Siva is the destroyer while his consort, Parvati, is looked upon as an almighty Mother figure that pleads to Lord Siva on the behalf of mankind and creatures. However, even though he represents destruction, Lord Siva is viewed as a positive force or even the Destroyer of Evil, since creation follows destruction. Lord Siva has five jobs creator, preserver, destroyer, hiding the sins...