Adventures in Singapore: Chapter 13: Sri Mariamman Temple

Still in Chinatown we rounded the corner and saw the magnificent, ornate Sri Mariamman Temple.  It was amazingly intricate and unique, I had never seen anything like this before.  I had to go in, we were in time for visiting hours, and could hear the music beyond the walls where the main shrine was.  Ethne (3) and I took our shoes off, as was required for entrance (huge pile of shoes at the door) and walked around, enjoyed the interesting sights, sounds and smells – burning incense and offerings at the shrines.  There as a fee for bringing in a camera so we just walked around.  Emma, Jen & Jeff waited for us outside.  Beautiful, and a little creepy – some of the statues were not ones you’d want to meet up with in a dark alley.   I did take a few photos of the entrance, perimeter and through the wall openings of the compound.

Description from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Mariamman_Temple,_Singapore

The Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple. It is an agamid temple, built in South Indian Dravidian style.  The Sri Mariamman Temple was founded in 1827 by Naraina Pillai, eight years after the British East India Company established a trading settlement in Singapore. The most outstanding feature of the temple is its impressive gopuram (entrance tower). The gopuram rises above the main entrance along South Bridge Road. It is richly embellished with six tiers of sculptures of Hindu deities, other figures and ornamental decorations. The tower tapers up towards to a moulded ornamental ridge. The scale of each tier and its sculptures is slightly smaller than that of the tier immediately below it. This helps to create the illusion of height, and adds to the symbolic importance of the building. Flanking the gopuram are a sculpture of Murugan on the right and Krishna on the left (as you enter). The sculptures are all of plaster, which allows for fine detailing. They are painted in a variety of bright colours, which adds to the visually spectacular quality of the gopuram.

The floor plan of the gopuram base block is rectangular, and is bisected by an entrance passageway. The entrance contains a pair of very large double leaf timber doors. The scale of these doors is intended to induce humility in the visitor and emphasize the diminutive human scale in relation to the divine. The doors are studded with a small gold bells arranged in a grid pattern. Devotees are supposed to ring as they move through. Footwear is also stored around the entrance area, as this is not allowed within Hindu temples, as a sign of respect.

The main entrance gopuram is only one of the entrances into the temple compound, which is surrounded by a perimeter wall. Side openings also exist, which open onto the flanking Pagoda and Temple Streets. However, these are mainly used as service entrances, with all devotees and visitors entering through the gopuram doors. The compound wall is also decorated with ornamental mouldings, as well as figures placed on top of the wall at various points, including several prominent seated cow sculptures.

Within the walled compound, the temple comprises a combination of covered halls, shrines and service areas as well as open to sky spaces. Leading directly from the gopuram entrance via a covered hall is a main prayer area, with richly ornamented columns and ceilings with frescoes. The ceiling paintings include a large mandala diagram.

See a 360 degree tour of the Interior Main Prayer Hall: http://www.singaporevr.com/vrs/SriMariammanTemple/SriMariammanTemple.html

Interesting history, purpose, and festivals – including fire walking… get the real scoop at the Hindu Endowments Board Website: http://www.heb.gov.sg/smt/main-smt.html

Adjacent building, part of the temple, facility from the street outside.  Decorated with beautiful Indian design elements, I am always a designer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Buddhist temple, a Hindu Temple, Chinatown… busy first part of a day... next stop lunch!

Adventures in Singapore: Chapter 12: Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Outside the Chinatown Complex was the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum. We heard the drums and ventured over, we happened to be visiting during this Buddha’s birthday celebration.  Special services, gifts and offerings were made, and very abundantly.  Buddhist monks shared chants and drums as part of the ceremonies, a large congregation of practicing Buddhists were leaving the temple as we were entering, we had come in at the tail end of the service.  Visitors and photos were welcome and even encouraged, everyone was very kind as we were admiring the fine workmanship and intricacy of the details in the temple and statuary.  Enjoy the photos below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lotus flowers on the wall below are silk embroidery.

And of course donations are always accepted.

Adventures in Singapore: Chapter 11: Chinatown

It is odd to note that Singapore has a ethnic district called Chinatown when it’s largest population is Chinese, this stems from back in the 1800’s while under British rule the Chinese were a minority.   

Chinatown is a fun market place to visit.  We found some great deals on stuff – especially souvenir-y stuff.  Deals like six key chains for $2 – unlike the one key chain I bought at Jurong bird park for $7 (although mine is quite nice and really I only needed one).   And good prices for stickers and trinkets – must have items for my nieces!

We started our visit in the Chinatown complex, the main indoor market place and food stands (food court like), I had my first whiff of Durian in the air – It was early – most shops were just opening - we stopped off  at a juice stand – fruit juiced – so many options – honey dew, dragon fruit, pineapple, watermelon, pear, apple, orange, passion fruit, even durian, and many more – some fruits I have never seen – great deal - $1 a drink – large too! we also had some delicious fried dough  - puffs and sticks. 

We did a lot of  looking, a little shopping, then out to the streets. 

Beautiful red lanterns fill the sky, running across the street from building to building.   The Baroque Italianate Victorian buildings were beautiful, brightly colored traditional details were like the  US’s painted ladies, at the street level there is shop after shop, encompassing a number of streets, intersecting one another, a maze of eateries, produce and dry goods,  massage parlors, tailors, and a myriad of items to buy.   The streets were filled with amazing sights, sounds of a busy market place and smells both delightful and others less appealing. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adventures in Singapore: Chapter 10: Sentosa Island

We started the day with a yummy breakfast at a restaurant on Dempsey Road, an English place with a tropical flair – great shop! Delicious!  Jeff’s scrambled eggs toast and side bowl of bacon!  Fruit & yogurt for Emma

My order: Pancakes – literally cakes baked in a pan with mangos and topped with ice cream and cane syrup, with a nice side bowl of bacon

I mentioned in Chapter 9, Sentosa Island felt like Pinocchio's Pleasure Island.  See the picture from the movie on the right… look at the photos at the end of the post… Pleasure Island indeed!  Check out it’s website: http://www.sentosa.com.sg/en/ Their slogan is “Sentosa: Asia’s Favorite Playground”  Play ground indeed… this trip into Sentosa we drove, you pay a admittance fee to drive onto the island – like an entrance toll, and parking fees are a standard Singapore feature (they are set up like ez-pass toll scanners) 

We already played around Imbiah Look out, our first stop was to Siloso Beach!   We didn’t intend to get in, although Jen brought the girls a change of clothes (and I did too!) I had to take a dip in the straight of Singapore!  (see the oil tankers in the background) The girls had fun too!  

 

Cleaned up and headed to the Amusement Park and Mall part of Sentosa

Lunch at a Swanky Chinese Restaurant just outside of the Theme Park

  Emma and Ethne are very good with chopsticks!

Our Feast! We tried many things, noodles, fried wonton like things and some of the best sweet and sour pork ever!

Singapore’s Famous Chili Crab

Jen loves steamed dumplings

 

Hershey Store – never that far from Hershey, PA

  Candylicious!

Then off to Universal Studios Singapore for some rides! http://www.rwsentosa.com/Attractions/UniversalStudiosSingapore

The Girls love Characters! Woody Greats everyone at the park!  I have never been to an amusement park that was so empty, we were there mid week and well, summer is all year. Madagascar Merry Go RoundFar, Far, Away…. to Shrek’s house & castle

Ethne was just tall enough to go on a Roller Coaster!  She was brave!

  Jurassic Park

Another watering spot.  Our Favorite Ride!  We rode over and over again!

Weeeeeee!Soaking Jurassic Park River raft tour

The Mummy   

(Great ride inside, not for the kids, real fire… hottsy!) 

Ethne Driving the Egyptian Safari jeep – good driver – Emma refused to get it, she declared it a scary ride, so she watched.

Future Land  Tea Cups (space ships) the girls love this! – I managed to take pictures while we were spinning, right when the ride started! That is the look of glee!

New York City Scene 

We had NY Pizza for dinner on the way out as the park was closing.

Evening outside, but we aren’t done yet… next stop…

Hershey Store and Candylicious for some very important shopping!

  

Exhausted from a very fun day on “Pleasure Island”

Sentosa: Asia’s Favorite Playground!