Sri Mariamman Temple

Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore's oldest Hindu temple. It was built by Indian settlers along South Bridge Road by 1827, and in 1973 it became the first Hindu religious site to be declared a National Monument. It is dedicated to the goddess Mariamman, revered for her power to cure illness, and it remains an active place of worship at the heart of Chinatown, run by the Hindu Endowments Board.

The first thing you see is the rajagopuram, the tall entrance tower over South Bridge Road, which was remodelled in 1936. It is covered in painted plaster figures of deities, guardians and animals, and it repays a few minutes of looking from across the street before you go in. Inside, the courtyard and shrines are richly decorated, with painted ceilings and sculptures throughout. One shrine is dedicated to Draupadi, the central figure of Theemithi, the temple's main festival, when devotees walk across a pit of burning embers. It is held each year between October and November, and the temple has an elevated viewing gallery in its courtyard for the occasion.

The temple opens in two sessions: from 7am to noon and from 6pm to 9pm daily, staying open until 9.15pm on Fridays. It closes completely in the middle of the day, so plan around those hours. Prayer services take place throughout opening times, and visitors are welcome to watch quietly from the side. Remove your shoes before entering, dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, and ask before photographing worshippers.

Allow 30 to 45 minutes. The temple suits anyone with an interest in religion, architecture or Singapore's multicultural history, and it is a calm contrast to the shops of the surrounding streets. Evening visits are often the most atmospheric, when the lamps are lit and local worshippers arrive after work.

Chinatown MRT station is a few minutes away on foot, and Maxwell station on the Thomson-East Coast line is also close. The temple stands just along South Bridge Road from the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, and near the Jamae Mosque, so all three can be seen together in an hour or two. Maxwell Food Centre, home of Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, is a few minutes' walk for lunch, and Pagoda Street and the Chinatown Heritage Centre are directly opposite.