Singapore Sri Ruthra Kaliamman Temple

Address

Singapore 109670

Amman

Sri Ruthra Kaliamman

Introduction

The Sri Ruthra Kaliamman Temple is a prominent temple located along Depot Road in Bukit Merah, Singapore. The temple is dedicated to Kali, the fierce and protective goddess, who is the presiding deity. In addition to Kali, several other deities are worshipped at the temple, including Sri Vinayagar (Lord Ganesha), Sri Subramaniar (Lord Murugan), Sri Muneeswaran, Navagrahas (the nine planets), Sri Kaleeswarar, Sri Mangalambigai, Sri Dhakshinamoorthy, Sri Sandigeswarar, and Sri Nandeeswarar. These deities are worshipped for various blessings, protection, and spiritual upliftment.

Puranic Significance

Origins and Early Years: The Sri Ruthra Kaliamman Temple has its origins in 1913, when a small shrine was established in a wooden structure at the Alexandra Brickworks on Pasir Panjang Road (now the site of the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) building). This shrine catered to the workers at the brickworks and the local community living in the surrounding areas.
Founding by Mr. Lakshmana Nadar: The construction of this early shrine is attributed to Mr. Lakshmana Nadar, an employee at the brickworks, who is believed to have built the shrine out of devotion to the goddess Kali and for the spiritual welfare of the workers.
Temple Expansion: In 1923, with the support of the Borneo Company (the parent company of the Alexandra Brickworks), the wooden shrine was replaced with a more permanent brick structure, giving the temple its first substantial form.
Consecrations and Renovations:
- Asthabandana Maha Kumbabishegam (1968): A significant event in the temple’s history took place on 11 February 1968 when the Asthabandana Maha Kumbabishegam ceremony was held for the installation of a new granite statue of Sri Ruthra Kaliamman. This replaced the earlier non-granite (suthai) statue of the deity, marking an important milestone in the temple’s development.
- Prathishtai (1969): On 23 October 1969, a supplementary consecration ceremony called the Prathishtai was held to install granite statues of Sri Vinayagar and Sri Subramaniar. These statues replaced framed pictures of the deities, marking a further enhancement of the temple’s spiritual and architectural significance. The statues were ordered from India by the late Mr. K. Raman Nair, an employee of the Pasir Panjang Power Station, who was a staunch supporter of the temple.