Singapore — The management of an innovative Hindu temple in Rivervale Crescent invited and honoured Workers’ Party (WP) politicians over the weekend.
The Arulmigu Velmurugan Gnanamuneeswarar Temple (AVGMT) is the first Hindu temple in Singapore to have brought three religious abodes under one roof. They are the Arulmigu Velmurugan Temple that was once in Silat Road, the Shri Krishna Bhagawan-Durga Parameswari Temple and Sri Mariamman Muneeswarar Temple which were both formerly in Jalan Kayu.
The temple is also unusual in that it is the country’s first Hindu temple built with modern amenities, such as a subsidised preschool, within its premises.
Sengkang GRC MPs He Ting Ru, Jamus Lim, Raeesah Khan and Louis Chua were accompanied by WP leaders Pritam Singh and Sylvia Lim during the visit to the temple on Sunday (Aug 30) morning.
Former WP MP Lee Li Lian, who serves as one of the town councillors in the new Sengkang Town Council, also joined the group and brought along her young daughter.
The Sengkang GRC Facebook page posted photos of the visit and thanked the temple management for their kind invitation and hospitality. The WP politicians are shown wearing intricate silk shawls and jasmine flower garlands that appear to have been presented by the temple management.
The politicians joined those at the temple during their prayers and shared a meal with the temple management.
https://www.facebook.com/WPSengkang/posts/3371286026262862?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARDctXivEF0R_cC8xxw3duymE9W-ap051qyqcatr5naQXYSL5vu4qnH2SD-gD69ugy0bLEc-cNvDMor1KCw-aLR7Z-Bp5L7nvGNZto8FnITXkLmIVybmQOYWQWrayZJ6w34uKipckwcBDH1gU64j8ktybuPRa5CH7Cs3T4eC9qCbPSYFYAlTrqJeQzq6r63WOa0CuM6ye-Y7kKwFB1xy8VNXh5QYZ7HMof5zj_AGbr8w0LviBhae81M7_UUz4wLkxr9MVzXimd0ZEBH58eKGzcbKjaUGU3j65pk0EP2VhPblPwgm-JTfJwa-001hMnrB5MymWQ740eqhbsojTRpSNs-wCQ&__tn__=-R
WP chief and Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh wrote about what the temple visit meant to him on his personal Facebook page. Sharing that he and Ms Lim were honoured to visit the temple with the Sengkang MPs, Mr Singh added that it was nice to have Ms Lee join the group too.
Mr Singh said that the visit to AVGMT brought back memories of his childhood in Jalan Kayu. He added:
“Over the years, many places of worship of many faiths, including Taoist and Buddhist temples have come together and relocated to new towns from different places in Singapore. Sengkang GRC and Rivervale Crescent in particular, is home to a few. Including AVGMT, Chong Ghee and Chong Hua Tong Tou Teck Hwee temples are also located in Rivervale Crescent.
“Very heartwarming to know that all these places of worship, including those a stone’s throw away like St. Anne’s Church and the community mosque, regularly come together to reach out to the wider resident population and community in the Rivervale area. Long may this continue.”
https://www.facebook.com/pritam.eunos/posts/3429274670428155?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARA0gkOOplSdNMy2PMnMkiDOCMLn7IFFAhQcvHQmUuOcgnKRsC7UZ9VQXLdaAktON0VAGcmGlGezcMyxBzXWWrXPdeje34iISQSZpfEBqsEgOP3uw5_pfUBgUVWqSHUC_o7b5cisGXMyE2FJTlAlbAlhqVTi0FL1TsTUF9H-r3M3IrvDxp7YY99NdfUP1V4Mmq3wit3rO4EP_E-7iUPQO_tQNlh2aLH_sUWao12-34njkQqwA9LCWFSjhwEXTk1pQwGQRlziwciabzvr9S9Ty4xdfTmF3BhjobOEOdeiOt9paNXYKR7h8ql7UQis_a_oTPiaPiKleeLruIAReb8PQ4coRw&__tn__=-R