12,000 devotees brave rain for Hindu temple consecration

First such ceremony for temple after being declared a national monument in 2014

- Elisha Tushara

As dark clouds formed, devotees who had gathered outside the Sri Thendayuthapani temple Thursday morning reached for their ponchos and umbrellas.

on They had begun streaming into the temple grounds in Tank Road from as early as 5.45am.

When it started to pour, many devotees remained resolutely seated, not wanting to miss any part of the consecration ceremony.

The occasion was special, because it was the first consecration ceremony for one of the Republic's oldest Hindu temples after the Government declared it as Singapore's 67th national monument in 2014.

Built-in 1859, Sri Thendayuthapani has a close association with Thaipusam, the festival dedicated to Lord Murugan, the Hindu god who symbolises bravery, power and virtue.

The temple is the final destination for the festival's traditional foot procession.

The first part of the ceremony began at 7am in a huge tent outside the temple, where priests recited prayers and blessed holy water.