Central Sikh Temple

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Sight Address : 2 Towner Rd, Singapore 327804.Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Central Sikh Temple is the first Sikh gurdwara in Singapore. Established in 1912, the temple had relocated several times before moving to its current site at Serangoon Road at the junction of Towner Road and Boon Keng Road in the Kallang Planning Area in 1986. The gurdrawa is the main place of worship for the 15,000 Sikhs in the country, and is also known as Wada Gurdrawa.In 1912, with the assistance of a Sindhi merchant named Wassiamull, a group of Sikhs bought a bungalow with a large compound at 175 Queen Street and turned it into a gurdwara. The gurdwara became known as the Central Sikh Temple when other temples were established. It was also known as the Wadda Gurdwara (‘The Big Temple’).cst_web_newThe temple was reconstructed in 1921. The congregation hall was on the first floor and the kitchen and other facilities on the ground floor. It is the custom for Sikh temples to provide food and lodging to travellers.In 1937, the government decided to set up a corporate board of trustees for the temple. In 1940, the Queen Street Gurdwara Ordinance was enacted. It provided for a board of trustees named the Queen Street Gurdwara Board of Trustees (Incorporated) made up of equal numbers of nominees from the Majha, Malwa and Doabha factions of the congregation.

Central Sikh Temple

HistoryEdit

In 1849, after the British conquered the Indian state of Punjab, many Punjabis began to migrate overseas, to places such as Singapore. The British decided to recruit Sikh migrants as security forces in the Straits Settlements. Sikhs began to arrive in Singapore in 1881, to form a Sikh Contingent of the Straits Settlements police force.The first Sikh temple, or gurdwara, was set up in the police barracks, but it soon could not accommodate the growing Sikh community. A bungalow was purchased for a new temple at Queen Street in 1912, with the assistance of Sindhi merchant by the name of Wassiamull. The Sikhs used the land to build a gurdwara. The gurdwara later became known as “Central Sikh Temple” when other temples were established. The name Wada Gurdwara means the “Big Temple” in English.[1] Central Sikh Temple was reconstructed in 1921, and the congregation hall was located on the first floor and other facilities on the first floor. It is a custom for gurdwaras to provide food and lodging for their guests.[2] Besides being a place of worship, the temple was also used for welfare and education services.Internal conflicts between the Sikh communities plagued the temple’s congregation, which was later divided into three factions from different areas of Central Punjab, namely the Majha, Malwa and Doabha. Their fighting for leadership led to a split in the temple leadership. In 1917, the temple’s management was handed over to the Muslim and Hindu Endowment Board, which the Sikhs took as an insult. The Sikh community publicly protested in the 1930s against the management of the Muslim and Hindu Endowment Board. In 1940, the colonial government created the Queen Street Gurdwara Ordinance, under which Sikhs were allowed to appoint their own board of trustees, and each of the three factions had equal representation of the board.

Must SeeEdit

Attraction

Visiting TimeEdit

6 am – 8 pm.

Closed OnEdit

N.A.

Best Season to VisitEdit

June to July and November to December.

Best Time To VisitEdit

N.A.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

N.A.

Ticket Required : Free Edit

Individual National Adult : N.A.

Kids : N.A.

Individual Foreigner Adult : N.A.

Kids : N.A.

Still Photo Camera : N.A.

Video Camera : N.A.

Guide Required : No Edit

Approximate cost: N.A.

Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

Dress Require: N.A.

Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Taxis are generally very hard to get during peak hours (Mon-Fri 7:00am – 9:30am and Mon-Sat 5:00pm – 8:00pm) and on rainy days. If you are at a hotel, have conceirge call you a taxi. If you are out about town and have access to a cell phone- calling for a taxi will cut your wait time by 20 to 30 minutes. All taxis are fitted with meters; all are air conditioned; the majority of the taxis are 5-seaters; about 90% of taxis have radiophones; call booking is done via GPS or digital voice dispatch. All passengers must fasten their seat belts by law.
For taxi Booking fee is SGD $2.3. Minimum fare for taxi is SGD $3 for first 1Km. Fare above minimum fare until 10Km is SGD $0.55 per Km. Fare above 10Km is charge SGD $0.628 per Km. Taxi Waiting charges per hour is SGD $17.6. Peak Hours charges is diffrent.

Bus : Public buses run daily from 5.30am to midnight. Extended night services cost slightly more (a flat rate ranging from $1.50-$3.00). Otherwise, most fares depend on distance travelled and range from 67 cents to $1.58 for air-conditioned comfort (almost all public buses in Singapore have air-conditioning today). There are also “feeder” bus services that charge a flat rate of 67 cents. Each bus should not take more than 15 to 20 minutes to arrive at the bus stop.

Train : Singapore MRT system is very well connected to different parts of Singapore and very clean! If you have the time and plan to explore around little Sunny island, get the the Singapore Tourist Pass!
It runs 6am-12mn, fares start at S$1 (70cents in EZ link). Tickets can be purchased in all MRT stations. You just have to insert your money through the ticket machine. Rush hour’s usually 7am-9am, 11am-2pm and 4pm-7pm.

Air : Changi Airport is the country’s main airport. From the airport there are a number of ways to get into the city:
Taxi is easiest – simply follow the signs after clearing customs. Meters are always used in Singapore and prices are reasonable. A trip to the city during the day will be between $20-$30 including $3-5 airport surcharge. An additional 50% surcharge applies between midnight and 06:00.
Limousines charge a flat $50 to anywhere in the city and are a pretty good deal after midnight, as you can skip the queue and avoid the surcharge. The same pricing applies to chartering van-sized MaxiCabs, which are good for large families or if you have lots of baggage.
Shuttle – Shared six-seater MaxiCab shuttle service to designated areas/hotels costs $7 and can be booked in advance or in the arrivals hall. 6AM-2AM, every 15-30 min.
Subway – MRT trains run from a station between T2 and T3, but you’ll need to change trains at Tanah Merah to a city-bound train: just exit through the left hand side door and cross the platform. The 30 min ride to City Hall station costs $1.90 plus a refundable $1 deposit, and trains run 05:31-23:18.
Bus – Bus terminals can be found in the basements of T1, T2 and T3. 06:00-23:59 only. Fares are less than $2.00, exact fare required (no change given) if you pay cash.

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