Nagore Durgha Shrine

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Sight Address : 140 Telok Ayer St, Singapore, Singapore.Edit

Detail InformationEdit

The Nagore Durgha is a shrine in Singapore built by the Muslims of southern India in 1828–1830, and was originally known as Shahul Hamid Dargha. When this shrine was first built, Telok Ayer Street, where the shrine was located, was a sandy beach crowded with sailing craft. While its physical surroundings have changed beyond recognition, the monument itself – save for conservation and preservation work in 2007 – has changed little since the late 19th century. It has a unique blend of Classical and Indian Muslim motifs.Nagore Durgha Shrine is located at 140 Telok Ayer Street, in the historic Chinatown area. Built between 1828 and 1830 and originally known as the Shahul Hamid Durgha, the shrine is dedicated to Shahul Hamid, a south Indian holy man. The shrine was designated a national monument in 1974 and has been closed to the public since the 1990s. It will be converted and will re-open in May 2011 as the Nagore Durgah Heritage Centre showcasing Indian Muslim culture.

Nagore Durgha Shrine

HistoryEdit

From the early 1820s, an Indian Muslim minority from south India known as the Chulias migrated to Singapore in large numbers. The original kampong site for the Chulias as laid out in Sir Stamford Raffles’ 1823 Town Plan was at another location along the Singapore River, but over time a significant community of Indian Muslims also worked and settled around Telok Ayer Street, which came to be an important business and residential area for the Chinese. Nagore Dargah was actually built to commemorate a visit to the island by a Muslim holy man of the Chulia people (Muslim merchants and moneylenders from India’s Coromandel Coast), who was traveling around Southeast Asia spreading the word of Indian Islam. The land was granted to a certain Kaderpillai in 1827, on condition that it was not to be used for a building of wood and attap.In 1893, by an order of court, the Nagore Dargah properties came under new trustees who were also appointed for the Masjid Al-Abrar. The building resembles a multi-tiered wedding cake, its sharp arches decorated with intricate moldings. The architectural features of the building blends classical motifs like molded arches and columns with Indian Muslim elements such as perforated grilles at the roof. In 1974, it was gazetted a national monument.The shrine has been closed since the 1990s due to fears that the structure will weaken. The shrine will be restored as an Indian Muslim heritage centre when it reopens at the end of 2007. Restoration works started in January 2007 and will end in the fourth quarter of the same year at a cost of S$1.8 million. President S.R. Nathan attended an event organised by the Indian Muslims on December 3, 2006. The Indian Muslim community have raised S$200,000 in total so far.

Must SeeEdit

Must see

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Best Season to VisitEdit

June to July and November to December.

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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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