Secret Hindu temple in Clementi


1. Deserted railway; 2 & 3. Several shelters were around the area
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Only a short walk from Clementi HDB to the temple area

A friendly visit

After crossing a small canal (actually it is just a drain) from the HDB flats, we reached a stretch of deserted land along a deserted railway.  From a distance we could see that inside the little forest on the deserted land, there were several house structures and small farms.  That looked somewhat like a private garden to us.  We saw nobody when looking around.  What in front of us was obviously a private temple with open garden areas that were quite well-maintained.  The footpaths were concrete built-ups, along which a number of shrines, decorated in Hindu style can be seen.

Excited as we were, holding up camera and started snapping photos from outside the area.  Suddenly, we noticed that an Indian man came out from a temple house far within.  Tall, skinny, about 40+, he was wearing a cap and having beards on his chin.  Let us call him Mr. S.  We stopped photographing, stood still as where we were, and prepared for any contingency that may arise.  Mr S was approaching us, 10 metres, 5, 4, 3...

To our surprise, Mr S suddenly put up a smile on his face when he came upon greeting us.  A smile from a stranger was the best sign that we would be anticipating.  Openly and honestly we told Mr S that we were reporters and would like to know more about this place.  He nodded and raised his arm, welcoming us to enter his private sanctuary.

1 & 2. Crossing the canal; 3 & 4. At the entrance of the temple

What is inside?

We were curious and yet careful about the whole place.  And a little nervous too, even under the hospitality that Mr S provided.  We saw many Hindu god statues, solemnly being honored in their individual shrines.  Kindly, Mr S granted us permission to take pictures at them.  Also he patiently explained each one of them to us while he was showing us around.  There were quite a good number of interesting god statues in their shrine, placed at almost one in every two meters.  Some shrines were nicely tiled and had been kept very clean.

After seeing about half dozen of shrines, the tour by Mr S in the front garden was completed. Then Mr S escorted us to the back garden.  We saw banana trees, vegetable plantation and a water well.  That looked as if somebody can survive on his own by farming his own crops, just like in the kampong days.  Everything was kept pretty tidy and decent.  (See picture). There was a nest cover on the well too.  A dog who supposed to be the guard, but on that day, he was sleeping lazily in the temple.  It didn't even bother to have a peek at us.

(Please refer to legends when the picture is marked with *)

1. Coconut was used as offering; 2. Footpaths were made of polished granite; 3. Ganesha*; 4. ??


1. Ramayam, 7th incarnation of Vishnu, the hero, Rama; 2. Bhairava - god of dog for impurity, guardian of hell; 3. Lingram* 4. ??


1. ?? & 2. Skanda* ; 3. ?? 4. Nagas - the snake god*


1. Shiva-Dakshina-Murti*  2. Lingam*  3. Well; 4. SPI with Mr. S

Lastly we asked Mr. S what is the whole place all about.  He explained that the temple is voluntarily built by a Shaman who runs a religious society, and hence the temple was named after the religious group (unfortunately we lost the name).  Mr S said that he was appointed only as a caretaker during day time.  Free worship is welcome to anyone.  However, they would be holding religious gathering at this temple two times a week on every Monday and Friday, at 7pm.  And as you would have guessed, he invited us to come along too.  He said that we could meet their Shaman or the chief wizard who can brief us with more information about the whole place.

We appreciated his kindness, shook his hand for farewell as we walked out of the sanctuary.  Well, we told ourselves that we would indeed come again one day, when they have a group gathering.  We felt that this place had a lot more to discover about than we had seen today.


Our second visit

Several weeks had passed.  Lately we revisited the temple and astonishingly we found that the temple is gone!  In fact, the whole stretch of land was cordoned off and some demolishing had been going on.  The nearby shelters, huts, or whatever you want to call them were pulled down.  Our eyes were searching for Mr S and his deity shrines.  But we saw none of them.  For a moment we felt a little sad, but we understood that must be the government's rational decision made upon.  We asked the neighbors around about what was happening to the Hindu temple.  One old uncle said that he heard some people made complaints to the authorities for mass gathering around the area at night, the noise generated, and the mosquitoes bred from the wells.  Seeing that the HDB blocks are only a minute walk away from this area, we were not surprised that the residents were quite concerned about the environment.  Some people may not tolerate living with a home-built temple just outside their doorsteps, especially those who are not religious.

1. You can see how near is the HDB and the temple area; 2. We asked the neighborhood for information;
3. Some residents in the HDB worshipped from their own unit, burnt offering until the ceiling of the common area is darkened.

Legends

Ganesha: is probably the most popular god in the Hindu pantheon.  Although he is known as the eldest son of Shiva and Parvati, there are illustrations of an obviously sacred elephant which are just as old as the very first representations of a yogi, who is considered to be the precursor of the yoga god, Shiva.  Ganesha is seen as the god of wisdom, the bringer of luck, and the clearer of obstacles.  Before any journey, any ritual, or any major venture, Ganesha is first called upon and worshipped.  He is the protector of knowledge, books and education.

Lingam: (also linga) The male sexual organ, symbol of the god Shiva and his ominpotence.  The cylindrical shape was originally the symbol of the formlessness of nature.  As a representation of clear consciousness, it is often depicted in many different ways together with the yoni (the female sexual organ and symbol of the origin of creation).

Nagas: Snake god.  As they appear to constantly regenerate themselves by shedding their skin, they are also a symbol of the eternal cycle of time and immortality.  Nagas are viewed as semi-divine, semi-demonic creatures, and are represented either in the form of a cobra, or as a creature which is half animal or half fair youth.  They are all descendants of the snake kings, Vasuki, Takshaka and Shesha.  The inhabit the water paradises and guard all the treasures of the earth.  They are cunning, wise, potent and supernaturally strong.  Above all, they are dangerous.  In mythical tales, snake kings play a special role.  The world is supported by the head of Vasuki and when he shakes himself, he causes earthquakes.

Shiva-Dakshina-Murti or Mahayogi: is one of the best known illustrations of Shiva.  He is seated on tops of the Himalayas in deep meditation.  His abode there is the sacred mountain Kailash, which is still a place of pilgrimage for thousands of pilgrims.  The god is represented wearing a simple lioncloth, sometimes with the hide of an antelope around him, and seated on a tiger skin, or sometimes on a lotus throne.  He wears a moon sickle in his hair and snakes coil around his neck.  In his hands he holds a trident and a drum, and his attributes also include a water jug.  His face is turned to the south (dakshina), the direction which brings luck.  He is the greatest of all the yogis included in the Brahman.  He is also the great teacher who reveals to gods and holy men the essence of the sacred texts, and the lord of music.  In this function he is also represented separately as Vinadhara-Murti standing or sitting with a lute (vina).

Skanda: is the successor of Agni and Indra, who was given a new place in the pantheon as Shiva and Parvati's youngest son.  There are several stories about the birth of this son.  In a number of these stories, which all have a different beginning, Shiva's glowing sperm finally ends up in the Ganges to cool down, and a beautiful youth is cast up on the banks from the boiling waters.  The six Peiads in the form of nymphs, who were bathing in that spot, vied for the honour of raising the child.  Then Skanda developed six heads, so that he could be breastfed by each of them.  He is described as a radiantly fair youth, extraordinarily strong, usually with six heads and sometimes twelve arms.
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