Singapore: Waterloo Street

While I was walking in Rochor Road on my way to Little India, I found the lively Waterloo Street.

Part of the street is a very enjoyable pedestrian walk, full of shops and street vendors.

The traditional Chinese Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple is located on Waterloo Street.

It's a small but beautiful temple, and it was full of worshippers when I visited.

It's a very popular temple as it's said that people receive good luck after worshiping here.

The temple wasn't damaged during World War II, unlike other buildings in the area.

Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple dates back from 1884 but has been rebuilt twice to increase its capacity, once in 1895 and another in 1982.

The main hall of the original temple contained three altars, dedicated to Kuan Yin (or Guan Yin, the Bodhisattva of mercy), Da Moh (or Bodhidarma, the chief of the six Buddhist patriarchs and founder of Zen Buddhism) and Hua Tuo (a Chinese patron of medicine and healing).

After the 1982 reconstruction all deities were placed in a single altar, and a large Sakyamuni Buddha statue was added.

Sri Krishnan Temple is the only South Indian Hindu temple in Singapore dedicated exclusively to Sri Krishna and Rukmini.

The temple was established in 1870.

When I visited it was covered with a tent, but on this link you have a picture of the colourful facade of Sri Krishnan Temple. (picture courtesy of the National Library of Singapore).

It's said that Sri Krishnan Temple was established when a man named Hanuman Beem Singh set up an idol of Sri Krishna under a banyan tree in Waterloo Street.

A temple was then constructed and enlarged several times afterwards. From 1985 to 1989, the temple went through extensive renovation works.