January 22, 2017

Contemporary worship of the South Indian Hindu goddess Samayapuram Mariyamman in cosmopolitan and urban Singapore does not go against the grain. Instead, local devotees have adequately prepared themselves to sustain traditional worship in a bureaucratic, multi-ethnic and religious environment.

In “Bringing back the old ways: Enacting a goddess festival in urban Singapore”, Prof. Vineeta Sinha (Departments of Sociology and South Asian Studies) provides an ethnographic account of the kul varppu (porridge offering) ritual in Singapore dedicated to the goddess. Fascinatingly, the goddess is hosted not in a temple, but in the 12th floor of a HDB apartment. The unusual locale of the goddess is accompanied by preparations and ritual procedures unique to Singapore’s urban landscape. Thus, findings from Prof. Vineeta’s research point to multiple compromises made and how modern worshippers must navigate through a sea of legislative regulations in order to keep Hinduism relevant in a modern state. Mingling of sacred practices in urban dwelling spaces have bred new meanings to the rituals carried out during her dedicated festival. Regardless, these efforts supporting the grand festivities ultimately hope to reinstate traditional Hindu worship to its original regalia.