Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, located on Serangoon Road, is the country’s first temple dedicated to the goddess Kali. It is one of the oldest temples in the country, with origins dating back to the 1850s.

In its early days, worship took place at a small shrine adorned with intricate carvings and inscriptions. According to one account, Tamil workers at the Kampong Kapor lime pits reportedly erected the shrine dedicated to Veeramakaliamman on this site as early as 1855.Hence, it was popularly known as the "Sunnambu Kambam Kovil" (temple at the lime village). A more formal structure was later built in 1881, assisted by, according to some accounts, Bengali labourers.

By 1908, the temple had fallen into disrepair. It was restored when municipal labourers took over its management, appointing their overseers as trustees. During this period, they imported a statue of the goddess Kali from South India and constructed the main hall and shrine. By the 1930s, several additional statues were installed. During World War II, the temple served as a place of refuge during air raids.

In 1986, during the reconstruction of the temple compound, pieces of old statues were uncovered, believed to have been locally crafted before being replaced by imported ones from India. The new temple, featuring its iconic main tower, eight large domes, and several smaller domes, was completed in three years.

As a conserved building, Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple was included in the first official heritage trail of Little India, launched by the National Heritage Board in 2017.



For more information
Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. Accessed on 1 August 2025. https://srivkt.org/history.php
"Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple." Roots.sg. Accessed on 1 August 2025. https://www.roots.gov.sg/places/places-landing/Places/landmarks/little-india-heritage-trail-serangoon-in-the-1900s/sri-veeramakaliamman-temple 

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The information in this article is valid as of August 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit here.