Tamil Brahmins

Tamil Brahmins are a minority Hindu ethnic group in Tamil Nadu, India. Their presence in Southeast Asia dates back more than 2000 years, according to historical records. They had served as priests, advisers, teachers and royal officials. The arrival of Tamil Brahmins in colonial Singapore dates back to the early 1900s. One Sundaram Iyer, hailed as the first Tamil Brahmin on the island, is said to have arrived on a fishing boat in the 1890s and worked in the Harbour Board (now Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore). Defying the traditional  Brahmin edict against crossing the seas, the early Brahmins arrived on this island as ‘birds of passage’ in search of livelihood. 

In the early years, Tamil Brahmins lived in small enclaves to support each other, mostly around Serangoon Road, which had a concentration of many Tamil communities. Some others lived closer to their workplace, in Tanjong Pagar near the port area and in Sembawang near the naval base. Since the 1960s, the geographic distribution has spread across the island, reflecting the diversity in occupation and income levels.  Currently, Tamil Brahmins reside in public housing, private condominiums, and independent bungalows.

Though early Tamil Brahmins worked as clerks and accountants, the immigrants in the late 1940s secured managerial positions. Some held administrative positions in healthcare, and there were several doctors, engineers and bankers. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was an influx of chartered accountants when the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants accredited professional qualifications from India. From the early 1990s, Information Technology (IT) professionals began arriving on the island to meet the rapidly growing demand in the IT industry.

The community is deeply religious and is classified into sects based on the gods they worship. Prayers are a daily and elaborate ritual for most of them. Religious practices, food habits and outfits differ for each sect. However, Brahmin males undergo the Upanayanam, a rite of passage ceremony in which the sacred thread is bestowed upon them, symbolising the child's initiation into religious education under the guidance of a guru. Tamil Brahmins fall broadly into two categories of Hindus – the Saivites who worship Sivan and associated gods, and the Vishnavaites, who worship Vishnu and associated gods. In the early years, they mostly patronised existing old temples such as the Holy Tree Sri Balasubramaniar Temple on Canberra Road (currently located in Yishun Industrial park) and the Sri Sivan Temple on Orchard Road (currently located in Geylang East). These days, they also attend several other temples, notably the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple (Serangoon Road), the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple (Tank Road) and Sri Mariamman Temple (South Bridge Road).

Many early Brahmins found it hard to follow their religious practices on the island and returned home. Those who stayed back formed a sabha to cater to their religious and cultural needs. The sabha was conceptualised in 1923 when 20 people met in a fellow brahmin’s house, and formally instituted as The Singapore Dakshina Bharata Brahmana Sabha in 1924. The SDBBS was established “to preserve the special character, identity and tradition of the group”, according to a former President of the association.

Ceremonies, festivals, prayers, and rituals held at the residences of members in the initial years were later relocated to rented premises as the association's membership grew over time. As of 2024, there were over 1,200 members of the SDBBS. The association found a home at 108A Owen Road in 2011. Among its many activities are classes on Vedas and other religious texts. The members of the association also contribute to the religious needs of the wider Hindu community of Singapore. They have played key roles in many Hindu temples as priests, volunteer managers, and functionaries. The SDBBS also does much yeoman service. It raises relief funds, as it did for the 2001 Gujarat earthquake and the 2004 Tsunami, and participates in blood donation campaigns. In 2024, the association celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Another area where Tamil Brahmins have made a significant contribution is in the field of fine arts, where they have played an active role in the inception and operation of several music and dance schools, such as the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society, founded in 1949.

In Singapore, the Tamil Brahmin community, like other traditional communities, faces challenges in preserving its tenets and practices. While many maintain caste purity and vegetarianism as hallmarks of their identity, others have moved away from such tenets. Tamil Brahmins have reimagined themselves to meet the changing demands of new generations and their lifestyles, while upholding the roots of their identity in tradition and conservative values to survive and thrive in Singapore.



For more information
“About Us.” The Singapore Dakshina Bharatha Brahmana Sabha. Accessed on 1 August 2025. https://www.sdbbs.org/about-us 
Ramanathan, Sankaran. Brahmin Pioneers in British Malaya: Profiles in Courage and Convictions. Outskirts Press, 2022
Ashvin Parameswaran, and Rodney Sebastian. “Who Is a Brahmin in Singapore?” Modern Asian Studies 41, no. 2 (2007): 253–86. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4132352 
“Untitled.” The Straits Times, 14 May 1950, 5. (From Newspaper SG)

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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.