Jamae Chulia Mosque

The Jamae Chulia Mosque or Periya Paḷḷi in Tamil was erected in 1826 as one of the earliest mosques built by the Chulias in Singapore. It served as a hub for the Tamil Muslim community, offering daily prayers, religious teachings, and dispute resolution. Interestingly, it stands next to the Sri Mariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple, built in 1827. Both houses of worship are located along South Bridge Road, which has been a predominantly Chinese area, bearing testimony to the cultural harmony of those times.

Although established by the Chulias, the mosque’s management has changed hands several times over the years and is currently under the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. It is supported by the Jamae Chulia Wakaf, one of the richest Islamic endowments here. It is noteworthy that this is one of the few mosques in Singapore where religious classes are held in Tamil.

The mosque was built on 4809 square metres of land by the first trained architect in Singapore, George Drumgoole Coleman, an Irishman who masterfully blended Indo-Islamic influences, reminiscent of Tamil Nadu minarets, with the Neo-Classical style, which was his signature. The street that runs alongside the mosque has been named Mosque Street. Jamae Mosque was gazetted as a national monument in 1974 in recognition of its cultural, architectural and historical significance.

The mosque underwent renovations costing approximately $3 million and opened its new facilities in 2024, including classrooms, air-conditioned prayer halls, and a community gathering space. The occasion also marked the launch of a new initiative, the Jamae Chulia Heritage project. This heritage project, planned for the land behind the mosque, aims to commemorate the contributions of the Chulia community and is expected to be completed by 2026.



For more information
Wikipedia Contributors. “Masjid Jamae,” Wikipedia. Accessed August 1, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masjid_Jamae
“Jamae Chulia,” Majlis Ugama Islam Singapore.  Accessed August 1, 2025. https://www.muis.gov.sg/community/mosque/mosque-directory/jamae-chulia
“Welcome to Masjid Jamae (Chulia),” Masjid Jamae (Chulia) Singapore.  Accessed August 1, 2025. https://masjidjamaechulia.sg
Thulaja, Naidu Ratnala. “Mosque Street.” Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board Singapore.  Accessed August 1, 2025. https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=103d344c-cb93-4e79-a6df-25d8c098f39b
Shafeeq, Syarafana. “196-year-old Jamae Chulia Mosque in Chinatown to get $3m restoration from end-2022,” The Straits Times (Singapore), October 09, 2022. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/196-year-old-jamae-chulia-mosque-to-get-3m-restoration-from-end-2022 

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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.