Monday 2 March 2015

A Little Hut of Hindu Shrine & Queens' Crescent

Wondering along the vacant field that hidden away from heavy traffic flows, not many people know there's hidden temple which I was used to wander this vacant field that happened in my younger days where there used to be the site of former Queens' close housing estates (1980s) and a wet market (1960s),  and the old schools - Commonwealth Secondary school (early 1970s) and Henderson Secondary School (1980s) on the same site that demolished many years ago in 1990s and early 2000s. This site of the vacant field which left the structure mark of the 'handrail" bridge that linked to the old school. There used to be a Queens Crescent market opened in 1964 at the 2 semi-circular shaped road named "Queens Crescent" at the main junction of Queensway before it built housing estates in 1980s when I took a driving lessons in early 80s just outside Queensway Shopping centre along the road!
A few years ago, after I visited my friend's Optical shop at Queensway Shopping centre and we walked along the way, my hubby told me about the site of once his former Sec. Sch and housing estates and a market were once there. The site of the secondary integrated school - Tanglin Sec School/Commonwealth Sec School where my hubby attended in 1971 for 2 years and he consequently moved to Queenstown Sec Tech School in 1973 Technical class for woodwork & metalwork. Truth enough, I saw his school report card that it stated from Commonwealth Sec School to Queenstown Sec Tech School. Commonwealth Sec School was known as Tanglin Integrated Vocational Sec School in 1964 and in 1969 it became Tanglin Sec School. In 1972, it changed back to Commonwealth Sec School again where my hubby studied there at Queensway. Commonwealth Sec School has a new campus at West Coast road where one of my cousins live in bungalow nearby after he and his family shifted from Bukit Purmei 3-storey bungalow last year.
Former site of Housing estates, a wet market and the Sec Sch
In the year 2012, as I was walking along the Queensway where I used to stroll since young and grew up in Queenstown more than 5 decades. Reminiscing the place that brings back to the past where there were lots of low-rise housing estates and the old schools in Queenstown/Queensway.
The site of Hindu shrine on the land originally belonged to the Malaysian government at that time, and was used to house workers from railway operator Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). It was returned to the Singapore Government on Jul 1, 2011, after train services were stopped. The Hindu shrine is still exists to this day.
Memories jotted out of my mind and one of my aunties from Tanglin Halt once told me a long time ago, there was once an old Hindu wooden hut little known as "Muniandy temple" and a wooden hindu shrine as "Sri Thandavaalam Shrine" along Queensway that left by some Hindu devotees untouched. The Hindu Temple - Sri Muneeswaran Temple constructed in 1998 to replace the old wooden hut shrine. But still, they (long-time devotees) retain the other old hut of Hindu shrine of over the decades that was built by KTM railway workers that gave them a sense of belonging. 
Wooden Hut (Workers' Quarter) taken in 2012
Long quaint "Wooden" hut aka Workers' Quarter house built on zinc rooftup and wooden tiles that surrounded by huge trees and branches tucked away from heavy traffic flows along the road linked to the former railway track in Queensway. I presume that not many people had known this 'unwelcome' wooden Hut and a Hindu shrine which still stands today. This small temple and quaint wooden hut could be around since 1960s till now. Little did I know this place that passing by many times, I could walk inside the "quaint" wooden hut. 
Long "Quaint" Wooden house taken in 2012
Dilapidated piles of zinc rooftop
Dilapidated piles of zinc and wooden left unattended and  lots of flies buzzing (mosquitoes) around the place. I heard that on weekends a few "long time" devotees will come to pray in the mornings and keep in low profile. Such a poor neglected wooden house with deity facing to the locked with a 'padlock' door of the wooden "dilapidated" house. 
Hindu Deity Shrine
A well-maintained shrine with lots of prayers, covered with scaffolding tent away from sunlight. This is due to the Hindu devotees much care to the shrine. I wonder how long it will be still around and its history to this day. 
Latest breaking news:
Wooden hut and makeshift hut of Hindu Shrine sit illegally at Queensway have to move out by next year Jan 2017. Sources: Channelnewsasia

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