Indian influence on the Malay world is ancient, but most of today's Hindus in Malaysia and Singapore descend from Tamil labourers brought in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to work on rubber estates, railways and roads, along with merchants and clerks.
History
- 1827Sri Mariamman Temple, Singapore's oldest Hindu temple, is founded.
- 19th–early 20th centuriesLarge-scale Tamil migration to the plantations of British Malaya.
- 1957 / 1965Malaysian and Singaporean independence.
- 2006The 42.7-metre golden Murugan statue is unveiled at Batu Caves.
Hindu life today
Thaipusam, honouring Murugan, draws more than a million devotees and visitors to the Batu Caves near Kuala Lumpur, many carrying kavadi. In Singapore, Deepavali and Thaipusam are celebrated in Little India, and Hindu temples are protected as national monuments.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Thaipusam?
A Tamil festival honouring Murugan, celebrated on the full moon of the month of Thai; it is especially famous at the Batu Caves in Malaysia.
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Read nextBritain — Hindus of the United KingdomSources & copyright status
- Department of Statistics Malaysia; Singapore Department of Statistics — censuses — census data
- Historical facts: not subject to copyright.
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