Naraina Pillai

The present gopuram of the Sri Mariamman Temple was built in 1925, replacing an earlier tower. Although the temple was founded as an institution on its present site by Pillai in 1827, little remains of the original structure he built.

Narayana Pillai (also spelled Narayana Pillay) was a social entrepreneur and businessman, who spent most of his life in Singapore during the colonial period. Of Tamil origins, he greatly contributed to the Tamil community in Singapore.

Prior to 1819, Pillai worked in Penang, which was ruled by the British. There, he came into contact with Stamford Raffles, a senior official of the British East India Company, who was keen to establish a new trading post at the southern end of the Straits of Malacca. This resulted in the founding of modern Singapore in 1819. In Penang, Raffles persuaded Pillai to join him and to work at his new settlement.

Early life Pillai arrived in Singapore with Raffles in 1819 on the ship. which endures today as the oldest Hindu place of worship on the island, and one of the National Monuments of Singapore. Pillai also envisioned a Hindu Institute for young boys, but this did not materialize. Nevertheless, Pillai’s standing led to his appointment by the British as the chief of the Indian population, which conferred on him powers to settle disputes within the community.

Awards Pillay gained recognition as a leader amongst the Tamils and was appointed chief of Indians from Cholamandalaman, given the authority to settle disputes amongst the Tamils.

He was one of several local figures (like Sang Nila Utama) commemorated for the bicentennial establishing of modern Singapore in 2019 with their own statues erected in Raffles' Landing near the Singapore River. Pillai Road is named after him