Jainism in Singapore

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Singaporean Jains

About 1,500 Jains live in Singapore. They come from Śvetāmbara and Digambara traditions and speak a mix of Singapore’s Indian languages, including Tamil.

History and community life
Jains began settling in Singapore in the early 1900s. The community marked 100 years in the country by rededicating the Stanak and consecrating the idol of Mahavira. The Singapore Jain Religious Society (SJRS) helps keep Jain traditions alive and teaches Jain principles to the next generation. The SJRS has a building at 18 Jalan Yasin for prayers and gatherings, but there is no dedicated temple.

Tamil Jains
There is a Tamil Jain community in Singapore that comes together under the Singapore Tamil Jains Forum, led by Dharmanathan Varthamanan.

Membership
According to the SJRS constitution, any Jain — Śvetāmbara or Digambara — who speaks any language can become a member and participate in Jain religious activities.