Waterloo Street and Religious Harmony

#OurNeighbourhood - Waterloo Street

#DidYouKnow that Waterloo Street is also known as “Fourth Horse Road” (四马路 - Si Beh Lor)?

Rather than being named after a famous horse, it actually refers to main carriage roads during Singapore’s colonial era, starting from North Bridge Road (Big Horse Road, or “Dua Beh Lor”), down to Bencoolen Street (Fifth Horse Road, or “Gor Beh Lor”).

When the area was first established in 1837, it was actually named “Church Street”, after then-Resident Councillor, Thomas Church. It was renamed “Waterloo Street” in 1858 to avoid confusion with the other Church Street close to Raffles Place. The name "Waterloo" was chosen to commemorate the British victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Despite the name change, this area remains symbolic of the multicultural and multi-religious landscape of Singapore. Next to the popular Buddhist Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple (est. 1884) lies the Hindu Sri Krishnan Temple (est. 1870), where Chinese devotees also pray and offer joss sticks to the Hindu deity; a cross-worshipping act of interfaith harmony testament to the richness of our social fabric. A stone’s throw away is the Jewish Maghain Aboth Synagogue, Southeast Asia’s oldest synagogue, as well as the Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul, which was gazetted as a national monument in 2003.

Come midnight at this Lunar Year of the Horse, Waterloo Street (四马路 or Fourth Horse Road) will be at its most festive as devotees “gallop” in droves to Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple to saddle up for blessings. It is believed that being the first to plant the joss stick there at the start of the year will bring the greatest blessings.

What wishes would YOU be making for Singapore in the Lunar New Year?

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