Sri Mariamman (mother goddess) Temple is the eldest Hindu temple in Singapore and it was originally built in 1827. The temple was built by Narayana Pillai, a government clerk, who arrived in Singapore in the same ship as Raffles in 1819. It initially provided a shelter for Indian immigrants and only its priests were able to solemnize Hindu marriages. The entrance tower, or gopuram, dates to the 1930s. It is here that the fire-walker ceremony takes place in October or November each year where devotees walk over hot coals to test their faith and devotion.