SINGAPORE, Dec 29 — A long-standing plea from Singapore’s Hindu community has been answered with the opening of a sheltered seaside facility at Changi Beach, offering families privacy and protection from the elements as they perform final rites for their departed loved ones.

According to The Straits Times, the one-storey Karma Kaariya Nilaiyam, announced five years ago, was officially launched today next to Carpark 2 at Changi Beach. 

Funded and managed by the Hindu Endowments Board, the building houses four private halls that can be booked online for post-death Hindu rites, or Karumathi prayers, typically observed on the 13th or 16th day after cremation.

Previously, families would arrive at the beach before dawn, laying mats on the sand to carry out the rituals. The practice left mourners exposed to darkness, rain and strong winds, with little more than torches or empty beach pavilions for shelter.

“This facility provides a calm, dignified and respectful environment. Families are still mourning, so they need privacy to focus on these rituals,” HEB secretary Satish Appoo told the Singapore daily today.

Karumathi prayers mark the formal close of the roughly two-week mourning period in Hindu tradition. They involve prayers and ritual offerings at home and by the sea, including rice balls that are dispersed into the water, symbolising spiritual closure for both the deceased and their family. 

Satish said the new site is meant solely for post-death rites and not for the scattering of ashes.

Families can book two-hour slots at the self-service facility for a S$50 (RM160) fee, payable via PayNow, and gain access through an automated gate using a link sent by e-mail and SMS. 

Each hall can accommodate up to 12 people, with the option of booking two adjoining halls for larger gatherings.

The project took a year and a half to build at a cost of S$550,000, with the search for suitable land slowed by the challenges of a beachfront location. 

Changi Beach Park is managed by the National Parks Board, and HEB also had to coordinate with the National Environment Agency and the Singapore Land Authority.

A three-month trial involving three temples was held earlier this year to fine-tune operations. 

Since May, about 100 families have used the facility through Sri Sivan Temple, Sri Thendayuthapani Temple and the Sri Arasakesari Sivan Temple.