Mariamman Hindu Temple, Vietnam - Temple, Market, Scenic Beauty

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Situated close to the Ben Thanh market, the Mariamman Hindu temple serves the small commune of 100 or so Chinese and Vietnamese Tamil Hindus living in Ho Chi Minh City. It is the only Hindu temple that is still open in the conurbation and is considered sanctified by Hindu and non-Hindu Vietnamese. The temple is thought to have miraculous powers giving luck and wealth to those who worship within its walls. Built at the end of the 19th century in respect of Mariamman the Hindu Goddess of strength, the temple’s first purpose was as a place of worship for the Chettiar community. Classically Hindu in style, the multi-coloured temple features vibrant deity sculptures evocative of those usually found in Southern India, decorating external walls, roof tops, towers and the shrine inside.