Sri Poyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple

Sri Poyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple is one of the first Hindu temples built in the country. It was built in 1781 on the plot given by the Dutch.

The temple was built by Thavinayagar Chitty after the Dutch colonial government of Malacca gave him a plot of land. The temple is dedicated to Vinayagar or Ganesha, the elephant deity.


The simplification of culture and customs can be seen at the Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple. Distinct from the South Indian temples, that displays beautifully carved out sculptures of the Hindu Gods in many rows.

In the back room are sculpture of the deities which include deity with the head of an elephant and the body of a man with four hands.

The cow statue inside the temple

Sri Poyyatha is a Hindu temple standing on the same street as Kampung Kling's Mosque and Cheng Hoon Teng Temple. The coexistence of these 3 distinct faiths is a testament to the religious pluralism of Malacca.