bidadari christian & muslim/hindu cemeteries

under the 1998 master plan, the bidadari cemetery sites along upper serangoon road would be developed into high-density housing and was projected to yield about 12,000 public-housing dwelling units. there would be modem amenities and facilities to complement the housing, including a park and other open spaces. the bidadari cemeteries were opened in 1907.

"bidadari" was derived from the sanskrit word "widyadari"; meaning a nymph or fairy. these cemeteries are multi-ethnic and religious burial grounds where protestants, catholics, singhalese, hindus and muslims were buried. the cemeteries were officially closed in 1972. on the christian side, near the beautiful ornate gate at the central entrance, there once stood a small chapel where services were held. it was torn down in the 1980s.

today, all the graves have been exhumed. it is now an open park with the woodleigh mrt station saddling the one-time divide between the christian and muslim cemeteries. the authorities have left many of the trees in tact; you can see quite a number of elegant mature trees. there is also this interesting 'clump' where two different types of trees seem to have merged into one.