Bidadari is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit widyadari meaning "nymph of Indra's heaven" or houri, a similar meaning in Persian mythology. One of Johore Sultan Abubakar's wives had set up her Istana residence on Bidadari Estate. When she left the place, the government bought the 45-acre land and a cemetery was opened in 1904, which became Bidadari Cemetery, Singapore's third cemetery with sections for Muslims, Hindus, Singhalese, and a large section for Christians of different denominations. The first to be buried at Bidadari Cemetery was George Mildmay Dare, a colourful member of the local European community.
At the entrance of the Christian-Catholic section, D. M. Craik built a simple well-designed chapel with simple brickwork and exposed roof members, and which became a landmark at the location. Later, it was leased to the Japanese who built moats with typical Japanese wooden bridges and tea houses. The Youngberg Hospital, built by the Seventh Day Adventist Mission was set up there. The cemetery closed for burials in 1972 and only cremations are conducted at Mount Vernon. The 50ha of the Bidadari area, is one of 12 subzones in the Toa Payoh area today. By November 2001, the cemetery was cleared to make way for a new MRT Station which is part of the North-East Line. At least 58,000 graves were located in Bidadari with 45,000 attributed to burials before 1951.
Author
Vernon Cornelius
References
Edwards, N. & Keys, P. (1988). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets, places (p. 55). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 EDW)
Harfield, A. G. (1988). Early cemeteries in Singapore. London: British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia.
(Call no: RSING 929.5095957 HAR)
The late Mr George Mildmay Dare. (1907, December 16). The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), p. 5. Retrieved on May 3, 2011 from NewspaperSG.
Wright, A. & Cartwright, H. A. (Eds.). (1908). Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: Its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources (p. 239) [Microfilm no.: NL2645]. London: Lloyd's Greater Britain Pub.
(Call no.: RSING 959.5 TWE)
Urban Redevelopment Authority. (1995). Toa Payoh planning area: Planning report 1995 (pp. 8, 12). Singapore: Urban Redevelopment Authority.
(Call no.: RSING 711.4095957 SIN)
Goh, C. L.. (2001, September 26). Bulk of Bidadari graves still not claimed. The Straits Times, Home!, p. 5.
Kraal, D. (2001, November 20). Angel of the Mourning. The Straits Times, Life!, p. 6.
Further reading
Kucinta Setia. (2002). The Bidadari cemeteries and their surroundings: The first formal report on the Bidadari region to the historic sites unit of the National Heritage Board for the proposed Bidadari Memorial Garden. Singapore: [s.n].
(Call no.: RSING q363.75095957 KUC)
The information in this article is valid as at 2004 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
