Dhoby Ghaut

Dhoby Ghaut
Name transcription(s)
• Chinese	多美歌
• Pinyin	Duōměigē
• Malay	Dhoby Ghaut
• Tamil	தோபி காட்
Country	Singapore

Dhoby Ghaut is a place in Singapore that often refers to the Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, a major interchange station on the Mass Rapid Transit of Singapore. Dhoby Ghaut or Dhobi Ghat (Hindi: धोबी घाट) (Punjabi: ਧੋਬੀ ਘਾਟ) (Tamil: தோபி காட்) literally means washing place in Hindi, from dhobi "washerman" or one that does laundry and ghat, generically meaning a large open space. As a place, Dhoby Ghaut lies along the eastern end of Orchard Road. Above the MRT station there is a shopping mall, called Plaza Singapura.

File:The Atrium @ Orchard, Dec 05.JPG

The Atrium@Orchard is a retail and office development, comprising two office blocks and retail space on the ground floor, located just above the Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station.

Etymology and Early History

Until the early 1900s, the dhobis used water from a clear stream that flowed into Sungai Bras Basah, now Stamford Canal. This stream is the large drain beside Handy Road. The ghats, or steps leading down to the stream, was demolished when Sungai Bras Basah was canalised. The dhobis would then dry the laundry at Dhoby Green, the open park bounded by Stamford Road, Handy Road, Bras Basah Road and Prinsep Street.

References

Reference from National Library of Singapore Infopedia Website