Dhoby Ghaut

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 (धोबी घाट) 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 southern end of Orchard Road. There is also a shopping mall, called Plaza Singapura.



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.