Little India in Singapore

Little India in Singapore is a neighborhood and the center of the city’s Indian community. It has all the canons of Indian culture: characteristic houses with brightly colored murals, lively streets, people walking around in colorful national dress and everywhere you can smell the aromas of spices from local shops.

.

Among the first Indian settlers were 120 servants and soldiers who sailed to Singapore in 1819 with Raffles. They first settled in Chuli Street, but as cattle ranching spread along the Rochor River to the north, the Indians settled in the area divided in half by Serangoon Road, now known as Little India. Among the local Indians, the majority are Hindu; there are also many Muslim Tamils; however, nearly three-quarters of the population of Little India is Chinese.

.

Video: Little India in Singapore

Contents

Серангун-роуд

A stroll through Little India is best started from the Little India Arcade (Little India Arcade; 48 Serangoon Road), between Campbell Lane and Hasting Road, opposite the Tekka Center fresh produce market (665 Buffalo Road). “Arcade” consists of several stores selling saris and cholis (short blouses), as well as medicines, betel nut, carved wooden jewelry, copperware, etc. There is also a restaurant of Singapore’s famous South Indian chain Banana Leaf Apolo.

From the Arcade, walk up Serangoon Road, exploring the colorful side streets. Along Campbell Lane, the stalls of the covered market are lined; it sells carved woodwork, furniture, musical instruments and flower garlands. Dunlop Street is known for its walkers’ inns and grocery stores. A few blocks down, at No. 41 Dunlop Street, near the intersection with Perak Street, is the Abdul Gafoor Mosque (tel: 6295-42-09; open daily 5 a.m.-9:30 p.m.). Most Singaporean Indians are Hindu, but there are also Muslims, and they gather here every Friday. You too can visit the mosque (just don’t go into the prayer hall) if you dress appropriately. This modern brick building, completed in 1907, bears features of South Indian and Moorish architecture, as evidenced by elements such as arches, onion domes, and ornate ornamentation.

.

If you get hungry, go to the vegetarian restaurant Komala Vilas and try the thosai (rice flour pancakes) there. Back on Serangoon Road, head down Cuff Road to Ashaweni Mills (Ashaweni Mills; Cuff Road, 2; tel: 6299-37-26; open Mon-Sat 8am-1pm and 2pm-5pm), one of the few restaurants in Singapore that still cooks the freshest traditional blends to order.

.

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple

A little further down Serangoon Road, next door to Belilios Road, is the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple (Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple; 141 Serangoon Road; tel: 6295-45-38; open daily 8am-12pm and 4pm-9pm), built by Bengalis in 1855. It is one of Singapore’s most beautiful Hindu temples. It is dedicated to Kali, the goddess of power, the female hypostasis of Shiva; on Hindu holy days – Tuesday and Friday – the temple is always crowded. Often at the entrance, worshippers break a coconut – a symbol of the voluntary destruction of one’s ego – and throw its shell into aluminum boxes under the gopuram tower. The interior of the temple is interesting because it is decorated with several Hindu symbols: the coconut and mango leaves above the entrance signify purity and hospitality; the lotus signifies the pursuit of spiritual perfection; and the banana signifies abundance.

On a lighter note, the Museum of Shanghai Toys (Museum of Shanghai Toys; Rowell Road, 83; tel: 6294-77-47; www.most.com.sg; open em-vs 11.00-19.00; admission fee). Here you can admire vintage colorful tin toys, comic books, dolls, and more – this collection has been lovingly assembled over the years.

.

The multi-storey Mustafa Center (Mustafa Centre; 145 Syed Alwi Road; tel: 6295-58-55; www.mustafa.com.sg) behind Serangoon Road, near the Farrer Park metro station, is open 24 hours a day; it has a truly incredible abundance of goods, from groceries to electronic gadgets, all at discounted prices. Nearby, at Serangoon Plaza (open: daily 10.30-23.30), is another store of this chain.

.

Srinivasa Perumal Temple

Near the Farrer Park metro station is another national monument, the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple (Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple; Serangoon Road, 397; tel: 6298-57-71; open daily 6.30-12.00 and 17.00-21.00), built in 1855. The temple’s large prayer hall is dedicated to Krishna (Perumal is one of his names), one of the reincarnations of Vishnu, the supreme Hindu deity. The temple is crowned by a five-tiered gopuram tower, a gift of Indian migrant P. Govindasamy Pillai.

.

Buddhist temples

Near Race Course Road, running parallel to Serangoon Road, on the west side, stands the Shakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple (Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple; Race Course Road, 366; tel: 6294-07-14; open: daily 8.00-16.45), better known as the Temple of a Thousand Lights. Run by Thai monks, this Buddhist shrine is one of the most famous religious buildings in Singapore. In the middle of the temple is a statue of a seated Buddha (height 15 meters, weight 305 kg), surrounded by lights that flash every time someone makes a donation. Outside, the entrance is guarded by several Hindu statues and two bright yellow tigers.

>

Across the street is another temple, not as famous but considered the most beautiful, the Leong San Buddhist Temple, or Dragon Mountain Temple (Leong San Buddhist Temple; Race Course Road, 371; tel: 6298-93-71; open daily 6 a.m.-5:30 p.m.), built in the late 19th century and dedicated to Guanyin, the goddess of mercy. Confucius is depicted on the altar, so the temple is popular with parents, who bring their children here to pray for success in exams.

.

Rest Day

On Sundays, when Indian workers have the day off, the streets of Little India are especially crowded. Cars on these days drive slowly, almost crawling, and the stores are crowded.