SINGAPORE's Arts, Culture & Heritage

Facets of the culture in Little India

Before we being our exciting trip to Little India, let's have some basic insight of this unique little lively town. Well, what are we still waiting for?Let's step onto the journey of LITTLE INDIA!

Do you know?

By 1830s, most of the Indians settled themselves at Serangoon Road. It was a favourable location due to the agricultural fields by the river, the introduction of cattle-rearing on the fertile land by the rich cattle dealers like Mr Belilos and a Race course for the Europeans in 1843. At the start of the 19th century, the place had flourished to a business commercial area for the Indian community. This place enriched with the Indians culture is now known as Little India.

Food

Food is the most common thing which I believed many of us enjoyed it very much.Over here, the most popular food is of course,Indian’s food. It is generally perceived as the spiciest and hottest cuisine in Singapore,which is very popular among Singaporeans. Little India, where most Singaporean Indians are concentrated is one of the places to experience these unique cuisines.

Walk down Serangoon road and turn right till you reached Upper Dickson Road whereby countless North and South Indian specialty restaurants and vegetarian restaurants are located. For all spicy food lovers, this busy town is definitely a food paradise for you to experience the best spicy cuisine in Singapore.

But, for people, who can't take spicy food like Agnes, don't feel left out. You can visit Tekka Centre for a variety of delicious dishes of different races.

Before heading straight to these restaurants, do visit the nearest Indian coffee shop and enjoy a cup of Teh Tarik or ‘hand pulled tea’ which can be drink cold or warm. Instead of waiting for the tea to be served , catch the interesting way of preparing the tea.The purpose for pouring the tea from one cup to another is to dispel the heat of the tea. Therefore, it makes the tea less scaling hot when served.

One of the famous restaurants found along Little India Arcade is The Banana Leaf Apolo Pte Ltd. It offers delicate selection of the Indian favourites, and the meals are served in a traditional manner – on a banana leaf. You can try using your hand to eat the food. However, take note of using only the right hand to eat for it shows courtesy. According to the Indians, it is inappropriate to use the left hand as it symbolise uncleanness. You definitely cannot miss trying the Chapati and Naan which are prepared in a tandoori or clay pot oven. The restaurant offers an alternative experiences to Indian foods at a reasonable price.

Most Hindus are vegetarians as they believed that all animal life should be respected especially the cow, is considered sacred to them. Thus, it led to the creation of many delicious vegetable dishes, breads, lentils, savoury snacks, desserts and sweet-based meats. The highlight of vegetarian meals will be various fragrant Indian breads such as dhosai, chewy rice flour and lentil pancake, or puris, deep fried bread served with curry. Along Serangoon Road, you may visit the Komala’s restaurant that provides authentic Indian vegetarian foods in a Western setting.

If you have a sweet tooth, you can never miss the Indians snacks. At Little India Arcade entrance, there is a confectionery selling wide range of traditional Indian sweets and snacks. Do give them a try. One of the snacks that we tried is the gulam jamun, cream cheese balls in syrup is delicious, it tastes like a biscuit, wrap in a coat of syrup.

However for me,I don't like food taht is too sweet so I share it with Agnes.It would taste better if it is not too sweet as the cheese ball itself is fragrant and crispy for its skin. Of course, I understand that the Indians tend to favour sweet food and hence it is not supposed to change the flavour to preserve the their traditional flavour.

A small note to take: For people with diabetes, it is better not to try their desserts as it contains a high amount of sugar content.

Clothing / Jewelleries

After exiting from MRT station, you will come to Tekka Centre that I have mentioned earlier, also known as zhujiao centre in mandarin which means the foot of bamboo shoots. In the early days, there is bamboo growing in abundance by the Rochor River thus the name for the food centre.

At level 2 of Tekka Centre, you’ll find multiple shops selling traditional Indians clothes, and products that Indians commonly used, such as the bangles, peacock feathers. The clothes are of vibrant colours, imprinted with simple Indian designs. It is definitely a place to get a set of Indian cloth for a bargain.

In Singapore, we do celebrate Racial Harmony Day whereby we dress ourselves up with traditional clothes that belong to other race.I still remember my secondary school days whereby I visited here to buy a traditional costume for my school event. Even if you are not an Indian, you can try these beautiful costumes for a different dressing experience.

Diverse jewellery shops can be found along Serangoon Road which offers wide variety choices of golden jewellery to. In the past, Indian goldsmith is honourable as they also create the god’s statue. Nowadays, majority of the Indian goldsmith are still true Indian craftsmen, making these accessories in traditional design.

Don't worry about the arts of making jewellery is lost and being replaced by machines. Nowadays,majority of the Indian goldsmith are still true Indian craftmen, making these accessories in traditional designs.

Usually, men get themselves a navarethinam which is a ring encrusted with 9 different gems. Each gem represents a planet and it was believed that this ring can ward off the negative influence of the planets on the individuals.

On the other hand, Indian ladies purchase ear rings that screw in a clockwise direction which is similar to the customs of walking the same direction around the temple. It symbolises good fortune.

Indian Arts

If you are a person who likes to keep different types of decorative items,do explore the Indian craft shops to discover the unique carvings, sculptures, brassware and artefacts. Walk to the end of the arcade and leave by the Clive street exit. Turn left and walk to the next junction. Turn left again and walk down the narrow footways till you reached Campbell Lane. You will found Celebration of Arts, a shop which sells furniture in wood, decorative portraits, puppets etc. Perhaps, you can get one of the art pieces at a great deal.

Indians like to use Henna, a special paint to decorate hands. Along the way, some of the stalls offer the services of designing your hands. This saves trouble for you of thinking about the design and worry of getting messy with the paint. Alternately, you can get a packet of henna, unleash your creativity and do the paintings on your hand.

Places of Worship

You must be wondering why there is so many flower stalls along the road, this is because flowers symbolises good fortune. Single and married ladies often use these flowers to beautify their hair. In addition, on important religious days, more elaborate strands are placed on the deities at temple and home. Those flowers mainly consists roses, marigolds, jasmine which represent love, peace, purity and happiness.

Majority of them are made by natural flowers which gives very delicate flower fragrance that you will never miss them! I sometimes wonder if there are any bees and butterflies attracted to these flowers.Well, I am not suprised if there is :P

At the junction of Veerasamy Road, there is an Indian temple, Sri Veerama Kaliamman temple built in 1881 which worships the Hindu Goddess Kali, the consort of Shiva. Kali is depicted with many pairs of arms and hands carrying weapon of destruction. During religious important days, the temple will be flooded with devotees praying and asking for blessing. Do note that women who are undergoing the monthly cycle should not enter the temple as it is considered ‘unclean’ and remove your shoes before enter.

Indians also worshipped the elephant god, Ganesha (one of the son of kali) which Hindus believed that it is the remover of obstacles. Another son of kali will be Muraugan who rides a peacock and his birthday is celebrated on the Thaipusam festival in late January when the moon is full.

As you enter the gate of the temple, look up and you’ll find it decorated with lots of gods, goddess, and mythological statues. This allows devotees to offer their prayers without entering the temple. Also, the fresh mango and coconut leaves hanging above the doors, it means appreciation and holiness.

The devotees would normally ring the bell found on the door before entering the temple to ask the god to answer their prayers. They purify by washing their hands and legs, they also sprinkle some water on their head.

At the entrance of the temple, there is an enclosure for devotees to break coconuts that represent breaking their ego to bring out their pure and kind inner-selves. These coconuts are available for sale at Little India Arcade. After praying, you can walk around the temple in clockwise direction of an odd number of times and ask for good luck. Lotus is being used as a tool for decorative purposes and it signifies human life.

Most of us always thought that lotus is being used as an ingredient for cooking purposes but the Indians used them for decorating as they signifies human life. Isn't it amazing that lotus can be used for decorations?

After all the introduction of Little India , I'm sure that you are tempted to visit this unique place. So what are waiting for? Make your trip down here and experience for yourself.Remember to come in light clothing and bring along your water bottle and umbrella to protect yourself from the warm and humid weather in Singapore.

Getting There

A walk from Little India MRT station ( NE7 )

Bus services: 56,23,64,65,66,131,139,147

The Little RED Dot updated at 6:05 PM