LITTLE INDIA

Description

Essentials about Little India in brief

If you want to experience a bit of the Indian lifestyle in multi-ethnic Singapore, you should visit the Little India district. As the name of the district, which lies somewhat north of downtown Singapore, already expresses, Little India is the commercial and cultural center of the Indian community of the Southeast Asian city-state. If you like shopping or Indian food, this is definitely the place to be.

The history of Little India

Historically, Little India is closely associated with the cattle trade. The neighborhood’s location on the Serangoon River favored cattle breeding. Since the resident cattle traders largely employed Indian migrant workers, the area increasingly developed into a settlement area for people from all parts of India in the course of the 19th century. However, Little India was and is also a mixed neighborhood, where many Chinese and people from Muslim countries settled. Anyone walking through the neighborhood will most likely recognize this ethnic mix by the many different houses of worship: In Little India, Hindu temples stand next to Buddhist temples, mosques and churches.

Shopping in Little India

Today, Little India is one of the busiest neighborhoods in Singapore. The lifeline of the district is Serangoon Road. It is home to several shopping malls, including Tekka Centre, Tekka Mall, Little India Arcade, Serangoon Plaza and Mustafa Centre. Whether you are looking for electrical goods, textiles, jewelry, watches or food, you will definitely find what you are looking for in the malls of Little India.

Eating and drinking in Little India

And of course, Little India is also the place to go for Indian cuisine. From South Indian vegetarian dishes to North Indian tandoori, the neighborhood’s restaurants and hawker centers (halls with market stalls) serve the entire culinary spectrum of India. Watching local tea brewers steep hot tea flavored with sweet milk is also a special experience.

Festivals in Little India

Speaking of special experiences: If you want to experience Little India in a festive mood, you should visit the district during the Deepavali (in October or November) or Ponggal (mid-January) festivals. The cheerful festive mood of the local population is guaranteed to transfer to every visitor.