There is no doubt that the unique enclave of Little India is one of Singapore’s most exotic and unusual cultural districts. The visitor to this one of a kind portion of the city will be greeted by the noisy sounds of car horns, enthusiastic chatter and the shrill bicycle bells. The sights, smells and sounds of this unique district will enthral the visitor like few parts of the city can.
Amidst the heady aromas of flowers and spices runs one of the main avenues of the area, Serangoon Road with its by-lanes Dunlop Street, Campbell Lane and Hindon Road. Here the visitor will encounter stalls vending incense, gold and Ayurvedic oils as well as fabrics in an array of colours and textures. On the other hand for an authentic experience of Hindu rites, visit the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, a shrine devoted to the female deity Kali.
Part of the area’s mystique lies in the fact that many traditional Indian occupations and lifestyles may still be witnessed here. Flower sellers vending jasmine garlands, fortune tellers with their trained parrots, pushcart vendors selling roasted nuts as well as streetside newspaper sellers may all be seen going about their daily business.
Visitors should take up the opportunity to dine at classic South Indian restaurants found here such as Banana Leaf Apolo, Muthu’s Curry and Komala Villas. Alternatively you may try out some excellent hawker treats served up in classic Indian style.
Avid shoppers should make it a point to visit Mustafa Centre, an expansive shopping complex which is open around the clock. Here you will find a bewildering selection of merchandise including decorative items, foodstuffs, textiles and apparel, household accessories and electronic goods as well as other items, all at very attractive prices.
Little India may be easily explored on foot as it is geographically a relatively small area. Exploring its diverse attractions will well reward the visitor who chooses to spend a leisurely afternoon here.
The selective traveller desiring a convenient Singapore city hotel will find an outstanding choice in the M Hotel Singapore. This 4 star hotel Singapore offers provides comfortable accommodations and a selection of facilities.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
