Little India

Address: 60 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 229900

Most of the visitors will be curious that why there is a Little India in Singapore. It turned out that in 1819, Knight Raffles' fleet sailed to Singapore, and there were many Indian assistants and soldiers in the accompanying team. They became the first batch of Indian immigrants on the land of Singapore. Coupled with later immigration and development, there were more and more Indians here. Because of their unique religious beliefs and habits, they gathered here to live. Such an area is like a microcosm of India, hence the name of Little India.

Little India is the one of the oldest blocks in Singapore. Walking here, you can not only feel the traditional customs and cultural atmosphere of India, but also see the history of Singapore. It used to be the site of limestone quarries, brick kilns and racetracks. Herdsmen, businessmen and florists were bustling in the streets, shouting for business. Nowadays, this area still retains its unique tradition. Here, the old and new things collide fiercely, contemporary street art and fashionable restaurants coexist with ancient temples, and vendors are selling various attractive items such as spices, silk and flowers. Little India is one of the most vigorous areas.

Walking along the Serangoon Road and several surrounding streets, you can enjoy the harmonious coexistence of Hindu temples, Chinese temples, Muslim mosques and Christian churches. You can taste vegetarian meals of South India, barbecue of North India, roti prata and teh tarik.

What to Visit at Little India

Tekka Center is the largest indoor market in Singapore. There are so many kinds of goods at Tekka Center. You can also find rare ingredients here. At Tekka Center, there are many interesting things waiting for you to explore. It is a world of delicious food, including snacks, vegetables, meet and spices. Before the Deepavali, many people come to Tekka to buy the things they need for celebration. It is a world of clothing and cloth. You can buy sari here. Sari is a kind of clothes made of silk, which is a characteristic clothes of India. There are also many places to buy cloth and tailor shops on the second floor of Tekka Center.

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Singapore, and the goddess Veeramakaliamman is enshrined here. She is the evil goddess who is in charge of destruction. As a unique landmark in the heart of Little India, this temple has many fascinating legends about the Singaporean colonial period. 

Mustafa Shopping Center, which is open 24 hours a day, is a shopping resort, selling about 300,000 kinds of goods, and also providing services such as visa application. It sells all kinds of goods, from electronic products to groceries. Goods are piled up very densely here. No matter the gods at the temple gate, the flowers on women's heads, the ornaments on their necks, and the henna tattoos on their hands, they are all dense.

Jothi Store & Flower Shop is often crowded and bustling, and the upper and lower floors are filled with all kinds of products with Indian national characteristics, from jasmine ornaments to Indian cosmetics.

Little India Arcade is another world, full of trinkets, costumes, jewels and souvenirs, and the Indian sweets at Moghul Sweet Shop are also worth a try.

Walking along the Race Course Road, you can find Banana Leaf Apolo, where South Indian cuisine is popular and should not be missed. The famous local specialty Apolo Fish Head Curry is worth a try. It a hot restaurant at Little India, providing Indian characteristic cuisine. Curry is the soul of Indian food. There are many visitors coming to this restaurant to taste the Indian food. And sometimes you need to wait in line for delicious Indian food.

Best Time to Visit Little India

Deepavali in October or November and Pongal in January are recommended for you to visit Little India. Little India is decorated to a resplendent world of myth at that time. There are festival activities held at Little India. Indians like to gather together to celebrate the festivals.

How to Get to Little India

Subway: Take MRT and get off at Little India Station.

Buses: Take bus 64, 65 or 111, and get off at the Serangoon Road.