An afternoon at Little India

Namaste! (Nah-mah-STAY) Welcome to Singapore! Today we are going to take you on a breathe-taking trip to little India where you will be overwhelmed with the inviting smell of spices and the traditional sweet jasmine garland scent.

A vendor crafting a Jasmine garland from scratch.

Before we officially embark on our journey, heres a brief history on this cultural rich attraction.

As one step into Little India, you will be welcomed by the many cheeky smiles of the friendly and approachable Indians. As you continue strolling down the street, you will see the numerous shops that floods the streets thats offers quality silverware, brassware, wood carvings and colourful silk saris.

Apart from these shops, one can also purchase affordable electronic gadgets and almost every other thing that you can imagine from necessities to luxury goods at the Mustafa Centre, the heart of Little India. Mustafa Centre also operates 24 hours so that you can sure your shopping itch late at night!

Mustafa Centre

From the large Tekka Centre and Little India Arcade to the small provision shops, one will lose track of time patronising shops after shops while embracing in the bustling atmosphere. Word of Advice, we highly recommend exploring the "hidden" lanes between the more popular streets (Serangoon Road), where one can discover and stumble upon hidden treasure troves of traditionally handcrafted arts that are great as souvenirs.

Tekka Centre's Exterior

An American tourist viewing the wares of a store located in one of the lanes.

Little India Arcade is another favourite shopping & eating destination of Indians & tourists. Little India Arcade offers a huge range of Indian bangles, sarees, indian handicrafts etc.. It also has a food court that sells various Indian delicacies such as Nasi Briyani, Murtabak, Thosai and Indian Rojak.

A store selling a wide array of ingredients for your Indian rojak!

Nasi Briyani

If you are intending to travel to our island within the month of October and November, it is a must to visit Little India as you will be mesmerized by the bright lights and decorations spruce up by the Indians to celebrate Deepavali (Festival of Light)!

Deepavali Lightings

Apart from shopping, you should visit the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, Little India's oldest and busiest temple, with history dating way back to 1881. Be sure to take off your shoes when going in to visit the temple. You may also want to seek your fortune with the parrot fortune tellers.

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple

The parrot that will tell your fortune.

One of the popular delights of Indian food served is Roti prata (a pancake bread made of dough composed of fat, egg, flour and water.) This dish has evolved greatly with extra ingredients such as garlic, banana, chocolate, durian and cheese creating different unique variations but still preserving the traditional taste. Another dish that is well known in Singapore is the Fish Head Curry. It may sound a little strange to you but do give it a try as the fish head is cooked till the meat is so soft it falls apart when you poke it. If you're game enough, try eating the fish eyeballs which the Chinese believes is the best part of the dish due to the connective tissues.

Different Types for Roti Pratas.

Piping hot Fish Head Curry

After you are done with the main course, you can indulge yourself with a cup of Teh Tarik, a hand pulled cup of tea or with an array of sinful sweet tasting desserts. Watch as the person preparing your Teh Tarik, which literally means pulling tea, skillfully transfer the tea from one container to another without wasting a drip of tea.

Before leaving, you can get the Indian's own version of "temporary tattoo" known as Henna.

If you are interested in visiting this town after our post, below are directions to direct you right to the doorstop of Little India. Little India is conveniently located near Little India MRT Station, which is marked A. Exit from Exit C and walk Bukit Timah Road and turn left. The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is located at point B and Mustafa Centre is located at point C.