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Little India Guide

All you need to know about Little India

The area known as Little India has its focal point along Serangoon Road, with numerous small lanes populated with shophouses that offer huge varieties of Indian cuisine and retail outlets. The bulk of items on sale in Little India is related to Indian life and worship-jewelry, clothes, and even DVDs and music CDs from Bollywood. Simply walk the lanes of Little India and you will be able to thoroughly relate to this unique ethnic enclave. The smell of Indian spices, the many Indian temples, and the largest Indian population makes for an eye-opening visit.

Unlike other attractions, and maybe even Chinatown, businesses here are solely catered to the locals, which does away with any pretense and makes Little India the most authentic ethnic enclave left in Singapore.

Things to do in Little India

When you exit the Little India MRT station, you’ll arrive at Tekka Centre (A). This is an excellent place to shop for traditional Indian antiques and clothes. For those here simply for the experience, do wander around the wet market on the 1st floor, where vendors sell anything from fresh meat and seafood to rare Asian spices.

While walking along Serangoon Road (the main trunk road of Little India), to the left are Buffalo Road and Kerbau Road. The small street shops seem to peddle similar Indian clothing, with some selling beautiful artworks.

Little India is also where you will find many fabulous restaurants. Certain local delicacies worth a try are fish head currybanana leaf meals and other vegetable curries. There are several of these along Race Course Road, a parallel road just a small lane away from the main Serangoon Road. Even on Serangoon Road, the restaurants are known to be packed during weekends especially. Simply put, take as many detours as you like, which is the best way to experience Little India.

There are 2 important Hindu temples, Sri Veerama Kaliamman (B) and Sri Srinivasa Perumal (C).  You are free to enter these temples and watch Hindu devotees in the midst of their worship. Fine sculptures adorn the temples, and while they may not be huge, the atmosphere is certainly welcoming.

The area is most crowded on Saturday nights when throngs of Singapore’s Indian guest workers take to the streets for a wonderful night out.

Best time to visit Little India

The Indian temples are the focus of the community during festivals such as Thaipusam (early February) and Deepavali (mid-October). If you happen to visit Little India during these huge occasions, do take the opportunity to witness the devout Hindus performing magnificent feats such as fire-walking at the Hindu temples.

How to get to Little India

Take a train to Little India MRT station. It’d be best to exit at Tekka Centre and subsequently use Serangoon Road as a reference while you wander around the side streets.

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