Serangoon Road - Little India

Little India is the historical and cultural hub of the Indian community and the colours, sounds and scents of India greet the visitor at every turn. From colourful saris to fragrant perfumes and spices, from the strains of a sitar to the cacophony of traffic, Little India is a heady mix of shopping, sightseeing and feasting for tourists and locals alike.

Just as Chinatown and Kampong Glam each reflects the ethnic diversity of Singapore but with a predominantly Chinese and Malay character respectively, Little India is no different. Here the Chinese and Malays do a roaring trade side by side with their Indian compatriots, transcending language and cultural barriers, in apparel, food catering, hospitality, jewellery, electronics, art and crafts, etc.  


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Rows of old shophouses jostling for custom against the backdrop of a modern mall, as pedestrians weave haphazardly through traffic.

All dressed up with colourful overhead decorations brightly lit at night in the annual lightup for Deepavali, the festival of lights.

The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple set in lush grounds with public housing in the distance.

Colourful statues of Hindu deities on the perimeter wall of the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple.

Explore the many facets of Indian cuisine at eateries big and small in Little India. From fiery curries originating in the Tamil south of the Indian subcontinent to delicately spiced cuisine from the northern regions.

Northern Indian specialties like biryani and tandoori chicken fit for a maharajah are readily available. Vegetarians will not miss out on their dosai, vadai and apom, and those needing a quick fix can head for the eateries modelled on western fastfood joints.

A popular Indian dish is fishhead curry, which has spawned other versions such as the ones served in Chinese food outlets.

Mainstays like prata and murtabak have their following in restaurants and cooked food centres, where popular snacks such as curry puffs and goreng pisang (fried banana fritters) are also to be found.

A bustling cooked food centre offering a wide range of Indian, Malay and Chinese dishes. Favourite drinks include lime juice and “teh tarik” (pulled tea), a frothy milk tea repeatedly “pulled” between two large metal mugs.

Come sundown this plaza will be packed with diners chilling out under the swaying palms and romantic lights.

Bargains galore at this clothing store spilling its jeans and bags onto the sidewalk.

Ornate floor tiles that have seen better days still echo the splendour of the past.

Unloading produce to stock the small groceries serving residents, and visitors drawn to the freshness and authenticity of the ingredients.

This granite carving adorning a restaurant entrance, is a prelude to the wealth of art, handicraft, antiques, and sacred objects awaiting your discovery. A rewarding destination for the culture lover or souvenir hunter.

The Temple of a Thousand Lights, aka the Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple on Race Course Road, off Serangoon Road, is home to Singapore's 15m high statue of the Lord Buddha and a relic said to be carved from the bark of a Bodhi tree under which the Buddha meditated.