Fresh garlands, Indian gold jewelry, pinned up posters of Bollywood film stars, fresh baby coconuts being hawked at road intersections, spicy north and south Indian cuisine and good vegetarian food; lively and alluring, Little India is every tourist’s dream come true, and every local’s little secret.
 

Keep your eyes open while you navigate through the side lanes—blink and you might miss the narrow staircase leading to your pedicure or accidently bump into an immigrant worker too busy texting to notice you. Stretching along the southern end of Serangoon Road, some 800 meters of commercial space offering traditional and some not-so-traditional goods and services, Little India is the place for anything and everything. Shooting off that main artery are the neighborhood’s many veins: The likes of Buffalo, Kerbau and Desker Roads and Dunlop Street. Though the names of side streets might be well marked, most of the shops have peeling unit numbers, so always take a mental picture of where you are for the next time you decide to come back. And trust us, you will.

For Starters

The loud and lively Tekka Centre (665 Buffalo Rd.)—a multi-story and multi-purpose building that has a wet market, food center, custom tailors and shops selling traditional Indian dress and affordable everyday wear—marks the beginning of the affair. Across the road is the Little India Arcade (48 Serangoon Rd.), where desserts like the famous gulab jamun and paan can be found. There is also Komala Vilas’ (76-78 Serangoon Rd., 6293-6980) candy-coated specialties like the son papadi, kalakand and our personal favorite, the Balkan style halva. Stacked neatly in layers, traditional Indian desserts are extremely sweet; so do as we do and expand your choices by ordering just one of each.
 

Apart from its big complexes, Little India is also packed with shophouses. Pawnshops, old school barbers, spas, luggage depots, five-and-ten-cent stores and beauty parlors like Sounique (87A Serangoon Rd., 6293-9409) flourish here. If you’ve always wanted a tattoo but don’t want to face the consequences, henna applications last for just over a week. Choose from bridal, Arabic, traditional or contemporary patterns; prices start from $5 to $15 per hand. Looking for the latest Hindi movies and music CDs? ABR Music Video (92 Serangoon Rd., 6291-2339) will have them, and if they don’t, give them your name and number and they’ll call you when the title arrives. Sharing the same space is Dazzle Sparkle, which sells costume jewelry like those ubiquitous grouped bangles ($3.50 upwards). If you’re looking to buy a new SLR camera or a mobile phone at 24-hour shopping mecca Mustafa Centre (145 Syed Alwi Rd., 6295-5855), be warned that despite its very competitive prices, its in store policy requires that you pay first before they put the battery in. However, there are demo sets of other electronic goods like DVD players, entertainment systems and certain toys for you to fiddle around with.

Spice Things Up

Hungry after all that shopping? Grab a bite at Delhi Restaurant (195 Serangoon Rd., 6297-1148). We recommend the butter chicken, palak paneer, aloo gobi, saffron rice and prawn curry. If you have visiting vegetarians, take them to Namaste India (288 Serangoon Rd., 6735-6755). Try the fiery fish head curry ($20-28) at the popular Banana Leaf Apollo (54 Race Course Rd., 6297-1595). Both its north and south Indian dishes are served on banana leaves, and you’re encouraged to use your hands here; the wait staff insist that it brings out the aroma of the food. If you’d rather take off your shoes while you eat, try Lagnaa, Bare Foot Dining (6 Upper Dickson Rd., 6296-1215). You’ll be instructed to leave your footwear behind, after which you’ll be led up a flight of stairs to a sparse room with hardwood floors, floor pillows, round tables and metal lanterns. Prices start at $4 for a plate of fried crispy chicken seasoned with basil. Owner/chef Kaesavan, affectionately known to regulars as “K7,” looks over each and every bit of the operation, right down to the music. What’s more, he runs spicy curry eating competions when there’s a full moon (next one falls on Sep 23).

A Taste for Art

Located in the arts belt of Little India is another haven for hot-as-hell food lovers. Head for Andhra Curry (41 Kerbau Rd., 6293-3935), which prides itself on the spiciness of its dishes and is housed within a gaudy but picturesque heritage building. If you hear shouting and screaming, it’s probably coming from the hanging TV screen in the beer garden just outside the entrance, where locals come to eat and watch free Hindi drama series or movies. Feel free to grab a seat and a drink and join them. For something a little out of the ordinary look out for Food #03 (Post-Museum, 109 Rowell Rd., 6396-7980), set up by a group of artists. This vegan restaurant is located just next door to gallery space Post-Museum (log on to www.post-museum.org for current and on-going exhibitions). While you’re on an art tip, check out Bhaskar’s Arts Academy (19 Kerbau Rd., 6396-4523), which first opened in 1952 and continues to be Singapore’s most popular venue for Indian performance arts. The space also has an art gallery that hosts regular exhibitions. Log on to www.bhaskarsartsacademy.com for more information.

Convivial Society

It’s not just the main areas that get rowdy. Head down almost any side street and you’ll find family-run import-and-export businesses, fruit sellers, carpark-turned-bazaars selling cheap men’s T-shirts, jackets, jeans and so on. In particular, the area surrounding Dickson Road is gaining an interest among smaller local businesses. Glyn Chan, owner of Ukulele Movement (20A Dunlop St., 6297-9683), chose to open her music store here because of the area’s charm. “When the store’s not too busy, I like to introduce the instrument by teaching people a chord or two,” she says. Meanwhile, The Library Bar (39 Campbell Lane, 6297-7969), which serves great margaritas and amazing food (and not just bar grub) is packed on Fridays and Saturdays with foreigners and locals. “People have a misconception that Little India is just about spices and saris, but it also has a growing pub scene. A few pubs have opened up around here since, but there’s no competition, we’re like family,” says bartender Jay Pereira. The Red Comrades (66 Dunlop Rd., 8261-5247), is a cozy bar run by a flamboyant man called Kodo. He has a house special named “Kodo 66,” which we highly recommend.

Hip Haunts

Prince of Wales (101 Dunlop St., 6299-0130) was the first and trendiest hostel to open here, and it still is. They have a sitting area at the back where you can enjoy a beer and burger and watch music documentaries on the TV or play a game of pool; it’s also smoker-friendly. Zsofi Tapas Bar (68 Dunlop St., 6297-5875) is a great place for drinks, Spanish tapas and fresh gourmet pizzas. Next door are The Inn Crowd (73 Dunlop St., 6296-9169) and The Countryside Café (71 Dunlop St., 6292-0071), where you can usually spot a few Australian students hanging outside in the shade. If you want to experience something a little more alternative, step inside the Sargam Hindi Music Lounge (67 Dunlop St.) or cross the street to Mumbai Underground (60 Dunlop St.) pub with its neon-lit gecko for a slice of ethnic clubbing. When you’re drunk and want something else to do, stumble your way over to Gimme Love Tattoo (69A Dunlop St., 9476-1400) and make it a night you will never forget.

When it comes to the end of your night, and if hostels aren’t your thing, make your way to the newly opened, boutique-styled Wanderlust Hotel (2 Dickson Rd., 6396-3322). Each of its four levels are themed and custom-furnished by some of Singapore’s leaders in design including :phunk Studio, Asylum and fFurious. Choose from levels “Eccentricity,” “Industrial Glam” and “Creature Comforts.” And on the ground level is the lovely bar/restaurant Cocotte with its French cuisine and open-concept dining space, evoking a certain je ne sais quoi of communal café society.
 

Give Thanks

For a rather different experience, make time to explore Little India’s houses of worship. During Deepavali (Nov 4), temples like the Sri Veeramakaliamman (141 Serangoon Rd.), Sri Srinivasa Perumal (397 Serangoon Rd.) and Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman (555 Serangoon Rd.) are decorated with fairy lights, colorful arches line the road and the smell of jasmine welcomes the “Festival of Lights.” During the week, devotees are usually seen praying inside. They’ve become used to the attention their magnificent temple draws—you’re welcome to have a look inside; just make sure you remember to take off your shoes. There are also churches like the picture perfect Kampong Kapor Methodist Church (intersection of Kg Kapor Rd. and Veerasamy Rd.), built in 1929 by Singapore’s oldest architectural firm Swan and Maclaren. The Abdul Gafoor Mosque (Dunlop Street off Jalan Besar) offers a tour of the premises and opens its doors to those interested in sitting quietly inside to observe prayer time. Only men are allowed in, though women can walk outside and look in; both sexes need to be barefoot. Another must-see is the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hall (Race Course Lane), which acts as a family service center of the Singapore Indian Development Association—you’ll recognize it when you see a bronze statue of the man himself plastered on the exterior wall.

The best time to visit Little India is on a Sunday at 6pm. The enclave comes alive with thousands of construction workers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Southern India congregating here. If you prefer a more leisurely and less hectic experience, late mornings and early afternoons on Saturdays and Sundays are perfect. If you happen to be in the area at 12:30pm on a Sunday, look out for cricket matches on the open field (along Northumberland Road, opposite the now defunct “temporary market”). And if you feel like an old school game of carrom (a kind of cross between pool and draughts), take a stroll to Lembu Road Open Space (across from Mustafa Centre, between Veerasamy Rd. and Norris Rd.). Even on a Sunday, Little India is still bustling with the kind of life you just can’t find anywhere else.

PLUS: When In Little India

PLUS: Around The Corner