(Singapore)
Finding Little India
There's a saying around Singapore that you can get to India three different ways: by air, by sea, or certainly the quickest way, simply by heading for Serangoon Road. However, the easiest way to find Serangoon Road is simply to follow your nose and the distinct piquant aroma of incense and freshly ground curry spices that permeate the city's enclave known as Little India.
Indian Culture
Ethnic Indians are a small minority, numbering about 160,000 or 6.5% of Singapore's total population of 2.4 million. Their language is primarily Tamil, as the majority trace their origins to the eastern part of south India where Tamil is common. In Singapore, the sub ethnic north Indian Sindhis, Sikhs, Gujaratis, and other groups are clustered along High Street and other areas.
The colorful Indian culture have been a Singapore fixture since the early 1800's and the beginnings of the old British colony. Many came to Singapore as prisoners of the British Raj and stayed on after having served their time. Many more were recruited from Indian villages as indentured laborers to work and seek their fortune in the new colony located on the tip of the Southeast Asian peninsula.
Indian laborers actually built much of Singapore's infrastructure including many of the colony's major buildings, hospitals, churches, roads, bridges, canals, and other features. In addition to its manpower, Singapore also borrowed its name from the Indian sub continent's Sanskrit words "Singha Pura" which means Lion City.
Colorful Cross-section
Little India is just that, a colorful cross section of India in miniature, without the abject poverty of the mother country. It is a thoroughly delightful area to explore and provides exciting closeup glimpses of daily urban life in Singapore.
Turbaned, bearded Sikhs go about their business while old Indian men dressed in full length white dhotis squat in shop doorways or dank alleys to discuss the latest politics, sport, or business. Gaily saried Indian women bejeweled with fancy nose pins and gold baubles flutter in an out of shops in the flowing flowery prints they favor so much. Children tag along at mother's feet, clamoring for sweet Indian cakes and savory treats from the street cart vendors.
Little India is a conglomeration of shops, Indian food stores, restaurants, cafes, open stalls, and back ally merchants selling everything from curry on a banana leaf, to the latest Indian newspapers and magazines, to fragrant flower garlands to offer with prayers at the temple. You have to remind yourself that this is Singapore and not Bombay, Calcutta, or New Delhi.
Hindu Temples
One of the most obvious examples of the area's culture is the predominance of Hindu temples. These brightly colored buildings in delicate pastel shades of pink, red, yellow, green, and blue, stand out dramatically against the bustling urban environment of Singapore. Most have elaborate and ornate artistic detail and figures of mythical Hindu gods, goddesses, and scenes arranged in layers or terraces around the temple or at the gateway entrances. These figures depict Hindu mythological stories about such Hindu figures as Lord Vishnu, a high Hindu deity, and Ganesh, the elephant faced god, or Lord Krishna and the goddess Lakshmi, among others.
Perhaps more than any other part of Little India, the Hindu temples serve as a focal point of daily activity throughout the year and especially during the numerous Hindu religious festivals and holidays. Most Indians are devout Hindus, praying openly at the various temple shrines seeking divine intercession before images of the Hindu deities. On visits to the temples, priests and holymen are observed offering prayers to the gods in the presence of whole families. The temples are open to the public but due respect is required; shoes must be removed before entering the temple grounds.
City of Celebrations
Singapore is often called the city of celebrations with events throughout the year. One important Hindu religious celebration is the Festival of Thimithi, or the Firewalking Festival, held during October each year. It's a time when Little India's population embraces its traditional culture and religion more fervently perhaps than at any other time of the year. At this time, Little India presents an exciting festive atmosphere.
During Thimithi, scores of young Hindu men, garbed in bright yellow dress and powdered with pungent yellow saffron, a sign of penance, marched through the streets on a pilgrimage to the various Hindu temples. As they march barefoot through the streets, singly and in groups, they carried religious symbols and raised their voices in spirited chants to the gods. Veerama Kaliamman, Sri Perumal, and Sri Mariamman Temples are some of Little India's more colorful and important temples where much of the Festival of Thimithi activity takes place. At the temples they pray, offer penance and seek guidance from Hindu gods and goddesses.
Festival Fervor
The festival reaches a climax at the Sri Mariamman Temple, where the penitents arrive for the incredible firewalking ritual which purports to prove their purity of heart, soul and faith in the Hindu goddess, Draupadi. On the temple grounds, thousands are massed seeking to bear witness to the penitents faith and courage. In the swirling, sweaty mass, it is almost impossible to actually see the firewalking across the bed of coals but most of the celebrants pass through unharmed. Some, for whatever reasons, suffer burns on their feet and are carried away for medical attention. For them, the celebration turns into a personal ordeal by fire and a supreme test of religious faith.
The Hindu temples at Thimithi or any festival time are an incredible scene of literally thousands of people caught up in the fervor of religious celebrations. Meanwhile, all around the temple grounds, celebrating Hindus chant, sing, and perform spontaneous dances, some obviously entranced by the extremely high pitch of religious spirit that pervades the event.
Experiencing Little India
Even if there isn't a religious festival going on, the simplest way to see and experience the Hindu culture of Singapore is to take a self guided tour of the temples. Visitors are welcome and cameras are acceptable as well. Inside a Hindu temple on a given day, Hindu families come to pray and make offerings to the gods for special favors. Burning incense, flower garlands draped over figures of Hindu gods, and the incantations of Hindu priests offering prayers are common scenes. A stroll around a temple's grounds provides a fascinating glimpse at Hindu religious culture.
Getting to Little India from anywhere in Singapore is quite easy. A major bus route follows Serangoon Road through the heart of the area, or one can get a taxi for the short ride from most hotels or lodgings. One can also opt for a ride in one of Singapore's legendary trishaws, a Singapore styled bicycle with sidecar. In fact, a trishaw ride from central Singapore to Little India will give you a casual glimpse of some other interesting cultural enclaves of this most cosmopolitan of Oriental cities. Little India really is only one of the many magical worlds of Singapore.
Fun Facts About Singapore
Singapore is practically on the Equator, so the climate is warm and humid the year round. Daytime temperatures average 87 degrees F. and evenings cool off to 74 degrees F. Expect frequent quick showers anytime and the heavier rainfall between November and January during the monsoon season.
Singapore is a food lover’s paradise, especially for regional Asian cuisine. Inexpensive meals can be found at "hawker foodstall centers" around the city. The variety is incredible and the food generally quite good. There are restaurants too numerous to mention and the biggest problem will be deciding where to eat. Cuisine types range from Indian, of course, to Chinese and southeast Asian cuisines such as Malay, Indonesian, Thai and more.
For more information, see the Singapore Tourist Board on the Web: www.stb.com.sg/
(Previous versions published in Los Angeles Daily Breeze, Far East Traveler, Mabuhay Magazine-Philippine Airlines, Hawaii Island's Magazine)