Nighttime bustle in vibrant Little India.
1. The bustling Little India at night.
On the first day, I went to Little India and had very authentic Indian cuisine with colleagues who were working together.
Looking back at the photos, I realized that I ate so much, especially those two Indian desserts, which were simply calorie bombs. Although they were too sweet, they were still so delicious that I had in India.
After eating, I walked with Vasanth on the street for a long time, chatting about the customs and culture of India.
During the festival, the highly distinctive Indian lanterns are generously displaying their charm. It feels like being back in the lively atmosphere of the Chinese New Year, with beautiful lanterns, dazzling fireworks, smiling faces all around, a little me, and my still young parents, but unfortunately, it's been a long time ago.
Unlike the more representative Chinese red and gold in Chinatown, the neon lights in Little India seem more colorful and dazzling, like a competition of flowers that overwhelms the eyes. The already colorful buildings and decorations become even more vibrant under the light, and watching this visual feast, one feels as if they have experienced a color explosion, with thousands of color blocks dancing in this monotonous world, until they fall into the depths of the heart.
Although it's already past nine o'clock, Little India Archway Street doesn't feel sleepy at all. On the contrary, it seems to be saying, "Our happy time has just begun."
The place to buy cold drinks is lined up with a long queue, the place to draw Haina is surrounded and crowded, and there are people who come to buy flower wreaths to prepare for the holiday. Every person has a smile on their face, as if there have been no difficulties or pains in their lives. This is completely different from Japan, where there are only tired faces on the tram, listless people on the streets, and people with flushed faces only under the influence of alcohol...
Vasanth said that many people from India come here to relax in the evening, even if it's just for a walk. And most of them stay until late, usually until 11 o'clock, and it's always crowded here.
Looking back at the endless stream of people, and their relaxed and happy expressions, suddenly it seems like I understand why they would want to come here.
2. Sri Srinivasaperumal Temple
Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple is a large Hindu temple in Singapore, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The tower in front of the temple is about 20 meters high and displays different incarnations of Lord Vishnu.
Shrouded in the night, yet still dazzlingly colorful, still full of lively creatures and myriad forms, still tempting, making people unable to resist walking in.
On the outside, the upper building looks like a cone, with angular layers stacked on top of each other until they form a sharp point. But once inside, you'll find that the upper building looks different from the outer one, with a gorgeous and flat ceiling, intricate and repetitive patterns. Looking up, it feels like falling into the starry sky, surrounded by all sorts of wonders.
Luckily, we caught the ceremony of closing the temple at night, and as the melodious music played, a sense of reverence arose.
🕐Everyday 5:30 am - 9:30 pm
3. Vilamakariram Temple
Located in the heart of Little India, Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Singapore. From afar, you can see the magnificent entrance of the temple, which seems to have a magical power that draws you straight to its front.
Typical South Indian style decoration, with bold and colorful displays of various deities. The most interesting feature is the string of small bells hanging on the temple's entrance. Take off your shoes outside the temple, gently ring the bells, and silently pray in your heart: "God, I have come, please bring me happiness."
This magnificent temple was built in 1855 and is dedicated to the goddess Kali, the wife of Lord Shiva. Kali is revered as the goddess of power, and it would be great to become an equally powerful woman.
After searching around, amidst the dazzling array of statues, I still couldn't figure out which one it was.
Not sure if this is the one, the beautiful shape is somewhat similar, but the guessed location where it sits probably isn't it.
Watching the faint candlelight swaying gently in the breeze, the faces of people holding hope that I just saw appeared in my mind. Suddenly, I thought of a sentence from Elias Canetti, vaguely understanding why he felt that there must be sparks shining in the eyes of those who are in pain, and that those sparks must contain hope. If those sparks go out, he probably wouldn't be able to persevere in the darkness.
🕐Everyday 5:30 am - 9:30 pm
4. Adugaf Mosque
Adul Kafee Mosque is a mosque in Singapore located on Dunlop Street in Little India, near Jalan Besar. It is hidden in a small alley and took some effort to find.
Due to the change in color, the Adudu Kafu Mosque looked completely different from the pictures online, and I even doubted if I had gone to the wrong place. It wasn't until I saw the sign at the entrance and carefully compared its arches and iconic star and moon pattern that I confirmed it was indeed the right place.
Unfortunately, the church was not open, so I could only take a distant look outside the fence.
The streets outside the church are full of restaurants, shopping malls, massage parlors, etc. Lovely murals appear in the corners without surprise. Since you're here, take a stroll first.
5. Chen Dongling's Former Residence
The House of Tan Teng Niah is a villa built by a wealthy Chinese businessman named Tan Teng Niah for his wife in Little India, Singapore in 1900. The villa was originally white, but later painted in colorful colors. Among the colorful Indian buildings, it still stands out like a rainbow, attracting many tourists to stop and take photos.
Although it is indescribable in style on Little India's commercial street, it may be precisely because of this that it can tightly attract the attention of pedestrians. Looking at it from a different perspective, one cannot help but admire Singapore's excellent work in ethnic integration.
6. Tekka Centre, Zhujiao Centre.
Tekka Centre is a multifunctional building complex consisting of a wet market, a food centre, and shops. It is located at the junction of Bukit Timah Road and Serangoon Road in Little India, adjacent to the Little India MRT station.
I also stumbled upon it while wandering around, so I went in to take a look and see what the daily life of Indian people in Singapore is like.
I didn't go to the daily necessities area upstairs because I was most interested in food, haha. The market is very large, with a wide range of products, and it feels similar to the vegetable markets in China. Customers can choose their favorite vegetables and fruits, and even bargain with the vendors. The vendors will also clean the fish and cut the meat into small pieces upon request. Walking around, there is a warm and friendly feeling everywhere.
Looking at the dazzling array of goods in the shops, there is an indescribable urge to buy, buy, buy. But considering the full day ahead, I resisted the temptation and only bought a few large mangoes before leaving reluctantly. To be honest, the large mangoes were quite heavy.