Little India: Serangoon Road, Tekka Centre Market and Hindu Temples

Little India is one of the most colourful districts in Singapore, a grid of streets around Serangoon Road where the Indian community has lived, traded and worshipped since the nineteenth century. Garland sellers, spice merchants, gold shops and sweet makers share the pavements, and the smell of incense and cooking drifts out of open doorways. It is a district for the senses, and it rewards a slow, curious walk.

A walking route

1. Little India MRT and Tekka Centre. Begin at the market, where a hawker centre sits above a wet market with produce and meat stalls.
2. Serangoon Road. Walk along the main road past shops selling saris, brass lamps, spices and sweets.
3. Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. A temple dedicated to the goddess Kali, built in the nineteenth century by Indian labourers.
4. Campbell Lane. A short street of garland sellers and shops, and the site of an Indian heritage museum nearby.
5. Little India Arcade. A courtyard of small stalls with henna artists, jewellery and souvenirs.
6. Tan Teng Niah Villa. A brightly painted villa from the early twentieth century, one of the few remaining Chinese villas in the district.
7. Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple. A temple of Vishnu with a tall gateway at the far end of the road.
8. Dinner on a side street. Choose a banana leaf rice restaurant, a roti prata stall or a fish head curry place.

What to eat

The food is the reason many visitors come. Try banana leaf rice, served on a leaf with several vegetable dishes and a choice of meat or fish. Order roti prata with curry for breakfast or supper, a dosa filled with potato masala, and a glass of sweet milk tea. Sweet shops sell colourful mithai that make fine gifts. Many places are vegetarian and many are halal, and the signs on the front of each restaurant tell you which. Take your time, because the menus are long.

The temples

The two main temples are active places of worship, and visitors are welcome if they follow the rules. Remove your shoes, dress modestly, speak softly and ask before taking photographs inside. At the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, a popular spot for local worshippers, you will see devotees offering flowers and coconut. You can compare the atmosphere with the older Sri Mariamman Temple in Chinatown.

When to go

Morning is quiet and ideal for the market and the temples. Late afternoon and early evening are livelier, with the shops open and the restaurants full. Around the Deepavali season the streets are lit and decorated, which is beautiful but very crowded. On Sundays the streets fill with migrant workers on their day off, which is part of the local rhythm, and some visitors prefer a weekday.

Practical notes

The district is flat, compact and easy to cover on foot in half a day. The pavements are crowded, so watch your bag. Dress for heat and for the temples. Bargaining is normal in some of the shops but not in food places. For a big shopping stop, a large department store nearby sells everything from electronics to groceries, but it is crowded and not essential.

The market floor

Tekka Centre rewards a slow circuit. The ground level holds a wet market with fresh fish, vegetables and spices, often sold by weight, while the upper floor is a hawker hall with biryani, tandoori and south Indian snacks. Watch how shoppers choose produce, because the stallholders chat in several languages and often offer a taste. If you want something to take home, packets of spice mixes and tea are light and inexpensive. Go early for the freshest choice and the quietest aisles.

Pairing it well

Little India is a few minutes from Kampong Gelam on foot, so the two make a natural day of heritage and food. For a different feel, the hawker centre guide explains the food halls, or take the MRT to Chinatown, and compare how each community shaped its quarter.

What to skip

Skip the souvenir stalls that sell the same trinkets as everywhere else, and skip the midday heat by planning your walk for the morning or evening.