Traditionally the home of Singapore's
Indian community, Serangoon Road and its neighbouring
side streets are still today a bustling hive of sights,
sounds and intriguing aromas. A rainbow of colours
greets you as you wind your way through the streets.
Here, where the locals shop, you can buy almost anything
that's Indian, from handicrafts and Kashmir silk to
peacock feathers and flower garlands. Glittering silk-threaded
saris, brassware and Indian-designed jewellery are
particularly good buys.
Check out the spice mill along Serangoon Road for
ready-made packets of spices for fish, meat or vegetable
curries that can be easily packed into a suitcase.
You'll be charmed by jewellers selling silver amulets,
bridal ornaments as well as cheap, colourful bangles,
ankle chains and other adornments. Look, too, for
luggage of every description, Indian bedspreads and
giant photographs of Indian movie stars. Chellas Gallery
specialises in papier-mache boxes and other collectibles
from Kashmir.
No visit to Little India would be complete without seeing two of the area's institutions -- the Tekka Centre and Mustafa Centre.
The Tekka Centre on Buffalo Road, known as KK Market to the locals, is a bustling wet market full of fresh vegetables, fish, meat, spices and flowers. For small souvenir items, check out the brassware shops or one of the other small shops.
At the other end of Serangoon Road in Serangoon Plaza is Mustafa Centre, an emporium-cum-department-store-cum Aladdin's cave. Don't be deceived by the relatively modest exterior - inside you'll find floor after floor selling every conceivable item at some of the lowest fixed prices in Singapore.
Nearest MRT Station : Little India (NE7). Alternatively, take SBS buses 64, 65, 111 or 139 from Orchard Road.
Sim Lim Square
1 Rochor Road
Nearest MRT station: Bugis (EW12)
Just over the Rochor Canal from Little India stands
Sim Lim Square, one of the oldest places in Singapore
for audio and video gear. Row upon row of shops on
four levels deal in stereos, tape decks, CD players,
TVs, VCRs, laser disc players, cameras, videocams
and more. Be sure to take time to shop around and
compare prices, check goods carefully and insist on
detailed receipts and full international guarantees.
