Happy February! In the third episode of a Wes Anderson-ish Singapore series, let’s take a joyous trip around the streets of Little India, the buzzling ethnic district that shows off the best of Singapore’s Indian community.
Similar to Tiong Bahru, Little India is a gazetted conservation area and a famous place of interest for both international visitors and the local community. It houses the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, one of Singapore’s oldest Hindu temples; Kampong Kapor Methodist Church, a 127 years old church; as well as rows of colourful shophouses built during the pre-war period. There are also lots of murals that displays Indian culture with a touch of creativity, there are just too many for me to cover in this video so the best way to appreciate them is to walk the streets on your own. From an urban planning perspective, the area is a place filled with "chaotic order": streets filled with bustling human activities in an orderly planned built environment, a phenomenon you don't often see in other parts of Singapore.
In mid-January, the Indian community celebrates Pongal (Harvest Festival) and the district is filled with colourful decorations and joyous atmosphere. Pongal is essentially a celebration of cattle, in particular, hardworking bulls that play an important role to help the farmers raise crops. During Pongal, people also discard old belongings and celebrate new possessions. Coincidentally, the Chinese community will soon be celebrating Chinese New Year of the Ox.I am glad to find these similarities in culture brought together through time and space. The cover image is a photo of the mural "Cattleland 2" by artist Eunice Lim, it is located on Kerbau Road, right next to Little India MRT Station Exit E. In case you don't know, Kerbau is a Malay word for Buffalo.
Inspired by Wes Anderson's "The Darjeeling Limited".
Check out all episodes of "A Wes Anderson-ish Singapore" series here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-A-b...
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