Little India

Abdul Gafoor Mosque Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple FORUM: Comment on your favourite Singapore attractions here Like Chinatown and Arab Street, Little India possesses its own charm quite apart from the rest of the city. The best time to visit is Sunday nights when it seems the whole of the Indian population descends on the area centred on Serangoon Road. It is then that you can immerse yourself in the area, jostle with the locals and sit at any of the outdoor cafes, sampling the Indian food on offer and watching the perpetually moving crowds. It is here also that you can do some shopping for a new sari or your favourite Bollywood movie. Getting there: Little India MRT, exit E. Bus: 23, 64, 66, 67, 81, 85, 97, 103, 106, 111, 125, 131, 139, 147, 520, 607, 851, 960, 980. Abdul Gaffoor Mosque Named after one of its founders, Shaik Abdul Gaffoor bin Shaik Hydert, the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque is one of Singapore’s most-loved Mosques. Construction began in 1907, but the Mosque was not finished until the late 1920s. In fact, the construction took so long that Shaik Abdul Gaffoor himself died in 1919 before it was even completed. Today, the Mosque is one of Little India’s main attractions, as it welcomes visitors to come and see it. Inside you’ll find the row of shophouses that the Mosque’s board built in the early 1900s in order to support the construction. Today these shophouses, along with the rest of the Mosque have been beautifully restored. Remember, if you want to visit here to wear long pants, and a shirt that covers your shoulders. Address: 41 Dunlop Street. Getting there: Little India MRT, exit E. 5 minutes walk to: Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple. (back to top)   Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple Built in 1855, this Hindu Temple is thought to be the first in Singapore to be dedicated to the Hindu Goddess of Power – Kali. The name, “Veeramakaliamman” actually means “Kali the Courageous”. The temple was built by Tamil labourers who worked at the lime kilns that lined Kampong Kapor in the mid-to late-19th Century. In fact, the original name of the temple was “Sunnambu Kambam Kovil” or “Temple at the Village of Lime”. The Temple also has an intriguing past as it was here that during World War II that local devotees sheltered from the Japanese bombs raining from the sky. Those that sheltered in the Temple believed that Kali, being the Goddess of Power, would be able to protect them. She did, and miraculously the temple, its statues and all the people inside emerged unscathed from the bombardment while buildings all around were destroyed. The best days to visit here are on Tuesdays and Fridays as those are the days when Hindus come to pray. Also remember to dress appropriately in long pants and shirts that cover your shoulders to be ensured on entry. Address: Serangoon Road. Getting there: Little India MRT, exit E. 5 minutes walk to: Abdul Gaffoor Mosque. (back to top)