The distinct smell of spices hit me once I exited from Little India MRT Station. Without a doubt, my group and I had arrived at Little India. As the name suggest, this place truly has the India feeling, compared to the rest of Singapore. At Little India, I saw a lot of Indians walking around in their traditional costumes and thousands of beautiful saris displayed for sale. There are stalls selling peacock feathers and flower garlands, people walking on road, without fearing of being knocked down by the vehicles. Interestingly, even though the place were for the Indians, road name were nothing related to the Indians.

However, Little India is not as little as it sounds. It is packed with buildings, people, energy and a rich heritage. Through this heritage trail, I realized that Little India is not all Indian. Other than the Indian temples, there are also the Malay Mosque, Chinese Temples and a church. I learnt that there are two types of Indian temples, North Indian and South Indian where they differ in their architectural design. Another building that I remembered vividly was the Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple. It is very different from the other temples that I have experienced before. It does not have the typical Chinese architectural style where there are dragons and are usually red and gold colour. Instead, this temple is white and green with elephants with Indian looking deities and a mix of Chinese lanterns.

Taking on this heritage trail, it felt as if I had been transported to the past learning about how Little India was like in the past. To me, it is a success story of how conservation of historical sites in Singapore is successful despite the commercialization happening in it. Though times have changed, Little India still manage to retain some of the Indian elements it has. Even though I often pass by Little India, I had never thought that I would really walk around Little India. This heritage trail gave me a chance to be immersed in the Indian culture that Little India has and I am appreciative of this opportunity.

rose

Walking down the streets of Little India as we embarked upon our heritage trail, memories of past excursions to this unique site of Singapore were evoked. During the times when I was still in primary schools, I often had the opportunities to visit the ever distinctive and lively Little India. Sadly, when the school curriculum no longer includes occasions to visit the various historical sites, the likelihood for me to visit these places reduces considerably as well. Thus, given the chance to visit Little India again through this heritage trail, mixed feelings were gathered. While I pondered over why on earth would our lecturer make us go on a heritage trail as an assignment for the module, I was also rather excited to re-visit this part of Singapore where rich and vibrant Indian culture and elements can be found.

As we stopover from site to site, I was somewhat astonished by many things that came to sight. If not for this heritage trail, I would not know about the existence of many monuments in Little India. We often take for granted the existence of our environment such as the roads, buildings and even people around us, with little or no intention to find out how and why they came about. If not for this heritage trail, neither would I know that Race Course Road is named this way as it used to function as a race course for horse racing, nor would I know that Leong San See was established with painstaking efforts from Reverend Chuan Wu to treat the sick. Thus, upon the completion of this trail, I must say that the facts and data that I have for Little India has multiplied in a great deal, which made me realize that Singapore is still abounded with her rich cultural heritage underneath the ongoing face-lift for its urban development due to the presence of conservation efforts done to preserve the valuable legacy as national monuments.

An interesting sight to mention is the existence of multi-religion elements in Little India. Besides having an array of hindu temples such as the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, there are also the Abdul Gafoor Mosque, Church of the True Light and Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple to offer platforms for individuals with different religions to perform their religious practices. I believe this helps in a way to promote racial and religious harmony as people interact with one another and learn to accept and live with individual differences in the multi-religion Little India.

I can still recall the time when we were tasked to spilt into groups of seven or eight to discover some of Singapore’s very own heritage trails. Several of my initial jumbled thoughts were “why do we have to go on this heritage trail to little India?”, “it would really be a waste of time man”, “oh no we would have to walk so much”. At that point in time, I was clear that I was not keen on having to visit little India. Yet, now that we have completed the little India trail, I realized that my previous feelings were unfounded. I had actually learnt so much from this place and also managed to appreciate how rich in history little India actually boasts.

Although I have rather frequently went pass little India on the bus, my first time there on foot was indeed an eye-opening experience. Sitting on the bus, there were limited things that I could see and was hence, restricted with my knowledge of the place. Being on foot this time however, we managed to walk along the main road, turn and twist into smaller roads, look at the extensive range of products the shops sell and also read from the information board about the different places of interest. With that, I have undeniably gained new knowledge about little India that I never knew. For example, besides Hindu temples for worship, there were also churches and mosques based at little India as well. This came as a surprise to me because I have always had this misconception that only the Indians reside in the area. This sight, nevertheless, was certainly something for me to behold. This was because despite being located in close proximity to one another, the different communities were still able to live harmoniously because they remained open to and respected each other’s religion, truly living up to Singapore’s multi-racialism.

Another sight that left a deep impression on me would be the bustling lifestyle that the residents of little India have. The roads, Buffalo, Kerbau and Campbell, just to name a few, were so lively with many people, many shops with an array of goods to sell and many activities on-going too. The place was really vigorous and energetic such that anyone who takes a walk at little India would also be able to soak into the atmosphere. And there, I witnessed another beauty of little India.

All in all, I am glad to have the opportunity to go on a heritage trail to little India. Initially, I was without a doubt hesitant about the trip, but at the end of it, I am just pleased in being able to learn new things about one of the historic places in Singapore. I will definitely keep with me the sights that I saw, the sounds that I hear, the smell that I smell and the things that I touch of this uniquely, special place - little India.

-Sherlyn

"The only place in Little India along the Heritage Trail that I have ever been to is Mustafa. Places like Little India Arcade, I have never heard of it before, let alone being there. Of all the sites, a few left me a deeper impression, which includes the Little India Arcade and Leong San See Temple.

At the little India Arcade, we passed by several streets such as the Campbell lane, which have a lot of shops selling the flower garlands. It is a beautiful sight to see so many flowers and ornaments selling on the same street. Within the Arcade itself, there are also shops, among which Henna drawing and bridal shops are the most common one. The most important point that left me such a deep impression is the Indian tradition and culture that is found there. Unlike the city area and other areas in Singapore, people have to walk along on the road instead of the pavements because the pavements are blocked by the goods sold by the storekeepers. It is dangerous to walk on the road; the cars drove past us with barely 20cm away! But, this is the culture in India and is reflected in Little India.

Leong San See Temple is located at the outskirt of Little India. The Indian culture is not as strong as compared to the Little India Arcade, but the architecture of the temples of the same religion are unique due to their of contrast in their structures. Two temples are located side by side; the Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple has very unique structure that is not commonly seen in other temples. The one right beside it is much smaller and it has the traditional figurines that Chinese use to ward off evils. Right opposite these two temples sits the Leong San Buddhist temple. This temple does not have unique structures like the Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple, but the Chinese Buddhism culture is so rich that I was immersed in it the moment I saw it. It consist of largely red decorations, which may be due to the Chinese New Year season, figurines of dragon and other mythical creatures can also be seen on the roof tops. This is probably the reason why it has Dragon Mountain Temple as its alternative name.

I have experienced not only the rich Indian culture in Little India, but also a mixture of other cultures. This is unique to Singapore due to the variety of cultures and ethnic groups found here, thus, resulting in a Little India with an essence of a bit of every culture."

~Chenyen~

"The trip to Little India was a timely getaway for me as I was getting a little drained from the monotony of school. My senses were invigorated by the rich and exotic culture of the small town. There were so many things to look at, to take pictures with and, of course, to do! Given the proliferation of shopping malls in the local scene today, checking out the shophouses was a new experience for me. The items which were sold were also rather unique. It was the places of spiritual worship, however, that took my breath away. The deities in the temple, such as the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, were so artistically drawn and intricately sculptured that it makes one wonder how long the construction of such buildings took. Many questions were in my mind as I explored the temples, like what each deity symbolises, how many deities there are exactly and why the temple was built in such a fashion. What I have learned most after this trip was the history of Little India; the stories behind particular road names, conserved buildings and, most importantly, the town itself. Little India is indeed a great place to visit for locals and tourists."

Jia Bin

Originally, under the Raffles Plan of Singapore, Tamil immigrants would reside at Chulia Kampong. However, as Chulia Kampong became more crowded, many ethnic Tamils moved into what is now known as Little India. Little India is subdivided into 4 parts; Lower Serangoon Road, Central Serangoon Road, Upper Serangoon Road and the Arab Quarter.

Stand at the centre of Little India, and you'll notice its distinct 'Indian-ness'. The smell of spices. The vibrant colours of jasmine garlands. The blasts of Bollywood music. Indians walking around in their traditional costumes. However, the sharp contrast to the distinct “Indian-ness’ are the road signs. Streets with English – sounding names such as Dickson Road, Clive Street, Dunlop Steet, Hastings Road, Campbell Lane and so on. It is because, these streets did not begin as an Indian district. The first settlers were Europeans who set up a 'suburb' here in the 1820s. The streets got these names because they were once homes to these colonial settlers.

This special edition of Amazing Race Little India features two athletic teams, one consisting of players from the national soccer team (white team), and the other comprising of league basketball players (green team).

Which team will eventually win the amazing race? Let's find out! The two teams flag off at 2.30pm from Little India MRT station located next to the Race Course Road.

Race Course Road.

Race course. Taken from Archives & Oral History Department.

Spectator at the race course. Taken from Archives & Oral History Department.

The name Race Course Road suggests that the area was used as a race course which provided opportunities for racing activities such as horse racing to take place in the olden days. The old Race Course was built in 1842 in conjunction with the formation of the Singapore Sporting Club, which was founded by a few amateur racing enthusiasts including William Macleod Read, Charles Spottiswoode and William Napier. The Race Course was opened for its first race in February 1843.

At the starting line, both teams were all geared up and ready to go!

The green team got to the first clue box first, with the white team close behind.

CLUE: Find the street where slaughter house were located and where cattle trade took place.

Both teams dashed their way to Buffalo Road. Here, they receive their very first task of Amazing Race Little India.

1st Stop: Buffalo Road

Buffalo Road.

Buffalo Road. Taken from Archives & Oral History Department.

Cattle traders at Serangoon Road. Taken from Archives & Oral History Department.

Today, the street name reminds us of the cattle trade that once flourished in Little India. This road is also known as Kampong Kerbau Race Course and originated from a village called Kampong Kerbau. It was named as such because it was the place where buffaloes were kept. In the old days, Little India was blessed with good grassland and water and attracted cattle traders from India. As cattle rearing began to take root here, so did other economic activities. These drew many Indian immigrants to this area. Buffalo Road was one of the oldest major roads in Serangoon Road and can be found in old maps as early as 1836.

ROAD BLOCK: At Buffalo Road, teams have to copy the Indian translation of Buffalo Road beneath the signage. After receiving approval from the station master, they will be handed the next clue to proceed to their next destination

White Team completed the task with a breeze as one of their team mates Shuwen, has taken Tamil as a third language before! Luck is on their side!

NEXT CLUE: Find out the place whose name is named after a plant that used to grow abundantly on the banks of Rochor Canal.

However, Green team managed to catch up with them and both teams arrived the next stop at the same time!

2nd stop: Tekka Market

The market was originally known as Kandang Kerbau (or just KK), Malay for "buffalo pens", referring to the slaughterhouses operating in the area until the 1920s.
Bamboo clumps or Tekka in Hokkien once grew abundantly on the banks of Rochor Canal. So when a market was built here in 1915, people named the market after this plant. The market was torn down in 1982 and relocated across the street to its present site. It was renamed ZhuJiao Market.
However, to locals, especially non-Chinese, the new word Zhujiao was both hard to read and pronounce and bore no resemblance to Tekka. Residents however felt strongly about the old name and felt that Tekka reflected the history of the place. , the complex was officially renamed Tekka Centre in 2000 and the market was renamed as Tekka Market.
Teams have to travel by foot to Tekka Market and complete a road block before they can retrieve the next clue

ROAD BLOCK: Decide on a local Indian dish, note down the price of all the relevant ingredients required from Tekka Market under the budget of $10.00 within a time limit of 15 minutes.
Both teams managed to complete the task within the time limit, with the white team having a head start for this task. The 2 teams must then solve the clue to their next station, Little India Arcade.

NEXT CLUE:
3rd Stop: Little India Arcade

Little India Arcade.

Situated at 48 Serangoon Road, Little India Arcade is a subsidiary entirely owned by the Hindu Endowments Board that was set up in 1994.The 98-year-old shophouses that make up Little India Arcade were built based on the early Art Deco style. It was renovated into a shopping place which housed “all things Indian” under one roof for example, sweet shops, restaurants, and bookshops.

Spice and provision shop. Taken from Archives & Oral History Department.

ROAD BLOCK: Find the two plaques on the pillars of the building, and find out the meanings of the 2 plaques.

Plaque on pillar of Little India Arcade.

The first plaque, located on a pillar at the corner of Hastings Road and Serangoon Road, refers to the people who came to work here from Kerala and Tamil Nadu and dates back to 1826 - 1827. It has an animal head which is believed to represent a cow or a buffalo. It serves as a reminder of the cattle trade activities in the area.

Hastings Road.

Hastings Road is located opposite the Tekka Mall. We walked passed it while looking for the plaque around the Indian Arcade. The road is named after Warren Hastings (1732-1818), who is the Governor-General of British India. As a Governor-General, he was a competent administrator and diplomat and he did several changes. He is also popular among the Indians.

Another plaque found on the wall of Little India Arcade.

The second plaque is located on the pillar at the corner of Campbell Lane and Serangoon Road which dates back to 1828. It refers to the ‘burning ground’, suggesting cremation, and belongs to the “Hindoo people of Madras and Singapore.”

Campbell Lane.

Campbell Lane is believed to be named after a British military personality, Sir Colin Campbell (1792-1863). There are other accounts which suggest that the Lane was named after Robert Campbell, managing partner of Martin Dyce and Company in the 1870s. Along Campell Lane, there were many shophouses selling flower garlands. The flower garlands symbolises prosperity and Hindu devotees buy them to offer their gods as a sign of respect.

White team spotted the 2 plaques first with their lightning speed and good observation skills. Meanwhile the Green team was too distracted by the sights and sounds of Little India Arcade. One of their team mates even had henna done!

Upon completion of the Road block, teams will be given the next clue.

NEXT CLUE: Church of the __________ (antonym of false) ___________ (antonym of dark)

On their way there, both teams passed by Dunlop Street to get to their next destination.

Dunlop Street.

Originally known as Rangasamy Road, this street was named after Major Samuel Dunlop, Inspector General of Police in the Straits Settlements in the 1870s. Other accounts explain that it is named after A.E. Dunlop, who was the secretary and active member of the Race Course Committee in the Serangoon area.

4th Stop: Church of the True Light

Church of the True Light.

Church of the True Light is an Anglican church in the Little India of Singapore that was completed in 1952.
The history of the Church of the True Light dates back to 1911, when a missionary from the Church of England Zenanas Missionary Society, known only as Miss Apple, arrived in Singapore to conduct mission work. These mission works are done among the Chinese population consisting of mainly the Henghua and Hock Chew Chinese. This probably explains the unique architecture of the building, which reflects strong Chinese influences.
The name “Church of True Light” first came about when it moved from Bencoolen Street to another temporary premise on Victoria Street. From then, the group of Christian carried on to meet at different locations before they settled down at another premise at Jalan Besar. Finally, some time in the late 1930s, the Church of the True Light acquired a plot of land at the corner of Perak Road and Dickson Road to be permanently based there. Unfortunately, the Second World War disrupted all activities just as they were about to put up their church building. This caused a delay in the construction of about ten years. The church was eventually built in 1952and has been at little India ever since.

ROAD BLOCK: Teams have to find out to which community the Church provides services to and the opening hours (day and time) of the Church.

NEXT CLUE: Which of the following was gazetted as a National Monument in 1979?
Options: (1) Lau Pa Sat (Telok Ayer Market) (2) St George Church (3) Abdul Gaffoor Mosque
The correct answer to this question will be their next stop.

Both teams completed this task without much difficulty with White team leading in the race. Feeling the pressure, Green Team quickens their pace to match up with their opponents after solving the clue!

5th Stop : Abdul Gaffoor Mosque

Abdul Gaffoor Mosque. Taken from Archives & Oral History Department.

Located along 41 Dunlop Street, the original mosque was built with a tiled roof and timber partitions in 1846. Then, the mosque was called Masjid Al-abrar. It is renamed as Abdul Gaffoor Mosque as Abdul Gaffoor, a Muslim Tamil (mosque trustee) is the one who rebuilt the mosque.
In terms of the architecture, the mosque consists of moorish details, modelled after Saracenic and Roman designs. Apart from Islamic details, many Western classical motifs are also used. At both sides of the main entrance, calibrated cinquefoil arch-shaped openings were observed.
In the past, the south Indian Muslim merchants and Baweanese syces and horse trainers are the ones visiting the mosque. Now, it is the Tamil-speaking Indian Muslims that frequent the mosque.

ROAD BLOCK: To take a group photo with the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque.



Upon completion of this road block, the 2 teams receive their next clue.

NEXT CLUE: What is located at No.37 Kerbau Road?
Chinese Villa – Residence of Tan Teng Niah

The 2 teams who are now neck to neck with each other, now have to race to their next destination located at Kerbau Road as fast as they could!

Kerbau Road.

Kerbau Road means ‘Buffalo’ in Malay. This, hence, reflects the cattle trade in the area. Because of the presence of cattle pens and cattle-related activities, the main community residents and its workers in this area in the 1880s were mainly European livestock traders, dairymen and butchers. Steadily, a distinct Indian community began to represent the core occupants of the area. Previously, cattle trade was the main activity taking place along Kerbau Road. Garlands, spices and artsy shops are some of the many things that they sell today.

6th stop: Chinese Villa – Residence of Tan Teng Niah

Located at No. 37 Kerbau Road is the Residence of Tan Teng Niah. The establishment of the Chinese villa is traced to a businessman named Tan Teng Niah. Owning a confectionary business together with smaller ones like the sweet-making factories along Serangoon Road and a rubber smokehouse in Kerbau Road, he was one of the non-Indian communities to prosper in Little India. Built in 1900 for his wife, the house is one of the last surviving Chinese Villas in Little India.
Restoration works to the Chinese Villa was completed in the 1980s and in 1991.Today, it is leased out for commercial use.

Gilded name plate above a window of the Residence of Tan Teng Niah.

A window of the Residence of Tan Teng Niah with a unique design.

Check out the gilded name plate with calligraphic inscription siew song meaning “elegant pine” and richly carved pintu pagar in the form of decorative swinging doors.

ROAD BLOCK: Do a sketch of the swinging door and the name plate above it.

For this task, luck was on the side of the Green Team. Chen yen, who major in art in the past, completed this task easily. This allowed the Green Team to gain an advantage over the White team which was still struggling with the sketching!

DETOUR: Teams now have to choose between 2 options:
1. Find this along Chander Road

2. Proceed straight to Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple and do the detour later.


7th Stop: Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple

Architectural design of Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple.

Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple. 

Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple was established in 1969 as a sanctuary of the spiritual values and culture of Sanatan Dharm and Vedic Hindu tradition. It is a place of faith, devotion, worship, love, peace and harmony. Today the temple is not only the place of worship, but it has become an important focal point for the Hindu community to meet and interact.

A beehive-shaped tower called Shikhara at the top of the temple.

Unique carvings on the gate of the temple.

The Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple is also known to be an example built of the North Indian architectural style. A beehive-shaped tower called a Shikhara, which rises in a massive conical shape, characterizes the North Indian temple architecture. This tower comprises layer upon layer of architectural elements topped by a large round cushion-like element called Amalaka. This is quite different from the South Indian temple architecture whereby a pyramid-shaped tower called Gopuram is the key feature.

Another significant difference between the gateways of the North Indian and South Indian temple lies with the fact that the Northern Indian Temple are usually simple while the Southern Indian Temple choose to be more elaborated.

ROAD BLOCK: Find out what are the beehive-shaped towers called and count how many “30” are there at the gate.

The white team chose option 1 of the Detour and upon completing this roadblock, they received a puzzle which will reveal their next destination, Sri veeramakaliamman temple.

NEXT CLUE: Unscramble the word
irS eraeVkmaaliamman Tmelep
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


8th Stop: Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple

Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple.

The name “Veeramakaliamman” means the Courageous Mother Kali, revealing the dedication of The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple to Kali, the Hindu Goddess, the Goddess of Power and wife of Lord Shiva. It is one of the oldest and most popular Hindu temples built in Singapore. The temple was built by Tamil labourers in 1855, who worked at lime kilns that lined Kampong Kapor in the mid to late 19th century. This attributed to its original temple name called Sunnaambu Kambam Kovil, known as Temple at the Lime Village.
Starting off from a small shrine to a wooden temple, it reached out to the Indian community. It served as a refuge and a place of worship when war broke out in 1942, as devotees believed in Kali’s protection. Miraculously, it emerged from the war unscathed.




In 1980, the entire structure was rebuilt, following an architectural style of the South Indian Tamil. As in Buddhism, lotuses were highly associated to many Hindu deities, thus they were used as decorations.
The main feature of the temple is the Gopuram, the tower over its entrance. It comprised of the statues of various Hindu deities that allowed Hindus to say their prayers even at a distance given its clear visibility.

Here, teams have to quickly locate the station master in the vicinity of the temple to obtain their next clue. As the Green Team chose option 2 of the Detour, they quickly found their way here without having to unscramble the previous clue and promptly left for the next stop, Leong San See Temple.

NEXT CLUE: Locate and make your way to the “Dragon Mountain Temple” in Little India.

9th Stop: Leong San See Temple

Leong San See Temple.

Established in 1913 by Reverend Chuan Wu on the Race Course Road, Leong San See Temple is known to be one of the oldest Taoist temples in Singapore. The name of the temple (龙山寺) translates as Dragon Mountain Temple, which is derived from the original Long Shan Si Temple from An Ping District of Fujian Province in China. When Reverend Chuan Wu arrived at Singapore, he brought with him a statue of Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, which is the main deity that the temple is dedicated to.
From the initial simple lodge that aims to treat the sick, the site has been transformed into an elaborate temple based on funds and donations from devotees and philanthropists. In view of the need to provide education for children living in the area surrounding Leong San See Temple, the Leong San School was established by the temple’s then abbot in 1925. In 1954, a new school in replacement of the Leong San School was built on an adjacent plot of land that was intended for a new temple named Mee Toh Temple. The school was thus renamed the Mee Toh School, or School of Eternal Brightness, and was converted into a government-aided school in 1957. An additional structure to the temple is the old Leong San See Gate. Situated opposite the formal location of the Mee Toh School, the gate leads the way to the school and the temple.



Check out the intricate designs on the roof of the temple!

ROAD BLOCK: Each member is to perform a jumpshot at the old Leong San See Gate.





After Green Team did the jump shots, they quickly advanced to Sakya muni Buddha gaya temple in hope of keeping the lead!

DETOUR: In the second part of the Detour, Green Team will have to locate the next stop using the clue given as they skipped the previous Detour. The White Team can advance to the next pit stop, Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple.

NEXT CLUE (for Green Team): Your next destination is the Temple of A Thousand Lights.

10th Stop: Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple

Sayaka Muni Buddha Gaya Temple.

Sayaka Muni Buddha Gaya Temple.

Temple of a Thousand Lights is the nickname for Sayaka Muni Buddha Gaya Temple located at Race Course Road. Its origins are linked to the founder of the temple, Venerable Vutthisasara, a Thai monk, in 1927, who selected its location since it was predominantly settled by Chinese and Indians. Its architectural design reflected the mixture of Chinese and Indian influences, reminiscent of a Thai Wat. The temple was a safe haven during World War II where people took refuge as religious buildings were seldom attacked. This temple thus consisted of both Chinese and Hindu devotees given the similarity to the Gods that were worshipped.



Look at the giant Buddha statue surrounded by 989 lights. Standing at a height at 15m and weighing 300 tons, the giant Buddha statue looks magnificent!

ROAD BLOCK: Estimate the exact height of the Giant Buddha Statue in the temple. Station master will indicate if their estimate should be higher or lower.

At this roadblock, the Green Team took a long time to provide the correct estimate of the height of the statue.

Upon solving the LAST clue, the Green Team will head to the next station which will be the final pit stop and the team that arrives first will be the winner of the Amazing Race: Little India.

NEXT CLUE: The place where Hindu devotees worship ‘Perumal’.

Final Pit Stop: Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple

Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple.

The Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple is one of the oldest temples in the local scene. Being gazetted as a National Monument in 1978, the temple is dedicated to the worship of the Hindu deity Vishnu in the form of its incarnation as Krishna which is also known as Perumal.



When the temple was first constructed in 1855 by a Hindu devotee named Narasimhaloo Naidu. The temple began its redevelopment in 1961 and was completed in 1966, with prominent Indian community leader and philanthropist Mr P. Govindasamy Pillay financing much of the works. The temple was initially known as the Narasinga Perumal Kovil. In the 1960s,many elders advised to change the main deity of the temple from the imposing Sri Narasimha to the gracious Sri Srinivasa Perumal, and thus the temple was renamed the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple.

Dravidian achitectural style of the temple.

Take a look at the Dravidian architectural style with pyramid shaped temples that have elaborated carved stone to create a step design. Statues of deities, warriors, kings, and dancers were part of the design.




The temple also serves a important purpose during Thaipusam. Thaipusam, day of thanksgiving, is an annual procession by Hindu devotees seeking blessings, fulfilling vows and offering thanks. Thaipusam is celebrated in honor of Lord Subrahmanya who represents virtue, youth and power to Hindus and is the destroyer of evil.

In Singapore, the chariot procession begins from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple with devotees carrying milk pots and wooden kavadis. Some devotees pierce their tongue with skewers and carry a garlanded wooden arch across their shoulders. Other devotees may carry a kavadi, which is a semi circular metal structure decorated with peacock feathers, flowers and palm leaves.

After a long and gruelling race, who shall emerge as the victor of the Amazing Race Little India???


AND THE WINNER OF AMAZING RACE LITTLE INDIA IS ...................


the WHITE TEAM!

Congratulations to the white team for emerging as victors of Amazing Race Little India!

Post Race