Singapore is home to a Pantheon of deities celebrated all over the country, in every house and every street, with festivals, customs and traditions dominating social life – a paradox if one considers the hectic pace of life of an ultra modern city galloping towards the future: Budhism, Taoism, Islam and Catholicism coexist in a rather absurd harmony catering to this colourful “party” which in turn comes to be mingled with the absolute urbanity of this international business centre.
Original in its disorder, “Little India is a world away from the rest of Singapore” (Lonely Planet 2010): temples, shops, open markets, handcrafts, spices and grocery come to distract the traveler and have them drift into this touch of disorder within Singapore’s perfect order! Contrary to stereotypes, Little India is not solely an Indian cartier. Located in the neighbourhood alongside shops that cater predominantly to the Indians are Chinese clan associations and places of worship of different religions (Wikipedia): Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple is dedicated to goddess Kali while just a bit further out one would bump into the Thai Buddhist Sakaya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple and across the road, there stands the Taoist Leong San See Temple!
Possibly Singapore’s most colourful building, the House of Tan Teng Niah sits proudly at the centre of Little India, as colourful, as the whole district itself, but what else could this miniature India be if not colourful??
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