Individual Reflection

The Little India heritage trail was certainly an eye-opener for me. Even though I’ve been there countless times (mostly to enjoy the yummy Indian cuisine), I failed to realise the unique and rich cultural heritage that the place possess. Through this trail, I not only discovered the history of certain roads and national monuments, I also learnt how various communities and people lived harmoniously together.


I was astounded to find out that there were so many places of worship that caters to not only the Hindus but also to other religions such as Christianity and Islam. E.g. Church of True Light and the Abdul Gafoor Mosque. The various places of worship were also in close proximity to each other. This showed that though Little India was originally designated for the Indian community, the people of various races and religion still cultivated a sense of openness and understanding for each other. I also enjoyed observing how each Indian temple was uniquely designed. I realised that some temples looked much simpler than others. For example the Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple was very plain looking. It looked like any other building. However, other temples such as the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple had more detailed architectural designs.


It was also interesting to note that places which is now filled with jewellery and textile shops was once a place where people used to rear cattles such as bulls and cows. E.g. Kerbau Road. I would have never thought of that! The large array of sari shops also showed me that the Indian community were largely involved in the Textile industry. I was also fascinated when I read up on how lowly immigrants such as P Govindasamy Pillai who came to Singapore with just 13 Rupees, struggled greatly to eventually be titled the King of Textile industry. Amazing!


With the knowledge of what Little India used to be in History, I would definitely enjoy the vibrant sounds and sights of the place so much more today than I did before. As a teacher, I might bring my students to Little India to teach inculcate values such as living harmoniously with all the different races. It will also be interesting for them to learn about all the monuments there.

Smitha