little india is literally one of the most colorful areas of singapore. with deepavali (or diwali) just around the corner, the place is more vibrant than ever, decked out in the full colors of this major hindu festival.
personally, i love little india, as evident from the way i pepper this blog with frequent food reviews of several eateries in little india. the fact that little india is refreshingly different from other places in singapore means that each time i drop by, it makes me feel like a tourist!
over the past few weeks, visitors to little india have soaked in the festive spirit of deepavali. they can shop at the bustling deepavali festival market or admire the beautiful street light up.
the deepavali festival village is a month-long bazaar set up for the occasion, featuring many stalls peddling indian wares and snacks.

these bright pink indian snacks are good examples of the colorful indian cuisine. the silver foil garnish is entirely edible!

delicious and tasty indian tidbits!

i’m not quite sure of the name but this yummy treat is my favorite indian snack. it is made from milk and tastes sweet and creamy. you can find this in many indian coffee shops. i have tried a number of indian snacks and this milk snack is my favorite by far.

statue of vishnu, the blue-skinned hindu god with four arms.

cute miniature bicycles made with movable parts.

wood carved elephants and an assortment of other animals.

here’s a stall that sells indian clothes, one of the many at the bazaar and throughout little india.

shiny indian bangles in a multitude of colors! i love these!

Photo credit: espion
these small containers come in various shapes and colors for all your trinkets. i actually bought a couple of these from bangkok. bangles too.

come to think of it, a lot of things sold in bangkok can also be found in little india, such as these strings of lights in the shapes of flowers.

aren’t these pretty?

here’s one shaped like a rose with delicate green leaves, just like the ring that i had on my index finger.

peacocks are considered sacred creatures in india. their brightly-colored feathers are sold in various places in little india. but i have no idea what these feathers are used for. does anyone know?

they even had a balloon artist on hand to make cute balloon animals for kids! interestingly, he spoke with an american accent.

after walking through the bazaar, we took a walk along the streets of little india.

street signs like this always attract my attention. i like that they are topped by pink flowers that resemble water lilies. pretty!

Photo credit: espion
besides the bazaar, the streets are also decorated for deepavali in the form of colorful arches that light up at night. this is, after all, the festival of lights.

the prevailing color seems to be purple!

Photo credit: espion
how magnificent! be sure to catch it while you can. the street light up would be on until november 18.

if you have yet to explore the rich culture of little india, this would be a good time! have a thosai or two while you’re at it. keep a lookout for the fortune-telling bird too!
also in little india
May 23, 2006: Khansama Tandoori Restaurant - Packed with Spices
November 30, 2006: Lagnaa - Bare Foot Dining
July 12, 2007: Ananda Bhavan Restaurant - Wholesome Thosai
July 23, 2007: Sri Vijaya Restaurant - Just Plain Yummy!
July 30, 2007: Sri Kamala Vilas Restaurant - Chicken Masala Shiokness!


goes by the name veron (english) or wanting (chinese). a definitive leo born august 1, 1984. a solo traveler. loves cats, coffee, sensual music, yummy food and technology. when she's not at her job as an IS developer for the government, she's likely to be out dining, or visiting an interesting art gallery or event.






Wow… its a stark contrast to the plain Christmas decor of Orchard Road. :D View all comments by Miccheng
Hey nice pics! I am yet to visit Little India but hope to do so within these couple of days before Deepavali :) I think the peacock feathers are used mostly for decoration. I have also heard that they keep lizards away! Not so sure how true that is :) View all comments by viswali
[...] visits Little India area of Singapore to check out Deepawali festivities. Share [...] View all comments by Global Voices Online » Singapore: Diwali in Little India
the festival looks so rich and colorful. I wish I can go with my friend who works as a Poulsbo florist, he plans on visiting this Christmas. View all comments by jill
Miccheng: Plain or otherwise, you got me excited about those Christmas trees already!
viswali: Peacock feathers can keep lizards away? Now I’ve heard everything :P Oh, I may be popping by Little India again over the next few days too!
jill: I think it would be an eye-opener for him! View all comments by Veron
i think the white, milky candy is called burfi. it comes in a couple of flavours like pistachios and coconut as well right? i love it too! =D View all comments by wenxiu
Hi Veron, what camera are you using? The pictures are very clear and the effect is really vibrant. View all comments by e|iz
wenxiu: The milk snack seems to be just pure milk and nothing else. I think there’s another Indian snack with pistachios or coconut like you said. In any case, they are all yummy (and oh-so-sinful)!
e|iz: I have my faithful companion to thank. It’s the Minolta DiMage X50. She’s been with me for almost 3 years! Bear in mind that all photos you see here have been processed using Photoshop, which is why they appear vibrant. View all comments by Veron
WOW! Your photoshop skills are really superb as you are able to make photos look so alive. Mind telling me what tools you used in photoshop to edit the pictures? Thanks in advance! View all comments by e|iz
Beautifully taken photographs of Little India, with the bustle and colour of Little India wonderfully captured. Very nicely done and truly brings out the flavour and character of that unique ethnic neighbourhood. View all comments by walter
Hellooo there. Love your entries and ur a really good photographer! keep up with the good work ;)
Btw, what camera are u using? care to share? View all comments by Jocelyn
Good work with the pics, thanks for sharing the festivities at Little India, Singapore… View all comments by Kevin
I like all your pictures taken….esp the ones taken in Tokyo and THIS!! It really make me wish I can be there…. View all comments by Valerie
hai can anybody the date when was DIWALI in 1984.
like the date and the month that the occarance of DIWALI in 1984.
Thanks in Advance View all comments by Bhupal
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