Found these cool pics.

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/29ChanderRoad_jpg_jpg.jpg

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/06CampbellLane_jpg_jpg.jpg

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/02LilIndiaArcade_jpg_jpg.jpg

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/04LilIndiaArcade_jpg_jpg.jpg

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/12CampbellLane_jpg_jpg.jpg

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/10CampbellLane_jpg_jpg.jpg

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/20Tekka_JPG_jpg.jpg

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/22Tekka_JPG_jpg.jpg

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/37SriVTemple_jpg_jpg.jpg

Mustafa shopping centre - open 24 hours
http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/43Mustafa_JPG_jpg.jpg

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/47Stalls_JPG_jpg.jpg

More pics from
http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/index.htm

very nice pictures Raffie!!:guns1: :guns1: :)
So do you guys visit Little India sometimes?:)

Thanks!

I dont go there too often since I've been abroad and when I come back I usually go to the skyscraper-area :D But I've been there a couple times for supper or snacks and the food is good and cheap. I also heard you can get great fabrics there.

I will be adding more pics when I can find them;)

My favourite drink: teh-tarik :cheers:
http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imageslittleindia/images/16Tekka_jpg_jpg.jpg

More recent pics that I have added

Serangoon Rd is always busy
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/indian3.jpg

One of the inner roads
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/indian.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/indian2.jpg

Getting around on trishaw
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/indian4.jpg

Sunday morning bustle :happy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/deepa.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/deepa2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/deepa3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/deepa4.jpg

Originally posted by drwho

very nice pictures Raffie!!:guns1: :guns1: :)
So do you guys visit Little India sometimes?:) The thing is I dont visit either Little India or Chinatown often in the first place! :D But I think its about time I go there soon, as there are so much to discover, and I have not stepped into every street yet.

Its so belated, but finally we have a thread dedicated to drwho, eh? :colgate:

I only go there for Muruku...... :baaa:

Originally posted by EyeToEye

I only go there for Muruku...... :baaa: And what the freak is that? :D

That orange, crispy, fried thing. Lots of flour and spice? Come on, you must know Muruku! It's the most addictive thing on earth short of drugs!

Originally posted by EyeToEye

That orange, crispy, fried thing. Lots of flour and spice? Come on, you must know Muruku! It's the most addictive thing on earth short of drugs! Tragically, I have not idea what you are talking about!! :devil:

LOL

Muruku is oily and crispy..nice snack. I learnt about it when my Indian colleague was distributing it for Deepavali.

Originally posted by huaiwei

The thing is I dont visit either Little India or Chinatown often in the first place! :D But I think its about time I go there soon, as there are so much to discover, and I have not stepped into every street yet.

Its so belated, but finally we have a thread dedicated to drwho, eh? :colgate:

huaiwei you have to take the car and make a "never visited place-tour" in Singapore :) ;)

yeap finally a thread for me!! woho!:);) :happy: :eat:

http://www.lta.gov.sg/images/Little%20India%20Page%201.jpg
http://www.lta.gov.sg/images/Little%20India%20Page%202.jpg

Raffie thnxs for the pics!! that new MRT-station looks cool:)

Originally posted by drwho

Raffie thnxs for the pics!! that new MRT-station looks cool:) And I would like to point out that only this station and Farrer Park station has tamil names on the panels....no other station has this. ;)

Originally posted by huaiwei

And I would like to point out that only this station and Farrer Park station has tamil names on the panels....no other station has this. ;)

now thats cool:)
Its a great thing to name a MRT a name that is connected to the local population:)

although i dont understand tamil,i speak Gujarati ;)

i looked at the picture-map and saw something called Singapore Gujarati Bhavan..any ideas of what it is ?:)

I walk to Farrer park from school frequently. Nice place, Nice smell...

Originally posted by drwho

now thats cool:)
Its a great thing to name a MRT a name that is connected to the local population:)

although i dont understand tamil,i speak Gujarati ;)

i looked at the picture-map and saw something called Singapore Gujarati Bhavan..any ideas of what it is ?:) Yeap...a small touch, but it sure helpos alot in giving a sense of local identity! ;)

Singapore Gujarati Bhavan is supposed to be a place of worship according to my map...not sure if thats the way indian temples are called??

Originally posted by EyeToEye

I walk to Farrer park from school frequently. Nice place, Nice smell... What can you do there? Just go to the MRT staion?? :D

BTW, maybe you can help us take photos of Litte India, since its so closeby?

I bought some muruku so i could take this picture:

http://www.geocities.com/daydreamer89sg/one/muruku.jpg.txt

A little small but it aint my fault. The camera refused to focus, for some reason. Anyway, i suppose it's okay.

crunchy!:eat:

Is that thing supposed to be noodles? The noodles is crunchy?!?!

Originally posted by huaiwei

Is that thing supposed to be noodles? The noodles is crunchy?!?!

They look like noodles but theyre not..the whole thing is hard and dry and lifts up in 1 piece:cheers:

raffie ohh nice pic:)

hey do you like muruku? :eat:

Originally posted by drwho

raffie ohh nice pic:)

hey do you like muruku? :eat:

To say i like muruku would be a major understatement. Heck! TO say i LOVE muruku would be an understatement too! I adore muruku! I'm addicted to it! I keep a jar of it on my desk so i can munch on some whenever i feel like it! Muruku is like the air i breathe, the blood that flows through my arteries!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!

:baaa: :baaa: :baaa:

Is this muruku thing supposed to be a very common dish in India?

Originally posted by drwho

raffie ohh nice pic:)

hey do you like muruku? :eat:

Its great..goes great with tea. I like it cos it has some spicy bits in it:angel1:

The spicy taste is really refreshing! MmmMmmMmM

Originally posted by huaiwei

Is this muruku thing supposed to be a very common dish in India?

well murku (also called chawra) is mostly used as snacks in India when drinking chai.:)

Now I am left wondering what is Chai. :D

Chai is a type of tea right? BTW, I mix lassi with coffee :D

My pics of Little India...:)

http://img51.photobucket.com/albums/v157/baqthier/insg1.jpg
http://img51.photobucket.com/albums/v157/baqthier/insg2.jpg
http://img51.photobucket.com/albums/v157/baqthier/insg3.jpg

Nice pics baq! I feel nice and sunny now :cool:

Did you notice any interesting things there?

Wow, you have colorful taxies in Malaysia. Nice :)

Wow, you have colorful taxies in Malaysia. Nice :)
But thats Singapore! :D

Nice pics baq! I feel nice and sunny now :cool:

Did you notice any interesting things there?

They sell some antiques which are pretty rare. I wished I could hang around longer there but I was a bit ill at that time and needed to sit down for some aircon. ;)

Yah it was very hot that day. Actually given the hectic schedule (late nights and all day walking), your health held up quite well! :okay:

Check out the Little India website
http://www.littleindia.com.sg/

Some pics I took. Its quite an interesting place - must go back for more.

http://img43.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/india.jpg

http://img43.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/india3.jpg

http://img43.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/india2.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/ssc1819/india6.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/ssc1819/india8.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/ssc1819/india9.jpg

http://img43.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/india4.jpg

http://img43.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/india5.jpg

http://mywebpage.netscape.com/ssc1819/india7.jpg

There're some amazing ones near Syed Alwi Road.

Thanks for this. Although I think that Indian area in KL is more authenthic. Spore little India looks very sterile to me, but this is my opinion only. :)

At some places, there are huge crowds, especially at night.

I took the pics in the afternoon, it gets really busy and chaotic at night when people finish work and there are some trendy new Indian eateries there.

The shophouses are old but have been given a fresh coat of paint.

Thanks for those fresh pics! I've got to go back to that place again..this time at night.

What's the name of this complex?
http://mywebpage.netscape.com/ssc1819/india8.jpg

Tekka Mall.Just completed this year.I wonder what used to stand there as it is a conservatin area...

yup..looks very new but I havent been inside yet:)

oh yeah Tekka. I ate lunch at the food court in there.

nice and very colorful. we also have a small area similar to this (obviously dirtier;))for Indians in Bangkok. and somehow they own lots of fabric or clothing stores.

@greg
just curious, but does sterile = unauthentic? it seems to be a very common perception. i've got no opinion on its authenticity, only know that the place seems to feel somewhat like india because it is truly crowded.

i see the the bright and cheerful abdul gaffoor (?) mosque in there :)

^

Yup I saw it from up there but got lost at street level. Will go back again :cool:

Nice one. What percent of Singaporeans are of South Asian origin ?

^

About 8% :cool:

http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980002918-8262-3202-1097/img0118.jpg
http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980006540-8105-3181-0678/img0009.jpg
Shophouses at Syed Alwi Road.

Thanks for this. Although I think that Indian area in KL is more authenthic. Spore little India looks very sterile to me, but this is my opinion only. :)
Could you perhaps elaborate on this, because I dont really understand how something can be more or less authentic when they were all built by the hands of the same peoples?

Staying the Course

Thirty years ago, only a few eateries serving Indian food could be found in Race Course Road. Now, it looks set to be the food belt of Little India

By Clara Chow

THE curry war in Race Course Road has got hotter.

The area famous for its fish-head curry restaurants since the 1970s is serving up new eateries, both from the expansion of old players and the infusion of some new ones.

The two big players - Muthu's Curry and Banana Leaf Apolo Restaurant - are not holding back.

Muthu's spent $7 million to open a 6,386sq-ft place at No. 138 in June. This includes $5.2 million to buy the unit. It is just down the road from its 35-year-old premises at No. 76 and 78.

The new Muthu's boasts contemporary chic decor, an open kitchen concept with steaming tandoor ovens and an artificially misted alfresco dining area.

It has been a hit, judging from the robust lunch crowds.

Managing director Kasivisanathan. A, 33, says: 'It's more modern, more Zen.'

Over at Banana Leaf at No. 54, 56 and 58, renovation plans are afoot for next year.

Having been in Race Course Road for 30 years, it opened a branch with standard Indian-flavoured decor at No. 66 and 68 two years ago.

The eatery's general manager, Mr C. Sankar, 32, says: 'There is more human traffic now because of the opening of the Little India train station in June last year.'

He and Mr Kasivisanathan, first cousins who have both taken over the separate businesses from their fathers, are sticking to their secret family recipes but buzzing with new marketing ideas.

Business has also benefited from the reopening of Race Course Road - site of Singapore's first turf club in the 1900s - as a 980m, two-way road in May 2002. It had been turned into a one-way street in 1998 to facilitate the building of the North-East MRT line, making it harder for motorists to navigate their way there.

New players have moved in to stir up their own pot of opportunity.

Gayatri Restaurant opened in December last year in a 4,000sq ft unit at No. 122.

Owner G. Shanmugam, 41, has a hot arsenal of customer-wooing tactics, such as $10 curry fish-head promotions on Mondays and Wednesdays. It usually goes for $18 upwards.

He tacitly acknowledges a 'curry war' of sorts as he nods towards his restaurant's manager standing outside, inviting passers-by to enter.

When LifeStyle visited the road on two consecutive afternoons, none of the other restaurants was doing this.

But Mr Bala Sundram, 29, owner of the three-year-old KP Pillai Curry Inn at No. 72, plans to hand out curry on spatulas to passers-by next month to entice them.

He says: 'My friends ask me why I've come here, sitting between Banana Leaf and Muthu's. But this is the big league - you only get recognised when you play here.'

Business is doing 'fairly well' although he admits that it has declined over the last six months. He puts it down to the sluggish economy.

Mr Clifford Tan, 53, owner of Delhi Restaurant at No. 60, says business is still good although it pales in comparison to the boomtime of the early 1990s.

'There were long queues then. Customers were willing to wait for an hour for a table,' he says.

He opened D' Delhi Pubb & Restaurant in 1993 at No. 48.

Customers, meanwhile, are pleased at how busy the street has become for those in need of a curry fix.

Marketing director Jacke Chye, 37, who has visited the new Muthu's Curry, remarks that the area is shaping up to look like the 'new Tanjong Pagar or Siglap restaurant stretch'.

'It's good that there are more choices available in this quaint part of town,' he says.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-07-31/curry3.jpg
THE HEAT IS ON: The new $7-million Muthu's Curry is a hit with its contemporary chic decor and an open kitchen concept. PHOTOS: ALAN LIM

On this Race track

EATERIES you can find along Race Course Road:

Andhra's Spice
28 Race Course Road
Opens: 11.30am - 3.30pm, 6 - 10.30pm daily
Tel: 6296-9386

This cosy, six-month-old restaurant has a rustic feel, with mango leaves hanging above the door.

The food is a mix of north Indian cuisine and dishes from the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The Hyderabadi chicken dum briyani ($6), steamed in a metal pot, is fragrant and tasty.

However, the Chinese dishes 'adapted' by its Indian chefs are a strange experience. The tomyam prawns ($4) hit hard with a strong peppery taste. And the chicken manchurian ($6) is essentially sweet-and-sour chicken with a curry after-taste.

Jaggi's Northern Indian Cuisine
34/36 Race Course Road
Opens: 11.30am - 3pm,
6.30 - 10.30pm (Mon - Sat); 11am - 3.30pm (Sun)
Tel: 6296-6141

A popular eatery that serves Punjabi food like plain, butter, garlic and cheese naan ($1 - $1.50). Patrons wolf down their divine-smelling food under a fluorescent glare in the spartan surroundings.

Banana Leaf Apolo
54-58 Race Course Road
Opens: 10.30am - 10.30pm daily
Tel: 6293-8682

One of two stalwarts - the other being Muthu's Curry - in the area, this outfit's signature dish is its fish-head curry, at $18 (small), $21 (medium) and $25 (large).

The dish is less spicy compared to decades ago, which probably suits the tourists who drop in just fine.

Delhi Restaurant
60 Race Course Road
Opens: 11.30am - 11.30pm daily
Tel: 6296-4585

Mention Delhi Restaurant and most people will say: 'The posh one, right?'

When the North Indian restaurant opened in 1988, its 'bow-tie and dim-light concept' - as owner Clifford Tan describes it - was considered new in the area.

Inside, Moghul-style and Hindu art hang on the walls, contrasting with the Chinese bamboo-motif tiles. Glass goblets sparkle on pink tablecloths.

The most popular item on its menu is the tender, smoky-flavoured, mixed grill tandoori items - best washed down with Kingfisher beer.

KP Pillai Curry Inn
72 Race Course Road
Opens: 11am - 10.30pm (Mon, Wed - Sun), 11am - 4pm (Tues)
Tel: 6293-8559

This is a cafeteria-like place which dishes out South Indian cuisine. Specialities include hot-plate tiger-prawns masala ($8, $10, $12), dum briyani ($5.50 to $6.50) and duck masala ($3.50).

Our Makan Shop
74 Race Course Road
Opens: 11.30am - 4pm
Tel: 6292-9475

Owner Tony Ng won't reveal the ingredients he leaves out of his Chinese-style fish-head curry to make it different from the version sold at Indian restaurants.

And never mind that the fluctuating prices are slightly higher - averaging at $26, $32 and $42 for small, medium and large respectively. Regulars still fill the eatery, which has retained many of the features of the 1970s, such as wooden booths and jade-green mosaic tiles.

Gayatri Restaurant
122 Race Course Road
Opens: 12.30 - 2pm, 6 - 10.30pm daily
Tel: 6291-1011

The fish-head curry, at $18 (small), $22 (medium) and $24 (large), offers soft morsels of meat swimming in a pale yellow gravy. It's strong with the sourish-bitter flavour of turmeric, but could be spicier. The friendly waiters in this dining hall-like space will teach you how to dig out the eye from a fish-head with panache.

Muthu's Curry
138 Race Course Road
Opens: 10am - 10pm daily
Tel: 6392-1722

The fish-head curry is undoubtedly enjoyable. Priced at $18, $23 and $28 (small, medium and large respectively), it boasts nice flavours - sweet and salty before blooming into a spicy sting in the mouth.

The mark of a cool restaurant is often in how swanky its toilets are, and Muthu's certainly has the best-looking ones on this stretch. A minimalist, black-tiled area equipped with sinks and automatic taps leads to the loos, which are new and clean.

^
I've tried Muthu b4......quite nice...... :cheers:

Been to Mustafa.

Occupies 3 buildings, now it has a building to call its own.Mustafa Centre is very crowded and crammed.

Oh, the new building mimicks the shophouses nearby.

Oh, the new building mimicks the shophouses nearby.

Which one?

The new Mustafa building.

Don't know the actual name.

I thought Mustafa Centre was just a boring cheesy looking mall?

You mean they built a new Mustafa?

Yes, a new building built for Mustafa by Mustafa.

It was still u/c in May.

I heard electronic stuff at Mustafa is cheaper.....is that true??

Not sure.But it sells everything from electroincs to jewellery to clothes, food, toys to even cars. :yes:

Not sure.But it sells everything from electroincs to jewellery to clothes, food, toys to even cars. :yes:

Cars?? Which brand??

News reported it a few months ago.

Would be at the new Mustafa building, I think.


Mustafa is the one-stop place to get everything you need, 24/7. :yes:

News reported it a few months ago.

Would be at the new Mustafa building, I think.


Mustafa is the one-stop place to get everything you need, 24/7. :yes:

Maybe they should expand the mall further.......heard it's a little cramp.....

No, not a little cramed.
Very crammed!

No, not a little cramed.
Very crammed!

Haha.....that means they should expand.......:lol:

It had expanded from Serangoon Plaza at Mustafa Centre, now it has its onw new building.

The only thing I don't like about it is that it is very crammed.

Bitter spat breaks out over Little India sweets

18 Oct 2004

Restaurant complains about stall importing snacks with similar name; AVA finds it flouting labelling laws

By K.C. Vijayan

AN OLD player in the selling of Indian sweets is upset with an upstart which set up shop next door to sell snacks with a similar name - so it has called in the authorities.

Ananda Bhavan Restaurant, a big name in Little India with an 80-year history, feared standards would drop and its business turn sour with the entry of a stall selling the Adyar Ananda Bhavan snacks and sweets at Syed Alwee Road, off Serangoon Road.

But the latter is not exactly a small fry, and is a franchise of a chain from Madras that's more than 20 years old and has over 20 branches on the sub-continent.

Said Ananda Bhavan boss M.K. Ramanchandra, who is also honorary secretary of the Little India Restaurateurs' Association here: 'I am less concerned about the brand name but more about how the sweets are brought in, how they are preserved and how they are packed.

'These milk-based items have a limited shelf life and if not properly handled, can convey a wrong image leading to a decline in sales industry-wide.'

The sweets and snacks - called mittai in Tamil - are popular especially during the current Deepavali season and are standard items on the menu of virtually all Indian households for visitors.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority's (AVA) Food Control Section stepped in to investigate Ananda Bhavan's grouse, and found the importer of Adyar Ananda Bhavan had flouted labelling requirements and slapped it with a summons.

The AVA checked the stall last Tuesday and found the products pre-packed but were without proper labels to indicate particulars such as the ingredients, the expiry date and the weight as required by law.

The importer was ordered to take steps to comply and had done so, said an AVA spokesman.

Contacted yesterday, stall owner P. Selvam, 34, said he was new to the business and 'did not know of the labelling requirement'. He added that he had gone to consult the AVA last Thursday to clear the labels for the products.

Mr Selvam, a retrenched IT specialist, said he was limiting this new business to the Deepavali season only, from Oct 11 to Nov 12, and did not see his products as a threat to anybody.

Referring to the Ananda Bhavan Restaurant, he said: 'They are big and we are small and we were hoping they would help us as fellow travellers along the way.'

The AVA will conduct follow-up checks, said Food Control Section head Charlie Tan.

Oct 19, 2004
Want to know what's hip in India? Read on...
Indian magazine scene has exploded here, with all sorts of news from that country
By M Nirmala

A WAVE of Indian publications on everything from politics and the movie world to fashion, health and religion has hit Singapore in a big way, driven in part by the growing expatriate community.

Interest among Indian Singaporeans in the hottest Bollywood stars, the latest political twists in India, fashion trends and religious rites has also fed the growth of imported books and magazines over the past two to three years.

Such has been the demand that more shops have sprung up to sell these magazines and books.

Bookshops have expanded their range, and even stores which count vegetables, CDs and provisions as their staples have now set aside space for magazines.

Industry insiders said the number of shops selling such publications has shot up from just five some five years ago to about 20 now. And the number of magazine titles has trebled from about 10 in the same period.

Some stores rent space to magazine sellers at $500 a month. Yet operators of such makeshift stalls still pull in a profit of 30 to 40 per cent, as they pay couriers to bring in the publications - in rupees.

Popular magazines include Cine Blitz and Star Dust which focus on Bollywood goings-on; Kumutham Health and Health Doctor; general magazines such as Ananda Vikatan and Mangayar Malar; and even Ambulimama, which is for children.

Magazine seller Abdul Salam, 69, who has been operating in Serangoon Road for 38 years, said the wider range of publications and growth in demand has been evident for some time.

Where only Tamil publications were available before, there are now magazines and newspapers in Malayalam, Telugu and Bengali.

'Every week, Telugu workers come and buy newspapers. Indian expatriates buy India Today and Singapore women often ask for magazines on religion,' he says.

Family entertainment magazine Kunkumam, for instance, is advertised on cable channel Sun TV and covers movies, cookery and politics.

Indian construction worker M. Vaithialingam, 31, buys the Tamil version of India Today to keep up with developments at home.

Not all sellers get publications from registered distributors such as Worldwide Subscription & Distribution Services or Cholan Trading Enterprise. Some find it more cost-effective to rely on travellers who arrive with suitcases filled with newspapers and books.

Others bring them in and clear Customs daily.

A Media Development Authority (MDA) spokesman said importers require an import permit. But there is no requirement for a separate licence to sell publications. 'Those who receive them through other sources should ensure the publications are acceptable for general circulation. They can consult MDA when in doubt.'

The wider readership of magazines is evident, said a National Library Board spokesman.

In 1995, its branches carried 21 Tamil magazine titles. Last year, there were 198.

Businessmen in Little India welcome the availability of current affairs magazines such as India Today, but are critical of titles whose content is culturally and politically alien to Singaporeans.

Businessman S.R. Gopal frowns on how some Singaporeans lap up the latest news on movie stars, but acknowledges 'a thirst for information' which publications here do not provide.

Agreeing, Tamil Language and Cultural Society president M. Harikrishnan asked: 'Why can't local publications cater to the needs of the Indians here?'

Institute of Policy Studies deputy director and media specialist Arun Mahizhnan sees the trend as positive. He said: 'We now have many more choices. The choice of magazines - both savoury and unsavoury - is up to the customer. If we choose well we can benefit greatly.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

No, not a little cramed.
Very crammed!

Yeah absolutely! I heard they got fined a few years ago for blocking a fire exit with boxes for storage.. Even though they gor expanded, it's still very cramped. I can't stand those narrow aisles!

But yes, electronics is cheaper over there; I've been there many times. I believe they are one of the only ones here to import lots of Indian foodstuffs, so Indians from all over Singapore go there to stock up. :)

http://tinypic.com/de72e
http://tinypic.com/de745
http://tinypic.com/de74h
http://tinypic.com/de782
http://tinypic.com/de78n
http://tinypic.com/de79g

:)

cool pics drwho!

Little India is another colourful area and I still need to go back and take more pics :yes:

Arts@Tekka: Spectacular dances and lights

22 Oct 2004

By SANGEETHA MADHAVAN

IN a culture intricately linked to mythology, it is understandable that the genesis of one of its main festivals lies in multiple myths. The Hindu festival of lights Deepavali can be attributed to not one but three epic stories that celebrate good over evil.

Local Indian arts group Bhaskar's Arts Academy will stage one of them employing the dance theatre form Kathakali during the Arts@Tekka festival next weekend. This one recounts Lord Krishna vanquishing the demon Narakasura in a long struggle; his victory is celebrated with the lighting of lamps.

The Academy will stage the story for three days in a bid to make it more accessible, not only in Malayalam, the language of the southern state of Kerala from which Kathakali (or 'story-play') originates, but also in Tamil and Malay. While full-length productions in India go overnight, this production will be only an hour and a half long.

Still it promises to be awe-inspiring. When K P Bhaskar, founder of the Academy, says that 'Kathakali is very colourful', he is understating the operatic scale: elaborate mask-like make-up made from vegetable and mineral dyes that takes hours to put on, grand costumes, a four-member live orchestra with singers, and roles recognisable from their characteristic make-up (such as black for villain) enacting stories from the scriptures.



When they are in Singapore, the artistes flown in from Kerala will have a chance to do some shopping to take back home - at the Chinese opera supplies shop on River Valley Road. 'Instead of the smelly ground sulphur traditionally used to get the colour yellow, they can buy perfumed alternatives from China,' says Mr Bhaskar.

To explain this complex dance form, workshops will demystify the hand gestures (mudras) that form the basis of the Kathakali mime and also an important aspect of the popular South Indian classical dance form, Bharatanatyam.

A precise melding of rhythm, expression and drama, Bharatanatyam conforms to strict principles set down in the ancient treatise on stagecraft, the Natyashastra, and features the dancer as worshipper seeking a higher state of spiritual consciousness. Owing to its antecedents as a temple dance, Bharatanatyam was performed by women, while Kathakali was traditionally performed by men, though this has changed in recent times.

What hasn't changed is the annual ritual celebration of good over evil and it is going to happen at Tekka in spectacular style.

Arts@Tekka is from Oct 28 to Oct 30, 5pm to 8.30pm, at Kerbau Road and Belilios Lane. This article is the first of a three-part series on Indian arts brought to you by The National Arts Council and The Business Times.

Arts fest rides down Little India

29 Oct 04

FOR the first time, Little India has its own arts festival.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-10-29/h12.jpg
POP ART: Artist Ana Prvacki invites Mr Khaw to make popcorn for visitors to a PKW exhibition.

Called Arts@Tekka, the three-day event, which was launched yesterday by Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Minister for Health and MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, brings together about 70 cross-cultural artists in 18 shows.

It comprises 12 workshops, two exhibitions and a trishaw ride down the Arts Belt Trail for curious visitors.

The free festival, which ends tomorrow, is on from 5 to 8.30pm at Kerbau Road and Belilios Lane.

It is presented by six resident arts groups in the Tekka area - Spell#7, Plastique Kinetic Worms (PKW), Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts, Dramaplus Arts, Wild Rice and Bhaskar's Arts Academy - and co-organised by the National Arts Council and the Central Singapore Community Development Council.

Said Mr Khaw, who draped a garland of flowers over a trishaw as part of the ceremony yesterday: 'Little India has always been a bustling place.

'When the arts groups decided to be based here, I told them to leverage on their creativity to make this place more vibrant so that it will not only be an Indian place.

'This event is one of their efforts and I'm very happy.'

In the Stop, Look & Go! ride, visitors can sit on one of 10 trishaws decorated by artists from PKW.

These will take them on a tour of the six arts groups situated along Kerbau Road and other interesting sites along Serangoon Road, Belilios Road and Belilios Lane.

Other highlights include Malay and Indian cultural shows and an arts bazaar featuring activities such as metal smithing and dough figurine painting.

Ms Kaylene Tan, artistic director of Spell#7, said: 'The aim of Arts@Tekka is to gather members of the community together for a short period of time and engage them in something that is creative, fun and interactive.'

The organisers hope to make this an annual event, depending on the public's response.

Little India in November gets decorated and ready for Deepavali, the Festival of Lights.

Street bazaars are open selling all kinds of goodies.

http://img110.exs.cx/img110/1913/india.jpg
http://img128.exs.cx/img128/2186/india2.jpg
http://img125.exs.cx/img125/6741/india3.jpg
http://img104.exs.cx/img104/3473/india4.jpg
http://img93.exs.cx/img93/9366/india5.jpg

raffie!,thnxs thats beautiful pictures!:)

yes drwho! Its been quite interesting for me to walk about Little India too.

Unfortunately it started to rain when I took those pics, hence I had to stop. But I am going back again to continue as the place is quite big and colourful! :cool:

The New Paper - 11 Nov 2004

Mustafa gives up hotel

... To concentrate on what it does best

By Desmond Ng
desmondn@sph.com.sg

MUSTAFA is expanding again.

The retail giant of Little India is replacing the hotel rooms in its main building with store shelves, renovating its older outlet on Serangoon Road and even planning a bridge to link the two.

It will then have a total 280,000 sqft of retail space - about the size of three football fields.

But why have two stores at all, next to each other, under the same management, and selling more less the same goods? Isn't it wasteful duplication?

The man behind these plans, Mr Mustaq Ahmad, the managing director of Mohamed Mustafa & Samsuddin, doesn't think so.

Said the 53-year-old: 'Yes, we may be offering the same type of goods at both locations but we need to cater to the growing number of customers.

'If a customer goes to one outlet and sees that it's too crowded, at least he can move on to the next outlet.'

He estimated that Mustafa Centre, on Syed Alwi Road, attracts about 8,000 to 10,000 customers a day.

And the older outlet, in Serangoon Plaza, got about 3,000 customers a day before it was closed for renovation in July.

A marketing professor we spoke to explained that while expanding two stores side by side, instead of going further afield, may seem strange, it does have its advantages. (See report below.)

For both stores, three quarters of the goods offered will be the same, but only Mustafa Centre has a frozen and fresh food section.

Mr Mustaq said they are seeking permission from the authorities to link the stores with a connecting bridge.

But for now, he has his hands full with trying to convert the little-known Mustafa Hotel at Mustafa Centre into retail space.

About 50,000 sqft of additional retail space will be freed up when the 120-room hotel is closed next week.

Mustafa Hotel, which has been around for eight years, takes up two floors in the building, which has four levels of shopping now. This will be increased to six by April next year.

'This will be better utilisation of space. We're not in the hotel business. It's better to concentrate on our core business, which is retail,' Mr Mustaq said.

When the company built Mustafa Centre 10 years ago, it had to keep the third and fourth floors for residential use due to URA regulations, said Mr Mustaq.

So, they decided on the hotel idea and targeted budget tourists with $60 a night room rates.

The average occupancy was 60 to 70 per cent, said Mr Mustaq.

He later applied to URA for a change from residential to commercial use and received approval six months ago.

He expects to spend about $8 million on the refurbishment, which will begin this month.

The store will have 200,000 sqft of space by April.

And the outlet in Serangoon Plaza, which they vacated in July for the whole building to be renovated, will have 80,000 sqft when they move back in January.

They have been renting the place for 18 years and had only 70,000 sqft there before.

For now, about half of their customers are locals, and the other half, tourists.

While Mr Mustaq said he has no plans to expand overseas or to other areas of Singapore, he's open to business ideas.

But for shoppers like Mr Deen R, it doesn't matter if there are two or more Mustafa outlets in Little India.

Said the 33-year-old tourist from India: 'After all, Mustafa Centre itself is so big. After walking around that whole complex, I'm already so tired. I don't think I'll have the energy to visit another outlet, even if it's that near.'

It makes perfect business sense

THERE is more flexibility in having two outlets side by side. It makes perfect business sense, said NUS Business School's Assistant Professor May Lwin.

If the company wants to renovate one of the stores, it can just close that one for a few months and still have an outlet and a presence in the locality, she said.

And while there isn't much to differentiate between the two outlets now, the company has the flexibility to make each of them more specialised later on.

For instance, one can focus on electronics and the other on household goods.

Added Dr Lwin: 'This expansion may be a way to beat off competition too, to prevent someone else from duplicating what they offer.

'It's a kind of a leadership strategy, to continue consolidating their market and get a larger share of the target market too.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

They moved out of Serangoon Plaza? :eek:

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 11 November 2004 2026 hrs

Crowds throng Little India for last-minute Deepavali shopping
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Hundreds of people thronged Little India for last-minute shopping on the eve of Deepavali.

But things were a little calmer on Deepavali Day as many headed to the temple from as early as 7am to offer their prayers.

Festive lights, stalls, henna painting.....Little India's streets may have been ready for the crowds for a month now.

But there's nothing like the last 24 hours before the main occasion to really soak in the atmosphere.

Many took the opportunity to get the best bargains and the freshest goods.

Deepavali morning was a different atmosphere, though.

Many Hindus got up as early as 5 o'clock in the morning for their oil bath and to put on new clothes before visiting the temple.

The trip to the temple is an all-important part of Deepavali.

The temple priest said far more people showed up for temple prayers, in contrast to stallholders' complaints that there was a 20 to 30 percent drop in shopping business this year. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

The New Paper - 12 Nov 2004

LITTLE INDIA'S NOT ALL INDIAN

It's commonly known to S'poreans as Little India, but the area is really a mish-mash of cultures and cuisines of independent countries

By Fawziah Selamat

THERE'S more to food in Little India than dosai and fish head curry.

But then there's more to the little place than India.

Take a walk down Serangoon Road, and you can't miss little Bangladesh.

This is where Serangoon Road meets Rowell Road.

The signs here are more likely to be in Bengali than Tamil.

Across the road is the Angullia mosque and a little Afghanistan where beards are as long as the tossing of the teh tarik.

LINES BLURRED

Here, the heavy air of spicy South Indian masala gives way to the subtler aroma of freshly-baked naan.

But it's not so clearly mapped out.

Instead, Bengali shops jostle for space with Chinese food stalls and shops selling saris from Benares.

This is the area bordered by Rowell Road, Lembu Road, Syed Alwi Road and Serangoon Road.

Its unofficial moniker of Little Bangla has stuck - no doubt popularised by the more than 10,000 Bangladeshis who converge there every Sunday.

The many specialty Bangladeshi grocery shops with signs screaming Bangla Bazaar also serve to reinforce that identity.

Singaporean Mohammed Asadullah, 47, moved his business from Kaki Bukit to Little Bangla in the mid-'90s.

It was then that he noticed the growing demand for services catering specifically to Bangladeshis.

And his restaurant, Dhaka Cafe, started catering to the then-largely-ignored Bangladeshi taste-buds.

While Bangladeshis have been streaming into Little India since the mid-'80s, the culinary options open to them then were only the hawker stalls selling cheap eats at Tekka Centre and along the side streets of Buffalo Road and Buffalo Lane.

MILD CURRIES AND FISH

Bangladeshis, however, prefer their curries mild with fluffy naan bread or rice. Their favourite non-vegetarian dishes are usually made with fresh-water fish, said Mr Mohammed, who is originally from Bangladesh.

Mr Mohammed said there are at least six Bangladeshi-owned shops near his restaurant on Roberts Lane while more than 20 others dot the area around Syed Alwi Road and Lembu Road.

BAD REPUTATION

Marketing executive Deen Fajarudeen, 39, a frequent visitor to the area, remembers a time when what is now called Little Bangla was not so inviting, at least to mainstream folks.

'Back in the '80s, Little India began near the former Rex theatre at Mackenzie Road and stopped at Desker Road.

'You wouldn't want to venture past Desker Road as not only was the area dead, it was mainly a prostitution haunt,' said Mr Deen.

'These days, you've got families walking around here as Mustafa Centre is nearby and so many shops have mushroomed to serve the needs of the community.

'It's definitely come alive and the area has a very vibrant feel.'

North Indian influences are also making their impact around Little Bangla.

At Norris Road, men can be seen flattening dough to make chapatis.

Mr Shahid Javaid, 30, opened his tandoori restaurant in Little Bangla last year.

And he explained why North Indian food is increasingly popular in the area.

'North Indian and Pakistani cuisine are more similar to Bangladeshi than South Indian because of the milder, less spicy taste. Also, we tend to speak Urdu or Hindi, which is similar to Bengali so communication is not a problem,' said Mr Shahid, a Singapore PR from Pakistan.

Lunch-time at his restaurant sees Pakistani men in flowing salwar kameez (a long tunic worn over loose pyjamas), knitted skull caps and long, bushy beards digging into creamy lentil-based curries with pieces of flat breads like naan or chapati.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

how cool, we even have a little Bangladesh and little Afghanistan!

We have a Little Thailand, Golden Mile! :D

I went to the supermarket there recently - I sure felt like I was in Bangkok!

There's a very unique little building, a small kopitiam, a little wedge at Clive Street. So very kampong!


Most streets in Little India have European names...

Traffic gives way to add flavour to Little India

12 Jan 05

Stretch of Campbell Lane kept clear for more cultural shows and ethnic stalls

By Yeo Ghim Lay

CONGESTED Campbell Lane, in the heart of Little India, will soon be a 'cultural corner', when the first half of the street is closed to traffic within this year.

The Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association (Lisha) said yesterday that Campbell Lane, off Serangoon Road, will be turned partly pedestrian to make room for cultural shows and food and souvenir stalls.

'We hope to create a cultural corner in the area,' said Mr Rajakumar Chandra, the association's honorary secretary.

Campbell Lane is currently home to more than 30 shops. Parallel-parking lots on both sides cause congestion.

Mr Mallaiah Sundaram, 50, who owns a provision shop there, welcomed the news as he can now 'display goods better and attract more customers'.

This follows a similar move in Chinatown, where Pagoda and Trengganu streets are closed to motor vehicles. It is the first phase of a three-year plan by Lisha and the Hindu Endowments Board to develop Little India into a tourist hub. The move is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board.

Plans include installing special lamp posts to allow the hanging of street decorations for this year's Deepavali.

The partial closure of Campbell Lane to traffic was announced yesterday on the first day of Pongal 2005. Pongal is a thanksgiving festival celebrated by South Indians, and is also the name of a sweet porridge made of freshly harvested rice.

Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Minister of State for Finance and Transport, was the guest of honour.

Lisha also honoured 16 woman entrepreneurs of Little India, who received plaques at the event yesterday.

Among them was Mrs Ummal Faziriya, 53, who runs a provision store, Rasool Shop, in Buffalo Road. 'I am very happy. I've been in this business for a long time and it is the first time I am getting recognised,' she said.

Mrs Faziriya, who helped start up the shop in 1982, said that their in-house brand of curry powder is so popular that even foreign tourists visit her store.

A field along Campbell Lane will play host to a variety of cultural performances from today until Saturday, in celebration of this year's Pongal.

A shophouse and old mansion in Little India with an interesting colour scheme

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/lindia.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/lindia2.jpg

Very colourful! :okay:

wonderful picture raffie!!! :okay:

We will be meeting at LITTLE INDIA this saturday! ;)

Isn't Little India have the Arab community?

Nope...the Arab community is over at Kampong Glam. ;)

We will be meeting at LITTLE INDIA this saturday! ;)

dont forget to take pictures!!!!:)

Nope...the Arab community is over at Kampong Glam. ;)
Oh, so not so far away.

Here is a panoramic overview of Little India

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/lindiapanorama.jpg

Great picture rafflescity! :)

Agreed! Its cute seeing them fighting for space with taller contemporary developments too. :D

This area should be under protection, it has increadibly nice and unique architecture. :)

it is a conservation area, together with Chinatown and the Arab Street area, so all these shophouses will be restored.

will try to post more pics soon :cool:

There's one quaint old wooden coffee stall in a wedge at Clive Road.
Hope it won't be torn down...

behold, for heirloom has entered little india and lived! (i say this because htere was an abattoir that very nearly killed me with its stench)

http://imagehost.biz/ims/pictes/203213.jpg




http://imagehost.biz/ims/pictes/203214.jpg




bauhaus! (art deco?)
http://imagehost.biz/ims/pictes/203215.jpg

hey! when did you go there????

charming night pics. ;)

should have joined us that day. :)

Wah, first pic looks like a ghost!!! :eek::runaway::lol::jk:

Nice pictures Heirloom.

hey heirloom!!:)

nice night pictures dude...:)

i went there i think on uh 8th january.

notice drwho, madras hotel?

Little India looks amazing at night.

Those night shots...kaoz....so seedy and ghostly looking!

http://imagehost.biz/ims/pictes/203215.jpg
Now this shot really looks like it's in Miami, bauhaus art deco. :)

indeed! surprising how tthere's a bauhaus building in little india!

art deco lah

btw that shophouse looks splendid with the lights!

it would be an excellent place for a haunted house attraction!

it would be an excellent place for a haunted house attraction!
Only people like you will be scared lah...hahah

ehh no lar.. some not scary but some are incredibly scary.

indeed! surprising how tthere's a bauhaus building in little india!
Little India has a big vareity of architecture.

i went there i think on uh 8th january.

notice drwho, madras hotel?

yes heirloom i see it:)

Madras (which nowdays is renamed Chennai) is In Tamil nadu, it sure reflects the tamil population in Singapore:)

cool photos heirloom!:)

ehh no lar.. some not scary but some are incredibly scary.
The 1st photo looks like the ghost of the White Lady.

thanks dr who and hyacinthus :)

ironically your ghost of the white lady i presume to be a muslim..

Ironic this is that the Ghost of the White Lady is in a British Church, (no offence to anyone).

More pics

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/li2.jpg

some overviews
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/li.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/li3.jpg

nice building
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/li4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/li5.jpg

When is it taken?

before the meetup..when I made those panos from Little India :yes:

Nice pics raffie!!!:)

the resturant-picture is nice:)

Nice pics raffie!!!:)

the resturant-picture is nice:)

thanks :)

Looks like a good intro for Little India...should have waited for food to take the pic :D

Haha ^^
Nice and colorful already ;-) Only the smell of the Mutton murtaba missing ;-)

one of the temples at Little India

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/li6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/li7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/li8.jpg

been in there before!
Very ornate!

And that's a very very long name! :eek:
What a tongue twister! :P

I also went inside during a prayer session once (tourists frequent the place too)

a group of women were seated on the floor singing hymns

it was my first time inside a Hindu temple and the details inside were intricate :yes:

kali is scary.

More pics
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/li5.jpg

i like this one...

n i also notice how centric everything in this pic is.... and tht probably augmented the main characters in the pic.

Now that isn't shophouse...

thansk ahlipp, that pic seemed to highlight the building's features and location well, for me :)

@redstone, no I didnt think it was a shophouse too, it looks similar to the Eu Yan Sang Building in Chinatown

one of the temples at Little India



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/li8.jpg

.i want that Little India-logo..its looks nice raffie!:)

Nice for the multi-lingual sign! Great pictures Raffie!

Thanks!

multi-lingual signs are actually quite regular in Singapore, and especially at heritage sites :yes:

Tourist friendly too.

More scenes

http://img222.exs.cx/img222/729/i7wz.jpg

http://img213.exs.cx/img213/5827/i21eh.jpg

http://img209.exs.cx/img209/4081/i38zj.jpg

http://img205.exs.cx/img205/9663/i45tc.jpg

:eek:

nice pictures raffie!:) :)

thanks drwho :)

:eek:

whats shocking? the last building?

The last two....

the 2nd last one is very similar to Raffles Hotel

raffie..are there any pubs/nightclub that are in a shophouse in SG?..i remember one photo of a pub that was in a shophouse and it looked cool:)

@drwho: you can find a lot of those on Mohamed Sultan Road, and also west of Chinatown around Duxton Street.

http://img213.exs.cx/img213/5827/i21eh.jpg

Wow, the building, the colors, the chairs... that looks just like a Lime in Trinidad! Now if only they were drinking rum outside... ;)

It surprises me how much Little India reminds me of Chaguanas or the Indian part of Port of Spain

@drwho, in addition to what Pengui said, you can find many more at Boat Quay and Clarke Quay :yes:

@Jai, maybe its the tropical atmosphere :cool:

Serangoon Road, the street thats synonymous with Little India.

http://img202.exs.cx/img202/4209/serrd7nx.jpg

cool pic raffie:)

April 2, 2005
TODAY'S SIGHTS
Looking for African food? Try Little India
Nigerian trio dish up authentic African cuisine coffee shop-style

By Yeo Ghim Lay

THE reverberating rhythms of traditional African music are drawing customers to a Little India coffee shop, where three Nigerians have set up a food stall.

Here, customers can sample dishes such as suji, an African staple of flour and potatoes boiled together; ogbono, a spicy soup of beef or mutton made with the kernels of wild mangoes; and egusi soup, which mixes beef, mutton, prawns and pumpkin seeds.

'There wasn't a place selling our kind of food in Singapore so we decided to start one and help Africans here feel at home,' said Mr Ignatius Achugbu, 35, one of the owners.

The others are Mr Adima Christopher, 31, and Mr Aligwoekwe Emeka, 27.

All of them are permanent residents married to Singaporeans.

The trio, who met one another at weekend gatherings of the African community here at a coffee shop near Mustafa Centre, also share a second-hand electronics business.

They opened C.L.E. African Restaurant at Kim Leng Eating House, opposite Mustafa Centre in Syed Alwi Road (off Serangoon Road), because, explained Mr Achugbu, 'tourists come to Little India and Africans like to shop at Mustafa'.

The initials CLE stand for Chris, Loyd and Emeka, the names the three are known by.

Mr Achugbu, a former professional soccer player who arrived here in 2003, said they do all the cooking themselves.

They offer eight dishes currently, but hope to expand the menu in the future. Servings cost $2 to $4.

Their most popular dish, they said, is the cereal-like suji that is eaten with beef and mutton soups.

Said Mr Christopher, who came to Singapore in 2002: 'We import most of our ingredients from Nigeria so the food tastes authentic.'

The men are hoping to expand into a full-scale restaurant eventually.

'Then Africans will know it and treat this as their gathering place,' said Mr Achugbu.

C.L.E. African Restaurant is in Verdun Road and is open daily from 11:30am to 11pm.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Thats great! Singapore is getting more and more cosmopolitan, it will be the London of SEA!:D

We need some African food here... :D

Insects, anyone? :D

^
They serve insects there? Dont think so lah ;)

April 8, 2005
Coming: Big mall in Little India
Retailers in the area see $150m City Square Mall as crowd-puller

By Joyce Teo

A NEW mall should be looming over Little India in the next three to four years.

Located at the junction of Serangoon and Kitchener Road, the $150 million City Square Mall is expected to stand out from its neighbours, both in size and design.

The City Developments (CDL) mall will have slightly over 700,000 sq ft of retail space targeted at the middle-income market, making it nearly as big as Plaza Singapura.

It will also have direct underground access to Farrer Park MRT station.

It is not known yet which retailers will occupy the building, but CDL said that it has garnered interest from well-known names.

Comprising four storeys above ground and two storeys below, City Square will house a hypermarket, anchor and specialty shops, food courts, restaurants, medical and education providers and a cineplex.

Other retail operators in Little India appear unfazed by the prospect of competition.

'We are the only crowd puller here, it is not enough. You will need a big mall to pull in more people. It's very important for the area,' said Mr Mustaq Ahmad, the managing director of Little India's retail giant Mohamed Mustafa & Samsuddin Co.

The Little India Shopkeepers & Heritage Association's secretary, Mr Rajakumar Chandra, agreed that the new mall would bring more shoppers into the area.

He believes that the current shops, concentrated near Tekka Mall, will still attract people looking for authentic Indian products.

'When Tekka Mall first came up, most shopkeepers here were wary of the competition because it is a big mall and it has Sheng Siong,' said Mr Chandra.

'But it turned out to be quite different from what we expected. It has an added value as we have seen an influx of non-Indian customers.'

Sheng Siong is a hypermarket chain known for cheap groceries and household items.

In a statement yesterday, CDL's group general manager Chia Ngiang Hong said it hopes City Square Mall will transform, revitalise and create a new vibrancy and 'buzz' in the Serangoon area.

'It will be the place to meet as we aim to have one of the best designed malls in Singapore,' he promised.

Property consultant Danny Yeo said that City Square will need to create a niche for itself to draw shoppers from outside the area, as Little India does not have enough residents to support a mall that size.

CDL plans to call a tender for the construction of the mall by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, it is also developing the 910-unit City Square Residences condominium next to the mall site.

The condo, which has one- to four-bedroom units, was soft launched the past weekend and could be launched as soon as April 16.

Out of the 180 units that were released, CDL has sold 108 units at an average soft launch price of $559 psf.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Renderings for the new mall:

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-04-08/ascdl8-223111.jpg

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-04-08/ascdl8-223253.jpg

Meanwhile, it is also developing the 910-unit City Square Residences condominium next to the mall site.

The condo, which has one- to four-bedroom units, was soft launched the past weekend and could be launched as soon as April 16.

Out of the 180 units that were released, CDL has sold 108 units at an average soft launch price of $559 psf.



So cheap for a FH and central mega-condo!

So cheap for a FH and central mega-condo!

Good, Little India keeps being cheap ^^

isnt it supposed to be cheaper because it is a mega-condo?

Colourful scenes of Little India, by hyacinthus.

http://img211.echo.cx/img211/809/dsc18612lm.jpg
http://img155.echo.cx/img155/979/dsc18368ig.jpg
http://img238.echo.cx/img238/6233/dsc17998kp.jpg
http://img165.echo.cx/img165/3363/dsc18196jd.jpg
http://img17.echo.cx/img17/5788/dsc18541dp.jpg
http://img232.echo.cx/img232/2484/dsc18839uk.jpg

omg thats nice pictures Hya :)

alot of colorful foodie:)

raffie..omg those jalebis make me hungry:):drool:

Very colourful... :eek:

Some more pics:

Overview of a street
http://tinypic.com/5491fc

main road (Jalan Besar)
http://tinypic.com/5491jq

an old mansion, probably a bar at night
http://tinypic.com/5491lh

the Abdul Gafoor Mosque
http://img94.echo.cx/img94/3880/liti45bu.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)

Little India is a very interesting place to explore. imo, I had more fun in Little India than Chinatown last saturday with my course mates.

This elephant god which I forgot the name - maybe drwho would like to advise - helps you to overcome all obstacles that you might face. :)

http://img175.echo.cx/img175/5563/dsc47010dk.jpg

It is found almost everywhere in Little India. On the van, in the shops, on the altars, etc... Also, I found a few backpackers' inn in little india which are opened by westerners.

Elephant gods name is vinayagar, ganesha

Raffie!> thats nice pictures!..see that you are back in Little India again..the house on picture no 3 looks cool and colorful!:cool: :)


Hya> awesome pics!..i like the colors in the pictures:yes:..yes it is Ganesha,the elephant god:) :cool:

thanks Anniyan & drwho. :)

now I recall the shopowner said it was Ganesha. Vinayagar, Ganesha is the full name?

'Ganesha' is the general name all over India ..
but the name 'Vinayagar' is specific in Tamil

for example...
The birthday of this god is celebrated as 'Ganesh chathurthi' in northern parts of india
and 'vinayagar chathurthi' in southern part of india..

oic... :) Thanks for the clarification.

Found these on left/right entrance of every shophouse in Little India... anyone knows what is that for?

http://img175.echo.cx/img175/3710/dsc18460hk.jpg

nice pics of Ganesha, hya! http://www.networkstoday.com/forums/images/smilies/pinkelefant.gif

@drwho & Anniyan, thanks for the info :)

Little India provides lots of picture opportunities..more to come!

thanks.

Here's Komala Vegetarian Restaurant Icon at the junction :colgate:

I like masala dosai

http://img175.echo.cx/img175/6225/dsc20748io.jpg

Hya> cool pics hya!:)
the last pic looks funnie:)

the things you found outside the shophouses are agarbatti-holders,dunno the english name for it,think it is joss-sticks or incense sticks its like used for prayer:yes:


raffie>http://www.networkstoday.com/forums/images/smilies/pinkelefant.gif

its cool with Chinatown,Little India :)

in the future,,we need little sweden in singapore;):yes:

oic... i thought the agarbatti was for good luck. But, why paint red on the halved lime? for good luck?

There are also some interesting old churches located in Little India, adding to the architectural diversity of the area.

Kampong Kapor Methodist Church
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/kkc3.jpg

Church of the True Light
http://tinypic.com/54tbx0
http://img236.echo.cx/img236/3840/ctl44dr.jpg

Whole of Jalan Besar is an interesting area to explore :)

You have a front view of Church of True Light to compare the difference?

yes..I find it kind of weird though ^^
http://tinypic.com/54tw7c

yes Jalan Besar fringes Little India and definitely is one area that is very colourful and still has scenes of traditional Singapore.

Hmmm... not much diff except the art-deco spire on the left seems to be an addition.

It's rather confusing sometimes... Jalan Besar Constituency includes Chinatown, Little India and the Jalan Besar area itself. :)

http://www.parliament.gov.sg/Parliament%20Members/Images/singaporemap1.gif

my goodness.. i didnt know tanjong pagar was so huge?!

^ You start first lah. :)

Little India's Shophouses

http://img175.echo.cx/img175/5952/dscn02322eh.jpg

http://img175.echo.cx/img175/2355/dscn02314pa.jpg

Jln Besar Rd's Shophouses

http://img175.echo.cx/img175/435/dscn02470zo.jpg

http://img175.echo.cx/img175/9600/dscn02405ad.jpg

hya nice pictures!.i like the blue shophouse in the last picture and the white one in the first picture Jln Besar Rd's:yes:

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/3860/dsc03468rv.jpg

Deepavali Light up along Serangoon Road
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1303/dsc02465tt.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1599/dsc02443gv.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6316/dsc03049rn.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2612/dsc02709wr.jpg

Deepavali Bazaar at Campbell Lane

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2260/dsc02073qp.jpg

Bustling with activities...
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2272/dsc02793pj.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/3931/dsc02661sw.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9961/dsc02728eq.jpg

Ganesha in such a comfortable position. Looks Cute! :D
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/857/dsc02848zk.jpg

Wah so crowded......:eek:

Nice and colourful pictures......:D

Thanks. This is for you. See. I remember your question even when I am out taking pictures ;D

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5079/dsc01686wc.jpg

Happy deepavali everyone:) (actually it is next week)

Hya thats so cool pictures!..agree with babystan...crowded and livley and colorful:yes:

Thanks. This is for you. See. I remember your question even when I am out taking pictures ;D



Wah thanks a million.....:colgate:

You want to eat indian food?

btw, do we have any indian forumers?

@drwho
nvm. it's never too early... ;D

@babystan
:colgate: u saw it?

More pictures taken at Little India yesterday.
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1857/dsc00860oo.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5856/dsc0086a4yr.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5039/dsc0086b1ew.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2643/dsc0086d3kj.jpg

Magnificent pics...the atmosphere in Little India is really very lively at night!

@Cliff
I am sure there are many Indian forumers on SSC.com ;)

@RafflesCity
Add your pictures too! :)

Oooooo, I like the last one

@RafflesCity
Add your pictures too! :)

I'll upload them soon :yes:

Little India is fun to walk through! :happy:

@babystan
:colgate: u saw it?



Yeah.....:yes: Hot and spicy food.......delicious.......:colgate:

@Cliff
Thanks! :)

@RafflesCity
... and very photogenic. I had an interesting evening at Little India too ;)

@babystan
I meant the veg set meal at $7 nett ;)

Sri Veerama Kaliamman Temple
This temple is along Serangoon Rd.
Outside
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8687/dsc03257wx.jpg

Inside
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8697/dsc03270xn.jpg

Ceiling
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1824/dsc03305rg.jpg

You can also find Chinese food in Little India (Verdun Rd) ;)

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/4859/dsc01665uy.jpg

@babystan
I meant the veg set meal at $7 nett ;)



I know......;)

Beautiful historical buildings

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/dia.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/dia2.jpg

Fancy eating in a shophouse? They are everywhere in Little India

http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/158/shind6bm.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/2127/shind23yo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Raffie nice pictures!the last two shophouses are favorite:yes:

omg..ice-ceam sign in the last pic!:)

wOw~!

I want my curry!!!

Raffie nice pictures!the last two shophouses are favorite:yes:

omg..ice-ceam sign in the last pic!:)

thanks :)

LOL a weakness for ice-cream! I wonder what Indian ice-cream tastes like :O

More pictures:

Serangoon Rd is always busy
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/indian3.jpg

One of the inner roads
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/indian.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/indian2.jpg

Getting around on trishaw
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/indian4.jpg

Browsing through the numerous shops

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/2702/indian55lp.jpg

http://files.photojerk.com/RafflesCity/indian6.jpg

Fancy something spicy?

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2161/indian70nh.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/9830/indian82pa.jpg

Pics were very nicely taken! :yes:

The streets were bustling with so much activities... many people and cars... stalls selling vegetables and flowers at the roadside... :eek:

indeed..and I may point out that some of these pics were taken way before the decorations and light-ups.

Little India is a busy stretch and simply gets livelier at night :yes:

Looks so unsingapore!!Could use it for GTC.:D

heh

It really feels totally different from many parts of Singapore...and more raw than Chinatown...its good to immerse yourself in Little India..sights, sounds, smells!

I have some old pics too :D

btw, quoted from DBS CC website

"KHANSAMA TANDOORI RESTAURANT
Whether you choose to sit upstairs (decked out in fine dining fashion) or downstairs (made cosy with Indian hand paintings on the walls), you can count on savouring the same appetizing dishes like chicken tikka or Tandoori chicken."

Sounds yummy... :D

Here's the website => http://www.khansama.net/

Hey, anyone knows what stood at the current Tekka Mall site?
Any old pics?

This temple is along Serangoon Rd.


I think there are about 3 or 4 temples along Serangoon Road.

But Little India is also diverse in its historical religious buildings, besides temples, there are mosques and churches.

Here is a mosque - the Abdul Gafoor Mosque:

Abdul Gafoor Mosque

http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/9021/agmosque3hk.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/agmosque2.jpg

RC, Hya:
do you know what was on Tekka Mall site?

Sungei Road has no shophouses... I found this pic that says Sungei Road:
http://picas.nhb.gov.sg/data/tn_pcd/19980002911-8262-3202-1091/img0013.jpg

I frankly have no recollection of what the place looked like before...how come you can't find any old pics? There ought to be loads of them since Little India is a conservation area.

Suprisingly, there's some unconserved shophouses around Mustafa. A whole city block of the had been demolished recently for the extension of Mustafa. :eek::cry:

Oh... From 1995 street directory, the plot of Tekka Mall beside Tekka Centre was a carpark.

The carpark is bounded by Clive, Hasting, Serangoon and Sungei roads.
BUT....

A section of Madras Street had been chopped off at behind Tekka Mall. :eek:


That's why I wanna explore the area. Even in Little India, change is so fast.... :(
Farrer stadium is gone also.... I dunno what it looks like too.

Back to topic :)

Besides Campbell Lane bazaar, there's another Deepavali bazaar opposite Mustafa Centre.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1405/dsc01453br.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9159/dsc01487ax.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8131/dsc01503kd.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7673/dsc01535dg.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6755/dsc01464oi.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8558/dsc01510fg.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2053/dsc01527fl.jpg

Very colourful!!!:happy:

:yes: if u have time, walk around Little India. I can guarantee you lots of things to photograph. ;)

More pictures of Little India at Night.

Traffic at Serangoon Rd - cars and crowd...
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1820/dsc02415fw.jpg

Stalls selling vegetables at night (Clive St)
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/3742/dsc02353kx.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6194/dsc02379tj.jpg

Thanks drwho. :)

Here're 2 night pictures of Little India.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/39/dsc03081yi.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8771/dsc03162xy.jpg

Some more night pics at Little India :)

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/39/dsc03081yi.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8771/dsc03162xy.jpg

^
Wow.....the clarity is superb.....:eek:

^
Wow.....the clarity is superb.....:eek:

Thank you. Buy a D50? ;)

See what some shops are selling...
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8414/dsc02603oy.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1213/dsc03390bv.jpg

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5901/dsc02035ke.jpg

^ Unfortunately no cash to buy at the moment.....:(

Buying Deepavali cards for family, relatives and friends...
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/2130/dsc02757kf.jpg

...and decorations for the home :)
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5421/dsc02763xq.jpg

^ Unfortunately no cash to buy at the moment.....:(

well... save for it ;)

I've finally found out what is this... Chappati :lol:

Should have asked when I was there.
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8035/dsc03367zg.jpg

Quite healthy cos I don't think they use oil to cook this.
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/626/dsc03375ah.jpg

little india has the most 'well preserved' shophouses... unlike chinatown, so fake....

Hya thats so nice pics:)
you must post in cityscape and photos in main-section:)

yeap thats a Chappati:yes:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=266721

Can anyone of you find my special and favorite brand from this picture? :D ;) :)
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1213/dsc03390bv.jpg

Thanks. ;)

hehe... not easy to guess... but, I'll try.

Bacardi? :)

Thanks. ;)

hehe... not easy to guess... but, I'll try.

Bacardi? :)

omg thats pretty close!..my favorite brand is on the same "floor" as the Bacardi:yes:

hmmm... Jim Bean? :)

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/9694/concourselittleindia8wg.jpg

hya the pics of the bottles are great! :cheers:

I'll take the Jim Bean, followed by the Smirnoff :D

omg thats close!:) :D

it is the bottle to the left of Jim Bean!:)

Absolute Vodka!:)

you like it? :) I like their ads. Very creative ;)

http://absolut.com/

yes thats my favorite vodka..yeap their ads are cool:yes:

my party drink is vodka + orangejuice + strawberry juice+Pisang Ambon:)

hmm... wonder if NewAsia bar has that... maybe, I'll try one day. :colgate:

hmm... wonder if NewAsia bar has that... maybe, I'll try one day. :colgate:

okok then you must try,Absolute vodka,pisang ambon,and soda:)

tastes like melon:yes:

Pisang Ambon...is that some kind of Indonesian banana?

I dunno..just curious :D

Some kind of drink which you should not drink it alone :D

http://www.pisangambon.com/

oh i dunno raffie..Psiang Ambon i think it is indonese or thai...but it tastes so goodie:)

hya is right..never drink it alone!:D

oh I would like to try it too...I trust your taste :D

haha...I thought its Indonesian because Ambon is a place in Indonesia, and pisang means banana, in Malay :cool:

ok...back to the festive and colourful scenes at Little India:

The bazaar
http://img431.imageshack.us/img431/9256/bazaar2ft.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Gritty-looking 50s/60s block near Mustafa Centre, but with lotsa food

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3853/gritty3fo.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Deepavali light-up like those of preceding years

18 Oct 05

WE REFER to Mr Shankar Sundram's letter, 'Have Deepavali light-up earlier' (ST, Oct 5).

The annual Deepavali light-up is usually held three weeks before the festival and lasts for a month. This year is no exception, with the street light-up being held from Oct 7 to Nov 6.

From our experience organising street light-ups, this arrangement builds up enough momentum leading up to the festival and sustains the celebratory atmosphere during and right after the Festival of Lights.

On the other hand, the Hari Raya light-up usually starts four weeks ahead, coinciding with the start of the fasting month of Ramadan.

This year, with the two festivals celebrated just days apart, the light-ups were timed to maximise the number of visitors to both precincts.

We would like to assure Mr Sundram that the festive lighting and activities planned for Deepavali do not fall short of those in preceding years.

We thank him for his interest, and wish him and all Hindus a Happy Deepavali.

S. Nallathamby
CEO
Hindu Endowments Board

Muhd Rostam Umar
Director, Communications
Singapore Tourism Board

raffie..i have to borrow some pics to post it in india-section if it is ok like:)

no problems at all drwho! :yes: ;) :)

Sunday morning bustle :happy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/deepa.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/deepa2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/deepa3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/deepa4.jpg

Looks crowded and lively......:yes:

Nov 4, 2005
New toy museum to open in Little India

By Krist Boo

HOT on the heels of news that Singapore will open its first toy museum in Seah Street in December, another toy collector has announced that he will open his own museum later this month.

However, Mr Marvin Chan's choice of location for The Toys Museum has raised a few eyebrows: 83 Rowell Road, a stone's throw from the Desker Road red-light area.

In the three-storey shophouse he is now renovating, he will showcase part of his collection of more than 3,000 pieces, with one storey dedicated to selling toys.

Mr Chan, who has published a book and held four exhibitions on his toys, said one reason for choosing the site was the playground located just outside it. He added that the neighbourhood is really not as raunchy as it looks.

'In recent years, the red-light activities have moved to Joo Chiat and Geylang. There are plenty of design houses here,' he said.

Many of his toys mark historical milestones in Chinese history. There are 1920s drums decrying the shame of foreign imperialism imposed on China and 1960s women doll soldiers clad in Mao suits - a product of the Cultural Revolution propaganda machine.

While some of the toys replicate those that will be on display at the Mint Museum of Toys opening next month, Mr Chan said he does not view the other outfit as a rival.

'The two museums can be complementary. What we cannot see in one, we can see in the other,' he said.

However, local toy collector Chu Kia Moh, 48, doubts that Singapore can sustain two toy museums. Unlike the United States and Europe, there are few toy enthusiasts here, he said.

But Mr Chan's museum of Chinese toys has got the nod of approval from The Little India Shopkeepers and Heritage Association.

The association's honorary secretary, Mr Rajakumar Chandra, said the spot would be a hit with tourists, though locals would likely be put off by the area's seedy reputation.

The Straits Times understands that the Government is considering Mr Chan's request to promote the museum.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

However, Mr Marvin Chan's choice of location for The Toys Museum has raised a few eyebrows: 83 Rowell Road, a stone's throw from the Desker Road red-light area.


I like the contrast! :lol: anyway it sounds quite interesting :)

Tekka Mall first-time retailers go belly-up

11 Nov 05

5 tenants served writs have folded and 4 owe several months of rent

By K.C. Vijayan

LITTLE India's Tekka Mall is in a prime location, bustling with shoppers and tourists, but some of its stores are struggling to stay afloat and a few have even gone bust.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-11-11/11sin.jpg

Five tenants served writs of seizure and sale have folded and four owe several months of rent.

Mr Gabriel Soh, 36, rues the day he moved in as one of five initial tenants.

The former resort manager gave up a five-figure salary to set up Karung Guni, a buy-and-sell exchange shop modelled on Australian-based Cash Converters, with a paid-up capital of $100,000. He poured another $150,000 into renovations, stock and four months' advance rent.

But by October last year, barely four months after his store's official launch, he quit the two-year-old mall for lack of business and $250,000 was wiped out.

His goods were seized under a legal writ for unpaid rent.

'I am very disappointed. I think part of the problem lay in insufficient marketing,' said Mr Soh.

Madam Tina Lim, 44, also had to close her basement cafe because of poor business.

She owed about $40,000 in rent and, in July, was served with a writ of seizure for the goods in her shop.

About a month later, another writ was issued to a beauty treatment shop operating on the fifth floor for unpaid rent. Co-owner, Mr Lai Kok Khiang, 52, said he had not been able to pay his rent since January as 'shoppers hardly move along the corridor of the fifth floor where my unit is located'.

He moved out last month.

Madam Fatimah Rosdi, 53, who runs a clothes store on the first floor, is also set to fold with unsettled rent.

She said her store sometimes went up to four days without any sales.

Another store, run by Madam Irene Guo, 37, selling Chinese lanterns and other souvenirs on the same floor, is holding a closing-down sale.

The affected tenants are on the six-storey second wing of the mall facing Serangoon Road, which also has two basement floors. Its anchor tenant, Sheng Siong, occupies one-third of the space in the two blocks, operating a popular supermarket, a fresh market and a well-patronised food court.

Mr Philip Leow, executive director of the mall's sole marketing agent DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, said while some tenants had failed, established players like Guardian Pharmacy and Old Chang Kee had now moved in.

The mall is about 70 per cent occupied.

Mr Leow said the landlord was bound by rules of audit and could be flexible with errant tenants only up to a point, stressing that issues were handled sensitively and with understanding.

The agent had issued five tenants with writs of seizure and sale since last year, he added.

'Four out of five writs served involved first-timers in the retail scene,' said Mr Leow.

He suggested they might not have had the right business model.

A Straits Times check showed the $180 million Tekka Mall is 90 per cent owned by Malaysian business giant Hicom Megah through its local subsidiary Corwin Holdings. However, 5 per cent is owned by shopping giant Mustafa's, which does roaring business at the other end of the same stretch of road in Little India.

About 18,000 customers throng Mustafa's on weekdays and 22,000 on weekends, said a spokesman. About 60 per cent of customers are foreigners who include Chinese, Russians and Vietnamese.

Asked why Mustafa's did not move into Tekka Mall, the spokesman said there were initial plans to occupy the entire space but they fell through. 'We are looking at expanding but not in the same area where we are now,' he said.

Asked what was needed to boost business in Tekka Mall, he replied: 'That's a problem for the majority shareholder to solve. We own only a very small share.'

tekka mall looks hideous btw

at least its one of the few available air-con places at its end of Little India

pic of the foodcourt, which seems to be well-patronised

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/9158/foodcourt7lo.jpg