With temperatures in the mid-nineties and humidity close to 100%, my walk from Tanjong Pagar to Little India wasn’t as much fun as it should have been. A cold mango lassi in one of the many restaurants on Sarangoon Road revived me and I carried on my trek around the neighborhood.

It’s not an area bursting with must-see monuments or buildings, though Sri Veeramakaliamman temple, with its facade crowded with colorful statues, is well worth a look. Dedicated to the goddess Kali, the temple has been the heart of Singapore’s Hindu community since the 19th century.  What makes Little India such a fun excursion is its vividness, color, and energy.  Shops selling saris and the bright yellow gold jewellery loved by Indians all over the world line Sarangoon Road, and on the Saturday I visited the pavements were crowded with young families heading out to lunch in the scores of South Indian vegetarian restaurants in the neighborhood.  Visitors to Singapore – myself included – often complain that its urban development has stripped away the traditional ethnic character of the city and leveled its older buildings to make way for bland office and apartment buildings.  Thankfully, that isn’t true of Little India.