Little India was initially adistrict used byEuropeans for cattle trading, whereIndian migrant workers found jobs, specializing in cattle rearing.[4] Its location along theSerangoon River provided good conditions for raising livestock, resulting in the growth of that industry.[5][6] Eventually, the swamps were drained, and the European cattle farmers and traders moved out. Many of the cattle rearing migrant workers stayed, and the neighborhood became predominantly inhabited by South Asians, namely people of Indian descent. TheTamil Muslims, also known as Chulias, were among the earliest groups of Indian traders who arrived, engaging in commerce and various occupations, including infrastructure construction and serving in colonial positions.[3]
Little India was officially gazetted as a conservation area on 7 July 1989, with subsequent conservation of additional buildings along Desker Road, Syed Alwi Road, and Jalan Besar occurring over the following decades.[7][8][9]
On 8 December 2013, a fatal accident occurred atSST 21:23 at the junction of Race Course Road and Hampshire Road. Sakthivel Kumarvelu, a 33-year-old Indian construction worker, was run over by a private bus, which was to transport migrant workers to their dormitories, and was killed.[10] While emergency vehicles arrived at the accident, the migrant workers started a riot over the accident. Twenty-five emergency vehicles were damaged in the riots, alongside five that were set on fire.[11] Video footage uploaded on the Internet shows rioters pushing police cars on their sides and setting an ambulance on fire.[12][13] 39 police, four civil defence and auxiliary officers were injured.[11]
There were an estimated 300 rioters[14][15] while theSingapore Police Force dispatched 300 riot police.[14] 27 arrests were made in relation to the riots[16][15] where 24 were migrant labourers from India.[17][18][19] Nine more labourers fromTamil Nadu were also arrested for their involvement in the riot with a total 33 workers who were eventually charged.[20][21][22] In addition, 53 workers were deported for offences ranging from obstructing the police to failing to follow police orders to disperse,[23] while 200 workers received formal advisories to obey the law.[24]
The riot eventually led to the implementation of a new law, theLiquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act in 2015 banning consumption of alcohol in all public places from 10:30 pm to 7 am. This also included banning the sales of alcohol products such as Rum and Raisin ice cream[25] between the time periods,[26] which was lifted in 2019.[27][28]
Under the Singapore government's policy of racial integration, Little India is deemed as a historical landmark. Many Indian businesses andcottage industries remain concentrated in Little India for the purpose of preserving cultural heritage. However, Little India is not the only zone in Singapore with a significant South Asian population, and Indian-dominant commercial zones can also be found in variousHousing and Development Board estates.[29][30]
Little India is also home toChinese Clan Associations, places of worship for various religions, and a range of businesses, including those selling electrical supplies, hardware, second-hand goods, and traditional items such as spice grinders and groceries.[31]
Little India is also home to several art houses. In 1985, theNational Arts Council launched the Arts Housing Scheme, aimed at identifying and renovating old buildings for arts and cultural activities. A line of shophouses along Kerbau Road were designated for the project, and the area is currently known as the Little India Arts Belt. As of 2011, there are seven arts organizations in the Belt. Three are contemporary theatre companies, while the other organizations involve traditional arts such as Malay dance and Indian theatre.[32]
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Little India, Singapore travel guide from Wikivoyage