Singapore: Little India & Chinatown

I have traveled to Singapore on several occasions on account of business trips. As a result, I truly believe I have seen more corners of this little country than most locals.

When I first came on her shores in 2008, I stayed on for more than 3 weeks and you can ask any of her visitors and they'll tell you that's more than you'll ever need to go around this extremely "artificially beautiful" country.


So about Singapore, don't go there if you are looking for adventure or adrenalin or for seductive waterfalls or for lost wilderness coz u won't find any, what you do find here, however, are very simplistic and welcoming locals, an amazing mix of global cultures, a fusion of popular cuisines, bustling nightlife, beautiful architecture  and towering them all is the omnipresent smell of money showcasing Singapore in the only way she wants to be seen - as a business district & commercial hub like no other.

So here I was in my cozy $250 a night hotel room, a week before Diwali when I head out to Little India and Chinatown.


To my immense pleasure, the first sight alone of Little India was enough to throw me back into old days when Diwali was very much a celebration in India. 

I walked for nearly 20-25 minutes alongside all the decoration

Enough to get me all sweaty and wanting for some cool "Daap"

I had an epiphany sometime back while I was wandering on the streets of Chinatown - that no matter which part of the world you go, all the Chinatowns in all the major cities across this world have striking similarities. It's like they are continuously being replicated across space and time. What an achievement.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

One Hundred Buddhas

In this temple, statues of 100 Buddhas are placed on both sides of the main hall. I don't pretend to be an expert in matters of faith but I would like to point out the irony here because Buddha himself was against idol worship. 

The concept of self-realization which he so devoutly practiced had as one of its founding notions the IDEA that you have to find your OWN path to self attainment and the path of Buddha was for him alone. 

But as happens so very often in history soon after his death, mankind craved for yet another idol - this time it was Buddha's.

After all this preaching :) it was almost evening and time for me to join in the buzz and chaos of the night market.