History

When Sir Stamford Raffles sailed into Singapore in 1819, with him was an entourage of 2320 Indian settlers in Singapore, and they resided mainly in the area near Chulia Street in Chinatown, which Raffles had originally designated for the Indian community. In the late 19th century, many Indian migrants came to Singapore to find work, be it to build roads, clear swamps or to take up key positions in the civil service.

Two major reasons for the influx of Indians into the site where Little India stands today were the introduction of cattle-rearing on the fertile land near Rochor River by wealthy cattle merchants such as Mr Belilos (a Jewish Indian from Calcutta), and the building of the Race Course for the Europeans nearby in 1843. Immigrants from Calcutta, Madras and Malaya flocked here and by the turn of the century, this area, once covered in gambier, banana and vegetable plantations, had become a flourishing commercial centre for the Indian community.

Spreading out from both sides of Serangoon Road, this little enclave of the Indian community became fondly known as Little India.