Singapore - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 679

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Across the road, the compound of the
Sri Mariamman Hindu Temple (daily
6am-9pm) bursts with wild-looking
statues of deities and animals in primary
colours. Built in 1827, it's the oldest
Hindu temple in Singapore.

one of the few countries left in the world
where the haipusam ritual can be
carried out in public.

Arab Street (Kampung Glam)
Soon after his arrival, Ra es allotted
the land north of the Rocher Canal to
the newly installed Sultan Hussein
Mohammed Shah and designated the
land around it as a Muslim settlement.
Soon the zone was attracting Arab
traders, as the road names in today's
Arab Quarter - Baghdad Street, Muscat
Street and Haji Lane - suggest. he Arab
Quarter is no more than a ten-minute
walk from Bencoolen Street; alternatively,
head for Bugis MRT.
he pavements of Arab Street are an
obstacle course of carpets, cloths, baskets
and bags, though it lacks the hustle and
bustle you'd find in a Middle Eastern
bazaar. Textile stores are most prominent,
along with shops dealing in leather,
basketware, gold, gemstones and
jewellery. he quarter's most evocative
patch is the stretch of North Bridge Road
between Arab Street and Jalan Sultan.
Here, the men sport sarongs and long
beards and the women wear colourful
shawls and robes.
he area's most impressive building is
the golden-domed Sultan Mosque , or
Masjid Sultan, at 3 Muscat St (daily
9.30am-noon & 2-4pm, Fri 2.30-4pm
only; free), completed in 1928 and
sporting a plush interior (the prayer-hall
carpet was a gift from a Saudi prince).

Central Business District (CBD)
Ra es Place forms the nucleus of the
Central Business District (commonly
referred to as the CBD ) - the commercial
heart of the state. A dizzying stroll
through it will reveal the soaring
metallic triangle of the OUB Centre
(Overseas Union Bank), the rocket-
shaped UOB Plaza 2 (United Overseas
Bank), and the Art Deco Chevron House .
he three roads that run southwest from
Ra es Place - Cecil Street, Robinson
Road and Shenton Way - are all
chock-a-block with more high-rise banks
and financial houses.

Little India
A tour around Little India amounts to an
all-out assault on the senses. Banghra
blares out from gargantuan speakers and
the air is heavily perfumed with incense,
curry powder and jasmine garlands.
he district's backbone is the north-
south Serangoon Road, east of which sits
the lovingly restored block of shophouses
comprising the Little India Conservation
Area , a sort of Little India in microcosm.
To the east of here, Dunlop Street's
Abdul Gaffoor Mosque (at no. 41) bristles
with small spires. Further up Serangoon,
opposite the turning to Veerasamy Road,
the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
features a fanciful gopura that's flanked
by majestic lions on the temple walls.
It is worth heading up to the Sri
Srinivasa Perumal Temple at 397
Serangoon Rd to see the five-tiered
gopura with its sculptures of the
manifestations of Lord Vishnu the
Preserver. If you are fortunate enough
to be in Singapore for the haipusam
festival (Jan/Feb), you can watch the
Hindu devotees parade all the way to the
Chettiar Hindu Temple on Tank Road,
off Orchard Road, donning huge metal
cages fastened to their flesh with hooks
and prongs. Surprisingly, Singapore is

Orchard Road
Orchard Road is synonymous with
shopping - indeed, tourist brochures
refer to it as the “Fifth Avenue, the
Regent Street, the Champs Elysées, the
Via Veneto and the Ginza of Singapore”.
he road runs northwest from Fort
Canning Park and is served by three
MRT stations - Dhoby Ghaut, Somerset
and Orchard; the last of these is the most
central for shopping expeditions.
Huge malls line the streets and feature
every designer and high-street shop you
can think of, as well as some you've never
heard of. hose not looking to spend
their monthly budget on Calvin Klein or