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History
Field Trip - "Little
India" Rationale The
rationale of organizing a fieldtrip to Little India is to stimulate the
students' interest in a subject, which is about the past and which few students
find relevance to the present. This
is especially true in the Singapore context where Singapore society had become
more affluent and developed, and many of the original infrastructures had either
given way to commercial overtures or facelifts to suit the general modernity of
the Singapore society. It is hoped
that through the visit to Little India, students will exposed to real places,
people and situations which are not part of the school life, and this will in
effect bring about a real understanding of history with emphasis to personal
experience and activity. The
fieldtrip itself will also be an effective way to add variety to the approaches
and activities to history teaching. This
is true as through the course of pre-field trip preparations, field trip itself
as well as the post-field trip activities, students will be given he opportunity
to exercise a wide range of skills. This will give students a better idea of
living conditions of the Indian immigrant community during the founding years of
will be able to appreciate the importance of Little India in relation to
Singapore history. In the process
it is all about the fostering of historical empathy and historical imagination,
which is controlled by the context and the evidence provided by the field trip. Objectives ·
To give students the historical background of the Indian
migrants. ·
To provide students with the knowledge of the different
economic activities that were carried out by the Indians. ·
To enable the students to see the various trades that are
carried out by the Indians. ·
To show the students that the street names bore the
remnants of the Indian heritage and the colonial past. ·
To indicate to the students the importance and relevance
of the cattle trade to the Indian community. ·
To highlight the religious aspects of the Indian community
in Little India. ·
To introduce the concept of "Change and
Continuity" by placing the role of Little India" in the past with
relevance to the present Little India. Linkage of the Site to the
Syllabus The
secondary two syllabus encompassed the topics of the coming of the immigrants
and their role in helping Singapore grow into the prospered port in the 19th
and 20th century. Little
India being one of the earlier enclaves of Indians will provide the students the
opportunity to see what they had learnt in the textbook.
It will also facilitate the understanding of historical concepts and
content as it will assist in the learning process of the students because of the
visible and tangible evidence the students see as opposed to the written books
in the text books or the teacher's oral explanations
Linkage of the Site to National
Education Although
Singapore itself is a multi-racial country, it had been appalling to see the
lack of knowledge that young Singaporeans had with regards to the other races.
Being born in a relative turmoil-less environment which every race live
in harmony, it had been assumed and taken for granted that the need to observe
racial harmony had been imbued in our students.
Singaporeans' lack of understanding and religious sensitivity could one
day be our undoing as we faced new challenges in the 21st century. This is in view of the increasingly intense racial conflicts
in parts of Southeast Asia. The
site hoped to propel students to think along the broader aspect of racial
understanding and harmony. There
is a need to educate the student that Singapore's success came from not just the
government and political leaders but also the nameless figures portrayed in the
countless old postcards. They were
the ones who contribute to the success of Singapore in one way or another.
We need to inform the students that our success did not come easily
especially in the face of the 1964 racial riots which showed the importance of
racial tolerance and harmony. Through
learning more about a particular race, in this case the Indians, it is hoped
that the students will see the relevance of the Indian in the broader context of
their role and contributions in nation building.
It will also hope to reinforce one of the themes of National Education
namely: "We must preserve racial and religious harmony" Content
Outline of the Site The Indian Immigrants The Indian immigrants came to Singapore as a result
of push and pull factors. Faced
with great difficulties and hardships in their homeland either in India or
Ceylon, the Indians left their homeland in search of better working conditions
and pay elsewhere. Assured by their
British colonists of good job opportunities in Singapore and Malaya, many
Indians swarmed to this part of Southeast Asia working as labourers in
plantations or low-ranking civil servants in the British government service.
The Indians were employed from India via two systems, the indenture
system and the "kangany" system.
Both system operated at the same time from 1900 to 1932, until the Great
Depression. The indenture system
was run by private agencies which recruited Indian immigrants en masse from
India by paying for their passage fees. In
return the Indians worked for the employers in repayment of the debts for a
period of time, usually five years. After
which they would be allowed to seek other jobs or continue to work with the
employer. The "kangany"
system required an Indian immigrant, called the kangany.
He would be entrusted by the employer to recruit workers from his own kin
or village to work with him in the new land. Because the kangany could understand the custom, language and
the religion of his people, team spirit and togetherness were fostered within
the Indian working community. However
the "kangany" system came to an abortive stop after the Great
Depression. This was as a result of
the limitation of the issuing of the kangany licences and also the imposition of
the Alien ordinance of 1933 which restricted the inflow of male immigrants.
Singapore was also the unglamourous dumping ground of
Indian convicts from Indians. Convicts
were brought by the British to Singapore when it became
a penal colony in 1825. Even with
the revision of policy in 1860, Indian convict labourers were a presence in
Singapore until 1873. The convicts
were made up of different groups of Indians like the Sikhs and the Bengalis. For
48 years, the labour of these Indian
convicts spawned the likes of infrastructures in Singapore such as the
Sri Mariamman temple, the Sri Veeramakaliamman temple, the St.Andrew’s
Cathedral and the Supreme Court. After
serving their due in the prison, some of the convicts stayed in Singapore in
search of a fresh start. The
Origins of Serangoon Road and the Cattle Trade Serangoon
Road was the first road built in Singapore and appeared in Lt Jackson's 1828
plan of Singapore as "The Road leading across the island".
The construction of this road was needed as a link between the
settlements in the town and Serangoon harbour in the north.
The harbour provided access to the lucrative lumbering and quarrying
activities in Pulau Ubin and in Johore, across the Straits.
Serangoon Road or better known as Little India was never designated as an
Indian settlement. It was never a
feature in Raffles' Town plan of 1822. The
early concentration of Indians was at Market Street/Chulia Street (present
Chinatown area) where the earliest Tamil mosques and the oldest Hindu Temple
were located. Chulia Kampong which
was the first area designated by Raffles to the Indians. The place was then
known as Kampong Susu which mean milk. A
later concentration of Sindhi, Gujerati and Sikhs was in High Street (present
City Hall area). There were also
some Telegu/Malayalee concentration in the vicinity of the dockyards and
railways stations of Tanjong Pagar and Keppel.
Those who settled in Serangoon Road came from India in the later part of
the 19th century long after Indians had settled in Tanjong Pagar. Serangoon
Road was an attraction to settlers because of the presence of rivers and where
gambier, nutmeg, coconuts and even rice were grown. The ready supply of water
and grassland for grazing made this a perfect place for cattle grazing, which
became one of the predominant trade of the Indians. The proximity Serangoon Road had to the government offices
and the convict prison at Bras Basah Road near Dhoby Ghaut meant that the
Indians who were engaged in prison related services and supply settled in
proximity to the prison. Other
Indians working in the racecourse also lived in Serangoon Road.
Over
the year Serangoon Road had changed drastically.
The junction near Selegie Road and Serangoon Road used to reside the
south Indians. In the early 1820s
to 1930s, the shops by both sides of the road would have been gone and in its
place would be vegetation and swamps. This
will perhaps bring us to the question of which etymology of the road is the
right one. The
Indian Muslims, who reside around this area, were not averse to killing of
cattle. An abbattoir was situated around here where the cattle imported from
Indonesia were transferred down Sungei road. The present of bamboo which is
suitable for the making of cattle pens (Kandang Kerbau, buffaloes sheds) make
this place ever more suitable. Its
location and resources made Serangoon Road an important occurrence.
This road being the main artery link the commercial ports at the
Singapore river to the other ports along the northeastern side of Singapore
facing the Johore straits. It must
have been a sight seeing the herds of cattle moving down Selegie road all the
way down Serangoon Road where the abattoirs, mostly owned by the Muslims, were
located. Cattle and sheep were also
imported for slaughter houses which were located in Syed Alwi and Sungei Roads.
H. Desker, who has a road named after him (Desker Road, which is now
synonymous to another "flesh-selling" trade) ran a profitable abattoir
there. The Tamil Muslims were also
engaged in this business Beside
cattle rearing and related activities, wheat-grinding, sesame oil presses,
rattan works and pineapple preserving factories become an economic feature of
Serangoon area. At one stage of
time, cattle raising was dominated by J. R. Belilios, a Venetian Jew and Kadar
Sultan, a Muslim. Other merchants
such as Adolph Landau and L. C. Joffie set up business as pineapple merchants,
where they had a symbiotic trading relationship with J. R. Belilios.
The pineapple skins, sesame and wheat husks became fodder for cattle.
Other than rearing cows and buffalos for the dairy trade, bulls and
buffaloes were used for drawing bullock carts which were the chief cargo
transport vehicles in the 19th century.
Indeed
what was remained from the then-thriving cattle trade was only an inscription
indicating the flourishing cattle trade which was once here.
The cattle trade was abolished via a Municipal Act in 1936.
With this main source of Indian income removed, this area gradually
evolved into one supporting Indian families and businesses, Indians also
continued to explore other avenues of trade and businesses.
As more and more Indians settled here, bringing along things that were
Indian, many Indians who need things that remind them of the homeland continued
to patronise this area. Thus this
place came to be known as an enclave of Indian culture.
Because it is by far the most comprehensive, it is better known as Little
India. Thus does it ring a bell
with regards to the massive groups of Indian workers who swarmed into Little
India every weekend? The other Communities Zhujiao Centre The
present Zhujiao market previously housed the British government offices and
hospitals. The original Zhujiao
Market, which was demolished in 1981 for the widening of Bukit Timah Road, was
actually on the opposite side of the road namely the position of the Little
India Shopping Arcade. "Zhujiao"
in Chinese or Tekka in Hokkien actually mean the base of the bamboo shoot.
This was perhaps due to the enormity of bamboo plants in this area.
Better known as Tekka Market, it was previously an old market which sell
fresh vegetables and meat and other daily necessities to the various
communities. Hawker displayed their
ware on straw mats and the haggling of prices for the freshest fish and cheapest
vegetables was a common feature in Zhujiao Market.
Zhujiao Centre or Tekka Market appears to be a peculiar name in a
predominantly Indian settlement. Nonetheless one thing which was not commonly known is that
there were actually Chinese who were living near the other ports along the
Johore Straits and also in Chinatown. These
Chinese were usually Chinese coolies and wharves labourers.
They called this place Tekka Market.
Obviously, the same place is called differently by different communities,
but somehow the Chinese version stay on. No matter what the name was, this
market provided an important service as to cater to the Europeans, the Chinese,
the Indians and even the Malays. As
with the old market, the function of the new Zhujiao Centre is a wholesale and
retail center for fresh market produce, housing more than two hundred stalls
selling fish, meat, vegetables and poultry. Trades
and Professions Gold Smiths Shops Gold
is an important item in Indian culture, be it the celebration of a first born or
wedding. In the past the goldsmiths
were already having a thriving business. In
the olden days, transactions were made in term of Spanish dollars which were
however non legal tender in India. In
order to use their earning when they returned to India, the Indian workers will
purchase gold in Singapore and bring them back to India where they will sell
them for cash. Judging from the relative importance of this exchange, it will
perhaps account to the congregation of goldsmiths shop in Serangoon area.
One in every few shops along the street is a goldsmith.
Another interesting thing to note, the Chinese had actually infiltrated
into the gold business being the predominant gold dealers in this area.
It all started in the 1960s with the Batu Pahat goldsmith shop which is
just beside Zhujiao market. Nonetheless
what is needed to highlight to the students is that this was the first in Little
India. If you would all take a closer look, some of these shops had
Chinese manning the shops although they have Indian names.
These Chinese surprisingly know how to speak fluent Tamil to communicate
with their Indian customers. The
presence of the idols of the deity Ganesha or Shiva shows a way of establishing
links with the Indian people. The
two key points that one had to take note is that religion and language remains
two important aspect of linking the Indian community together. The
flower shops Flowers
played an integral part in Indian culture.
The flowers are made into garlands which were used in religious and
wedding purposes. Usually jasmine
is used as it produces a sweet smell. During
weddings, the garland had to be specially made and may cost up to a few hundred
dollars. The amount of money that
people are willng to pay for the garlands is a reflection of the importance of
flowers in Indian culture. The
fortune tellers
Like many trade, such as the gold smith who carves gold as a living, the
fortune tellers is also a vanishing profession.
There are a few type of fortune tellers, one of them used the parrot
to pick up cards which tell something about the seeker's future; another
relied on palmistry to read fortunes. Unlike
in the olden days, where important event, be it the death of a kin or the
marriage of individuals, the fortune teller would be consulted.
Nowadays as more and more Indians become modernized, this ritual of
consultation with a fortune teller on events had become a chore which is only
observed by the older generation. With
the gradual move towards modernity, the fortune teller had started to lose its
appeal with the younger generation. It
will in fact be quite soon before this trade is completely wiped out.
It is hoped that through this, the students can see changes and be a
witness to a change that will be happening.
It will also allow the students to appreciate that change is constantly
happening around and it will take tremendous effort to prevent change.
However it is also hoped that the student will see the change as a
positive one as it mean the move towards modernity. Indian
Spices and Provision Shops
The constant need of spices and things that is uniquely Indian is the
main reason why Little India had not lost its role and usefulness in the present
day Singapore context. Unlike
places like Chinatown and Kampong Glam which is gradually losing its ethnic
identities, Little India still retained the distinct ethnic flavour which was to
continue to attract Indians to make the trip down to Serangoon Road to buy
Indian spices and provisions. Throughout
the years, the function of the Indian provision shops had evolved from handmade
groceries to machine-made ones. Nonetheless,
the spices and provisions exhibited an inimitable facet of Indian culture.
One
of the first Indian provision shop entrepreneur was P. Govindasamy Pillai.
He came to Singapore in the early 1900s when he was about 17 years old.
After being unemployed for some time, he secured a job in a provision
shop. Later, with the help of a
Chettair's loan, he started his own business.
He built his house first in Campbell lane and later Race Course Road.
Being one of the first few Indians to succeed in Singapore, he was a role
model for Indians who started businesses in Little India.
His shop is still run by his descendants in Little India. Religious
Aspects Sri
Lakshminarayan Temple The
Sri Lakshminarayan Temple belonged to the North Indians. It is situated at Chander Road which leads off Kerbau Road to
the northeast. Its prominent
features are the blood red coloured pointed domes.
Unlike the South Indians, the temple does not have the splendour of that
of the South Indian Temple. They
also worship different deities. Sri
Veeramakaliamman Temple
The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple was one of the oldest Hindu temples in
Singapore, the oldest being Sri Mariamman Temple in South Bridge Road..
The building of this temple was believed to be initiated by either the
Indians working in the lime kilns in Kampong Kapor or the Tamils who were
involved in the cattle rearing trade.
By the end of the 19th century, the shrine of 1835 is replaced
by a wooden temple and gradually more rooms were added; statues of the goddess
was shipped from South India and renovations and additions were made.
The Temple reflected the deep faith the Tamil Hindus have in their
religion and Veeramakaliamman, the Mother Goddess.
The temple was also to act as a focal for sociocultural activities as the
Tamils always believed that they could not live in a country without a place of
worship. Even up till now, the
temple caters beyond the Singapore Indians but it has also become a meeting
place for the foreign worker from Tamil Nadu.
Abdul
Gaffoor Mosque The
Abdul Gaffoor Mosque is situated at Dunlop Road. The present Mosque built in 1907. The Abdul Gaffoor Mosque differed slightly from the other
mosques in Singapore as it contains a richer array of classical motifs.
In terms of layout, it is also more symmetrical, basing its architectural
details on Saracenic and Roman themes. The
dome and the minarets are particularly refined in their modeling.
The original Abdul Gaffoor Mosque, which was a mere wooden structure, was
known as Shaik Abdul Gapore Mosque Abdul
Gaffoor was then the Chief Tamil Clerk with the legal firm of Khory and Bridys.
In 1887, as trustee of the Mosque, Abdul Gaffoor applied to the
government to erect a new mosque. He
raised the necessary funds from the rentals for the shophouses and sheds he had
built nearby. The Abdul Gaffoor mosque was excluded from the fieldtrip as a result of the distance. What was hoped to be achieved through the fieldtrip was that the students will be able to appreciate that the Indians were not a monolithic entity just like the Chinese who were also divided according to their dialectal differences. The Indians also consist of the Indian Hindus and Indian Muslims, the latter taking Islam as their religion. It is also hoped that the teacher can highlight to the students that the Hindu temples were close by and so is the Roman Catholic Church, the Lady of Lourdes at Ophir Road which catered to the spiritual needs of the South Indian Catholics. It showcased the aspect of racial and religious harmony as Chinese, Malays, Indonesians, Eurasians and Indians still live in peace and harmony in Serangoon Road and Jalan Besar as they did in the early years of Singapore.
Route
to take: Little
India is too big to be covered within the time limit of 1 hour.
Thus the field trip route will be shortened to allow the students to have
a good look of the major places of interest. The first stop will be at Hasting Road, where the brief
history of Serangoon Road will be introduced to the students. The cattle trade will again be emphasized.
Subsequently the student will be brought to Zhujiao Centre where the
history of the other races will be told to them.
This is in conjunction with the questions that they were supposed to do
on their worksheets.
Students
will then be asked to observe the abundance of goldsmiths shops in Little India,
where they will be asked the importance of gold in the Indian context.
They will also be informed to observe the idols that all these goldsmith
shops were worshipping. The Batu
Pahat goldsmith which is a stone's throw from the Zhujiao center will be
highlighted to the students as the first Chinese goldsmith shop in Little India
There is a need to inform the students that the importance of gold remain
the same throughout the years but the owners of the goldsmiths shops are now
most Chinese who can communicate effortlessly with the Indian community.
Students
will be led to walk across Kerbau Lane, to Buffalo Lane and along Chander Lane,
finally stopping at the junction of Rotan
Lane. At this point, it will be
useful for the teachers to explain to the students the history of the lanes and
their place in history.
After
the brief introduction of the roads and the people they were named after, the
students will be introduced to the religious aspects in the form of Sri
Veeramakaliamman Temple. From that
point, the teachers can also try to get the students to visualize the different
religious institutions in proximity, namely the Abdul Gaffoor Mosque , Church of
Our Lady of Lourdes and instill the concept of racial tolerance and acceptance .
The teachers can also bring the students into the temple and tells them
the general rules to observe when entering the sacred ground.
In the temple, the teacher can take the opportunity to inform the
students of the religion and the deities worshipped.
This story telling session will be able to entice the students' interest.
The
students should now be brought back to Hasting Road by crossing over to the
other side of Serangoon Road. Along
this part of the road, where it links Cuff road, Upper Dickson Road, Dunlop Road
and Campbell Lane, the teacher can again relate the history of the road names.
Along this stretch of the road, there will be provision shops, sari
shops, Video CD shops, spice shop and flower shops where the teachers can stop
at any point tot explain to the students. What
is hoped is that the students will be able to see and be more aware of the
various aspects of Indian culture.
The purpose of walking this stretch of congested road is to let the
students experience the busyness of Little India and the importance of it to the
Indians. It is also hoped that the
students can experience that of which the Indian immigrants in early Singapore
hope to have- the feeling of home.
A suggested way to round up the session could be a lunch or dinner at Komala Villas, where the students can try and taste different types of Indian food. The teacher can also bring in the fact that food had also remained unchanged throughout the years and Indians still come to Little India for their groceries and spices because they are easily accessible here.Closed
Up Map of the route in Little India
Author information goes here.
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