Since I am doing a food trail at Tekka Market, I thought why not explore the area a bit? After some Googling, I realized there are quite a fair bit of wall murals here at Little India.
The murals should be quite easy to find, I thought. Just create a Google Map (map at the bottom of this post), pin their locations and that is it.
Alas, I am not familiar with the area thus I took a lot of wrong turns and retracing of steps. I think I do not quite understand my own map. Haha!
The unforgiving weather did not help one bit and I was sun-kissed (sunburnt) so slap on your sun screen and put on that long forgotten Fong Fei-Fei hat stashed somewhere in your store room. Otherwise, Mum's beautiful UV umbrella will do too.
I believe the mural hunt is doable in one day but it took me two days to complete instead. I had to cut short my hunt on the first day because I could feel the twitching in my calves. It is a warning I could not ignore for it is the prelude of an incoming cramp.
It has happened a couple of times before and I was left grimacing in pain at Sentosa, The Singapore Zoo and even in the middle of the road while crossing traffic at Bugis.
I realized all my cramp episodes occurred after walking a little too much under the dreary Sun and not hydrating enough. I have since learned to read the signals - rest when the warning comes or else, face the wrath of the cramp monster. It is not fun to be left immobilized by the road side with no one to help you.
I was finally able to cover the remaining murals on the second day, a week later.
Cattleland 2
by Eunice Lim
67 Kerbau Road, Singapore 219189
This is one of the easiest to find right outside Little India MRT Station Exit E. Simply turn left after exiting from the station and you will see these colorful cows.
I did not realize that Little India MRT Station have that many exits?
Walking along Race Course Road, you will come to Three's A Crowd cafe. The following mural is painted on the cafe's outer wall.
A Ride through Race Course Road
by Jaxton Su
74 Race Course Road, Singapore 218574
The problem with murals in alleyways is having your view being blocked by illegally parked motor bikes but frankly, this one is still not so bad. Wait till you see the next one.
Madan Mogra, Jasmine of the City (2017)
27 Chander Road, Singapore 219536
On the wall just right beside the previous mural, is this mural of giant jasmine flowers. A 2017 piece, part of the mural has already faded. There should be a foreign worker in safety vest squatting right by the backdoor.
Unfortunately, view of the lovely jasmine has been blocked by an entire row of trash bins.
Exit the alley from this side, walk along the five-foot way till you see the Belilios Road sign. Head towards it and you should reach the side entrance of Sri Veeramakaliamman temple (keep a lookout for the shoe rack).
Turn 90 degrees to your right, and you shall see the next artwork.
Mayura
by Boon
22 Belilios Lane, Singapore 219962
At the back lane of Aqueen Heritage Hotel is a 70 metre row of three giant peacocks in pink, blue and green. "Mayura" is Sanskrit for peacock.
Walk down the lane all the way, turn right and you will see the following.
Traditional Trades of Little India
by Psyfool
8 Bebilios Lane, Singapore 219955
This artwork, "Traditional Trades of Little India" is just round the corner from "Mayura".
Retrace your steps back to the Sri Veeramakaliamman temple, walk along the main road (Serangoon Road) till you come to Broadway Hotel. There is a bus stop and traffic light in front of the hotel but walk past them and turn left.
Dancing in Unison (2021)
by SKL0 and Bhajju Shyam
195 Serangoon Road, Singapore 218067
You may not notice this as it is located on the side wall of Broadway Hotel. It is one of my favorite piece. Perhaps due to the deers and ribbon, there is a Christmassy feel about it.
Return to the traffic light at the front of the hotel. Cross the road and you will see the next mural opposite.
Daily Delivery (2018)
212 Serangoon Road, Singapore 218074
This is another one of my favorite. It depicts a scene of a tiffin delivery man (I think they are called dabbawalas) delivering packed lunch to customers. What is so impressive about these dabbawalas is that they did it without technology and have existed long before grabfood and foodpanda came along.
Moving against traffic along Serangoon Road, we come to the next mural.
Layers (2018)
by Shah Rizzal
240 Serangoon Road, Singapore 218086
Working Class Hero (2017)
by Zero
11 Hindoo Road, Singapore 209110
Earlier, when we crossed over the road from Broadway Hotel, we instinctively turned left towards "Daily Delivery". "Working Class Hero" is a bit further in towards the right.
If you find the person in the mural familiar, that is because it is a portrait of the famous Tamil film star, Rajinikanth.
Future Reminisces (2020 )
107 Rowell Road, Singapore 208031
What is interesting here is that this is actually made up of two different murals from two different artists. That black and white sad looking man was an artwork from the Singapore Night Festival in 2010 called "Light in Little India" by Elmac.
The colorful part of the mural was only put up last year but the artiste, Didier Jaba Mathieu did not paint over Elmac's work. Instead, he painted his work around it.
The artwork intertwined UFOs and skyscrapers with scenes from Indian heritage such as temples. If you stand along the main road (Rowell Road) with your back facing this mural, you can see Berseh Food Centre right ahead.
Vilakku bb (2021)
by Mithra
50 Dunlop Road, Singapore 209379
I was looking high and low for this mural of an oil lamp but no matter how hard I looked, I simply cannot find it. My calves were protesting by this time and I was ready to end the search.
Just when I was about to give up, I spotted it ahead.
Actually this piece, and the next, is located near Rochor MRT Station Exit B. You will see the next mural first before coming across "Vilakku bb".
11 Perak Road, Singapore 208132
I could not find the title of this artwork depicting a boy dangling a $100 note with a string but what if I told you that the artiste responsible for it is the one behind those famous murals at Georgetown, Penang?
This mural is a little tricky to find as it is painted on the side wall of a laundry shop next to Perak Hotel which is kind of a blind spot. If you are coming from the direction of Rochor MRT Station Exit B, you will not see it unless you turn to look back.
Tip: keep a lookout for the laundry shop or its "laundry 24 hours" signboard.
A few murals ago, I began receiving signals of a impending cramp but I tried to hang on for as long as I could. Since Rochor MRT Station is just nearby, I decided to call it a day.
A week later, I resumed my mural hunting with "Kathaka" below at 86 Serangoon Road.
Kathaka (2017)
86 Serangoon Road, Singapore 217991
This mural is painted along the walls of the five-foot way therefore poses quite a challenge to photograph with the pillars and an abandoned mobile phone showcase glass cabinet in the way.
If you are observant enough, you would have discovered that the artist has done quite a number of murals in this area.
Loops of the Precious (2016)
Alleyway off Upper Dickson Road, Singapore
Just round the corner from "Kathaka", remember to look left into the alley or you will miss this which can be hard to spot as it is in a single color which may appear white-washed by the sunlight.
The remaining murals for this trip are all located in a cluster together further in Upper Dickson Road till the junction at Clive Street.
by Ceno
48 Upper Dickson Road, Singapore 207502
As you exit Upper Dickson Road, you will come face to face with this mural of a Chinese Samsui woman and a Indian rickshaw puller having tea/coffee.
Alive @ CLIVE (2017)
by Trase Oner aka TS1
104 Dunlop Street, Singapore 209423
Right opposite the Indian rickshaw puller is this piece. Unfortunately, the view was blocked by the trash bins.
Warp & Weft (2021)
by Khairulddin Wahab
48 Upper Dickson Road, Singapore 207502
And right opposite the Samsui woman is this piece.
I Am Still Here
by Dyn
Poli @ Clive Street
You will not miss this mural of a Indian woman in head scarf behind the Samsui woman. The title and the way she stare scares me a little like she is still waiting for someone who did not turn up.
Now, we retrace our steps back to Serangoon Road and walk against traffic till we get to Veerasamy Road.
Weaving Through Time (2020)
by Song
2 Veerasamy Road, Singapore 207305
You really have to keep your eyes peeled for this one as it is quite hidden from sight. You might just walk past without noticing it.
And finally, we have come to the last of the artwork in this mural hunting at Little India. Coincidentally, we started with "Cattle 2" by Eunice Lim and ended with "Folding Dreams" which is done by her as well.
Folding Dreams (2021)
by Eunice Lim
130 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore 207694
This mural was said to be inspired by Mustafa Centre nearby which started out as a handkerchief seller.