Mural Hunting @ Little India And How To Find Them

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.

Wall Mural By Mural Artist Yip Yew Chong @ Chinatown

Letter Writer 

336 Smith Street

Singapore 050336

Mid-Autumn Festival

83 Pagoda Street

Singapore 059242

Dreams Of Chinatown

30 Temple Street

Singapore 058575

Coffee Shop

30 Temple Street

Singapore 058575

Wet Market

30 Temple Street

Singapore 058575

30 Temple Street

Singapore 058575

My Chinatown Home

30 Smith Street

Singapore 058944

Cantonese Opera

5 Temple Street

Singapore 058556

The Window

227 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058776

Lion Dance Maker

227 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058776

The Window

227 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058776

Mamak Stall

227 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058776

Paper Mask & Puppet Seller

227 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058776

Detective Conan In Chinatown

266 South Bridge Road

Singapore 058815

Thian Hock Keng Temple @ Telok Ayer Street

During the previous Car Free Sunday, I made a return trip to Telok Ayer Street to take photos of Thian Hock Keng Temple as well as the mural on the rear wall behind it by mural artist Yip Yew Chong.

Did you know that Thian Hock Keng Temple is Singapore's oldest Hokkien temple? Built between 1839 - 1842, many had contributed towards the building fund of the temple but the biggest donor is Philanthropist Tan Tock Seng.

The temple was designed and built according to Chinese temple architectural traditions by skilled craftsmen from China but what's amazing is that not a single nail was used in the construction. It has even received a plaque from Emperor Guang Xu (光緒帝) of the Qing Dynasty!

Imagine that! The great Qing Emperor knew of the existence of our tiny temple far away in South East Asia!

The temple was gazetted as a national monument on 28 June 1973 and among the many awards it has won throughout the years, it's latest win was an honorable mention in the 2001 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards.

Wall Mural By Mural Artist Yip Yew Chong @ Thian Hock Keng Temple

After my visit to the Fuk Tak Chi Temple, I proceeded to Thian Hock Keng Temple which is situated along the same street. 

I was not too happy with my shots at the 178 years old temple that day as my new lenses were not suited for wide angle shots. As I figured what to do, I took a walk around the perimeter of the temple when I realized that mural artiste Yip Yew Chong has been commissioned by the Hokkien Huay Kuan to draw a 40m mural at the rear wall behind the temple. 

For the uninitiated, Thian Hock Keng Temple is managed by the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan (Huay Kuan = Clan Association).

I thought I could take photos of the mural instead since my shots of the temple were not satisfactory. However, my view of the murals were obstructed by the vehicles parked alongside the wall.

Yip Yew Chong's Mural Hunting At Tiong Bahru

After visiting the goats at Tiong Bahru Market, I went in search of some other wall murals around the vicinity by another talented artist Yip Yew Chong.

The murals done by him were scenes from the old Tiong Bahru which really brings back fond memories for me as my grandparents used to stay at the already demolished Blk 30 Jalan Membina - the biggest HDB in Singapore at that time (the current site of that four storeys building opposite Tiong Bahru Plaza now).

As a small boy, the old Tiong Bahru Market and the bird singing corner were places where I frequent when we visit my grandparents every weekend.

Goat Xi Fa Cai @ Tiong Bahru

Tiong Bahru Market

2016 is the year of the monkey and more than half a year has passed so why am I still in the year of the goat? That is because, the following murals of goats were intended for the year 2015. My last visit to Tiong Bahru was two years ago, seemingly  after some chicken murals installed by the same artist Ernest Goh.  

A total of three goats can be found in and around the marketplace.

Fowl Play And Fishy Business @ Tiong Bahru

My curiosity was aroused when I learn that there were Cockerels running amok at Tiong Bahru.

They are not your usual chickens per se but murals put up by artist Ernest Goh as part of the 2014 Tiong Bahru Heritage Fiesta.

I knew I had to come check them out when I first saw the photos from the Cheekiemonkies!

Without much further ado, let us go catch some chickens!

Hokkien Rhymes

This fun and whimsical project presents an investigation into rhymes from the local Hokkien dialect and their gradual disappearance.

These rhymes are prevalent in pockets of conversations among an older generation of Singaporeans. Sadly, these quaint rhymes are being eroded through lack of use, with no written records. This project aims to preserve a selection of these quaint rhymes before they disappear.

Video: The Lady And The Reaper

An old lady living alone on her farm was waiting for death to arrive so she could be reunited with her dead husband.

One night, while asleep, she receives the Reaper's visit and he invites her to step across the threshold.

However, when she is about to do so, she awakes in the emergency room of a hospital: an arrogant doctor has brought her back to life.

A frenetic struggle between the doctor and the reaper ensues to see who will finally get the old lady’s life.

Video: Paranoia

'Paranoia' is an animated short film made by four students as part of their final year degree project for Thakur-Toonskool Advanced Animation Academy.

The film begins with the protagonist traveling in a late night Mumbai train and the carriage is empty except for a few sleepy passengers.

As the train pulls into the next station, a mysterious man with a briefcase boards the train and sat directly in front of him...

Video: The Passenger

This animation reminds me of the bizzare case in Canada where Vince Weiguang Li, a Chinese immigrant beheaded and cannibalized a Canadian bus passenger in front of other horrified travelers four years ago.

Li, 43, had repeatedly stabbed his victim, who had been asleep on the seat next to him. He cut off the victim's head, removed his internal organs, pocketed his nose, tongue and an ear, and taunted police and bystanders with the severed head.

Li said he was acting on "the voice of God" to kill his victim, whom he believed to be an alien for if he did not do so, he (victim) would kill everyone else.

He was later diagnosed with schizophrenia and was found not guilty of murdering 22 year old Tim McLean on a Canadian Greyhound bus on July 30, 2008.

Video: Zero

In a world that judges people by their number, Zero faces constant prejudice and persecution. He walks a lonely path until a chance encounter changes his life forever: he meets a female zero. 

Together they prove that through determination, courage, and love, nothing can be truly something.

Video: RUIN

RUIN is a remarkable CGI animation produced by Oddball Animation and directed by Wes Ball.

Set in a "post-apocalyptic universe", the protagonist found something he has been looking for but was soon spotted by a hovering aircraft which eventually resulted in a realistic high speed pursuit that is sure to blow your mind away. 

Video: The Monk And The Monkey

On his final quest to become a monk, Ragu sets out on a mission to seek the sacred fruit.

However, before Ragu could lay his hands on the fruit, it was snatched by a mysterious monkey who has been tailing him secretly all the way from the temple.

Hot on the trail of the shameless thief, Ragu was not going to let one monkey get in his way of becoming a monk.

Ragu has to make a painful decision at the eleventh hour when both the monkey and the sacred fruit fell over the cliff.

Video: Something Left, Something Taken

When Max and Ru decides to take a vacation at San Francisco, hitching a ride in the vehicle of the "Zodiac Killer" was not something they had in mind.

Watch how the story unfold as the couple's vacation unwittingly turns into a nightmare beyond their wildest imagination!

Based on a true story.

Video: Subwars

The train you are travelling in pulls into the next station.

The door slides open and an elderly man wobble his way in.

There is no empty seat in sight and he could only look around aimlessly while holding on tightly to the pole.

What will you do?

Fall asleep immediately? Turn a blind eye?

The next time you wanna deny an old man of his seat on the train, think again!

3D Street Art By Joe Hill At Parco Bugis Junction

Aliens VS Predators?

I'm sure you have come across such amazing 3D pavement art from your email or facebook before.

Wouldn't you have wished to see them 'live'?

In partnership with Bugis Junction, organiser National Heritage Board has brought in renowned 3D street art artist, Joe Hill from the UK, to present two new pieces of artwork.