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unique. In the Southern part of India, it
is reflected in the pyramid shaped towers
(gopurams)
that have been constructed
using sandstone, soapstone or granite.
The work that has gone into sculpting
the towers of the
Sri Kandaswamy
temple
is simply jaw dropping. Each carving is
extremely detailed and depicts a religious
scene. The 104-year-old temple is now a
bustling tourist attraction. The priests
here perform all sorts of rituals for those
who seek their services. The temple also
hosts weddings, performs housewarming
rituals and other religious ceremonies.
Both the
Sri Kandaswamy
temple and
the
Buddhist Maha Vihara
temple, stand
as testaments to the influence of the Sri
Lankan workers who were brought here.
Apart from the temples, one will also find
a fair amount of churches along these
streets. Many Indians have taken on the
Christian faith which means there are
many churches of various denominations
located mostly along Jalan Sultan Abdul
Samad
.
There is also a small mosque
on Jalan Sultan Abdul Samad known as
Madrasatul Gouthiyyah
.
I’M HUNGRY
With a nickname like Little India, one can
expect all the treats, trinkets and delicious
food related to the Indian culture. Many
of the stores here are owned by Indian
businessman. Most areMalaysian-Indians
but there are some who have brought
their authentic Indian influences here.
The streets smell fragrant from the rich
and aromatic Indian spices. Spices here
are cheap and when cooked properly, can
give dishes such complex and flavourful
notes. They have everything from chilli
powder to
dhal
flour. There also various
textile shops that sell Indian silk and
cotton products. Most of these stores are
decorated with green, purple or gold cloth
that can easily be turned into garments.
Here, you’ll find everything you’d need to
make a traditional
saree
, which is worn
by women at formal events.
You can also find traditional Indian
sweets like the
halwa
which is made
from carrots or flour and milk. Or opt
for something milky like the
rasgulla
a
syrupy dessert. But one thing’s for sure,
all Indian sweets are extremely rich and
sweet. So, if you have a sweet tooth,
you’ll be thoroughly pleased.
Next time you find yourself wandering
the streets of Kuala Lumpur, head to Little
India. You won’t regret it.
WHAT MAKES BRICKFIELDS STAND
OUT
The Temple of Fine Arts is located along
Jalan Berhala and is essentially a cultural
organisation offering dance, singing
and arts courses related to South Indian
culture. It was first started in 1981 and
dancers who have been taught under this
roof are said to be some of the best in the
world. Apart from offering courses, the
centre also organises various shows – in
and around Kuala Lumpur – just to keep
the unique and rich Indian culture alive.
More so than the big buildings and
fancy architecture, Brickfields is probably
more famous for its delicious banana leaf
Indian restaurants. Plump rice, served
with a spicy curry and mouthwatering
sides of chicken, mutton or vegetables.
AMAZING BUILDINGS
Though Brickfields is tremendously
Indian, it is also tagged as a Divine
Location because of the numerous
religious structures here. Some of them
are well over a hundred years old.
Many of these religious buildings are
concentrated along Jalan Berhala, which
actually means Shrine Road. You will find
the
Buddhist Maha Vihara
temple and
the
Sri Sakthi Karpaga Vinayagar
temple
along this road.
The most famous temple is the
Sri
Kandaswamy
temple which is one of
the most prominent Sri Lankan-Tamil
temples located along
Jalan Scott
. It is an
amazing sight as the large temple is bright
and shows the rich Tamil architecture.
Indian temple architecture is very
Shopping at Brickfields
Indian biryani rice