Housed in a cluster of shophouses which dates back to 1913, the Little India Arcade is a conserved building. It was renovated into a shopping place for Indians right in the heart of Little India and houses “all things Indian” under one roof.
You can find two interesting plaques on the building’s pillars. One plaque is located on a pillar at the corner of Hastings Road and Serangoon Road. It refers to the people who came to work here from Kerala and Tamil Nadu and dates back to 1826 - 1827. It has an animal head which is believed to represent a cow or a buffalo. It serves as a reminder of the cattle trade activities in the area. The plaque is written in Tamil, one of the four official languages of Singapore. The second plaque is located on the pillar at the corner of Campbell Lane and Serangoon Road which dates to 1828. It refers to the ‘burning ground’ (probably refers to cremation) belonging to the “Hindoo people of Madras and Singapore.”