Eating off a banana leaf
There is plenty of food in Little India. The popular ‘banana leaf’ restaurants are everywhere; this is where the main meal is served on a banana leaf. The menu includes delicious curries, with great options for vegetarians. Other delectable snacks are the vadai (savoury fritter-type snack) and stringhoppers (steamed noodles made from rice flour) – most food stalls have their own speciality.
Hindu sanctuary
Just like India, Little India in Kuala Lumpur is home to a blend of faiths and houses of worship. Churches, mosques, Hindu temples and Buddhist sanctuaries stand side by side. The most colourful building is the enormous Sri Kandaswamy Temple, a prime example of Tamil architecture. This temple serves as an important reminder that a large part of the original immigrants hailed from South India and Sri Lanka. This 100-year-old temple is the lively centre of many religious festivals and ceremonies.
Shopping for saffron
The most important shopping street in Little India is Jalan Tun Sambanthan. Here you will find many small shops packed with large piles of saris and fabrics. While saffron is usually only sold in small portions, here it is sold in large bags, just like cumin and cinnamon. To shop for modern products, head to KL Sentral, the newest commercial hub in Brickfields. The centre is located in and around a former shunting yard.