Chinatown, a magnet for tourists in Singapore

Chinatown, a magnet for tourists in Singapore

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Singapore

Singapore has long been known as a shopping mecca for tourists.
But the tiny country also offers rich cultural heritage, which
has been well-preserved and is an interesting side for visitors
to explore.

One such area of interest is Singapore's Chinatown, which has
been successfully preserved by the government. The area not only
serves as the center and source of national culture but also a
place where tourists can learn about the country's history,
particularly its function as a melting pot between the West and
the East. Despite its name, Chinatown also serves as an important
area for other ethnicities.

The successful renovation of old buildings in the area
involved private sectors and citizens to provide tourist
facilities, including dining and ethnic shopping.

Telok Ayer Street is the recommended starting point for
touring Chinatown as visitors will be able to see three national
heritage spots -- the Thian Hock Keng temple, the Nagore Durgha
Shrine and the al-Abrar Mosque.

Built in 1839 and finished in 1842 by the first immigrants
from mainland China, the Thian Hock Keng Temple was an expression
of gratitude to the gods because the sailors were able to land
safely at their new destination.

The temple, whose renovation was just finished early this
year, is painted in mostly red and gold. Hundreds of tourists
flock to this temple every day.

"The temple's colors are the original paint from when it was
constructed. You may notice that nails were not used during the
construction of the temple," Adrian, a tourist guide, told
several journalists during a recent media tour organized by
American Express International, Inc.

The second point of interest to take in is the al-Abrar
Mosque, which was built between 1850 and 1885. It is also known
as Koochoo Pally (small temple) and stands as a symbol of the
initial South Indian Muslim migration to Singapore. Despite its
function as a tourist attraction, the mosque is used by hundreds
of Muslim for their Friday mass prayer.

The Nagare Durgha Shrine is an older mosque built between 1828
and 1830, also by Muslim migrants from South India.

Still on Telok Ayer Street, visitors can easily spot three
sculptures depicting the story of the early Chinese immigrants: A
sampan, a Chinese lantern festival procession and an Indian milk
trader at Telok Ayer Green.

The Mariamman Temple on South Bridge Road is the next
recommended place to visit. Traversing the road, visitors to the
temple will see how it became the traditional location for
goldsmiths, pawn shops and Chinese apothecaries.

Inside an apothecary, visitors suffering from any kind of
ailment can try out a treatment, which are used by Singaporeans.

The oldest Hindu temple was built in 1827 and dedicated to the
goddess Mariamman, who is believed to cure serious diseases,
including cholera, chicken pox and small pox, which gives us an
indication of the poor standard of health at that time.

The priests in the temple advise visitors to ring the bell to
inform the gods that they are coming. Likewise, when leaving the
temple, visitors must ring the bell for their departure.

Exiting the temple, you will see many statues of sitting cows
-- the sacred animal in Hinduism -- along the temple's wall at
the corner of South Bridge Road and Pagoda Street.

The Mariamman temple's most important ceremony is the Thimithi
to honor the goddess. During the ceremony, devotees walk over hot
coals to test their spirituality.

Other interesting sites to see in Chinatown are Niu Che Shui,
which includes the Chinatown Heritage Center on Pagoda Street,
the Chinatown Food Street on Smith Street and Hong Lim Park
Speakers' Corner on Pekin Street.

Singaporeans believe that Chinatown's history is linked to the
establishment of a trading post on the island in 1819 by Stanford
Raffles. Chinatown is located near the mouth of the Singapore
River.

As a free port, Singapore was a magnet for new immigrants
seeking their fortunes. The first junk-load of immigrants arrived
at the mouth of the Singapore River in 1921 from Xiamen in the
Fujian province of China.

Chinatown became a home to immigrants, while the nearby
Singapore River became a place to find work. Conditions were
harsh, sanitation was bad and gang crime was rampant at that
time.

Chinese make up 77 percent of the total population of four
million in Singapore. Malays make up 14 percent, Indians form 8
percent and a mix of other ethnicities make up the remaining 1
percent of the population.

The Singaporean government has managed to make rundown areas
into attractive spots for tourists by renovating a number of
buildings and other interesting points into dining and shopping
facilities.

"The government's goal to make Chinatown a significant tourist
destination has been quite successful. We don't only have
shopping malls for tourists, but cultural attractions as well,"
said Adrian.