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Geylang Serai
Geylang Serai exudes the uncontrived friendliness of a place that has been
allowed to evolve on its own. It's old and proud of it.
Geylang Serai brings visitors back to Singapore in the old days when it was not that developed and cosmopolitan. Amid the traffic drone, you can hear the faint but gay 'tink tink' of bicycle bells as elderly cyclists pedal past. Unlike the modern steel and glass structures that dominate Singapore's city skyline, the shopping complexes here are all modestly low-rise and concrete but painted in old-fashioned blocks of not-so-modest reds and yellows. People on the streets, mostly headscarf-clad Malay women, amble along the pavements, a luxury in this city- state known for its hectic pace and clinical efficiency.
Geylang Serai was not the earliest Muslim enclave, but it is the focal point of the modern Malay community. The vibrant Malay culture here is untainted by efforts to conserve and dress up ethnic hubs for tourism. Geylang Serai is unadorned and proud of it.
The British administration resettled Malay villages from Singapore River to Geylang Serai in the 1840s. The most common cash crop cultivated in Geylang Serai then was lemongrass, or serai in Malay. The area derived its name from the similar sounding kilang serai, which refers to the factory which then produced citronella oil from lemongrass.
Malay kampungs sprouted as more people resettled here from the over crowded Kampong Glam in the 1930s. The villages were small communities that shared public amenities like water standpipes, where residents collected water, did their washing, and exchanged pleasantries and gossip. Front doors were always opened in case neighbours stopped by to chat. Social interaction was abundant and convivial.
In the 1960s, the government dispersed the 5000 households to the surrounding public housing areas in Chai Chee, Haig Road, and Geylang Bahru.
Geylang Serai remain the shopping and eating mecca to where Malays make their pilgrimage during the fasting month before Hari Raya Puasa. The much anticipated Hari Raya Light Up sees streets adornedwith glittering lightsand colourful decorationswhile crowds throng the bustling night market bazaar that sells all things Malay. They shop for apparel and stock up traditional Malay kueh or pastries for the festive season.
Even when it's not the festive month, Muslims gather at Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre. Humble and cramped, the market nevertheless displays a cacophony of colourful sights and sounds. The market stalls offer spices, dried seafood, meat produce, and vegetables in baskets and burlap bags.
After some bracing bargaining with the hollering but friendly market stallholders, shoppers often confer over cups of the tarik, tea 'pulled' from one tumbler to another, at Geylang Serai Food Centre. Malay food does not get more authentic or varied than at the food centre, where some hawkers have operated for decades. Nasi goring and nasi lemak are some quintessential eats.
The Malay Village that sits next to the market preserves Malay Cultural crafts and traditions. It is built as a replica of the traditional kampung of the 1950s, when Malay houses were mostly propped on stilts to keep away floods, snakes, and the tropical heat. The cultural museum inside showcases artefacts like kris and musical instruments. Visitors can play kampung games such as capteh, a quirky game of kicking a rubber disc decorated with colourful feathers such that it does not fall to the ground.
It is perhaps hard to pinpoint what exactly is the appeal of the area, but
Geylang Serai is a friendly neighbourhood that's worth visiting.
