Nearly every country has a Chinatown that accommodates the traditions and cultures of the Chinese who had migrated several centuries ago. But Indians who left their country to work as indentured labour or as professionals have seldom had a part of a city where their lives and ambitions are showcased.
This changed in Malaysia on Wednesday with the inauguration of a boulevard named “Little India.” It was once a congested and smelly neighbourhood called Brickfields. “The Malaysian government's decision to dedicate the area of Brickfields, one of the oldest Indian settlements in the country, as ‘Little India' is a tribute to the contribution to nation-building of all Malaysians of Indian origin,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh acknowledged while declaring it open along with his Malaysian counterpart, Md. Najib.
Indians dominate “Little India,” but the two major communities — the Malays and the Chinese — also share space with them. Shops are stacked to the brim with goods familiar in India — Sakthi Rasam, Parampara incense and Gold Winner Sunflower oil. There are desperate attempts to keep one cultural mooring intact — vegetarianism. “Restoran Chat Masala” offers ‘Pure Veg North and South Indian' along with “Pure Chinese food without onion or garlic,” which helps to keep the ‘mind, body and soul healthy.'
Tamil movie CDs on offer
Shops are full of Tamil movie CDs, with a few offerings of Hindi films. The local Tamil newspapers crowd the shop entrances. Liquor shops too try to bring back nostalgia with a never-seen-in-India elongated bottle of Old Monk and a Black Mischief Rum which plays on the popular White Mischief vodka in India.
An enthusiastic crowd of about 8,000 Indians, with a sprinkling of their Malay and Chinese neighbours, waited for four hours to catch a glimpse of Dr. Singh. While Malaysian security was light, Dr. Singh's minders played the spoilsport by ensuring that the audience and the visitor never got to see each other.
Najib's gesture
On the other hand, the Malaysian Prime Minister, whose party was largely forsaken by voters of Indian origin in the last elections, utilised the opportunity to the hilt. After Dr. Singh left, enveloped by his security and waving feebly to the crowds he intermittently glimpsed on video screens, Mr. Najib plunged into the masses, shaking hands and being affable. And the first ‘India town' was born.
Keywords: India-Malaysia relations, Little India
Comments:
AS an indian, I am happy that Little India has born in Malaysia and the community at large has to go with the country they live for ultimate development,thanks to the govt of Malayasia who have always, been very helpful in building up individual society, like Hindu, Musliam and Christian and other minor community to have their way of life and also take part in the development of the country.
The contribution of Indians in Malaysia and Singapore and other south eastern nations is remarkable. In these countries there are temples built not only by ancient Hindu kings but also in the last two centuries Indians had gone and not only established themselves and contributed to the growth of these regions. Almost all had become citizens of those lands and now third or fourth generation citizens live there owing allegiance to these countries as lawful citizens. Still they have not remarkably given up their traditions, beliefs and customs. Their temple worship is very remarkable and their ‘bakhti’,’devotion’and able temple management would shame us all. Anyone visiting these lands in Thai Poosam would see it for themselves how not only ethnic Indians but also the other communities participate. It is hoped that the PM’s visit would help cement better trade, commercial and cultural relations between our county and these valuable nations. It would be a wise investment, therefore, to lay greater emphasis on these nations than on the west and EU.
There are however some issues which strikingly appear to any visitor to these countries. These are overly attuned to Chinese as bulk of their population is Chinese. There is very little broadcast of Indian news in these regions compared to the Chinese broadcasts and telecasts, Indian news is totally absent. This certainly appears to be out of sight of the local high commissions. They need to look into this aspect. Legitimately our news (Doordarshan,etc) should also be telecast in the telecasting network in these nations. The cultural and information attaches of the high commission of the south eastern countries would need to look into this aspect. Going lower down in the region, in Cambodia, there is more French presence still and there is hardly any attempt by our local embassies/consulates to show case our contribution over the last 1000 years. This was visible to anyone witnessing the 1000th year celebrations of Hanoi in Vietnam. It was so pronouncedly Chinese oriented that the government of Vietnam cancelled that part.
This is a matter that needs to be looked into by our PM, Foreign Minister and the array of officials and think tanks in the foreign ministry. The HRD ministry has also to advise the foreign minist
Congratulations to the Malaysian and Indian Prime Ministers.
It was truely an amazing moments yesterday to recognise Brickfield as Little India. Its reminding me of Paris as Little Europe!
It is a reward like present given to the Indians to be read as gratitude of Malaysian government. Everybody should be happy it will create a memory of our India in their mind always. Thanks to Malaysia.