Singapore's Little India: Past, Present, and Future, Second Edition (1990) with Epilogue

Singaporean society's distinctive identity rests on its ability to balance past traditions with modern goals. This is reflected in its physical landscape. Interspersed amidst the new skyscrapers are pockets of community space which allow Singapore's special brand of pluralism to flourish. This book describes the spirit of one such community space: Singapore's Little India. The authors reconstruct its past -- those days of convict labour, cattle-men, commercial traders, and pioneer families; analyse its present -- where craftsmen, cottage industries, and restaurateurs provide access to a fascinating Indian way of life for both Indians and non-Indians alike; and speculate on its future -- a future in which planned change might incorporate the best of the past in the present, for the future. The Epilogue added to this second edition brings the book up to date with a discussion of the current status of conservation in Singapore in general, and in Little India in particular.