Covering an area around Queen Street, Chulia Street and Market Street, Little India is an ethnic Indian enclave. Walking on the streets, you cannot avoid smelling Indian spices and hearing Bollywood music. The area is very lively; one might say it is the noisiest part of George Town with the sights, sounds, aroma and foods of India.
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Arulmigu Mahamariamman Temple
Built in 1833 and expanded in 1933, the Sri Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Penang. It is dedicated to the deity Sri Muthu Mariamman and features a gopuram (sculptured tower) of 38 Hindu deities. Enter the temple during prayer hours in the mornings and evenings; remove your shoes prior to stepping into the temple.
Kuan Yin Teng
Built in 1801, the Goddess of Mercy Temple is one of the oldest Chinese temples in Penang. This Taoist temple is flocked to by pilgrims year round, particularly on the 1st and 15th days of each lunar month. The building is decorated with intricately crafted dragons and a pair of stone sculptured lions which guard the temple. Puppet shows and Chinese operas are staged in the temple's square on the Goddess of Mercy's feast days and there is an octagonal well in one corner, which was once a public well for the Chinese community.
Built as the home of Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee, a prominent Chinese tycoon, this green-coloured Straits Eclectic house is now home to thousands of Peranakan antiques once used by the Peranakans. It was also featured in several movies and television series, such as Singapore's The Little Nyonya and The Amazing Race (Season 16). Free guided tours in English and Mandarin.
Built in 1803 and named after Caudeer Mohudeen, an Indian Muslim merchant who was also the Kapitan Keling, or leader of the Indian Muslim community. This historic mosque features a dome-shaped minaret that reflects Moorish Islamic influence and has been a prominent place of worship for local Indian Muslims for over 200 years. Free tours operate during non-prayer times. Shoes must be removed prior to entering the mosque and women are provided with heavy robes to wear. Men who are not appropriately dressed will also be supplied robes.
The oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia was completed in 1818. The church was designed by Robert Smith, a military engineer who is known for his oil paintings of early Penang, which are now housed within the Penang State Museum. A memorial dedicated to Captain Francis Light, in the form of a Greek temple with a marble slab, stands within the church's compound. Services are still held at the church on Sundays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
A lot of antique cameras and photographic accessories.