Religious Tolerance in Singapore

Religious tolerance is very important  part  of life in Singapore. Since the colonial times up to the independence of the island,  the  governing  instiotutions of  Singapore  has give  prime  importance to racial and religious harmony. In  other  words the  harmony among different ethnic and  religious groups  have always been the top priority of the Singapore government.

The government in Singapore has to some extent successfully erased some religions and racial boundaries. Some religions, especially those practiced by Chinese ethnic groups, have even shared their places of worship with different other religions like Hinduism and Islam. Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple  which is situated in the eastern coastal line is  a prominent example of this religious tolerance.  In this  temple  you  an  see  alll  three  religions -  Taoism, Hinduism, and Islam that  are housed under the same roof. It is in fact a manifestation of religious harmony in Singapore.
The  younger  generation of  people in Singapore  have also  contributed  to this  religious  tolerance. Then blend the traditional  wisdom of the  previous generations  with  religious  co-existence. This religious co-existence has  been  encouraged  by the British  colonials who  made  Singapore their colony.  If you  visit  Bridge Street, which was a major road through the old Chinatown, you  will  see it  is home to the Sri Mariamman Temple. This  temple is  a south Indian Hindu temple that was declared a national historical site in the 1980s.  there you  can  also find  the Masjid Jamae Mosque there. This  masjid served Chulia Muslims from India's Coromandel Coast.

The religious  tolerance  is  also  taught at the  schools of  singapore. there  are also students  from  different  communities that  are  in the  same  class.  Thus the children are taught  religious  tolerance  from a tender age  there. This  leads to  religious harmony in  Singapore.

Indian Music Performances

Singapore is one of the most prominent hubs of Indians outside the country.  Almost 9% of the total population of Singapore is Indians.  Indian Singaporeans form the third largest ethnic group in the Lion City.  They have also retained a distinct social as well as cultural identity. They celebrate  their  festivals  and religious  functions with joy  and gusto  and  on the  occasion of  such functions  several  cultural programs  are  also  arranged. People take active  part in these  cultural  performances  and perform Indian  music  and  dances.  If  you  get  an  invitation to attend any  such Indian  cultural  program  in Singapore  do  not miss the opportunity.  By  attending this  cultural  program you can  get  a  fair idea about the culture and  traditions  of  Indian people  living in Singapore.

During almost every  Indian festival  a  musical  night is organized in  Singapore. Indians love singing  and dancing during the  festivals. Be  it any religious  function or marriage  songs  and  dances  are  an integral  part  of  almost every  festive gathering. So during the  Indian cultural functions you  can  get a chance to hear some of the  most  melodious Indian songs.  If  you are attending  any religious function you  can hear some beautiful bhajans  or religious  songs  that  can soothe your  ears.  If you  are attending  any marriage  you will be  able  to  hear some folk songs and  a  number of movie  songs  in Hindi.  All these movie songs are features in different Bollywood movies. You  can even  shake your legs  with  some foot  tapping numbers in occasions like these. You may  also get  to hear  some soothing Indian instrumental  music.

From time to time  some musical maestros  and  singers  from India perform  in different big halls  in Singapore.  If you  want to hear  some  quality Indian music you  can also buy a  tickets of these  shows and  enjoy the  heavenly  bliss called Indian music. 

Chinese Culture in Singapore

Singapore is considered among the  most popular tourist destination in South East Asia.  Though  the country is small in size,  the  Lion  City  is home  to  a number of people who  belong  to  different commmunities as well as ethnicities. For  a  small country  with a  short modern  history Singapore has a  rich ethnic background. A  large  section of the people who live in Singapore  have come  from  different parts  of  Asia.  These people  have  numerous ethnicities and  religious  practices. The  chinese are the largest  wethnic  communities  in Singapore.  in Fact  Singapore is regarded as the  land upon  which  the  Chinese are the  largest ethnic  group  outside China. the  Chinese population consists 78% of  the  population  of  Singapore. in other words almost three people among four  singaporean is a Chinese. 

 

The Chinese people have  a long  and  vivid history in singapore.  they  belong to different communities. There are people  of  different chinese communities. These communities have  found  a  hom e  away  from  home in Singapore. these  communities speak different chinese languages. The communities also have different culture  and lifestyle. There  are differrent ethnic  quarter in Singapore.  Chinatown is  one of the  ethnic  communities  in singapore that  is  dedicated to  the  Chinese communities.  In this  community you can  see a number of shopping  destinations and a glimpse of Chinese culture.  you  can  enjoty  authentic  chinese  cuisine.  you  can also shop for chinese goods  and  handicrafts  in Chinatown  as well. The Chinese dishes are also served at the small street food stalls. The sights  and  sound of  chinatown will take you to China.

Chinese  people practice Buddhism and some Chinese  Singaporeans also practice Christianity.  Taoism is  also very popular  among the Chinese people.  They also  have chinese  temples and shrines. You are sure to  find the  Chinese community in Singapore a lot  interesting. 

Indian Culture in Singapore

Singapore is  one  of the  most popular tourist destination in southeast Asia.  though  small in size  this  city-state  is home  to  people who  belong  to  different communities and  ethnicities. A  large  section of the people living in Singapore  have come  from  different parts  of  Asia.  These people  have  different ethnicities, culture  as well as religious practices.  You  can  find  Chinese,  Arab,  Malaya as  well as Indian people  in Singapore.  The Indians form a major part of the population in  Singapore. They have maintained  their own culture and religious practices. The  Indian  culture  has  found a  strong root  in  the  land of  Singapore. 

The  Indians first came to  Singapore when the history  of  modern  Singapore began  in the  year  1819.  At that time  a  large  number of  young  Indian male came to  Singapore as workers, soldiers and convicts.  Later the  families  of  these  Indians also  joined  them and  gradually  they  settled in Singapore.  the Inndians have created their own niche in  Singapore.

If you  want to  know the Indians in  Singapore  in  a better  way  then you  should  pay  a visit  to  Little India which is an ethnic  quarter  of  Singapore.  Little  India  is an  ethnic  quarter  in Singapore that is  dedicated to  the  indian  people who live in Singapore.  In  this  area you  can  catch a  glimpse of India.  Visiting  this place you can get a  good idea about the culture  of India.  You  will also  get a good idea  about the way of  life of  Indians  in Singapore in Little India.  If  you want  to  know about the the  culture  of Singapore  then  a trip  to Little  India is  a must. 

Indian Cultural Performances

Indians are  the  third  largest ethnic  group in Singapore.  The country  has earned  a  reputation for a having  the  one of the largest Indian population  overseas. The Indians who  live  in Singapore  have maintained their customs, traditions  and  cultures  very well. In the  festive season  several  cultural  functions are  arranged  by the  Indian  communities where Indian classical  dances,  other forms  of  dances as well as Indian  Music are  also performed.

Indian classical dance is an integral part of Indian Culture.  There are several  Indian  classical dance forms.  These dance forms include Bharatnatyam, Kattak, Odissi,  Manipuri,  Kuchipuri  and Mohiniatyam.  These dance forms are very beautiful.  Originated in India these dance  forms are  several centuries old. These dance forms till date  bear  the  essence of  culture of traditions of  India.

Having  one of the  largest overseas Indian population Singapore is also  has  plenty of cultural performances.  In these cultural  performances Indian  classical dances  are performed on  a  regular basis.  If you get  the chance to go to any of these  Indian Cultural  Functions do  not miss that golden opportunity. You will get a chance to  see some  of the  most  beautiful  dance  performances  in these  functions.  Many  tourists  who have been to  these cultural  functions have praised  them very much.  It is truly an unforgettable experience.

From  time and again some  well known dance exponents  and dance  troupes from  India come  to  Singapore  to  do some  shows. If you  want to see some of the  best Indian classical dance  performances  you can book a ticket of the show and  enjoy the performance. If  you have  an  interest  for different dance forms and love  watching some gracious  dance performances  then you must see any  of these dance  performances  by  the dance exponents. 

Geylang Serai

 If you are looking for some unique   things during your trip to  Singapore then you should look for  them at  the ethnic quarters of the Lion City. The ethnic quarters of the Lion City are home to different ethnic groups  living  in  Singapore. The markets of these quarters  are often  full of  exciting unique  items that not only represent the ethnic group  but also the country as  a  whole you  can  have a  lot of fun  while  shopping in the local  markets  at the ethnic quarters  of Singapore. You can visit Geylang Serai, one of the well known  ethnic quarters  of Singapore. At this ethnic quarter you can get a wide  array  of handicraft  items  that  has the  traditional Malaya touch  in them.

This ethnic enclave of the Malays has old world charm. Right in its middle is the Malay Village which is a showcase of traditional business and cultural activities. It is a throwback to the good old kampong days. Its shops display a wide array of items beginning from handicrafts, rugs and fabrics to furniture and antiques. You can also get into the modern Joo Chiat Complex and  get fascinated by the widespread array of textiles, clothes and jewelries.

You  can also drop by the wet market which is currently under renovation. Here you  can  indulge yourself in the smells of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Around the market there are a number of shops where you can pick up CDs of both traditional and modern Malay music. You can listen to the  beautiful  Malaya "keroncong" music and collect them for memories of your holiday in Singapore. It is  truly  going to be  an  unforgettable  experience  for you.  whether you  are  doing some  serious  shopping or  want to know about  the  traditional culture in  Singapore Geyland Serai  is the  best place to be for you.

Singlish

Singapore English has its origins in the schools of colonial Singapore. In the nineteenth century very few children went to school at all, and even fewer were educated in English. The people who spoke English and sent their children to English medium schools were mainly the Europeans, the Eurasians (people of mixed racial ancestry), some of the small minorities, such as the Jews, some of the Indians and Ceylonese, and also a group of Chinese people usually called the Straits Chinese, who had ancestors of long residence in the region, and who spoke a variety of Malay usually called Baba Malay which was influenced by Hokkien Chinese and by Bazaar Malay.

The fact that all these children would have known Malay probably explains why most of the loan words in Singapore Colloquial English are from Malay. The largest group of teachers was Eurasians, and there were also many teachers from Ceylon and India. European teachers were never more than a quarter of the total teaching staff in a school, and they usually taught the senior classes. These Europeans may have been from Britain but were also from the USA, Belgium and France. The children in these schools would have been exposed to many varieties of English.

Singlish or Singapore  English  is  the most commonly spoken language  in  Singapore.  Though English  is one of the  most  commonly spoken language  in the world, you may  still find it a little difficult to understand  the English  spoken  in  Singapore. The reason behind this  is  that you may  find a number of terms, words and phrases  from the  locally spoken languages.

Almost everyone in Singapore speaks more than one language, with a lot of people speaking three or four. Most children grow up bilingual from childhood and learn additional languages as they grow up. As expected the presence of other languages has prejudiced the English in Singapore. The influence is especially obvious in the kind of English that is used informally, which is popularly called Singlish. Singlish is a symbol of identity for many Singaporeans.