Exploring Singapore and its Festivals

I am now 7 months into my time here in Singapore and so I think I now have enough experience to be able to write a post about what it has been like to live in the city-state affectionately referred to as ‘The Little Red Dot’.

NUS itself is a campus so in that respect, compared to the very metropolitan experience at UCL, this year has been different. While I certainly can’t complain about the facilities, it is an atmosphere that I have at times found to be claustrophobic. For this reason, and because there is unfortunately a time limit on this adventure, I have tried as much as possible to get to know the city outside university ('Sunday Funday' has become the official name for our exploring day)- in fact, it puts my knowledge of London to shame!

NUS University Town campus (source)

Singapore has often come under criticism for being sterile and boring but my time here has proved that this preconception is unfair. This year, Lonely Planet named Singapore its No.1country to travel to in 2015 and for good reason, especially this year. 2015 marks the 50^th anniversary of Singapore's so the Government has put in a lot of effort to enhance the vibrant atmosphere and celebrate its diversity. My first weekend in Singapore happened to be National Day when we were treated to an impressive display in Marina Bay (which Kong and Yeoh have written an interesting article about in relation to national identity and hegemony). And just the other week, I got up bright and early to head down to Little India where the Hindu population were celebrating the festival Thaipusam. I had not previously heard of it but found it fascinating! Men walked for 5km through the streets with hooks fixed into their skin which they were using to pull carts, while some were pierced with many spears. The pain is meant to connect them more closely to the god Murugan.

Singapore National Day 2014 

Man carrying a kavadi (burden) at Thaipusam

Considering that 74% of the population are Chinese Singaporean, the Chinese festivals also feature widely in the calendar. Although Chinese New Year (CNY) was the larger spectacle, the more enjoyable was the Mid-Autumn festival where families wandered through the streets of Chinatown with lanterns. The atmosphere was better because, unlike Chinese New Year which in Singapore is spent at home enjoying family time, the Mid-Autumn festival felt like more of a community occasion.

Crowds gather in Chinatown for the Mid-Autumn festival

I hope I have succeeded in demonstrating that Singapore has shaken off its dull reputation and is in fact a place where I have been able to discover a vibrant city that is full of tradition and heritage. Its modern development essentially rooted in immigration, has actually meant that it is an extremely diverse place, making it a great place to spend a year abroad.