8 things you can do this Deepavali to get into the festive spirit

Soak in the festival atmosphere in Little India, where shops and vendors have pulled out all the stops at the Deepavali Festival Village and Deepavali Food Bazaar. It's a shopping paradise along Campbell Lane, which is bursting with a colourful array of flower garlands, incense, decorations, handicrafts, traditional clothing, and other festive essentials. Go hungry to Poli @ Clive Street, where you'll be spoilt for choice among a huge array of Indian street snacks and sweet desserts. 

Experience the sights and sounds of Little India from a bus on a Big Bus Tour. Catch the last specially-tailored trip on November 10 happening at 7pm and 8pm. The 45-minute ride will pick you up at Orchard Hotel, take you on a spin around Little India past prominent landmarks, before ending at the vibrant illuminations along Racecourse Road. Get your tickets here. 

Celebrating Deepavali with friends and family at home? Gather around the television and ring in the Festival of Lights together with Mediacorp's Amarkala Deepavali countdown show. The show promises two hours of showstopping dance performances and energetic musical medleys. Look forward to a star-studded cast of Vasantham personalities including Elamaran, Suthasini, Vishnu Balaji and Prasanna, local dance groups Rameshwara, Freaky Fresh, Prettyboyz, NUS Naach and Lasapphire, as well as Vasantham Star 2022 winner Navein Gunasekaran and Yaar Antha Star 2020 second runner-up Sneha Mahesh. 

Catch the live show on November 11 on mewatch, Mediacorp’s YouTube Entertainment Channel, Mediacorp Oli 968, and Vasantham. 

Fire up your tastebuds with mouth watering food from various curry houses and North and South Indian restaurants. From the delectable fish head curry at The Banana Leaf Apolo to fresh vegetarian fare at Ananda Bhavan, there’s no shortage of food at Little India. Check out our guide to the best Indian restaurants to spice up your life.

Can't get enough of the addictive flavours of Indian spices? Savour them in innovative cocktails by The Elephant Room, which has opened in a new space along Tanjong Pagar Road with a refreshed cocktail menu. Now twice the size of its previous space, The Elephant Room boasts a new spice rack where guests can see, smell, touch, and learn more about the spices (all acquired from India) that go into the cocktails. And these are special cocktails, inspired by co-founder Yugnes Susela's fond memories of Little India. Try savoury sips like Briyani ($26) – inspired by the famous rice dish from Tekka Market, it is prepared with briyani spices, sake infused with ghee, basmati makgeolli and finished with shaved cured masala egg. Other must-tries are the whisky-based Chicken Curry ($27) and the Spiced Crab Rasam ($27) which sings with notes of rasam, tamarind, and ginger flower. 

Marvel at the colourful and intricate statutes and detailing of Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple on Serangoon Road. There is also the Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple on Ceylon Road, boasting a five-tiered, 68 ft tall (about 21m high) golden entrance tower, a gem to behold in Eastern Singapore. If you wish to take photos, do take note to respect and not disturb the worshippers there.