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Locals and visitors alike have known this part of western Sydney as Little India for years – after all, a whopping 45 percent of Harris Park residents have Indian ancestry. But now, a new campaign by the City of Parramatta wants to make the affectionate nickname official to celebrate the local community and attract people from outside the area.
There are more than 20 businesses in the hub, which spans Marion Street, Wigram Street and Station Street East, selling everything from vibrant traditional clothing like saris and achkans to heady spice shops and some of the finest Indian cuisine you’ll find in Sydney.
Gurmeet Tuli, local businessman and initiator of the movement to rename the area said in a statement: “We have achieved the goal we set out to, and are pleased with this decision.” The local council were active in engaging with the Harris Park community who were overwhelmingly in support of the initiative.
“Discussions were held with Council, local community, the business community in the area, and the wider Indian community of Sydney,” Tuli said. “The discussions were all positive and encouraging.”
While the move to make things official is only set to remain in place for the next six months, this is a great step in recognising and celebrating the significant cultural contributions that long-established enclaves make to the larger food landscape of the city.