Masjid India Shopping, Kuala Lumpur

A makeover is taking shape here as part of the Malaysia’s beautification and upgrading project. Don’t fret; all is not lost despite the covered walkways and paved paths. Little India’s vibrant character is very much alive.

Vendors lug bales of sarees through the traffic and past shops heaped with gold, traditional medicines and gaudy glass bangles. Brightly hued sarees and Bollywood-inspired Indian dresses (salwar kameez and lengas) are some of the greatest temptations here. Salwars are loose fitting tunics with a long knee-length shirt/blouse while lengas are long skirts.

My favourite is the one-stop complex, The Madras Store (100, Jalan Masjid India) for fabulous sarees, brassware, oil lamps and home accessories. Another that comes highly recommended is Saree Centre (98, Jalan Masjid India). For fancy jewellery, Little India (50, Jalan Masjid India) is sought after, mainly by young brides-to-be. Prices correspond to the weight of the jewellery. Remember, the price of gold is fixed. What you’re bargaining then is the premium on the workmanship.

At the other end of this street, there’s a different sort of street theatre with huge crowds congregated around peddlers vociferously declaring the merits of their cure-alls – for impotency, feminine facial hair – through loudspeakers. If all this is too much, have your feet massaged the traditional Malay way, for just RM30. On Lebuh Ampang street (a short walk from Masjid India), shuffle between spice and sundry shops, Indian restaurants and saree shops. Pop into Nalli’s (49A, Lebuh Ampang), a hot favourite among locals for the latest saree trends, be it in chiffon, Mysore silk, Kanchipuram or cotton. Stop to savour every type of Indian sweet imaginable along the way. Try phatisa, moti choor ladoo, kalakand or barfee.