A bridle path, in existence since at least 1821, marked the beginning of Serangoon Road, making it one of Singapore's oldest roads.

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The road, which passes through what we know as Little India, has been a cultural centre for the Indian diaspora in Singapore since its earliest days. Unlike Chinatown and Kampong Glam, it was not initially demarcated as an area for the Indian community, but grew organically.

 

It was once a centre for brick kilns and cattle farming, which drew many Indian workers there. The cattle settlement was established in Serangoon Road in 1835 and given the name Kandang Kerbau ("Cattle Pens" in Malay). The area spans over spaces known today as Buffalo Road and Lembu Road.

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As Housing And Development Board flats were built in the area, the cattle slowly found greener pastures elsewhere, though some traces still remain in the Little India vicinity. 

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Text adapted from Roots.gov.sg, Singapore Infopedia