Little India Deepavali Light-Up 2026 – Chasing Colours, People and Stories
– Text by Melody Tan & Editor AL
03rd October 2026, Singapore – After visiting Takahan Tan’s Toy Photography Exhibition at City Square Mall, we decided to continue our afternoon with a visit to the Little India Deepavali 2026 Light-Up. Rather than heading straight into the main event area, we chose to start from City Square Mall and slowly make our way towards Tekka Market via the back alleys.
The crowd appeared to be lighter than in previous years, perhaps partly due to the haze. Nevertheless, the festive spirit was very much alive. Although the Deepavali bazaar had yet to be set up, many shops had already begun decorating their premises, adding splashes of colour to the streets. As usual, the Saturday-night crowd gradually filled the neighbourhood.
Colours, music and people — these are some of the things that make Little India such an interesting place for street photography. There is an energy here that is difficult to replicate elsewhere, especially during a major festive celebration.
We decided to explore the smaller alleys and side streets instead of concentrating solely on the main attractions. Our walk took us all the way from City Square Mall to Tekka Market. It was quite a journey, particularly with the heat and haze making the afternoon less comfortable than usual.
Yet, what made the experience memorable was not just the photography.
Many people were friendly and smiled at us as we walked around with our cameras. We smiled back, and these small exchanges created a pleasant connection between us and the people we encountered. No words were necessary. It was almost like an unspoken language — a simple acknowledgement between strangers sharing the same space.
For a street photographer, these moments can be just as rewarding as capturing a technically perfect photograph.
Our experiences in Little India have not always been positive. During previous visits to the Deepavali bazaar, we encountered stallholders who shouted at us or scolded us when we tried to photograph their stalls.
Perhaps some were concerned that we were photographing their businesses without intending to make a purchase, especially when they were paying substantial rental costs. While we could understand that business owners might have their own concerns, such encounters were certainly discouraging.
Photography in a busy commercial environment requires mutual understanding. We are there to document the atmosphere, people and culture, but the stallholders are also there to earn a living. A little courtesy and communication can go a long way in helping both sides understand one another.
Interestingly, those who were friendly and welcoming could also benefit from the exposure their businesses received when we shared our photographs across our social media platforms. Street photography, after all, can tell stories about a place and the people who make it special.
As night fell, the atmosphere changed. More people arrived, the streets became livelier, and the festive lights stood out against the darkness.
This was when we began experimenting with slower shutter speeds and multiple exposures, moving beyond straightforward documentary photography to explore more creative interpretations of the scene.
Slow shutter speeds allowed us to capture movement and convey the energy of the crowd, while multiple exposures offered opportunities to combine colours, shapes and different moments into a single frame. Sometimes, the results were unpredictable, but that was part of the fun.
Not every photograph needs to be a conventional record of what we see. Photography can also be about experimentation, personal expression and the enjoyment of discovering new ways to interpret a familiar environment.
Although this was not an official Shutter Journey Singapore outing, we had a wonderful time exploring Little India together.
We walked, photographed, experimented and enjoyed the festive atmosphere at our own pace. There was no formal programme to follow and no pressure to achieve a particular photographic result. We simply enjoyed being there.
Looking back, the most memorable part of the evening may not have been any single photograph. It was the experience of walking through the streets, exchanging smiles with strangers, discovering unexpected scenes in the alleys and sharing the journey with good company.
“Sometimes, the company we keep is more meaningful than the subject we are chasing through our viewfinder.” – said AL.
And perhaps that is one of the best things about photography: beyond the images we bring home, it gives us a reason to explore, connect with people and create memories along the way.
Keen to join our walks? Click here to join our Whatapps Group!!
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Contributing Editor – Melody Tan
Loves quiet walks along beaches, has a mind of her own and decides everything in life in either black or white with nothing in between. Her priority these days revolves around her 2 lovely kids & teaching them music or photography. A lover of yoga and an avid traveler, Melody aims to visit at least 30 countries before she reach 40 years old – from what we know, she had completed 35 as of 2025.
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About Chief Editor AL Lee
Chief Editor & Founder of Ourshutterjourney.com Worldwide and Principal Trainer at Ourshutterjourney Photography Academy. AL is a commercial photographer as well as an educator who believes in the art of digital memories. Previous ambassador of several photography brands, AL is well versed in many camera systems. Someone once told us AL’s man cave looks more like a camera store than a bedroom.
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