Klang - Places To Visit 1 - Jalan Tengku Klana

Some places don't really change, some aspects of a place improves, but on the whole a place retain their unique character. One such place is Little India , along Jalan Tengku Klana (across the Klang river bank towards Port Klang).

Most of the shops or businesses, albeit new ones are owned or operated by Indians, Indian Muslim & Punjabi traders and also some chinese owned businesses in between them . This place goes way back ?how far back take a guess! Place has not changed much except that the local restaurants/shops have improved on the cleanliness, decor & service.

The primary business of this place is Saree/Textile shops, Spice shops, Gold & Jewellery Shops, Restaurants, Audio/Video Shops (mainly Indian origins, though a lot now sell English movies). the picture above is the premier Saree center in Klang.

During the festival of "Thai Ponggal" (around Mid-January or month of "Thai" in Tamil calender) or harvest festival which mainly celebrated by Malaysians of Tamil origin, houses and shops are decorated with banana trees & coconut and mango leaves interwoven and strung in front of the houses and shops. They then boil "rice" with milk (albeit the right time by astrological indication) & let the milk pour over the pot & shout "Ponggool Ooo' Pongggal" singifying the prosperity for the year.

While the Tamils in Klang primarily are not farmers, the tradition of celebrating Ponggal is getting more fervour with each passing years. It seems there revival of sort or its just the younger generations are more interested in their traditions. For what ever the reasons, Little India of Klang does come alive.