Singapore shoppers make a beeline for Johor's Little India bazaar

JOHOR BARU: The annual Deepavali bazaar in Johor Baru's Little India has drawn local shoppers and visitors from Singapore seeking traditional snacks, clothing and other festive goods.

Its strategic location in the city centre, close to the Johor Causeway, makes it a popular destination for Singaporeans seeking a variety of items ahead of the festival.

The annual bazaar offers a wide selection of goods, including traditional snacks, clothing, home decorations and women's accessories.

Singaporean visitor T. Murthy, 78, said he and his family travelled to the city every year to buy traditional snacks sold at the bazaar.

"There is a wide variety of snacks here, including muruku, which taste very good because they are traditionally homemade.

"They are also much cheaper and more affordable than those sold in Singapore. That is why I enjoy shopping here for Deepavali," he said when met yesterday.

The bazaar also reflects the spirit of unity, with visitors from different communities taking the opportunity to shop and experience the festive preparations.

Clothing trader S. Candrika, 39, said her stall selling Punjabi attire attracted not only members of the local Indian community but also shoppers from other ethnic groups.

"We have regular customers who return to shop here every year. We also receive visits from Malay and Chinese customers who buy traditional Punjabi clothes.

"Some buy them to wear when visiting their Indian friends, while others purchase them for events with an Indian traditional theme," she said.

Another trader, J. Sathis, 31, said unpredictable weather and occasional rain in recent weeks had affected businesses to some extent.

"This area is well known and is one of the attractions for visitors during the Deepavali festive season.

"I expect the number of visitors to continue increasing as the festival approaches on Sunday," he said.S