Is it possible to do that, one may ask. It’s possible when you’re at Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD where the country’s largest and most comprehensive transit hub is located, which makes exploring India that is so far yet so near.
The ERL at the Stesen Sentral transit hub should take you to KL International Airport in under 30 minutes and thereafter you’ll be on the way to the home of the magnificent Taj Mahal.
Alternatively, walk across the road (Jalan Tun Sambanthan), or use the covered overhead walkway from the NU Sentral lifestyle mall at Kuala Lumpur SentraL CBD, and you’ll be in Kuala Lumpur’s largest Little India, which is Brickfields.
It’s the heart of the Indian commercial area with always something going on. You can’t miss the looks of bold colours and sharp contrasts, the smells, feels, sounds and tastes. Shops line the street selling beautiful sarees, silks and fashion accessories and eateries are practically everywhere.
Of course being in multiracial, multicultural and pro-investment Malaysia, Brickfields is also a place where the locals and international people go about their daily life harmoniously.
Currently undergoing urban transformation, the place blends the old and the new.
The old, where time seems to stand still and where communities left physical records through their buildings, a few of which are over a hundred years.
The new, who are the young upscale urbanites, city-proud, media-literate, brand-centric, trend-sensitive, culturally-aware and very socially-conscious.
New York City is not the only place that never sleeps. Kuala Lumpur doesn’t sleep too, and Brickfields being a thriving part of the capital continues to pulse with activity after hours. Shops don’t close at 5pm. In fact, nightlife here is vibrant.
Feeling ravenously hungry that you could eat a horse or just craving for something special? Many take-away restaurants stay open; some even operate 24/7 except for an hour or two to clean up and then it’s BAU (business as usual). There are also street food vendors where you can grab cheap, tasty snacks on the go.
Other businesses that don’t close down after dark include convenience stores, launderette, barber shop, a few clinics and of course hotels. Do you know that Brickfields is on Airbnb’s list of the world’s up-and-coming areas to stay in? Why? It enjoys great accessibility and connectivity and has good dining options.
International people will feel at home with its sidewalk cafes and alfresco dining in their T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. Or dressed to the nines and dine like a king at the newly opened six-star St Regis hotel located just across the road at Kuala Lumpur Sentral CBD.
Other amenities in Brickfields include schools including an international school, a law college, places of worship, banks, supermarkets and a post office.
A meaningful monument here is the Torana Gate, India’s gift to the people of Malaysia as a mark of friendship. Identical to the design of the Great Stupa at Sanchi, Torana Gate showcases India’s rich culture and history.
For Indian nationals working here, when you’ve that yearning for home, home is indeed just a skip and a hop away. Little India@Brickfields is a place to write home, or rather “Skype” home, about.
Images: Sourced from sakshipost.com, anjuandjoe.wordpress.com, franctan.com, thestar.com and theedgeproperty.com
Check out the latest addition to KL Sentral here.
