Welcome to Singapore’s Little India, where the air is buzzing with voices, incense, the the heavy heat of the sun. Amid the vibrant bustle is Nagaraj, a street vendor from Tamil Nadu, India who has spent the past decade handcrafting flower garlands of jasmine, marigold, and roses. Woven for celebrations including weddings and festivals like Pongal (Harvest festival) and Deepavali (Festival of Lights), each garland is made with speed and skill. Many of the blossoms are flown in fresh from India, carrying a reverence much like Hawaiian flower lei. Nagaraj and his colleagues work long hours to transform baskets of flowers into offerings of color and care. He speaks to the joy he finds in his work and his appreciation for life in Singapore. Photo Credit: Molly Mamaril
Welcome to Singapore’s Little India, where the air is buzzing with voices, incense, the the heavy heat of the sun. Amid the vibrant bustle is Nagaraj, a street vendor from Tamil Nadu, India who has spent the past decade handcrafting flower garlands of jasmine, marigold, and roses. Woven for celebrations including weddings and festivals like Pongal (Harvest festival) and Deepavali (Festival of Lights), each garland is made with speed and skill. Many of the blossoms are flown in fresh from India, carrying a reverence much like Hawaiian flower lei. Nagaraj and his colleagues work long hours to transform baskets of flowers into offerings of color and care. He speaks to the joy he finds in his work and his appreciation for life in Singapore.
Photo Credit: Molly Mamaril