The 2017 Geylang Ramadan Bazaar may be long over but all the wonderful memories like the vibrancy of the event, the delicious food and drinks on offer and the range of merchandise one sale definitely cannot be forgotten. And to top it all off, the annual Hari Raya Light Up along Changi Road. Missed the whole thing? No worries, here's what you've missed.
Hari Raya and the Month of Ramadan
Each year, Singapore's Muslim community will experience the holy month of Ramadan where Muslims will fast from dawn to dusk, perform nightly prayers and carry out good deeds leading up to the Hari Raya festivities. Shopping for the festivities are usually done at the Ramadan bazaars along with the purchasing of food to break their fast with. The Geylang Ramadan Bazaar is definitely the most popular and biggest Ramadan bazaar in Singapore!
About the 2017 Geylang Ramadan Bazaar
Speaking of the bazaar, the Geylang Ramadan Bazaar has been a staple of the Geylang and Paya Lebar area for decades. Think of it as like a bigger version of this typical night markets you see at places like residential neighbourhoods and entrances of MRT stations. The only difference is that the bazaar sells a much bigger variety of food and merchandise.
A Millenial Oriented Bazaar?
Traditionally, Ramadan bazaars sell street food popular among the Muslim community like slices of marinated barbecued meat (called Dendeng), spiced barbecued wings and Ramly burgers. Now, it seems that the traditional bazaar format got injected with new life by a new generation of young, millennial stallholders set up shop selling a variety of millennial-friendly snacks like rainbow bagels, Raclette cheese, Thai iced teas and so much more.
Injecting New Life Into The Ramadan Bazaar, A Good Idea?
Observers agree that all these new stalls are breathing new life into the traditional bazaar format catering to Instagram-obsessed youths and encouraging more Singaporeans to support local. On the other hand, observers disagree as they find that these new breed of stallholders dilutes the tradition of the Geylang Ramadan bazaars and the fact that most of these new stalls are not Halal (fit for consumption by Muslims) which is ironic as the bazaar is mostly frequented by Muslims.
Broti: Thai Iced Teas & Sodas
Moving on from the controversy, some millennial-friendly stalls, are Halal and they have quite an interesting choices of food and drinks like for example, Broti. Broti serves a range of refreshing cold beverages mostly sold in huge cups. Their Thai Iced Tea and Green Milk Tea are their most popular and they also sell carbonated lemon soft drinks infused with flavoured syrups. Though their drinks cost $4, we find that they're definitely worth the money!
Katoshka: Crispy Handcut Fries In A Variety of Toppings
Another stall worth talking is Katoshka, a stall selling a range of hand-cut fries with a variety of toppings like nacho cheese and chili crab sauce. Apart from their delicious crispy fries, they also serve refreshing beverages to accompany your cup of fries. The stall is so popular that there's a number system to manage the long lines and a dedicated waiting area.
Dendeng Duo: Munching On Dendeng Slices In A Unique Twist
Dendeng is a popular snack especially during the Ramadan period. They're basically sliced and marinated cuts of barbecued meat with choices like chicken or beef. Dendeng Duo came up with a new way to serve this delicious snack which is to serve them in a taco. In the taco, there are slices of lettuce, tomatoes, Dendeng meat and for an additional dollar, get it smothered in nacho cheese sauce. Definitely a great way to consume a favourite classic.
Loco Loco: All About Fusion Churros
Lastly, another stall worth a mention is Loco Loco, a stall selling churros, a popular deep fried snack cake sprinkled with cinnamon sugar originating from Spain. Sure, there are a lot of stalls selling churros out there but the thing that sets them apart from other sellers is their fusion flavours. You could get them in flavours like pandan and chili crab and their texture is more cake-like compared to others. Just recently, they set up shop in the basement of Yishun shopping mall, Northpoint.
The Annual Hari Raya Light Up
Of course, what would a Geylang Ramadan Bazaar be without the annual Hari Raya Light Up? Travel along Changi Road from the Eunos area to the Geylang area and be presented with an array of brightly-lit colours and lights. It's glitzy, glamourous and definitely adds to that already vibrant atmosphere of the bazaar.
Conclusion
Overall, the 2017 Geylang Ramadan Bazaar was definitely worth the visit. With its new range of stalls, its vibrant atmosphere and the exciting yearly Hari Raya Light Up, you can never go wrong with this annual event. Will definitely look forward to next year's edition and more exciting stuff that's coming up!