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Little India, Edison/Iselin, also known as Oak Tree Road, is a predominantly South Asian shopping, business, and dining district centered on a road, designated County Route 604, situated in Middlesex County, in
Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...
New Jersey, and set amidst a suburban residential region home to many South Asian families. One food and entertainment critic has named the "atmospheric" Little India as one of the "50 Best Reasons to Live in New Jersey."


Location

Little India on Oak Tree Road runs for about one-and-a-half miles through Edison and neighboring Iselin, New Jersey. The epicenter of Little India retail is traditionally on the two-block stretch of Oak Tree Road between Correja Avenue and Middlesex Avenue in Iselin, an area officially known as India Square; there, as of 2017, rents were roughly double over the rest of the strip. The intersection of Wood Avenue and Oak Tree Road is where the two towns meet. Little India is located in Central Jersey in Middlesex County, the U.S. county with the highest concentration of Indian Americans. This zone is the largest and most diverse
South Asian South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; T ...
ethnic enclave and cultural hub in the United States. According to the 2017
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educat ...
, 42.6% of Iselin residents identified themselves as being Asian Indian, the highest for any
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
in the United States. The area is served by Metropark Station, providing a one-seat commuter rail connection to
Penn Station Pennsylvania Station is a name applied by the Pennsylvania Railroad to several of its grand passenger terminals. Pennsylvania Station or Penn Station may also refer to Current train stations * Baltimore Penn Station * Pennsylvania Station (Cinc ...
in Midtown Manhattan. Some have lamented the stroad status of parts of the strip as inhibiting ideal walkability, and have advocated for improved
sidewalk A sidewalk ( North American English), pavement (British English), footpath in Australia, India, New Zealand and Ireland, or footway, is a path along the side of a street, highway, terminals. Usually constructed of concrete, pavers, brick, ston ...
s.


Culture, cuisine, and commerce

Oak Tree Road in Edison and Iselin is home to over 400 South Asian business establishments, including dining, halal grocery, jewelry,
apparel Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...
and electronics retailing, and entertainment. Many come to the area for its traditional gold and Maharashtrian jewelry retailers. Indian-American supermarket chain
Patel Brothers Patel Brothers, Inc. (doing business as Patel Brothers) is an Indian-American supermarket chain based in Hanover Park, Illinois. Patel Brothers is the world’s largest supermarket chain serving the Indian diaspora, with 57 locations in 19 U.S. ...
has a location on the strip. Over 145
Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...
restaurants alone are found in the neighborhood. Establishments have appeared on food critics' "best of South Asian cuisine" national and regional lists. (listing Dimple’s BombayTalk in Iselin and Shalimar in Iselin among America's top 25 Indian Restaurants) The district, which lies nears the sprawling Chinatown, Edison, is also known in particular as a destination for
Indo-Chinese cuisine Indian Chinese cuisine, Chinese Indian cuisine, Sino-Indian cuisine, Chindian cuisine, Hakka Chinese or Desi-Chinese cuisine is a distinct fusion culinary style that combines aspects of both Indian and Chinese foods and flavours. Though Asian ...
. The actor-comedian
Omi Vaidya Omi Vaidya (born January 10, 1982) is an American actor of Indian descent who works in Bollywood films. He is best known for his performance as Chatur Ramalingam or "Silencer" in the 2009 buddy-drama film, ''3 Idiots''. In addition, Vaidya has ...
celebrated the Oak Tree Road scene and South Asian culture in his 2020 song "Oak Tree Road," a parody of
Old Town Road "Old Town Road" is the debut single of American rapper Lil Nas X, first released independently in December 2018. After gaining popularity, the single was re-released by Columbia Records in March 2019. Lil Nas X also recorded a remix with America ...
.


History

Oak Tree Road is named for a large oak tree which stood at a crossroads where a market was located during the Revolutionary War era. This crossroads and surrounding area was the site of the Oak Tree Engagement during the
Battle of Short Hills The Battle of Short Hills (also known as the Battle of Metuchen Meetinghouse and other names) was a conflict between a Continental Army force commanded by Brigadier General William Alexander ("Lord Stirling"), and an opposing British force comm ...
. It was a relatively rural area in the early to mid 20th century. In the early 1990s, prior to the arrival of significant Indian investment, Oak Tree Road was a down-on-its-luck strip of
biker bar A biker bar is a bar that is frequented by motorcyclists (bikers). Some are owned or managed by people who are friendly toward motorcyclists.
s and abandoned buildings. Some late-1980s-era economic pioneers to the then-rundown strip experienced racism from the locals, which largely subsided by the early 1990s. The first
Navratri Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in the honour of the goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights (and ten days), first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Sharada. It is ob ...
festival in the state of New Jersey was held in the area in 1991. As Indian businesses began arriving in the 1990s en masse, the area transformed over time into the "thriving market full of pedestrian traffic on weekends" seen today. By 2022, the Indian population was approaching one-third of the population of Monroe Township in southern Middlesex County, and the nickname ''Edison-South'' had developed, in reference to the
Little India Little India or India Town (less commonly known as Indian Street or India Bazaar) is an Indian or Desi (South Asian) sociocultural environment outside India or the subcontinent. It especially refers to an area with Indian residences and a div ...
stature of both townships in Middlesex County.


Festivals and events

A blend of South Asian religious festivals and cultural events are held in the Little India district in Edison and Iselin, each featuring a
melting pot The melting pot is a monocultural metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements "melting together" with a common culture; an alternative being a homogeneous society becoming more heterogeneous through ...
of visitors and celebrants of all religions and backgrounds.


India Day Parade on Oak Tree Road

A major annual event on the road is the India Day Parade. The annual New Jersey India Day Parade, hosted by the Indian Business Association, is held every August on Oak Tree Road to celebrate
Indian Independence Day Independence Day is celebrated annually on 15 August as a public holiday in India commemorating the nation's independence from the United Kingdom on 15 August 1947, the day when the provisions of the Indian Independence Act, which trans ...
. Celebrants such as Governor Phil Murphy start in Edison at Cinder Road and march eastbound towards Iselin, finishing the parade at India Square in Iselin. In 2022 as in other years, local officials attended, including Speaker
Craig Coughlin Craig John Coughlin (born January 31, 1958) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has represented the 19th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2010. He has served as the Speaker of the New Jersey General Asse ...
, U.S. Congressman Frank Pallone, New Jersey state senator
Patrick J. Diegnan Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (born March 19, 1949) is an American Democratic Party politician who has represented the 18th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate since 2016. Early life The youngest of seven children born to immigrants from ...
, Assemblyman
Robert Karabinchak Robert J. Karabinchak is an American Democratic Party politician, who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represents the 18th Legislative District. New Jersey Assembly Karabinchak previously served on the Edison Municipal Co ...
, Mayor
John McCormac John E. McCormac is an American Democratic Party politician, who is serving as the Mayor of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey. He served as State Treasurer of New Jersey for four years in the cabinets of former Governor of New Jersey James McGre ...
, and Edison mayor Sam Joshi. In 2022, controversy and concerns about anti-Muslim animus arose when members of the community objected to a yellow
wheel loader A loader is a heavy equipment machine used in construction to move or load materials such as soil, rock, sand, demolition debris, etc. into or onto another type of machinery (such as a dump truck, conveyor belt, feed-hopper, or railroad car) ...
, resembling a bulldozer, seen in the August 14 parade displaying photographs of Prime Minister
Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament from ...
and the conservative Hindu nationalist monk, Yogi Adityanath, who is also the chief elected leader of the Northern Indian region of Uttar Pradesh. Modi and Adityanath are both members of the right-leaning
Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mod ...
, a major Indian political party. The 2022 Oak Tree Road parade's grand marshal,
Sambit Patra Sambit Patra (born 13 December 1974) is an Indian politician and has served as the National spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party since 2014 and currently serving as a chairman in tourism department. Patra had his first job at Hindu Rao Ho ...
, is the national spokesperson for the same party. The yellow construction vehicle displayed at the 2022 parade included a placard with the words "Baba ka bulldozer" written in Hindi. This display was a reference to the monk's nickname, both affectionately and pejoratively, of "Bulldozer Baba" (roughly equivalent to "Father Bulldozer," "Saint Bulldozer" or "Bulldozer Monk") for his extensive use of the machine in demolishing structures.


Other festivals and events

*
Ganesh Utsav Ganesh Chaturthi (ISO: ), also known as Vinayak Chaturthi (), or Ganeshotsav () is a Hindu festival commemorating the birth of the Hindu god Ganesha. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's clay idols privately in homes and p ...
. Every year the weeklong festival honoring the Hindu deity
Ganesha Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu de ...
draws thousands of celebrants to nearby Woodbridge Mall. *
Diwali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali ( IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is o ...
. Celebrations for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, are held annually on Oak Tree Road and surroundings. * Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, is also celebrated with the use of color and dancing at events on Oak Tree Road. *
Eid Eid as a name may refer to: Islamic holidays An Eid is a Muslim religious festival: * ''Eid Milad un Nabi'', alternate name for Mawlid (, "Birth of the Prophet"), the date of observance of the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad * Eid al-F ...
. Visitors and the
Desi DESI may refer to * Desorption electrospray ionization * Drug Efficacy Study Implementation * Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is a scientific research instrument for conducting spectrographic ...
Muslims in the Oak Tree Road area celebrate the Eid religious festivals twice a year with feasts and celebrations:
Eid al-Fitr , nickname = Festival of Breaking the Fast, Lesser Eid, Sweet Eid, Sugar Feast , observedby = Muslims , type = Islamic , longtype = Islamic , significance = Commemoration to mark the end of fasting in Ramadan , date ...
at the end of Ramadan and
Eid al-Adha Eid al-Adha () is the second and the larger of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of obedience to Allah's c ...
later in the year. *
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...
. The Indian Business Association sponsors a
Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. The custom was further developed in early modern G ...
lighting and celebratory festival with
Santa Claus Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts during the late evening and overnigh ...
annually. *
Navratri Navaratri is an annual Hindu festival observed in the honour of the goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights (and ten days), first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Sharada. It is ob ...
. A large Navratri festival is held annually in the area, in most recent years at the NJ Expo Center at
Raritan Center Raritan Center is a business park located in Edison, New Jersey. Sited on part of the former Raritan Arsenal, the Raritan Center Business Park is a logistics center with office buildings and millions of square feet of light manufacturing or dis ...
.
Jack Ciattarelli Jack M. Ciattarelli ( ; born December 12, 1961) is an American politician and businessman. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2011 to 2018, representing the 16th legislative district. He was also ...
attended in 2021.


Houses of worship

A variety of Hindu temples have been established along the strip, alongside diverse Christian, Jewish, and Muslim congregations in the greater area. Shirdi Sai Cultural and Community Center is one such temple. Located on the Iselin side of the district, it is devoted to the 19th century Indian saint
Sai Baba of Shirdi Sai Baba of Shirdi (c. 1838? - died 15 October 1918), also known as Shirdi Sai Baba, was an Indian spiritual master and fakir, considered to be a saint, revered by both Hindu and Muslim devotees during and after his lifetime. According to ...
.


See also

* Chinatown, Edison *
Curry Hill Little India or India Town (less commonly known as Indian Street or India Bazaar) is an Indian or Desi (South Asian) sociocultural environment outside India or the subcontinent. It especially refers to an area with Indian residences and a div ...
in Midtown Manhattan *
Curry Row "Curry Row," or "Little India," and sometimes called Curry Lane, is an area of East Sixth Street, from First Avenue to Second Avenue, in the East Village of Lower Manhattan, with approximately 20 South Asian restaurants. Curry Row started in ...
in
Lower Manhattan Lower Manhattan (also known as Downtown Manhattan or Downtown New York) is the southernmost part of Manhattan, the central borough for business, culture, and government in New York City, which is the most populated city in the United States with ...
* Ethnoburb *
List of neighborhoods in Edison, New Jersey Edison, New Jersey is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey in central New Jersey. The township was originally founded as the settlement of Piscatawaytown, a small neighborhood that still exists within it, and incorporated as Raritan Townsh ...
* List of neighborhoods in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey * List of county routes in Middlesex County, New Jersey * India Independence Day Parade *
Indians in the New York City metropolitan region Indians in the New York City metropolitan area constitute one of the largest and fastest-growing ethnicities in the New York City metropolitan area of the United States. The New York City region is home to the largest and most prominent Indian ...
*
India Square India Square, also known as "Little India," is a commercial and restaurant district in the Journal Square and Marion Section neighborhoods of Jersey City, New Jersey. The area is home to the highest concentration of Indian Americans in the Wester ...
* Overseas Indians


References

{{Edison, New Jersey Roads in New Jersey Asian-American culture in New Jersey Indian-American culture Little Indias Edison, New Jersey Ethnic enclaves in New Jersey Ethnic enclaves in the United States New Jersey culture Tourist attractions in New Jersey Indian-American culture in New Jersey Neighborhoods in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey Neighborhoods in Edison, New Jersey South Asian American culture
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...