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Geylang () is a
planning area Planning is the process of thinking regarding the activities required to achieve a desired goal. Planning is based on foresight, the fundamental capacity for mental time travel. Some researchers regard the evolution of forethought - the capaci ...
and
township A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...
located on the eastern fringe of the Central Region of
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
, bordering
Hougang Hougang () is a planning area and mature residential town located in the North-East Region of Singapore. It is the largest housing estate in Singapore based on land area, and is home to 247,528 residents as of 2018. Hougang planning area is bo ...
and
Toa Payoh Toa Payoh ( or , , ) is a Planning areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, mature residential town located in the northern part of the Central Region, Singapore, Central Region of Singapore. Toa Payoh planning area borde ...
in the north, Marine Parade in the south,
Bedok Bedok ( ) is a Planning areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, residential town located in the geographical region of Tanah Merah, Singapore, Tanah Merah along the south-eastern coast of the East Region, Singapore, East R ...
in the east, and
Kallang Kallang ( ) is a Planning Areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, residential zone located in the Central Region, Singapore, Central Region of Singapore. Development of the town is centered around the Kallang River, the l ...
in the west. Geylang is previously known as a red-light district, particularly the areas along Geylang Road. Today only 3-4 units remain for brothels and street walkers are hard to come by. Geylang is also where one of Singapore's oldest Malay settlements, Geylang Serai, is located. During
Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (''Fasting in Islam, sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed ...
, the neighbourhood is famous for its popular and iconic Ramadan lights and bazaars.


Etymology

The word ''Geylang'' is found early in Singapore's history and also in early topographical maps showing marsh and coconut plantations beside and adjacent to the mouth of the
Kallang River The Kallang River (, ) is the longest river in Singapore, flowing for 10 kilometers from the Lower Peirce Reservoir (originally named "Kallang River Reservoir") to the Kallang Basin. It originates in the Planning Areas of Singapore, planning ar ...
, home to the
Orang Laut The Orang Laut are several seafaring ethnic groups and tribes living around Singapore, Peninsular Malaysia and the Indonesian Riau Islands. The Orang Laut are commonly identified as the Orang Seletar from the Straits of Johor, but the term may a ...
(sea gypsies) called ''orang biduanda kallang'' who inhabited the area at the time of Raffles' arrival in 1819, and after whom the river is named. ''Geylang'' may be a corruption of ''Kallang.'' The place name appeared in an 1830 survey map of Singapore as ''Kilang,'' but by 1838 was spelled as ''Kelang,'' which when pronounced in correct Malay is nearly indistinguishable to the ear from ''Geylang.'' However, ''kilang'' also means press, mill, or factory in Malay and could be a reference to the presses and mills in the coconut plantations that used to be in the area. Another possible etymological link in the stock vocabulary of the Malay is ''geylanggan'' meaning to "twist" or "crush" a reference to the process of extracting the coconut meat and milk used by the locals to thicken curries in Malay-Chinese (
Peranakan The Peranakan Chinese () are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to maritime Southeast Asia, known as Nanyang (region), Nanyang (), namely the British Empire, British, Portugu ...
) cuisine. Another possible explanation is that Geylang is a corruption of the Malay word 'gelang' which is a type of edible creeper ( Portulaca oleracea). This is a plausible explanation for the name because Malays typically name places based on the abundance of certain plant species (e.g.
Melaka Malacca (), officially the Historic State of Malacca (), is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, facing the Strait of Malacca. The state is bordered by Negeri Sembilan to the north and west and Johor to t ...
after the eponyming
tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...
) or geological formations (e.g. Bukit Gombak based on the comb-like hill summit).


Geography


Location

Grouped under the Central Region, Geylang Planning Area is bordered by
Hougang Hougang () is a planning area and mature residential town located in the North-East Region of Singapore. It is the largest housing estate in Singapore based on land area, and is home to 247,528 residents as of 2018. Hougang planning area is bo ...
and
Toa Payoh Toa Payoh ( or , , ) is a Planning areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, mature residential town located in the northern part of the Central Region, Singapore, Central Region of Singapore. Toa Payoh planning area borde ...
in the north,
Kallang Kallang ( ) is a Planning Areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, residential zone located in the Central Region, Singapore, Central Region of Singapore. Development of the town is centered around the Kallang River, the l ...
in the west, Marine Parade in the south, and
Bedok Bedok ( ) is a Planning areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, residential town located in the geographical region of Tanah Merah, Singapore, Tanah Merah along the south-eastern coast of the East Region, Singapore, East R ...
in the east. Beginning in the north and moving in a clockwise direction, the boundaries of Geylang are made up of MacPherson Road, Airport Road, Eunos Link, Jalan Eunos, Still Road, Koon Seng Road, Dunman Road, the Geylang River, Mountbatten Road, Sims Way, and the
Pan Island Expressway The Pan Island Expressway (Abbreviated as: PIE) is the oldest and longest expressway in Singapore. It is also Singapore's longest road. The expressway runs from the East Coast Parkway near Changi Airport in the east to Tuas in the west and ...
(PIE). Geylang New Town as defined by the
Housing and Development Board The Housing & Development Board (HDB; often referred to as the Housing Board; ; ; ), is a Statutory boards of the Singapore Government, statutory board under the Ministry of National Development (Singapore), Ministry of National Developmen ...
(HDB) sits within the Geylang Planning Area.


Subdivisions

Geylang Planning Area is made up of five "subzones", as officially defined by the
Urban Redevelopment Authority The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is the national urban planning authority of Singapore, and a Statutory boards of the Singapore Government, statutory board under the Ministry of National Development (Singapore), Ministry of National De ...
(URA).


History

The development of Geylang can best be observed along the main trunk road, Geylang Road, that leads westwards towards the city. Micro-businesses founded by Malay, Indian and Chinese entrepreneurs seized start-up opportunities as mechanics in bicycle or motor repair workshops, suppliers of wood for making boats, houses, furniture and as merchants in iron, of floor and roofing tiles, in rubber and later plastics for all kinds of marine, industrial, factory and home use, including the mosaic of temples, mosques and churches in Geylang that have its roots serving local worshippers in search of spirituality and the divine. One of the distinctive hallmarks of Geylang architecture is the preservation of its shophouses used by the clan (kinship) associations, set up as a (first) point of contact for newcomers in the migrant wave between 1840 and 1940 for integrating the newcomers into the ways and customs of locals. At present, the Geylang neighbourhood accurately reflects demographic changes in Singapore (2011) where out of every four Singaporeans, one is a foreigner. As a strategic and military outpost for the British, it was important that the sea lanes off the
Straits of Malacca The Strait of Malacca is a narrow stretch of water, long and from wide, between the Malay Peninsula to the northeast and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the southwest, connecting the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pa ...
were kept free of pirates, and open for shipping. As the British expanded in influence and power, Singapore served East and West interests as a natural deep-harbour destination that played host to the French, Portuguese, Dutch and other European navies and their men. Other seaports in Asia, from Shanghai to Calcutta, also played a role in the traffic of women and girls for prostitution.


Geylang Serai

Geylang Serai was used to be the terminus of the vintage tramway while the farmers staying there already shifted to cultivate other cash crops, including rubber and coconuts. Meanwhile, with the intensified urbanisation, the rural community in Geylang Serai, where the price of land was low, was turned into a suburb. During the Japanese Occupation, Geylang Serai was severely damaged, and the shortages of food that arose afterwards led to the replacement of the plantations of coconut and rubber by those of tapioca, which gave Geylang Serai the name, Kampong Ubi (tapioca in Malay). With the end of Japanese occupation, Geylang Serai saw a rise in population and more areas were occupied. The inflow of more Malays and outflow of Chinese changed the demographic of Geylang Serai, which turned into predominantly a Malay community ever since. In 1963, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) initiated The Geylang Serai Housing Redevelopment Scheme which was carried out in three phases, investing a sum of 3.8 million SGD for the renewal of the region. Under the scheme, Many HDB flats and new facilities were constructed, including Taj cinema, Concourse, light industrial properties, shopping malls and Geylang Serai market. The old kampungs in the region vanished and Geylang Serai turned into a modern residential district. In tandem with the urbanization of the region, the importance of preservation of Malay cultural heritage was recognized by the government. The namesake of Geylang Serai was retained and it is not just confined to Geylang Serai alone, both Tampines West, Siglap, Keat Hong, Marsiling, Woodlands, Jalan Kayu, Cheng San, Marina South, Pasir Ris East, Tampines Changkat and Toa Payoh East are also Malay districts with the racial harmony policy. Under the Masterplan of 2008 by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the development of the Paya Lebar Central which includes Paya Lebar Square, Paya Lebar Quarter and SingPost Centre, within which Geylang Serai is situated, into a centre characterised with a distinct cultural identity was confirmed. Until now, Geylang Serai market is still one of the busiest and largest wet markets in Singapore, offering many Indian-Muslim and Malay dishes as well as a large variety of spices and ingredient for making of traditional Malay cuisine, such as cinnamon and nutmeg.


Infrastructure

Geylang's combination of shophouse scenery and hectic day and night life, including
foreign worker Foreign workers or guest workers are people who work in a country other than one of which they are a citizen. Some foreign workers use a guest worker program in a country with more preferred job prospects than in their home country. Guest worke ...
s quarters and
karaoke is a type of interactive entertainment system usually offered in nightclubs and bars, where people sing along to pre-recorded accompaniment using a microphone. Its musical content is an instrumental rendition of a well-known popular song. I ...
lounges, provides an alternative view of elements the rest of modern Singapore generally does not offer. Shophouses along Geylang Road form part of the Geylang Conservation Area and are protected from redevelopment, and many restaurants have sprung up along this major road. Geylang is also known for its
durian The durian () is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus ''Durio''. There are 30 recognized species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. ''Durio zibethinus'', native to Borneo and Sumatra, is the only species ...
shops; as well as many shops offering traditional Malay
folk medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...
which despite playing as important a role as
traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medicine, alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. A large share of its claims are pseudoscientific, with the majority of treatments having no robust evidence ...
does not receive as much attention and endorsement from the Singapore government as the latter.


Shopping malls

The Geylang planning area consists of 9 shopping malls, with a concentration of shopping malls located near Paya Lebar MRT station: * Pavilion Square * Paya Lebar Square * Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) * SingPost Centre * Grandlink Square * KINEX * City Plaza * Tanjong Katong Complex * Joo Chiat Complex


Places of worship


Masjid Haji Mohd Salleh

Masjid Haji Mohd Salleh ( Jawi: مسجد الحاج محمد صالح) is a mosque located along 245 Geylang Road. It was founded in 1896 by an Indian Muslim trader, Haji Mohammed Salleh, on land owned by another Indian merchant, Vena Meena Bok. The mosque has been rebuilt twice; once in 1959 and later in 1998 when it was deemed too small. The current structure is the 1998 reconstruction which added four storeys to the mosque and was opened in 1999. The mosque has been criticized for being situated adjacent to the red light district. However, the mosque administration deliberately ignores the social stigma of its surroundings and instead continues active operations with its daily prayers, Friday prayers and Islamic classes including kindergartens.


Masjid Khadijah

Masjid Khadijah ( Jawi: مسجد خديجة; ''Khadijah Mosque'') is a Sufi mosque that contains the headquarters of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG), a society dedicated to combating religious extremism. It is named for Khadijah binte Mohammed, a Muslim merchant who donated $50,000 as waqf to build the mosque. Excavations during the renovations revealed that there were graves along the left side of the wall as well, which have been exhumed.


Transport


Roads

The Geylang area is composed of north and south sections that are divided by Geylang Road which stretches for about three kilometres. Throughout the length of Geylang Road, there are lanes (''lorong'' in Malay) that extend perpendicularly from the main road. The lanes in the north are given odd numbered names (i.e. Lorong 1, Lorong 3, Lorong 5 and so on), and the lanes in the south are given even numbered names (i.e. Lorong 2, Lorong 4, Lorong 6 and so on). The following expressways pass through Geylang: *
Pan Island Expressway The Pan Island Expressway (Abbreviated as: PIE) is the oldest and longest expressway in Singapore. It is also Singapore's longest road. The expressway runs from the East Coast Parkway near Changi Airport in the east to Tuas in the west and ...
(PIE) connects Geylang with
Changi Airport Singapore Changi Airport ( ; ) is the primary international airport that serves the country of Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. More than 100 airlines operate from the airport, with flights to destinations in A ...
,
Tampines Tampines ( or ) is the Regional centre (Singapore), regional centre of the East Region, Singapore, East Region of Singapore. With a population of 284,560 living across its five subzones as of 2024, it is the most populous Planning Areas of Sin ...
, Bedok, Kallang,
Toa Payoh Toa Payoh ( or , , ) is a Planning areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, mature residential town located in the northern part of the Central Region, Singapore, Central Region of Singapore. Toa Payoh planning area borde ...
,
Clementi Clementi may refer to: People * Aldo Clementi (1925–2011), Italian composer * Carlo Mazzone-Clementi (1920–2000), Italian actor and mime * Cecil Clementi (1875–1947), British colonial administrator, Governor of Hong Kong and Straits Sett ...
,
Jurong East Jurong East is a Planning Areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, residential town situated in the West Region, Singapore, West Region of Singapore. It borders Jurong West and Boon Lay to the west, Clementi, Singapore, Cl ...
,
Jurong West Jurong West is a Planning Areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, residential town located in the West Region, Singapore, West Region of Singapore. Jurong West shares Wiktionary:boundary, boundaries with Tengah, Singapore, ...
and Tuas; * Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) connects Geylang with Kallang, Hougang,
Sengkang Sengkang (, , ) is a Planning Areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, residential town located in the North-East Region, Singapore, North-East Region of Singapore. The town is the second most populous in the region, being ...
and
Punggol Punggol ( or ) is a Planning Areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, new town situated on the Tanjong Punggol peninsula in the North-East Region, Singapore, North-East Region of Singapore. The town directly borders Sengka ...
. Major roads within Geylang Planning Area include Aljunied Road, Kallang Way, Paya Lebar Road, Geylang East Central, Ubi Avenue 2 and Circuit Road.


Trains

There are currently eight Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations in the Geylang Planning Area across three lines: The East West line, the Circle line and the Downtown line. The eight stations are: * Eunos * Paya Lebar * Aljunied * Mountbatten * Dakota * MacPherson * Mattar * Ubi


Cultural depiction

* ''Living in Geylang'', a 20-episode television drama aired on MediaCorp Channel 8 in 1998 * '' Pleasure Factory'', a 2007 Singaporean-Thai docudrama film set in Geylang * '' Geylang'', a 2022 crime thriller film starring Mark Lee and
Sheila Sim Sheila Beryl Grant Sim, Baroness Attenborough (5 June 1922 – 19 January 2016) was an English film and theatre actress. She was also the wife of the actor, director and peer Richard Attenborough. Career Sheila Beryl Grant Sim was born in Li ...


References


Further reading

*Peter K G Dunlop (2000), ''Street Names of Singapore'', Who's Who Publishing, Singapore, *Victor R Savage, Brenda S A Yeoh (2003), ''Toponymics – A Study of Singapore Street Names'', Eastern Universities Press, {{Places in Singapore Central Region, Singapore Places in Singapore