One Story: Dharma's Chariot

Dharma's Chariot by Sithuraj Ponraj was selected as part of the One Story initiative in 2020. Explore archival photos of Arab Street, North Bridge Road, and Market Street as they once were, bringing life to settings used in the book.

Last updated 1 April 2026

Borrow Dharma's Chariot HERE.

Streets & Places Photo Gallery

Get to see what Arab Street, North Bridge Road, and Market Street once looked like through these photos from the National Archives of Singapore. Palaniappan first sets up his textile business with Sivasu in 1964 at Market Street, before moving on to larger premises on Arab Street in the 1990s. You’ll even get to see what a kittengi on Market Street looks like – Sivasu gets his meals at a kittengi when he first arrives in Singapore.

Arab Street & North Bridge Road

Black and white photo of old colonial shophouses on a street corner with a person walking and parked cars nearby.

Arab Street shophouses, 1963.
Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

A quiet street lined with old shophouses bearing Chinese signs, with a mosque dome and minaret visible behind them.

North Bridge Road, with top of Sultan Mosque visible, 1979.
Paul Piollet Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Black and white photo of Arab Street corner shophouse with a car, traffic light, and a mosque dome visible behind.

Shophouse along Arab Street at the junction of North Bridge Road, 1985.
Urban Redevelopment Authority Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Black and white photo of old shophouses with signs reading The Little Tailoring and Gold Smith, motorcycles parked outside.

Tailoring shop on Arab Street, 1985.
Urban Redevelopment Authority Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Black and white street scene with old shophouses, Chinese and Malay signage, cars, and a traffic light pole.

Arab Street, 1985.
Urban Redevelopment Authority, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Textile stops along Arab Street, 1987.
Courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Market Street

“All Palaniappan’s company consisted of at that time was just a rented corner on the premises of a larger Chinese company called ‘Chu Hwa Enterprises’ on Market Street. All he had was a small wooden desk, a telephone and a rectangular plastic sign on the table that said ‘New Light Enterprises’. Fifteen dollars rent. That was all. Palaniappan had been twenty-four years old then.” (page 15, Dharma’s Chariot)

“…Sivasu had wandered across the river to Market Street and had been taken in as a casual labourer in a warehouse belonging to a Chettiar. There was no salary. They gave him food at their kittengi, a cross between a kitchen and a dining hall.” (page 16, Dharma’s Chariot)

Black and white aerial view of a mid-20th century Asian city street lined with shophouses and vintage cars.

Market Street in the 1970s.
Chu Sui Mang Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

The building where the kittengi at 49 Market Street was located.
Nachiappa Chettiar Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Black and white photo of an older man in white clothing standing beside a young boy wearing glasses outdoors.

Doorway of the 49 Market Street kittengi which was managed by the Chettiar Cooperative Society, 1971.
Nachiappa Chettiar Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Elderly bald shirtless man wearing a white cloth, leaning on a stone ledge in a dim room with a sink nearby.

A cook grinding some spcies at the cooking area instead the 49 Market Street Kittengi, 1970.
Nachiappa Chettiar Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore

Updated 06 Jul 2020