Exploring Sharafiya: Jeddah's Little India

India is famous for its unique culture and traditions. The country is popularly known by its tagline 'Unity in diversity." Jeddah's 'Little India,' its southern Sharafiya district, is a place where you are sure to catch many glimpses of India, its culture and people.
This place is lively, colorful and vibrant, just like the many ethnic bazaars of India. Walking down the streets in Sharafiya, one is greeted with bright and colorful fabrics hanging outside textile shops, sweet aromas of spices, and a number of small stores along the roadside selling Indian groceries, silverware, electronics and jewelry.
“I usually visit Sharafiya with my family to buy saris. It is the best and the most affordable place for buying Indian dresses,” said Basma Hassan Al-Refai, an Arab student. “In fact, my father likes Indian doctors. Whenever someone in our family falls sick, we visit one of the many polyclinics in Sharafiya run by the Indians,” she added.
For fresh fruits and vegetables, one can always head to the open-air vegetable market of Sharafiya. The streets are lined with several carts and stalls with sellers calling customers to their goods using attractive slogans. The market is usually busy and is teeming with people in the evening.
Restaurants in Sharafiya offer authentic south and north Indian cuisines. Some of the popular culinary dishes include butter chicken, palak paneer, roti and paratha from the north, and idli, dosa and sambhar from the south. These restaurants are extremely popular with not just Indians but with a good number of locals as well.
“I have developed a great taste for idli and sambhar. My Indian friend introduced me to one of the south Indian restaurants in Sharafiya. On my first visit to the restaurant, I was shocked to see that there was no place to sit. The waiter asked us to wait for 10 minutes and finally directed us to a table. My friend recommended that I taste idli. And when I did, I loved it instantly; it’s so light and delicious,” said Aboud Ali, a Sudanese resident.
Most Indians expats visit Sharafiya looking for bargain deals on a variety of goods. Weekends are especially crowded with shoppers as well as non-shoppers, who sit in the restaurants and chit-chat with friends over a cup of tea and snacks. “I live on the outskirts of Jeddah and I visit Sharafiya every Sunday to buy meat and groceries for the whole week,” said Syed Sadiq, an Indian. It is very rare to find an Arab vendor or shop in this area. No doubt then, this place is called 'Little India.'
“I’ve been wanting to go to India to explore its rich culture and traditions. Whenever I visit Sharafiya, I get the urge to visit India. It feels amazing to see only Indians all around you, and who are living in such unity,” said Shatha Al-Shehry from Palestine.
The presence of residents hailing from the southern Indian state of Kerala is strong in Sharafiya. Many people from Kerala, once having arrived in the city, long to live in Sharafiya. “I like the way we all live in such unity. We have the strongest bond among us. Whenever anyone from our community needs help, we provide him with unconditional support. I feel secure in Sharafiya,” said Abu Bakr, a Keralite.