Tekka Market

Tekka Market, built in 1915, was a landmark along Serangoon Road in early 20th-century Singapore. Its name derives from the Hokkien term 'tek kia kha' (later 'tek kah'), meaning 'foot of the small bamboos' - a reference to bamboo groves along Rochor Canal. In Mandarin, Tekka translates to 'bamboo clumps'. The market was also known as Kandang Kerbau Market (Malay for 'buffalo pens') due to the area's well-established cattle trade, while local Tamils called it 'Mattu Kampong Pasar', a direct translation of the Malay name.

The market's development began in 1909 as part of the Kampong Kapor Improvement Scheme, which encompassed the surrounding shophouses and the area now known as Little India Arcade. Construction work faced initial delays due to funding constraints and negotiations to purchase land from the Mohammedan and Hindu Endowment Board for $25,000. After installing steel structures in 1913, work halted until a $30,000 contract enabled completion. Municipal Engineer Robert Peirce designed the colonial-style building, distinguished by its archways and ornate steel carvings, which opened in 1915.

By the 1930s, the market was attracting a diverse clientele with its fresh meat, vegetables, seafood, and retail goods. During the Japanese Occupation, it served as a distribution centre. After the war, plans to rehabilitate the market fully were hindered by a lack of funds. In 1948, instead of extending the market, the municipality opted for repairs and redecorations, even diverting funds allocated for fencing Maxwell Road Market to complete the work.

Post-war hardships were severe, yet the stallholders of Kandang Kerbau Market formed the Kandang Kerbau Market Dealers’ Association. Demonstrating community spirit, the association generously donated their produce to the Little Sisters of the Poor. By the 1970s, the area around the market swelled with 400 street hawkers, exceeding the market’s capacity of 300 vendors. 

By the mid-1970s, Kampong Kapor, the area where the market was located, needed urban renewal, leading to the development of the Kandang Kerbau Complex, into which the market would be relocated. Construction of the new market, almost directly opposite its original site, began in 1979, and by 1981, stallholders moved to the new premises.

Initially called Buffalo Road Market and Cooked Food Centre, it was renamed Zhujiao Centre in 1981 to emphasise the Chinese origin of its name. However, the new name sparked dissatisfaction among residents due to its disconnect from the market’s long-standing heritage. Many current stallholders are second- or third-generation hawkers, whose forefathers began trading in the old market 30 to 50 years ago. In 2000, it was renamed Tekka Centre.

Tekka is a storied name found in many Singapore Tamil literary works, reflecting its importance as the focal point of the Serangoon Road area, where Tamils have been congregating for over a century and more.



For more information
“Former Tekka Market.” Roots.sg. Accessed 1 August 2025. https://www.roots.gov.sg/places/places-landing/Places/landmarks/little-india-heritage-trail-serangoon-in-the-1900s/former-tekka-market
“Tekka Market.” Roots.sg. Accessed 1 August 2025. https://www.roots.gov.sg/stories-landing/stories/Hawker-Centres/Tekka-Market
Ng, Sabrina and Ng, Darrelle. “Tekka Centre shuts for 3 months as renovation begins.” CNA, 3 July 2023. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/tekka-centre-renovation-three-months-shops-temporary-stalls-3602551
Chris. “Exploring The Renovated Tekka Market in Singapore.” BusyKidd, 12 February 2024. https://busykidd.com/lifestyle/renovated-tekka-market-singapore/

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The information in this article is valid as of August 2025 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. If you have any feedback on this article, please submit here.