The postcard depicts Kling Street which was dominated for many years by the Bonham Building on the right. Kling Street got its name from the large numbers of Indians from southern India known as ‘men from Kalinga’, or ‘orang kling’ in Malay, who had congregated in the area. It was renamed Chulia Street as the term ‘kling’ adopted a derogatory association when Indian convicts were transported to Singapore. Chulia is the north Indian term for the Kalinga kingdom. Chulia Street was the earliest area of concentration of Indian workers and professionals and many Indian Muslim shops were found here.
