Little India (Artesia)

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Little India is a neighborhood in Artesia , a city in California , USA . It is the largest Indian enclave in southern California. After the land became more valuable, farmers moved to other areas and made room for a fresh start.

history

The area where Little India is located today was formerly a dairy-producing district founded by Portuguese and later Dutch immigrants, which flourished particularly in the 1920s and 1930s. When land prices rose after the end of World War II , farmers sold their farms and moved to central California. After the immigration legislation was relaxed with the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1965 , more and more migrants from Asia moved to Artesia, including Indians.

The foundation stone for the later popularity of Little India was laid in 1971 when a trader from the nearby municipality of Cerritos was selling spices and groceries in a garage in Artesia. Later other traders were persuaded to move their businesses to the community. Since then, the district, which stretches along Pioneer Boulevard, has developed into an attraction and quickly gained fame. It is home to a large number of Indian businesses, shops and restaurants. In Little India, the Indian minority, who make up less than 5 percent of the population, generates more than 25 percent of business tax income.

Artesias Little India hosts numerous celebrations for the Indian community. India's Independence Day is celebrated annually in Artesia Park. The all-day event, always held on August 15th, includes games, food, and celebrity entertainment. Other events in the park are the Diwali (festival of lights) and the Dashahara (also: Navaratri, festival of the "nine nights") in autumn.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Jessica C. Lee: From dairies to samosas and saris , in: Los Angeles Times, October 8, 2006, online at: latimes.com / ...
  2. ↑ a b Regine Labossiere: 'Little India' Fights for Recognition , in: Los Angeles Times, August 26, 2004, online at: latimes.com / ...
  3. ↑ The Pioneer Project: Histories of Artesia , on the portal of the "Studio for Southern California History", a short timeline of the history, online at: lahistoryarchive.socalstudio.org / ...
  4. ↑ Mike Sonksen: Artesia: From Portuguese Dairy Farms to Little India , August 22, 2014, online at: kcet.org / ...

See also