Ishtara Jewellery expands to iconic Komala Vilas location

SINGAPORE – Well-known Ishtara Jewellery is expanding and planning to open a second outlet at the iconic Komala Vilas Restaurant location in Serangoon Road, which experiences heavy footfall, during the Deepavali season.

With Deepavali falling on Nov 8, sales of key items such as jewellery and silk saris in the Little India area tend to pick up about a month ahead of the festival.

Ishtara’s current flagship outlet is across the road at 111 Serangoon Road and specialises in 22-karat gold and diamond jewellery. The former Komala Vilas location is at 76 to 78 Serangoon Road.

Explaining the expansion, Ishtara owner Parthiban Murugaiyan told tabla!: “Expanding Ishtara has always been on my mind, and we feel fortunate to have secured this unit.

“I consider it an auspicious location, with a rich heritage and a special place in the hearts of many Singaporeans. This expansion reinforces our brand presence in the heart of Little India, allowing us to serve our customers on a larger scale.”

Ishtara and sister brand Luvenus Jewellery jointly have nine outlets across Singapore and Hong Kong, excluding the upcoming outlet.

Of those outlets, eight operate under Luvenus Jewellery, which caters to mainstream tastes. In the recent Changi Tenant Awards 2026, Luvenus Jewellery was named the recipient of the Top Online Retail Tenant Growth Award – its third recognition from Changi Airport Group over the past 14 years.

Meanwhile, the previous occupant Komala Vilas has become a household name in Singapore since it was established by owner Rajakumar Ganesan’s grandfather O.M. Rajoo in 1947.

The restaurant was subsequently run by Rajakumar’s father Rajoo Gunasekaran, who died in 2020 aged 68.

Komala Vilas made the front page in 2015, when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hosted his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to a sizzling thosai meal there. TABLA