GET OUT OF TOWN OR JUST EXPLORE IT

At roughly five blocks in length, the lively commercial stretch in Artesia known as Little India is indeed a diminutive version of the sprawling subcontinent. It may only hint at what the country has to offer -- 14 official languages, two major religions (Buddhism and Hinduism), a diverse array of 5,000-year-old cultures -- but it’ll be sure to transport your senses for the day.

Eating

NIBBLES AND BITS

Indians are excellent snackers, and down here you can’t throw a betel nut without hitting a shop full of sweets and savories. Ambala Sweets (18433 Pioneer Blvd., [562] 402-0006), pictured below, claim theirs are world-famous. Friendly staffers will tour you through the inner workings of treats like habshi halwah (milk, sugar and clarified butter simmered in a caldron until thick, then loaded with ground nuts) and cool, milky rasmalai.

TASTY FREEZE

The Saffron Spot (18744 Pioneer Blvd., [562] 809-4554), meanwhile, purveys fine, eggless Indian ice cream (kulfi) made from ingredients both expected (guava) and surprisingly delicious (“rajbhog,” concocted from saffron, pistachios, cashews, almonds and cardamom). An especially refreshing choice is the “chickoo,” a dark kiwi-esque fruit with almost chocolaty caramel undertones.

GET YOUR DAILY DOSAS

Hope you left room for lunch. Woodlands (11833 Artesia Blvd., [562] 860-6500) offers a rotating vegetarian smorgasbord of well-priced South Indian fare: hot bowls of spicy-sour rasam, endless spongy, steamed iddlys and a daily porial, or dry curry, such as a melange of crisp cabbage, dried chiles, lentil beans and assorted seeds -- along with a dozen varieties of dosas (stuffed crepes). Be sure to arrive early, though: Their buffet runs out at 3 p.m.

Shopping

SALAAM, BOMBAY

The shelves inside Bombay Spices (18626 Pioneer Blvd., [562] 860-9949) teem with chutney holders, tea implements, vada makers, cobra-headed spoons and the house’s own line of savories (proprietor Bhupinder Batra welcomes sampling -- don’t be shy, grab a handful of that fried tapioca; you know you want to). However, it’s really less of a grocer than the place to hit for holy water from the Ganges, or powdered pigments for Holi, the spring festival of colors.

SARI ABOUT THAT

A favorite of interior designers and wedding planners (and reportedly Gwen Stefani), the four rambling rooms of incense-laden Cottage Art (18619 S. Pioneer Blvd., [562] 924-6268), pictured above, hold housewares, jewelry, apparel, Indian toiletries, prepared oils and miles of fabrics, handcrafted with swooping prints and intricate embroidery. To that, they’ve added Indian and Southeast Asian antiques, art and one-of-a-kind pieces, such as a pair of coffee tables fashioned from old temple doors that will be sure to give your credit card a workout.

Paying Your Respects

CULTURE BLOCK

Come during Aug. 15’s Indian Independence Day or fall’s two high-profile events, Diwali (Festival of Lights) and Navaratri (Festival of Nine Nights), and witness Artesia Park (18750 Clarkdale Ave., [562] 860-3361) transform into a Bollywoodesque extravaganza.

ACTS OF WORSHIP

For all other times of the year, two Hindu temples sit just across the border in nearby Norwalk. Today, Sanatan Dharma Temple (15311 Pioneer Blvd., [562] 484-0822), below, observes Maha Shivratri, or the Night of Shiva. And all are welcome at Shree Swaminarayan Temple (15213 Pioneer Blvd., [562] 864-8801), though be warned: Lectures and services are held in Gujarati. English-speaking devotees are often on hand, however, to translate the experience.

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-- Mindy.F[email protected]