Thaipusam

A little bird told me.....

Thaipusam is round the corner. Once again, Batu Caves which is approximately 15km north of KL will be filled to the brim with both devotees and tourists (local and foreign) with plenty of activities abound.

What exactly is the story behind this massive celebration? Perhaps this article from the New Straits Times would shed some light particularly to those who are rather curious with this phenomenal turn out annually.....

Celebrating power of good over evil

2010/01/29

By Ling Poh Lean and Nusaybah Mohd Asri

PETALING JAYA: Thaipusam is a festival celebrated by Hindus during the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai which is usually in the month of January or February.It is celebrated in conjunction with the birth of Hindu god Lord Muruga, the youngest son of Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati.

Mythologies have it that a long, long time ago, the world was torn apart by an infernal war between the Devas (celestial beings) and the Asuras (evil forces or demons).

Tired of constant attacks from the Asuras, the Devas paid homage to Lord Shiva and asked for his protection. Moved by their plight, Lord Shiva agreed to help the hapless Devas.

Lord Shiva opened the central eye on his forehead, radiating six sparks of fire. At the convergence of these sparks and through a series of celestial transformation, Lord Muruga appeared.

Lord Muruga brought forward this powerful divine personality to defeat the tyrannous Soorapadme -- the meanest and most powerful of the Asuras.

Armed with a Nyanya Vel (golden spear) presented to him by Lord Shiva, Lord Muruga went into battle with the evil forces.

Finally, Lord Muruga slew Soorapadme. The divine converted one portion of the slain enemy into a peacock as his vehicle and the other portion into a cockerel adorning his banner.

Lord Muruga is considered the very manifestation of valour, beauty, youthfulness, vitality, masculinity and the abode of happiness.

Thaipusam celebrates the very essence of Lord Muruga and the power of good over evil.

Lord Muruga is also known by many other names such as Lord Subramaniam and Lord Arumugam.

Balayogi Swamigan, the head of Thirumurugan Thiruvakku Thirupeedom, who is also the national adviser for Hindu temples and societies said apart from carrying offerings for Lord Muruga on Thaipusam day, devotees could also start presenting their offerings 10 days before the actual day.

"But of course, presenting offerings on Thaipusam day itself is always better because on that day, the sun, moon and Pusam (Jupiter) will be aligned in a line according to celestial calculations."

Devotees offer, among others, milk, curd, sugar, flowers, sugar cane, fruit juices, sandal wood paste and honey while rose water is used during the holy bath of the gods.

According to Swamigan, different offerings will bring different blessings to the devotees.

"Milk gives knowledge and long life, sugar is believed to relieve devotees of debts, sandal wood paste will bless the devotees with children and yellow flowers symbolises prosperity."

Swamigan also said that unlike Deepavali, Thaipusam was a religious ceremony where the main purpose of the festival was to bring offerings to God and celebrate the birth of Lord Muruga.

He said the offerings were carried using the kavadi. "Devotees are required to fast before they carry the kavadi and some devotees pierce their cheeks with skewers," Swamigan said, adding that devotees would usually fast for either three, 15, 30 or 45 days.

He added that they would fast during the day and consume only vegetarian food at night.

Swamigan added that the purpose of fasting was to ease the devotees' mind so that they could relate better with God.

However, he added that the size of the kavadi, the number of days they should fast or the offerings were not the main elements to show devotion.

"We must carry the offerings of love to God and not show off that we are strong by carrying a big kavadi or being pierced with a long skewer. It is all about faith."

On Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum

A little bird told me.....

Located near to the A Formosa fortress gate of the Porta Santiago, this replica of the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum would provide a good insight into how magnificent and cool the palace would be in the days of the Malacca Sultanate. It is indeed ironic that the Sultanate started off in the state of Malacca and now, there is no more Sultan in Malacca.

By the might and will of the sultan 2009/11/06 New Straits Times GOMATHY RAMASAMY

Royal items of personal adornment like combs and jewellery are among the exhibits in the museum.

GOMATHY RAMASAMY tentatively steps inside the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum, a resplendent building that has ancient treasures, rare artifacts, precious gems — everything, it seems, except an ordinary nail to hold it all together

‘Guards’ are everywhere as expected in a palace, where only members of the royal family and the gentry were allowed to move freely.

The royal dress codes are preserved and exhibited in beautiful glass cases. — Pictures by Rasul Azli Samad

MALACCA: In a World Heritage City filled with historic buildings and architectural landmarks, the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum stands out. Not for its roofs, although they are grand and steep enough. Not for its enclosed porches, even if it has seven of them.

It is its simple act of standing that is the cause of wonder, for the exquisite example of Malay architecture was built without the use of a single nail.
Add to that the equally improbable fact that the museum's design and construction were based entirely on a description contained in the book Sejarah Melayu, or The Malay Annals (Sulalatus Salatin), and one realises that one is about to enter a remarkable building indeed.

Its curator, Nurazimah Mat Ali, said the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum is a clone of Sultan Mansur Syah's palace, which was built around 1465, as described in Sejarah Melayu.

"Only high quality wood was used to build the museum, and no nails at all. The walls are made of cengal, the floors of resak. The roof is built with the most expensive wood of all, belian," Nurazimah said.

The museum was built in 1984 and named the Cultural Museum. It was officially opened by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed on July 17, 1986.

"Although Malacca no longer has a sultan, the country's monarchy system has its roots in the ancient Malacca sultanate.

"We therefore built a replica of a Malay palace in the city to represent a significant period in the history of the state," she said.

Some contemporary architecture and décor have been adapted to suit present conditions. But these small concessions to modern times have neither diminished its grandeur nor called into question its authenticity.

Wood is predominant throughout. Apart from providing the shell and structure, it is carved into fine and detailed traditional decorative pieces to add beauty.

There is a magnificent throne room filled with art pieces and artifacts, lavish bedroom suites, a royal treasury and a "forbidden garden" for the sultan's exclusive use.

The istana did not only serve as the home of the sultan, but it was also the centre of the state's administration. This is clearly depicted at the Balairong Seri at the entrance of the museum.

Other sections display recreated scenes of historical events like the battle between Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat, and palace activities in its heyday. There are also miniature replicas of traders from Java, Arab, Gujarat and Siam.

"The forbidden garden with colourful flowers was once the playground of princesses," said Nurazimah.

"The istana would also have a wall or fence that is guarded by sentries under the charge of a bentara. It was off-limits to the common folk.

"Only the immediate relatives of the sultan and members of the gentry were allowed to move freely inside the istana.

"But since this is a museum, we don't need the walls."

The museum is open daily from 9am to 5.30pm. The entry fee is RM2 per adult and 50 sen per child.

'Beijing' mosque a tourist attraction

A little bird told me.....

Hm.. some interesting facts about mosque in Kelantan..

Even though Kelantan is a state where the majority of the population are

Muslim based, what impresses me about Kelantan is that it can

boast of other religious places of worship that is unique.. !

One of which is this article below......

NST Online 'Beijing' mosque a tourist attraction

National Museum

A little bird told me....

A museum is certainly a good place to learn about the culture of the country and also the history..

Well, imagine if this building that is depicting the history of Malaysia is a history in itself....

Click on this link and you'll know what I mean...

Travel * NST Online

Traditional Malay House- Rumah Pak Abu Seman

A little bird told me.....

There are plenty of quaint malay houses around Malaysia that captures the imagination of foreigners. To many of us Malaysian city folks, a malay kampung house is just a humble wooden abode of yesteryears.

There is much thought and creativivity spent in building the house the way it is and one of the best place for city folks in Kuala Lumpur to view it, is in the compound of Badan Warisan Msia located at Jln Stonor, which is about a stone's throw away from our Craft Cultural Complex.

The house that is being refered to is the Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman (RPAS) built in the early 20th century. It was home to penghulu ( Headman) Abu Seman Nayan of Kampong Sungai Kecil, a village in Bagan Samak, Bandar Baru, Kedah.

Badan Warisan Msia, stumbled upon this beautiful piece of architecture in a dilapidated state in 1996. With the aim of restoring it to its former glory, BWM brought it to Kuala Lumpur. It was literally moved to its present location, because like almost all traditional Malay dwellings, they are designed to be movable.

It was dismantled bit by bit and relocated from Kedah to Jalan Stonor in 1996, where it was eventually conserved in its original condition.

The main portion of the house, known as the rumah ibu, was originally built for a Tok Taib of Kampung Paya Takong.

After his passing, Abu Seman bought the structure, dismantled it and relocated it to Kampung Sungai Kechil in 1924. In view of his position as headman, the house was gradually extended to include the ruang makan/dapur (dining and kitchen areas) and later the balai which housed Abu Seman's office. Upon his death, Abu Seman's son Ibrahim inherited the house and title. However, as Ibrahim had no son to succeed him upon his death, the house was left vacant.

A traditional malay house is designed to provide either shelter or protection for its occupants. They are built on stilts to shield occupants from floods, the threat of wild animals and to provide ventilation as air circulates through the floor boards and into the house and out from the roof.

The deep eaves gives shade to the windows, while the clay tiles, which although not typical of most old Malay houses(attap being the more afffordable alternative), absorb water when it rains, and helps to cool the house. The carved wooden panels and windows all around the house also provide good ventilation.

The rumah ibu, is higher than the rumah tengah or the balai, reflecting the hierarchical concept in Malay society. The crescent moon and star which are carved on the front gable of the house indicates that the property belongs to a Muslim. Even the carvings on the wooden panels are floral or abstract because in Islam, living creatures are not shown.

The arch at the entrance of the house is low so that guests will have to bow as they entered the house. Its a sign of respect.

Old malay houses are usually also devoid of bulky living or dining room furniture because all the spaces in the house are multi-functional , with occupants entertaining guests, and praying, eating and sleeping there.

The main portion of the house is called rumah ibu, because in the old days, the matriarch of the family, with the assistance of a bomoh, would perform a ritual to determine the location of the tiang seri or main pillar of the house.

During the relocation process, an old coin dated 1916 was found under this main column, perhaps indicating that the rumah ibu was originally built around that time.

The Rumah Pak Abu Seman has been open to the public since Nov 1997 and guided tours are conducted twice a day at 11am and 3pm except Sundays and public holidays. Entry is by a minimum RM10 donation per person.

Ref: NST jUN 25 2009

World Heritage Sites

Since Malacca and Georgetown in Penang has been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage site in Jul 2008, we as Tour Guides has never failed to highlight this point to all our tourists each and every time we bring guests into these 2 cities.

Some guides will just "parrot" the phrase as required. I chanced upon this article and would like to share some insights into this often repeated phrase and hope that it would serve to enlighten whoever is in need of it and particularly to those who visits my blog to gather information .

Ref: Malacca Guide

WHAT IS WORLD HERITAGE?

World Heritage is the designation for places on earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. Places as diverse and unique as the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, the Taj Mahal in India, the Grand Canyon in the USA, or the Acropolis in Greece are examples of the 788 natural and cultural places inscribed on the World Heritage List to date.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR A SITE TO BE INSCRIBED ON THE LIST?

Once a country signs the Convention, and has sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, the resulting prestige often helps raise awareness among citizens and governments for heritage preservation. Greater awareness leads to a general rise in the level of its protection and conservation given to heritage properties. A country may also receive financial asssistance and expert advice from the World Heritage Committee to support activities for the preservation of its sites.

WHAT IS THE CONVENTION?

The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage is an international agreement that was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 1972. It is based on the premise that certain places on Earth are of outstanding universal value and should therefore form part of the common heritage of mankind. The countries who ratify the Convention (State Parties) have become part of an international community, united in a common mission to identify and safeguard our world's most outstanding natural and cultural heritage. While fully respecting the national sovereignity and without prejudiceto property rights provided by national legislation, the States Parties recognize that the protection of the World Heritage is the duty of the international community as a whole.

The UNESCO World Heritage Convention is a treaty that has become, over the past 30years, the foremost international legal tool in support of the conservation of the world's cultural and natural heritage. Today, 178 countries (called States Parties) have ratified the Convention, making it an almost universally accepted set of principles and framework of action.

BENEFITS OF RATIFICATION

The over arching benefit of ratifying the World Heritage Convention is that of belonging to an international community of appreciation and concern for universally significant properties that embody a world of outstanding examples of cultural diversity and natural wealth.

The State Parties to the Convention, by joining hands to protect and cherish the world's natural and cultural heritage, express a shared commitment to preserving our legacy for future generations.

The prestige that comes from being a State Party to the Convention and having sites inscribed on the World Heritage List often serves as a catalyst to raising awareness for heritage preservation.

A key benefit of ratification, particularly for developing countries, is access to the World Heritage Fund. Annually, about US$4million is made available to assist State Parties in identifying, preserving and promoting World Heritage sites. Emergency assistance may also be made available for urgent action to repair damage caused by human-made or natural disasters. In the case of sites included on the List of World Heritage in Danger, the attention and the funds of both the national and the internationl community are focused on the conservation needs of these particularly threatened sites.

Today, the World Heritage concept is so well understood that sites on the List are a magnet for international cooperation and may thus receive financial assistance for heritage conservation projects from a variety of sources.

Sites inscribed on the World Heritage List also benefit from the elaboration and implementation of a comprehensive management plan that sets out adequate preservation measures and monitoring mechanisms. In support of these, experts offer technical training to the local site management team.

Finally, the inscription of a site on the World Heritage List brings an increase in public awareness of the site and of its outstanding values, thus also increasing the tourists activities at the site. When these are well planned for and organized respecting sustainable tourism principles, they can bring important funds to the site and to the local economy,

UNESCO WORLD Heritage Centre

Masjid Negara

A little bird told me ..........

The Architect behind our National Mosque- Datuk Baharudin Abu Kassim recently received the Gold Medal Award - highest Malaysian accolade an architect can ever achieve from PAM (Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia). Among some of his most outstanding Malaysian iconic buildings are the Komtar Tower in Penang,

the UBN Tower-Shangri-La Hotel complex in Kuala Lumpur,

the Shah Alam state mosque in Selangor

and of course our National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur.

Upon his return from UK in 1958, Datuk Baharudin was attached to the Federal Town Planning Department and subsequently the Public Works Deepartment (PWD). He and his team were tasked with building a mosque that was to be uniquely Malaysian and without the onion-shaped domes that characterize mosques in the Middle East.

MASJID NEGARA

Built for RM10million in the early 1960s, the mosque located in the capital of Kuala Lumpur is one of the Public Works Department’s most important projects after the country’s independence. When the 13.5 acre site was opened in 1960, earth by the thousand-loads was moved there by lorries from the Selangor Club Padang, now known as Dataran Merdeka.

Meant to be a National Heritage monument, construction was funded by donations from citizens of new Malaysia. The first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman declined to have the mosque named after him, instead opting for “Masjid Negara” instead.
It was also his directive to have the mosque located near the KL Railway station so that it’d be within comfortable walking distance for worshippers and visitors. Describing the mosque as a modern tropical building in the country, its most striking feature is its unique umbrella-shaped roof: Intended as a place of prayer for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the roof serves as a very identifiable representation of the umbrella that is always held over the King’s head.
Originally planned to accommodate 8,000 worshippers at any one time, the verandah was expanded in the 1980s to enable the mosque to house up to 14,000 worshippers.

Ref:NST 15May 2009- Property section