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On Monday, Alor Star’s devoted Buddhists thronged to Wat Nikrodharam 尼可罗塔南佛寺, the city’s most imposing Buddhist temple complex, to pay homage to Lord Buddha in conjunction of Vesak, an annual holiday which Buddhists from all traditions celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the great founder of Buddhism.

A stunning piece of architectural gem, this majestic Buddhist temple complex is a living testament to the region’s Siamese influence in the past. The flamboyant temple gate and façades are typical features of the Thai Buddhist temple (wat) architecture.

Being the primary Buddhist house of worship in Kedah’s state capital, this wat naturally played host to the city’s most happening Vesak celebration.

Due to the temple’s prime location at the city centre just beside a major roundabout, visitors can easily get a clear view of Alor Star’s tallest man-made structure, the Menara Alor Star (Alor Star Tower), as shown in the last picture above.

As with most of Malaysia’s northern states, the Chinese form the majority of the Buddhist community in Alor Star, while small pockets of local Thais and Indians make up the remainder of the bulk. Hence why Chinese architectural influence also played a rather significant role in the design of this temple complex.

Sincere devotees offering prayers at the main temple

Though Thai Buddhist temples are usually associated with the Theravada 小乘/南传 tradition (the main Buddhist school of thought adhered to by the Kingdom of Thailand), the Mahayana 大乘/北传 tradition followed by most Chinese Buddhists is also cherished here.

As for me, I consider myself a non-denominational Buddhist, thus I’m absolutely fine with whatever Buddhist tradition or school of thought. But I seem to be attracted to Tibetan Buddhism and Zen Buddhism lately. Haha…

This columbarium houses the cremated remains of my maternal grandpa who passed away 16 years ago in the year 1992

Besides the huge crowd of people, hawker stalls also packed the place to cater to those hungry devotees. I think I was the only one busy taking pictures around the temple complex, causing a lady from one of the stalls to mistake me for a journalist. How funny!

This old hawker has been selling mochi in Alor Star since my primary school days!

And last but not least, the beautiful self-purifying practice of…

c a t e g o r y | alor star . my ville
f l u f f e r p u f f | alor star . buddhism . festivals . kedah . malaysia . religions & spirituality . temples & wats

15 sOleiLians

PENANG HERITAGE TRAIL: PART I

Walking the Penang Heritage Trail is something that I’ve always wanted to do. So when the opportunity came knocking on my door, how could I not be thrilled? :D

Actually, we (the committee members of the Bureau of Programme for June’s week-long MAB architecture event) were on a task to George Town in order to observe and identify the cultural sites along this historic trail. For the uninitiated, we’re currently planning for an activity that will involve these places during that week.

Anyway, here’s a brief history of this tropical island:

The Malaysian island-state of Penang, as with Singapore, was founded by a British colonial official of the British East India Company which was instrumental in assisting the British Empire in establishing profitable trades and securing vast territories in the far-flung regions of the Orient. Originally a part of the Malay Sultanate of Kedah, the island was given to the powerful British trading company by the Sultan of Kedah in exchange for military protection from the invading Siamese and Burmese armies.

Instead of Sir Stamford Raffles who founded Singapore 3 decades later, it was Captain Francis Light who founded Penang on August 11th, 1786 and gave the island its 1st taste of international exposure. The nascent settlement was renamed Prince of Wales Island by him in honour of the heir to the British throne.

Beach Street, an old street lined up with banks of old-world colonial architecture

Thanks to its prominent location on the entrance to the Strait of Malacca, the then Prince of Wales Island thrived as a free port (a status that has ceased to exist in 1969) and guarded fervently on the lucrative trade route between India and China. Captain Light’s son, Colonel William Light, was born in the same year in Kuala Kedah (a sleepy fishing port in the adjacent state of Kedah) and later went on to found the cosmopolitan city of Adelaide, Australia.

Fort Cornwallis, a star-shaped fort occupying the north-eastern coast of Penang, was built by Captain Light after he acquired the island from the Sultan of Kedah

Cute ponies grazing outside the fort walls

Penang (both the island and Province Wellesley on the Malay Peninsula), Malacca, Labuan, Dinding (now known as Manjung), and Singapore would later come under the collective administration as a British crown colony known as the Straits Settlements. Since then, Penang’s population boomed.

Even up to this day, the traces of the former British masters could be seen everywhere in Penang’s prosperous state capital, George Town. There’s a sizeable English-speaking population and a relatively high number of expatriates and foreign tourists in Penang as compared to other states in the country.

Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, erected by a local Chinese millionaire beside the British fort to commemorate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897

One of the most notable colonial legacies in George Town is the street names of this city. Unlike most other cities in Malaysia, George Town has retained most of its colonial street names, albeit now officially known in their Malay translations. Fine examples like Lebuh Buckingham (Buckingham Street), Persiaran Gurney (Gurney Drive), Pesara King Edward (King Edward Place), Jalan Padang Victoria (Victoria Green Road), and Pengkalan Weld (Weld Quay). Things are pretty much the same in Singapore, sans the Malay translations. Interesting huh?

Before I board a ferry to Butterworth on Saturday afternoon, I took a quick stroll along Weld Quay and snapped these photographs which depicted the rich colonial flavours of George Town, Penang. Enjoy ‘em! ;)

Church Street Pier, established in 1897

Tanjong City Marina, a redevelopment project of the Church Street Pier

to be continued…

c a t e g o r y | penang heritage trail
f l u f f e r p u f f | malaysia . penang . travel

31 sOleiLians