This is our heritage Revisited

Prologue

I posted this in Oct 2008 and thought I should re-post it as I have new info update to go with this one. For the record.

And wait for the new entry please. It is such a heart warming story that I would travel 300 km just to get it.

Friday, October 24, 2008

This is our heritage

Such a beautiful building in a very dilapidated condition. This is our heritage; this is our soul, for who are we without ourhistory.

Yet no one cares.

Tell me, how many historical site do we have in the country that traced back our history? Where are the Malacca Sultanate palaces that would showcased the empire our forefathers built in the 1400s? The Portuguese have the A Famosa or whatever remains of it; The Dutch the Stadyhust; the Babas the various building in Malacca.

Is Islam a new religion in Malaysia? Does it come in mainly after Merdeka?

I would think so. If you dont believe me, check out the mosques in Kuala Lumpur.

Masjid Negara, in the early 60s, Masjid Wilayah, very recently, Masjid Sultan Abdul Aziz in Shah Alam, may in the late 80s.

We have the Chandis in Lembah Bujang; The old church ruin on top of the hill in Melaka. All dated hundreds of years ago.

Where are our old Mosques?

It seems that we Malays are the pendatang, and a recent one at that, as we have the habit to demolish our beautiful old mosques and build non-descript buildings on its remain so much much so people are saying, "You guys must be new here. Look at all the brand new mosques. There is no evidence that you guys have been heer for too long."


This is what we saw on our raya trip to Kuala Kangsar on the second day of Raya. If you want to imagine this building in its full glory, please visit the Craft Centre at Jalan Conlay. You can buy the painting for about RM100.00.

The real one is in Padang Asam Kuala Kangsar.


The side of the building

A closer up on the side of the mosque

It is still beautiful though it is in ruins

The wall

The carving on the roof


These two pictures are the inside of the mosque

Can the state government of Perak declare the building as a heritage, and perhaps rehabilitate it to its former glory?

Kita dok sibuk with the House of Bok la, and the various buildings in Penang and Melaka, and yet we forgot - or conveniently forgot, about these beautiful buildings.

Where are the souls of the Malays in this country?

(All pictures were taken by Arif)

4 comments:

farahmunirah said...

oh, well, everything comes to an end.

October 26, 2008 6:08 AM

Rahman Hariri said...

Disagree and in this particular case, not the proper attitude to have. It can be salvaged. Just imagine the hundreds of people praying in this mosques for a hundred of years. Historical sites must be kept intact since we dont have that many.

If we think that the twin towers is full of ciri2 kebudayaan islam, then this building epitomized it all.

Kementerian Kesenian can do something.

October 26, 2008 5:49 PM

Bo Boon@Yasmin said...

I love to read your writings and your conservation awareness.Keep it up. I have always wanted to travel back ( if only a time machine coulds make it possible! LOL ) and relive the 60s and 70s, away from the busy and hustle of city life ( not that i live in a city though! lol ), away from all the environmental issues that i see almost everyday, the evil abusive of mankind , the increase in crime rate etc... I am almost afraid to see how it will turn out in the next decade or two. what is in store for my children and their generation?
If people are willing to make changes, I believe all is not lost yet. Oops, sorry for babbling here.. I can get carried away sometimes .. hehehehe..

December 15, 2008 9:13 PM

Rahman Hariri said...

Bo Boon, thank you for dropping by. I am glad to find someone with the same interest! And passion I must say.

I totally agree with your view.

December 18, 2008 4:33 AM