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Melaka: Steeped in history, culture
The Tribune, India
March 2 2008
Tanushree Podder recalls her trip to the peaceful Malaysian town that
bears the stamp of about half a dozen cultures, including Portuguese,
Dutch, British and Chinese
YOU can't but feel welcome in Malaysia. Cheerful and smiling faces
stare out of billboards proclaiming Selamat Datang (Welcome to
Malaysia). Be it a restaurant or a shop you are likely to come across
the slogan, everywhere. While the buzz and pace of Kuala Lumpur was
heart-warming, one was raring to get to the laidback charms of Melaka,
the erstwhile Malacca. It is a place with interesting history. Way back
in 1403, a Hindu Prince called Parameswara was exiled from Sumatra. The
prince converted into Islam and established the new kingdom at Malacca.
The strategic location of Malacca's port drew the Portuguese and
the Dutch and then the British. That explains the different kinds
of architecture, cuisine and culture. Predominantly Chinese, Malacca
still retains the faded imprint of the other cultures.
It was threatening to rain as I drove into the town one October
morning. But the weather did not prove to be a deterrent as a colourful
trishaw was engaged to tour the place. It was the cheerful trishaw
driver, Khoo, with his Pidgin English who proved to be a valuable
guide. His trishaw was equipped with all kinds of things, including a
CD player that belted out foot-tapping beats and kept his adrenaline
pumping. Khoo had an excellent business sense; the brand names on
his trishaw earned him more money than his rides.
"We go Dutch Square. All foreigner go there," he said as he began
pedalling energetically. A couple of minutes later we were standing in
the midst of several red-coloured edifices and a dilapidated gateway
at the far end. The gateway was where we began the tour.
"Fort A'Famosa was very big one time. Portuguese people build it,"
explained the trishaw driver.
I nodded politely while trying to take pictures of the only remaining
gate to the once impressive fort. A rusted cannon and the ruined gate
is all that remain today.
Standing at the Porta de Santiago, I looked up at the summit of
the hill, on which stand the ruins of St Paul's Church. Originally a
Portuguese chapel, today there are just a few brick walls covered with
tombstones of Dutch conquerors. Interestingly, the body of St Francis
Xavier was laid to rest at the open grave (now covered by wire mesh) of
the church for a period of eight and a half months after his death in
China before being transported to Goa. Yes, it is the same St Francis
Xavier whose body is preserved at the Bom Jesus Basilica at Goa.
>>From the hilltop, one got some excellent shots of the city. One could
also see the statue of St Francis Xavier with its broken right hand.
It is said that on the morning after the consecration ceremony,
a large Casuarina branch fell on it and broke off the right arm,
and that's the way it remains till date.
>>From there, Khoo took me to The Stadthuys, all the while singing
along with the music from his CD. The Stadthuys is the oldest Dutch
building in the East. It had once served as the residence of the
Dutch Governor but today it is a museum.
The Christ Church, standing nearby, was built during the Dutch
occupation; it is still used today. Each of the huge roof beams was
carved from a single tree trunk and constructed without joints. The
handmade pews and windows date back 200 years. Interestingly, the
brass Bible inscribed with the first verse of St John in Dutch, old
tombstones inscribed with Armenian script incorporated into the floor,
and a picture of 'Last Supper' in glazed tiles are still there. The
only disappointing factor was that pictures were not allowed.
"Now we go Jonker Street," declared Khoo. "You find good things
there. But first you eat." There was no arguing with Khoo.
Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock was where we went to taste the famous Baba &
Nyonya food. This particular cuisine has a blend of Chinese, Malay
elements. The tourist brochures had recommended laksa (coconut
milk gravy with seafood/chicken, bean sprouts, tofu, fish balls
and egg noodles, served with a shrimp paste) and otak-otak (spiced
fish meat grilled in banana leaves) and they turned out to be an
excellent choice. The meal was rounded off with a delicious cendol,
a concoction of coconut milk, Gula Melaka (local brown sugar) syrup,
with feluda kind of noodles topped with shaved ice.
With lunch out of the way, we began a leisurely round of the Jonker
Street. Also known as the antique street, the narrow Jonker Street
is crowded with small shops selling all kinds of artefacts from the
colonial rule. Right from antique furniture to Chinese porcelain,
brassware, cast iron beds, lamps, and coins, it has a host of
interesting buys.
The beaded footwear, apparently a Nyonya creation, was fascinating.
But it seemed too ornate to be used on a dusty road back home. My
bargaining skills came to great use while buying a mahjong set. Khoo,
the ever loyal guide, pitched in with his arguments in the local lingo.
The Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum with its beautiful furniture,
intricately embroidered panels, artefacts, was a magical place. I had
always been fascinated by the words Baba and Nyonya. Here I learnt
that they were product of Chinese and Malay parentage.
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple on the Harmony Street (so known because it
has a mosque, a Hindu temple and a Chinese one, too) was the next stop.
It has magnificent lacquer work, and is the oldest Chinese temple
in Malaysia.
Finished with the sight seeing, I wanted to shop. Khoo insisted that
I visit the Dataran Pehlawan, which runs from one end of the road to
the other and has innumerable shops with designer labels under one
roof. "All tourist come here to buy." I went berserk at the Bossini
outlet, buying as many as five T-shirts since there was a sale.
Although it was late, I had no inclinations of hitting the sack. "You
go Little India to eat. I drop you there," suggested Khoo as I paid
him off. True to his promise, he dropped me off at an Indian restaurant
before he called it a day.
The pleasure I had eating typical South Indian fare off the banana
leaf is something that defies description. Much as I enjoy all kinds
of food, it is the Indian food I love the most, especially when I am
abroad. Maybe it is the comfort factor.
I left Melaka with a feeling that I would be back one day. It is a
place that demands return visits.
FACTFILE
Touring the town in a trishaw
Reaching there - Melaka is about 145 km (two hours' drive) from
Kuala Lumpur. One could also take a train up to Tampin, which is just
about 38 km from Melaka. Regular buses and taxis also ply between KL
and Melaka.
Travelling around town - The colourful trishaws are the most
interesting way to get around Melaka, although taxis are available. A
bit of haggling would be required before you engage a trishaw.
Staying there - A host of options are available for tourists. Some
of which are Equatorial Hotel, Emperor Hotel, The Bayview Hotel,
Grand Continental and Straits Meridian.
Eating - An immense range of cuisine right from Chinese, Malay,
Indian to Baba Nyonya and Portuguese are available. A taste of the
Baba Nyonya cuisine is a must, though.
Shopping - Good antiques are available on the Jonker Street. The
Dataran Pahlawan is the place you could pick up both designer stuff
as well as pret wear.
Currency - The Malaysian Ringitt (MR) is about Rs 12.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080302/spe ctrum/main3.htm
The Tribune, India
March 2 2008
Tanushree Podder recalls her trip to the peaceful Malaysian town that
bears the stamp of about half a dozen cultures, including Portuguese,
Dutch, British and Chinese
YOU can't but feel welcome in Malaysia. Cheerful and smiling faces
stare out of billboards proclaiming Selamat Datang (Welcome to
Malaysia). Be it a restaurant or a shop you are likely to come across
the slogan, everywhere. While the buzz and pace of Kuala Lumpur was
heart-warming, one was raring to get to the laidback charms of Melaka,
the erstwhile Malacca. It is a place with interesting history. Way back
in 1403, a Hindu Prince called Parameswara was exiled from Sumatra. The
prince converted into Islam and established the new kingdom at Malacca.
The strategic location of Malacca's port drew the Portuguese and
the Dutch and then the British. That explains the different kinds
of architecture, cuisine and culture. Predominantly Chinese, Malacca
still retains the faded imprint of the other cultures.
It was threatening to rain as I drove into the town one October
morning. But the weather did not prove to be a deterrent as a colourful
trishaw was engaged to tour the place. It was the cheerful trishaw
driver, Khoo, with his Pidgin English who proved to be a valuable
guide. His trishaw was equipped with all kinds of things, including a
CD player that belted out foot-tapping beats and kept his adrenaline
pumping. Khoo had an excellent business sense; the brand names on
his trishaw earned him more money than his rides.
"We go Dutch Square. All foreigner go there," he said as he began
pedalling energetically. A couple of minutes later we were standing in
the midst of several red-coloured edifices and a dilapidated gateway
at the far end. The gateway was where we began the tour.
"Fort A'Famosa was very big one time. Portuguese people build it,"
explained the trishaw driver.
I nodded politely while trying to take pictures of the only remaining
gate to the once impressive fort. A rusted cannon and the ruined gate
is all that remain today.
Standing at the Porta de Santiago, I looked up at the summit of
the hill, on which stand the ruins of St Paul's Church. Originally a
Portuguese chapel, today there are just a few brick walls covered with
tombstones of Dutch conquerors. Interestingly, the body of St Francis
Xavier was laid to rest at the open grave (now covered by wire mesh) of
the church for a period of eight and a half months after his death in
China before being transported to Goa. Yes, it is the same St Francis
Xavier whose body is preserved at the Bom Jesus Basilica at Goa.
>>From the hilltop, one got some excellent shots of the city. One could
also see the statue of St Francis Xavier with its broken right hand.
It is said that on the morning after the consecration ceremony,
a large Casuarina branch fell on it and broke off the right arm,
and that's the way it remains till date.
>>From there, Khoo took me to The Stadthuys, all the while singing
along with the music from his CD. The Stadthuys is the oldest Dutch
building in the East. It had once served as the residence of the
Dutch Governor but today it is a museum.
The Christ Church, standing nearby, was built during the Dutch
occupation; it is still used today. Each of the huge roof beams was
carved from a single tree trunk and constructed without joints. The
handmade pews and windows date back 200 years. Interestingly, the
brass Bible inscribed with the first verse of St John in Dutch, old
tombstones inscribed with Armenian script incorporated into the floor,
and a picture of 'Last Supper' in glazed tiles are still there. The
only disappointing factor was that pictures were not allowed.
"Now we go Jonker Street," declared Khoo. "You find good things
there. But first you eat." There was no arguing with Khoo.
Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock was where we went to taste the famous Baba &
Nyonya food. This particular cuisine has a blend of Chinese, Malay
elements. The tourist brochures had recommended laksa (coconut
milk gravy with seafood/chicken, bean sprouts, tofu, fish balls
and egg noodles, served with a shrimp paste) and otak-otak (spiced
fish meat grilled in banana leaves) and they turned out to be an
excellent choice. The meal was rounded off with a delicious cendol,
a concoction of coconut milk, Gula Melaka (local brown sugar) syrup,
with feluda kind of noodles topped with shaved ice.
With lunch out of the way, we began a leisurely round of the Jonker
Street. Also known as the antique street, the narrow Jonker Street
is crowded with small shops selling all kinds of artefacts from the
colonial rule. Right from antique furniture to Chinese porcelain,
brassware, cast iron beds, lamps, and coins, it has a host of
interesting buys.
The beaded footwear, apparently a Nyonya creation, was fascinating.
But it seemed too ornate to be used on a dusty road back home. My
bargaining skills came to great use while buying a mahjong set. Khoo,
the ever loyal guide, pitched in with his arguments in the local lingo.
The Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum with its beautiful furniture,
intricately embroidered panels, artefacts, was a magical place. I had
always been fascinated by the words Baba and Nyonya. Here I learnt
that they were product of Chinese and Malay parentage.
Cheng Hoon Teng Temple on the Harmony Street (so known because it
has a mosque, a Hindu temple and a Chinese one, too) was the next stop.
It has magnificent lacquer work, and is the oldest Chinese temple
in Malaysia.
Finished with the sight seeing, I wanted to shop. Khoo insisted that
I visit the Dataran Pehlawan, which runs from one end of the road to
the other and has innumerable shops with designer labels under one
roof. "All tourist come here to buy." I went berserk at the Bossini
outlet, buying as many as five T-shirts since there was a sale.
Although it was late, I had no inclinations of hitting the sack. "You
go Little India to eat. I drop you there," suggested Khoo as I paid
him off. True to his promise, he dropped me off at an Indian restaurant
before he called it a day.
The pleasure I had eating typical South Indian fare off the banana
leaf is something that defies description. Much as I enjoy all kinds
of food, it is the Indian food I love the most, especially when I am
abroad. Maybe it is the comfort factor.
I left Melaka with a feeling that I would be back one day. It is a
place that demands return visits.
FACTFILE
Touring the town in a trishaw
Reaching there - Melaka is about 145 km (two hours' drive) from
Kuala Lumpur. One could also take a train up to Tampin, which is just
about 38 km from Melaka. Regular buses and taxis also ply between KL
and Melaka.
Travelling around town - The colourful trishaws are the most
interesting way to get around Melaka, although taxis are available. A
bit of haggling would be required before you engage a trishaw.
Staying there - A host of options are available for tourists. Some
of which are Equatorial Hotel, Emperor Hotel, The Bayview Hotel,
Grand Continental and Straits Meridian.
Eating - An immense range of cuisine right from Chinese, Malay,
Indian to Baba Nyonya and Portuguese are available. A taste of the
Baba Nyonya cuisine is a must, though.
Shopping - Good antiques are available on the Jonker Street. The
Dataran Pahlawan is the place you could pick up both designer stuff
as well as pret wear.
Currency - The Malaysian Ringitt (MR) is about Rs 12.
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080302/spe ctrum/main3.htm