Kampung Gelam in Singapore still retains its rich Malay-Muslim cultural and religious legacies, writes Alan Teh Leam Seng.
WAKING up past the breakfast period, the nearby Maxwell Road Food Centre — which is less than a kilometre away from my hotel, the Oakwood Premier AMTD Singapore — becomes the next best option for a meal to start my day.
During the brief five-minute walk, a photographic exhibition by the Singapore City Gallery entrance catches my attention.
Titled "Kampong Gelam: Documenting Our Present For Our Future", the eye-catching displays soon bring to light the many attractions found within the historic urban quarter of the city-state, which owes its name to a tree that was once used by the seafaring Orang Laut to construct boats.
At the same time, several well-taken photographs of Muslims dressed in their best congregating at the majestic Sultan Mosque for Hari Raya prayers bring to mind that the most important Islamic celebration is just around the corner.
SEAT OF MALAY ROYALTY
My curiosity is further piqued at the food centre, when the stall operator serving lontong — rice cakes in hot coconut broth filled with vegetables, tofu and boiled egg — turns out to be a former Kampung Gelam resident.
He reveals that the area, which was gazetted as a conservation area in 1989, was once the seat of Malay royalty and served as a bustling hub for commerce, education and culture for a diverse community that included the Arabs, Boyanese, Bugis, Javanese, Indians and Chinese.
His vivid recollections of Istana Kampung Gelam, the Hajjah Fatimah Mosque, Malabar Mosque and Madrasah Alsagoff Al-Arabiah help cast aside predetermined plans for the day.
Although taxis are easily available, the highly efficient MRT, with its numerous strategically located stations, is also a great way to travel in Singapore.
The train on the East-West Line from Tanjung Pagar takes just six minutes to reach Bugis after passing by Raffles Place and City Hall.
After that, it is a quick five-minute walk to Kampung Gelam with the Sultan Mosque's shimmering golden dome serving as a guiding beacon.
While checking out shops selling interesting items ranging from perfumes to fine fabrics and dresses, it soon becomes obvious that major streets in the vicinity still bear names like Baghdad, Kandahar and Bussorah, to reflect the rich historical ties between Singapore and the Middle East, whose traders began arriving in the Malay Archipelago centuries ago to trade.
NEW LEASES OF LIFE
As time passed, the buildings here were given new leases of life through careful conservation that ensured their old-world charm retention.
With Covid-19 restrictions significantly reduced, tourists from all walks of life and nationalities are once again flocking to Kampung Gelam not only to shop and savour its varied culinary delights, but also to experience the rich Malay-Muslim cultural and religious legacies.
The Malay Heritage Centre nearby highlights the history of Malays throughout the region and traces insightful stories of local Muslims from the early days right up to Singapore's post-independence era.
Through its many curated exhibits, programmes and activities, the centre honours the past and provides a means for present-day expressions.
Occupying the historic site, where Istana Kampung Gelam once stood, the sprawling two-storey Malay Heritage Centre is home to six galleries that showcase captivating stories told through artefacts, murals, dioramas, poetry, music and multimedia.
These displays highlight Kampung Gelam's historical significance as a thriving port town prior to Stamford Raffles' arrival in 1819, and serve as evidence of the increasingly urban and cosmopolitan nature of Singapore Malay society.
Honouring the original Istana Kampung Gelam's layout as a grand traditional timber structure built on stilts, visitors commence their tour of the galleries from the upper level before progressively moving down to the lobby.
Like all time-honoured Malay homes, the palace's upper level, known as the panggung, once served as the main living and sleeping quarters, while the
kolong at the ground level was used mainly for storage and a children's play area.
RAMADAN BAZAAR HUNT
A side exit along Kandahar Street leads to Kampung Gelam's famed Ramadan bazaar.
Conversations struck with arriving stall operators reveal that the place gets busier later in the afternoon, when people start arriving in droves to buy delicacies.
Crowd favourites here include mutton and chicken briyani, local cakes, roti jala as well as a wide selection of Middle Eastern dates, which are consumed to aid digestion and help restore strength after a day of fasting.
The day gets more interesting after learning about a larger Ramadan Bazaar in Geylang Serai, a traditional Malay settlement renowned for its successful lemongrass or serai cultivation back in the 19th century.
The chance to visit two bazaars in one day is definitely an opportunity that is too good to pass up.
While tracing North Bridge Road back to the Bugis MRT station, a taxi comes to a gradual halt nearby for a passenger to alight.
The opportune moment results in a quick chauffeured ride eastwards that offers scenic views of the new National Stadium in Kallang, as well as rows of public housing in the Boon Kheng residential quarters.
Not long after, the imposing Wisma Geylang Serai comes into view as the cab turns into Engku Aman Road.
Serving as the Geylang Serai precinct community civic and cultural centre, the design of this sprawling brown-and-white complex draws inspiration from various heritage elements, including serai fronds, folded ketupat leaves and the traditional Malay house serambi or verandah.
Together, they amplify Geylang Serai's distinctive identity and strengthen its unique urban character.
Venturing indoors, the naturally ventilated multi-functional spaces and facilities are interspersed with art installations that bear hints of Geylang Serai's origin as a major Malay settlement back in the days of pre-modern Singapore.
COSMOPOLITAN LIFESTYLES
Densely populated even in the early 20th century, the locals were exposed to contemporary developments both in the region and internationally through their employment in government, shipping, entertainment, journalism and service-related industries.
Right from the start, Geylang Serai's community had a sophisticated worldview, which was reflected in their cosmopolitan lifestyle.
Coming across an oversized gambus Hadhraumaut artwork while browsing through the ground floor shops gives opportunity to reflect upon the importance of the bangsawan (Malay opera) as an essential form of early entertainment to the locals in the past.
Together with other musical instruments that accompany these elaborate theatrical performances, the gambus hailed from Eastern Yemen and arrived in the Malay Archipelago in the 19th century, where it was warmly accepted by the region's Muslim communities, including those in Singapore.
Until the early 1940s, travelling troupes, including Wayang Kassim, Nahar Opera Company, Star Opera, Dean's Grand Opera and Borneo Star Opera, entertained the masses in public squares and halls.
The golden age of the bangsawan went into decline after the Japanese Occupation, with the proliferation of cinemas like Wembley Cinema, Apollo Cinema and Garrick Theatre, which screened locally produced star-studded blockbusters featuring P. Ramlee, Saadiah, Shahadat Kadarisman, Siput Sarawak and many others from the Shaw Brothers Malay Film Production unit.
Acting on the timely advice of several shop operators, the walkabout moves across the adjacent Changi Road to Joo Chiat Complex, where a multitude of Raya decorations receive overwhelming attention from visitors. Equally popular are outlets selling local snacks and biscuits.
The sight of mouthwatering food inevitably raises consciousness to surfacing hunger pangs. Late lunch comes in the form of nasi padang, which consists of sambal petai, fried paru belado and chicken rendang at the Geylang Serai Market and Food Centre, located across the road from Joo Chiat Complex and just side by side with Wisma Geylang Serai.
GUARDIAN SENTINEL
On the way out, several information boards highlighting prominent landmarks related to the Islamic faith give cause to pause.
Among the many, the unique Haji Muhammad Salleh Mosque at Mount Palmer catches attention. Its interesting architecture and a string of related legends quickly give ample reason for a visit.
By late afternoon, my unscheduled exploration of sites and landmarks relating to Singapore's vibrant Malay community comes full circle after exiting the Tanjung Pagar MRT station.
Guided by Google Maps, the brief 15-minute walk ends at the foot of a verdant hillock sandwiched in between the bustling Marina Coastal Expressway and a construction yard for a new Prince Edward MRT and Shenton Way bus transportation hub.
Removing footwear before entering the mosque grounds as a mark of respect, the path then leads to a flight of stairs that ends at the top of Mount Palmer.
This is where Haji Muhammad Salleh Mosque and the tomb of Habib Noh Mohammed al-Habshi, or popularly known as Habib Noh, are located.
The respected community leader was regarded as one of the seven wali or saints in Singapore because of the many miracles attributed to him.
Born on board a ship bound for Penang from Palembang in 1788, legend has it that a terrible storm that lashed the vessel at the time of his birth only dissipated after his father named him in honour of Prophet Noh.
Habib Noh went on to become an influential and highly revered figure in the Muslim community, who travelled extensively all over Malaya to teach the tenets of Islam.
Upon his demise at the home of Temenggong Abu Bakar in 1866, folklore tells of how his coffin, while on its way to the Telok Blangah Muslim Cemetery, became too heavy for the pallbearers.
Their load only lightened considerably after the route changed to Mount Palmer, when one of the mourners remembered that Habib Noh had wanted to be interred there.
Haji Muhammad Salleh Mosque, built in 1903, was named in honour of Habib Noh's close friend, a successful merchant.
The time to leave arrives just as the last rays of sunlight disappear under the western horizon and the faithful start preparations to break fast.
As twilight sets in, Mount Palmer does look like a silent sentinel standing watch over Singapore's Central Business District, while holding on to its rich heritage as the city marches on towards an even more promising future.
As for me, it is time to head back to the Maxwell Road Food Centre for a well-deserved dinner and, with a little bit of luck, another interesting lead may just crop up to pave the way for another exhilarating day exploring the numerous interesting places in Singapore.