“DUMMMM.... dummmm .... dummmm.” The loud drum beats resonate through the cold morning air. It’s pitch dark outside and the villagers are still fast asleep. News of the sighting of the new moon only reached their isolated village late last night.
Although they’ve started making preparations since the beginning of the fasting month, the impending arrival of Hari Raya has brought renewed vigour. They toiled late into the night to make sure everything would be perfect for Aidli Fitri.
Gradually, the oil lamps in each house come to life as the occupants respond to the drum. Then, just like a well-rehearsed script, fathers and sons step silently into the darkness and head towards the river.
Buckets of frigid cold water rain down on their sarong-clad bodies. Each person bathes slightly longer than usual. After all, this is the most important day in the Muslim calendar, a day when faded and torn garb are replaced with new baju Raya.
Later that morning, the villagers begin converging on the new Masjid Pengkalan Kakap.
As they slowly make their way into the prayer hall to join the muezzin in reciting the Takbir Raya, one man and his son prefer to remain standing outside. This is a very special Hari Raya for Syed Abdul Rahman. Together with his son, Kassim, the duo had laboured tirelessly to ensure that the mosque would be ready by the time Syawal arrives.
Renowned as a skilled builder, Abdul Rahman is often nicknamed Tok Man Tukang by those close to him. A few moments later they’re joined by the Pengkalan Kakap village head, Penghulu Mohammad Salleh. Together, the trio joins the congregation in celebrating the first day of Syawal.
KEDAH’S OLDEST MOSQUE
The loud droning of a low flying aeroplane suddenly jolts me from my reverie. It’s not difficult to imagine how Hari Raya must have been celebrated in this historic mosque back in 1800. Masjid Pengkalan Kakap’s unique architectural style sets it apart from the other mosques I’ve seen. Absent are the usual minarets and domes. Instead, there’s a two-tiered pyramidal tiled roof supported by numerous thick concrete pillars. This was the prevalent style for mosques built more than 200 years ago.
Although the old Masjid Pengkalan Kakap is no longer in use since it was carefully conserved in 2004, Muslims living within the vicinity still come here to perform their daily prayers at Masjid Abdul Rahman next door.
Just as I’m about to complete circumnavigating the corridors at the periphery of the old mosque, my mobile phone beeps signalling an incoming Whatsapp message. “Sudah sampai ka? Beri tahu jika perlukan bantuan ya?” (Have you arrived? Do let me know if you need anything.)
The message is from my friend, Syeikh Mohd Noor Ismardi Ismail who works at the State Islamic Deparment. Ismardi, who’s the deputy director in charge of managing all the mosques and suraus, travels regularly throughout Kedah to ensure that the needs of the places of worship are well taken care of.
It was in one of his regular posts on FaceBook several weeks ago that I learnt about Masjid Pengkalan Kakap’s unique features and decided to make a trip here to see Kedah’s oldest mosque for myself.
As we continue to chat briefly, Ismardi enlightens me with an interesting fact. All this while, I was under the impression that Masjid Abdul Rahman was named after our first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj. Ismardi corrects me by saying the newer mosque was actually named after Tuan Guru Abdul Rahman Abdullah, a learned Islamic scholar who left for Mecca to further his religious education in 1918. Upon his return, Abdul Rahman contributed actively in the development of Islamic schools or madrasahs in Kedah.
“Both Abdul Rahman’s sons used to be my superiors at the State Islamic Department,” adds Ismardi as his messages start to shuttle effortlessly between Malay and English. We continue communicating for a few more minutes before he signs off to attend a meeting.
I visited Ismardi’s home in Pengkalan Lebai Man during Hari Raya last year. It’s quite interesting that Ismardi considers his village to be part of Sungai Petani town due to their close proximity.
“My parents kept me on a short leash during my younger days. I rarely ventured outside the house, preferring to help my mother out in the kitchen. I guess that’s where my penchant for food, both cooking and eating, came from,” confided Ismardi then, before telling me that on occasions he would sneak out of he house and watch his friends play meriam buloh, a carbide filled bamboo which explodes with a loud bang when ignited.
SLICE OF HISTORY
When he’s not out inspecting mosques, Ismardi spends most of his working hours at his office in Bangunan Wan Mat Saman in Alor Star. This historic building, built in 1941, was named after Wan Muhammad Saman Wan ismail.
He held the post of Prime Minister during the reign of both Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Mukarram Shah (1854-1879) and Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah (1882-1943). Prior to the formation of the Federation of Malaya in 1948, there was no centralised government for the non-Federated Malay States in Malaya. As such, Kedah had its own independent administration headed by the Sultan and assisted by the British Adviser.
Although Wan Muhammad Saman is best known for building the 35km-long canal from Alor Star to the foothills of Gunung Jerai (Kedah Peak), it’s his lesser known political acumen that helped secure the Kedah throne for the-then 19-year-old Sultan Abdul Hamid.
A power vacuum had suddenly arisen following the untimely demise of Sultan Zainal Rashid Muazzam Shah while in Siamese detention in 1881. Wan Muhammad Saman, together with Tunku Yaakob, took swift action to thwart attempts by Tunku Thiauddin (Tunku Kudin) and Tunku Yusoff to usurp the throne for Sultan Abdul Hamid’s older half brother Tunku Kasim.
Wan Muhammad Saman died on Dec 14, 1898, about 17 years after Sultan Abdul Hamid was formally installed as Kedah ruler.
During that period, the young monarch benefitted greatly from his Prime Minister’s wise counsel and issued numerous edicts that helped propel the state towards modernity. Unfortunately, the Sultan persistently suffered ill health after he suffered a stroke in 1895 which left him temporarily paralysed. The monarch’s issues with health started getting worse in early 20th century and things finally came to a head in 1912.
Tunku Mahmud, Sultan Abdul Hamid’s brother and Regent at that time, wanted to commit his ailing brother into a mental institution outside Kedah but he was forced to abandon his aspirations when one of the sultan’s wives, Che Menjalara intervened and opposed it vigorously.
After Che Menjalara’s death in 1941, the ageing Sultan who’d survived all his other wives, lived in isolation in a newer palace located several kilometres from Alor Star. The monarch spent his last days in Istana Anak Bukit accompanied only by a small group of devoted servants. Sultan Abdul Hamid drew his last breath on May 13, 1943.
TUNKU’S RAYA MEMORIES
Through their marriage Che Menjalara bore Sultan Abdul Hamid 12 children, eight of whom grew into adulthood. Among them was Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra who was born in 1903. Until he went to England in 1920, Tunku was known to most people as Tunku Putra and his father called him Putra as long as he lived. However, his mother and siblings referred to him as Awang. That was a very common nickname for boys in Kedah who grew up tending to the rice fields and had a natural skin tan as a result of long exposure to the sun. Tunku was bestowed this kampung boy label as he had darker skin than his brothers.
Each Hari Raya Aidil Fitri morning, young Tunku and his siblings would dress in their best baju Raya and accompany their father to the Balai Besar for the state level festivities. There, the children and their nannies would watch the unfolding events from a specially-constructed side dais.
Once the customary ceremonies were over, the Sultan and his entourage would then head across the road to perform Hari Raya prayers at the Zahir Mosque. In the afternoon, British officials, community leaders and other invited dignitaries would be feted to a grand tea party at the palace. It was common for guests back then to indulge in outdoor games like tennis in the palace grounds. At night, the palace would become the centre for attraction in Alor Star as it would be lit up with countless kerosene lamps.
As a child, Tunku had a knack of eluding his servants and would venture outside the palace walls to play with his peers who lived in town. Hari Raya added a whole new dimension to these clandestine adventures.
The boys would head straight for the hawker stalls located near the confluence of the Kedah and Anak Bukit rivers. With his pockets buldging with duit raya, Tunku would treat his friends to their own private banquet. Among Tunku’s favourites were satay and mee rebus. The boys also enjoyed spending time at the Chinese provision shops at Pekan Cina and watch wayang performances at Seberang Perak.
Later in the afternoon when the mercury got considerably higher, Tunku would join his friends for a quick dip in Sungai Raja, just beside the palace. The boys would beat a hasty exit once they heard the azan for Asar prayers from the nearby Zahir Mosque.
They’re aware that crocodiles from the nearby swamps would converge on the river come nightfall. During his later years, Tunku would often regale guests visiting him during Hari Raya with tales of how he’d cringe in bed listening to the reptiles fighting outside his window in the middle of the night!
During my drive back from Pengkalan Kakap I find myself lost in thought, reflecting on just how much our country has progressed since the time Tok Man Tukang and his son completed their feat. The government’s efforts to conserve historically important sites should be lauded as these buildings serve as guiding beacons for our future generations as they search for their cultural roots.